[Article] Trump Administration Price-Transparency Rule Covering Hospitals Upheld

(Wall Street Journal, June 23, 2020)

The American Hospital Association lost its legal bid to stop the Trump administration from requiring hospitals to disclose secret rates they negotiate with insurance companies, a victory for one of President Trump’s central health-policy initiatives.

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[Article] A Return to Normal Patient Volumes?

(TripleTree, June 30, 2020)

In recent weeks as COVID-19 restrictions have started to ease, providers have been seeing upticks in procedure volumes across specialties. According to data compiled by Strata Decision Technology, daily outpatient visits increased 40% over the 30 days ending May 30, 2020. This compares to a nearly 50% decline for the 30 days ending April 26th. Similarly, home health and primary care visit volumes are beginning to increase as well.

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[Article] Implications for value-based payment programs: Weathering COVID-19

(McKinsey, June 30, 2020)

COVID-19 has created an exogenous shock to the healthcare system, including a major disturbance of traditional utilization patterns and provider finances. Payers, providers, and state and federal governments had been embarking on a journey to transform the US healthcare payment system from one that rewards volume to one that rewards quality and value. Under value-based payment (VBP) programs, payers reward providers for reducing healthcare costs while maintaining or improving quality. Through a COVID-19 lens, VBP programs can support providers in times of uncertainty, such as by providing capitated incomes.

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[Podcast] The Reprieve

(This American Life, June 26, 2020)

Michigan has passed its Covid-19 peak, and the state has started opening up. But it’s still been intensely difficult for the staff in the ICU at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. We've embedded with them over the past few months, and tracked how this pandemic has changed them and their city.

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[Infographic] The future of health

(Deloitte)

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused health care organizations to adjust to clinical resource and financial challenges that would have previously been unthinkable. Where can your organization focus its response? And what should you do next? Learn how we can help you combat COVID-19 with resilience.

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