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

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: Justice Department takes aim at heart of health law The Trump administration said in a court filing late Thursday that it will no longer defend key parts of the Affordable Care Act, including the requirement that people have health insurance and provisions that guarantee access to health insurance regardless of any medical conditions. The Associated Press Friday, June 8, 2018 CDC: Suicide rates on the rise in almost every state Suicide rates are on the rise in almost every state, according to a new analysis released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Hill Thursday, June 7, 2018 Medicare Financial Outlook Worsens Medicare’s financial condition has taken a turn for the worse because of predicted higher hospital spending and lower tax revenues that fund the program, the federal government reported Tuesday. Kaiser Health News Tuesday, June 5, 2018 Judge orders Maine to implement voter-approved Medicaid expansion A Maine court has ordered the state to move ahead with Medicaid expansion, which was approved by voters last year but blocked by Republican Gov. Paul LePage. The Hill Monday, June 4, 2018 Medicare drug prices up 77% despite decrease in prescriptions, OIG finds Despite an overall decrease in prescriptions, prices for Medicare Part D brand-name drugs are rising — and so are beneficiaries' out-of-pocket expenses, according to a report from the Office of the Inspector General. Becker's Hospital Review Monday, June 4, 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.