Friday Five: Top 5 healthcare business news items from the MCOL Weekend edition

By Claire Thayer, January 5, 2017

Every business day, MCOL posts feature stories making news on the business of health care. Here are five we think are particularly important for this week:

Trump poised to take action on Medicaid work requirements

The Trump administration is preparing to release guidelines soon for requiring Medicaid recipients to work, according to sources familiar with the plans, a major shift in the 50-year-old program.
The Hill
Friday, January 5, 2018

Trump Administration Rule Paves Way For Association Health Plans

The Department of Labor on Thursday released proposed new rules that proponents say will make it easier for businesses to band together in “associations” to buy health insurance.
Kaiser Health News
Thursday, January 4, 2018

White House greenlights CMS' crackdown on Medicare Advantage plans

The White House has signed off on the CMS' proposal to ensure Medicare Advantage plans have adequate provider networks. Starting next year, the CMS will start reviewing Medicare Advantage networks on three-year cycles rather than only when a company applies to be or renews their status in the program.
Modern Healthcare
Wednesday, January 3, 2018

HHS updates rule on sharing patient substance use history

HHS issued a final rule Wednesday to ease the exchange of information on patients' substance use history between providers, insurers and third parties involved in the payment or delivery of care. The update to HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's regulatory rules aims to eliminate red tape that can slow the reimbursement process and impede timely access to care.
Becker's Hospital Review
Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Hospital groups dig in after cuts to discount drug program

Hospital groups are vowing to push forward with a fight against the Trump administration over changes to a federal drug discount program following a setback last week.
The Hill
Tuesday, January 2, 2018

These and more weekly news items on the business of healthcare are featured in the MCOL Weekend edition, along with the MCOL Tidbits, and more, for MCOL Premium level members.