Some California Hospitals Refused Covid-19 Transfers for Financial Reasons, State Emails Show
Denials expose ways hospitals put finances ahead of pandemic response as coronavirus hospitalizations continue to surge More
Lenox Hill Hospital expansion faces opposition due to healthcare inequalities
Northwell Health's $2.5 billion expansion plan for the hospital in Manhattan's Upper East Side, one of New York City's whitest enclaves, faces vehement opposition from healthcare advocates who say the project neglects communities of color. More
CMS incorrectly penalizes hospitals in readmissions program, study finds
The incorrect penalties stem from margins of error associated with the 30-day risk-adjusted readmission measure the program relies on. More
Surprise Billing for Colonoscopy: The Scope of the Problem
Federal law eliminates consumer cost sharing for multiple methods of colorectal cancer screening, including colonoscopy when done by an in-network provider. However, some patients having screening incur considerable out-of-pocket costs because out-of-network bills are not included in federal mandates. More
How do Massachusetts hospitals stack up on the Lown Hospitals Index?
At a presentation for the Massachusetts Health Data Collaborative, Vikas Saini and Shannon Brownlee discussed why they created the Lown Hospitals Index, how the metrics were developed, and what the results show about hospitals in Massachusetts. Watch the full presentation here! More
The Sackler Family’s Plan to Keep Its Billions
The Trump Administration is poised to make a settlement with Purdue Pharma that it can claim as a victory for opioid victims. But the proposed outcome would leave the company’s owners enormously wealthy—and off the hook for good. More
Trump boasted he made insulin so cheap ‘it’s like water.’ Americans with diabetes beg to differ.
The president said at Tuesday’s debate that he lowered insulin prices. That’s not true — and, for some, the drug’s expense is a fatal barrier. More
Heroism and Hypocrisy: Seeing Our Reflection with 2020 Vision
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, hospice's new H Word is Hero! Stripped of the illusion of security, the public sees the immediate and enduring value of palliative care, home health care, nursing home care, and hospice. More
Sky-High Drug Prices Driven by Pharma Profits, House Dems Charge
Enormous drug company profits are the primary driver of soaring prescription drug prices in America, according to a damning investigation that Democrats on the House Oversight Committee began releasing Wednesday. More
UMass-Clinton Hospital among top 10 in index
The UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital campus in Leominster leads the state in the new Lown Institute Hospitals Index, a ranking of 3,300 hospitals and 300 hospital systems launched this summer. “It’s not necessarily the usual suspects that you’re going to find at the top of these rankings,” said Shannon Brownlee, the institute’s senior vice president. Lown Institute President Dr. Vikas Saini said the index is meant to help shape a discussion around health-care quality and unearth new ideas, rather than serve as a shopping guide for consumers. More
For two decades, the FDA approval process for opioids had numerous shortcomings, study finds
“Our study shows that there are evidence gaps that the FDA needs to address in approving new opioids,” said study co-author Thomas Moore. More
Increase transparency at the FDA: We need sunlight to fight the pandemic
To restore public trust in the FDA's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, it needs to recommit to transparency and promote accountability. More
Some Georgia hospitals keep pandemic information to themselves
Experts say lives and safety are at stake as public attention wanes More
Cleveland Clinic Thrives While Its Black Neighbors Fall Behind
When the Lown Institute, a nonpartisan research group focused on health policy, put out a ranking of U.S. hospitals earlier this year based on criteria including civic engagement, the Cleveland Clinic was way down on the list. The organizers gave it a D- for its civic work and its relationship with the community. More
‘It’s like every red flag’: Trump-ordered HHS ad blitz raises alarms
Staffed in part by associates of a longtime GOP operative, the ad campaign includes CeCe Winans, Dennis Quaid and others pushing an optimistic line about coronavirus. More
Is there an “equitable” way to sue patients for medical bills?
A recent set of best practices on billing from a hospital industry group was hailed as promoting racial equity-- but does it go far enough for patients? More
Trump’s Vaccine Czar Refuses to Give Up Stock in Drug Company Involved in His Government Role
The administration calls Moncef Slaoui, who leads its vaccine race, a “contractor” to sidestep rules against personally profiting from government positions. Slaoui owns $10 million in stock of a company working with his team to develop a vaccine. More
It’s Not Just Insulin: Lawmakers Focus on Price of One Drug, While Others Rise Too
While insulin is the poster child for outrageous prescription costs, patients are paying ever more to treat depression, asthma, HIV, cholesterol and more. More
Many Hospitals Charge More Than Twice What Medicare Pays for the Same Care
The gap between rates set for private insurers and employers vs. those by the federal government stirs the debate over a government-run health plan. More
State treasurers urge Gilead to lower the price of remdesivir and not pursue “unreasonable profits”
In a letter to the drug maker, the state treasurers warn that prices “disconnected from market forces will ultimately backfire." More