
What We're Reading: Hospice Payment Increase; Overdose Death Rates; Price Transparency Lawsuit
Hospices will receive a $520 million increase in payments from CMS in fiscal year 2020; urban areas accounted for more drug overdose deaths rates than rural areas in 2016 and 2017; a federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit against a California price transparency law can proceed.
Hospices to Get Boost in Medicare Payments
Under a final rule issued by CMS, hospices will see a $520 million (2.5%) increase in their payment rates for fiscal year (FY) 2020.
Urban Areas Now See More Overdose Death Rates
Judge Allows Lawsuit Over California Price Transparency Law
Two years ago, California implemented a law that requiring drug makers to notify insurers and government health insurers at least 60 days before increasing the list price of any drug that costs more than $40 by at least 16% in a 2-year period. This week, a federal judge ruled that the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the pharmaceutical industry's leading lobby group, could proceed with its amended lawsuit alleging that the law is unconstitutional because it violates interstate commerce and free speech principles, unfairly holds drug makers responsible for prices, and purposely has fuzzy language about the time frame for notice of a price hike,
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