Wednesday, June 26, 2024 – KFF Health News

Military.com: After ransomware attack, Virginia still dealing with fallout, trying to pay providers

Four months after a catastrophic cyberattack on the company that manages prescription processing and community provider payments for the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA continues to address its consequences, with officials saying Tuesday that they are taking steps to settle pending payments to pharmacies and medical providers. Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group that serves as a clearinghouse for insurance payments and pharmacy prescriptions, was hit by a ransomware attack on Feb. 21 that disrupted operations at hospitals and clinics across the country, including the Department of Defense and the VA. (Kimme, 6/25)

Stats: Lawmakers urge CMS to stop MA plans from using AI tools to deny care

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is urging the Biden administration to prevent Medicare Advantage insurers from delivering care using artificial intelligence tools until they complete a systematic review of their accuracy and impact on patients. (Ross and Herman, 6/25)

Modern Healthcare: AHA backs bid to repeal nursing home staffing rule

The American Hospital Association is doing its best to overturn the regulation that sets minimum staffing levels for nursing homes. On Monday, the AHA sent a letter to Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) supporting his plan to subject the rule to a congressional vote, which would repeal the rule. (McAuliffe, 6/25)

CBS News: Doctors at Chicago hospital’s trauma unit say it’s urgent to declare gun violence a public health crisis

Doctors at the hospital saw 771 gunshot victims last year, and their trauma center is one of the busiest in the country. Stroger Hospital doctors said the declaration of a public health crisis was long overdue. They also emphasized that gun violence affects more than just gunshot victims, but also those they directly treat — a perspective they said was taken into account in the advisory. (Molina, 6/25)

Houston Chronicle: Baylor surgeons continue treating patients despite whistleblower lawsuit

One of three Houston heart surgeons accused of improperly performing overlapping surgeries continues to treat patients in his leadership role at Baylor College of Medicine, which said Tuesday that the doctor “did nothing wrong.” Dr. Joseph Coselli, a 71-year-old Houston native, was first appointed to a leadership position at Baylor in 2004 and now serves as executive vice president in the Department of Surgery. Having trained under legendary surgeons Dr. Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley, he is recognized by colleagues as a pioneer in the field. (Gill, 6/25)

In mergers and acquisitions —

Modern Healthcare: Saint Peters signs definitive agreement to join Atlantic Health

St. Peter’s Healthcare System has signed a definitive agreement to join Atlantic Health System. If the deal is approved by regulators and the Catholic Church, Atlantic, headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey, will become the “sole corporate member” of St. Peter’s, according to a news release issued Tuesday. (Hudson, 6/25)

Modern healthcare: UAB Health to acquire Ascension St. Vincent for $450 million

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System Authority signed an agreement to acquire Ascension St. Vincent for $450 million, the nonprofit systems announced Tuesday. UAB Health will acquire St. Vincent’s five hospitals, a specialty care and rehabilitation center, an independent emergency department, imaging centers and clinics that are part of Ascension Medical Group under the proposed deal, according to a news release. (Hudson, 6/25)

Modern Healthcare: Hackensack Meridian, Medically Home partner to expand Hospital-at-Home

Hackensack Meridian Health is taking a big step toward hospital-at-home care, with plans to launch the service at 18 of its hospitals within six months. The health system is partnering with Boston-based Medically Home, which will provide a command center, technology and logistics support. Health system staff will be trained on hospital-at-home protocols, CEO Robert Garrett said Tuesday. (Eastabrook, 6/25)

Modern Healthcare: Vizient to acquire Kaufman Hall

Vizient said Tuesday that it plans to take full ownership of Kaufman Hall. Vizient made a minority investment in Kaufman Hall, which provides healthcare consulting and analytics, including monthly reports on hospital financial data, in 2021. The group purchasing and consulting organization exercised its option to acquire the remaining stake in Kaufman Hall from private equity firm and majority owner Madison Dearborn Partners. (Kasik, 6/25)

KFF Health News: Rural hospitals closing as urban real estate deteriorates

In March 2021, this town of about 2,000 residents in the hills of East Tennessee lost its hospital, a 54-bed acute care facility. Campbell County, where Jellico is located, ranks 90th of Tennessee’s 95 counties in health outcomes and has a poverty rate nearly twice the national average, so losing a cornerstone of health care had ripple effects throughout the region. (Sisk, 6/26)

Modern healthcare: Mergers of hospitals may raise prices, reduce tax revenues: Study

Hospital mergers can mean higher prices for individual patients, but they also can have implications for the larger economy, including higher unemployment costs and lower tax revenue, according to a study published Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The study on the effects of hospital mergers, compiled by researchers from four universities, including Yale and Harvard, as well as the Treasury Department, concluded that the resulting price increases hurt employers and workers outside the healthcare industry. (Hudson, 6/25)