Cyber attacks on health care are raising cyber insurance costs; Democrats and Republicans clash over what constitutes a cut vs a reform; rural hospitals begin conversion under a new federal payment program.
Addressing an Increase of Cyber Attacks on Health Care
An overwhelming amount of cyber attacks is causing a serious problem for hospitals, resulting in a steep increase in cyber insurance costs, according to Axios. In response to these threats, insurers are urging health care systems to tighten up their security, using strategies such as strong data backup, multi-factor authentication, employee security training, and network segmentation. Last week, the Biden administration announced its first national cybersecurity strategy, which aims build a federal cyber insurance backstop that would help protect insurers against losses while lowering the cost of insurance.
Debates Over Medicare and Social Security Spending: Cuts vs Reforms
Republicans and Democrats are engaged in a debate over language when it comes to defining what is a cut vs a reform in Medicare and Social Security, according to The Hill. Republicans have proposed what they deemed as necessary safety-net “reforms,” including hiking eligibility ages, reducing benefits for wealthier seniors, and cost-of-living adjustments. However, Democrats argue that anything proposed that limited Medicare and Social Security should be considered major cuts to these programs, not reforms.
The First of Rural Emergency Hospital Conversions to Begin
More than 1700 rural facilities are eligible for conversion in to a Rural Emergency Hospital under a new federal payment program by CMS, according to Kaiser Health News. Facilities that convert with get a 5% increase in Medicaid payments and an average annual facility fee payment of about $3.2 million in exchange for converting to an emergency and outpatient practice, rather than an inpatient facility. This program is meant to act as a temporary solution to address an overwhelming number of rural hospitals that have shut down since 2010.
Study Highlights Significant Increases in Utilization, Spending on DMD Drugs in Medicaid
May 17th 2024The findings add to recent research on the growing utilization, expenditure, and prices of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) therapies in the current landscape, an area health care policy could potentially address.
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Covering antiobesity medications like semaglutide could save Medicare around $500 million annually; preliminary CDC data showed a 3% decline in the number of US overdose deaths last year; the Biden administration recently announced the first national maternal mental health strategy.
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Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Urban Health Outreach
May 9th 2024In the series debut episode of "Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity," Mary Sligh, CRNP, and Chelsea Chappars, of Allegheny Health Network, explain how the Urban Health Outreach program aims to improve health equity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
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After the ACA Expanded Health Care Access, 2024 Elections May See Voters Demand Affordability
May 15th 2024At the spring conference of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, speakers discussed how health policy, affordability, and transparency may play a role in voters’ decisions.
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Panel Addresses Minority Physician Shortage, Maternal Health at Senate Committee Hearing
May 15th 2024The senate hearing held by the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I, Vermont), chairman of the committee, and ranking member Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD, (R, Louisiana), addressed the critical issue of physician and health care worker shortages, as well as the maternal health crisis, in the US.
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