Centene subsidiary awarded expanded Medicaid contract in Missouri | St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Centene Corp. will expand its presence in Missouri starting in May 2017. The Clayton, Mo.-based company will soon manage the health care of Missouri's Medicaid recipients in every county.
Medicaid providers will get temporary rate increase | (Lincoln, Neb.) Journal Star
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has scored a victory in working out temporary payments for Medicaid providers. Those payments had been in question since the department discovered a problem with the method used to figure provider rates.
West Virginia business withdraws appeal of hospital cooperative agreement | (Huntington, W.Va.) Herald-Dispatch
The most vocal opponent of Cabell Huntington Hospital's acquisition of St. Mary's Medical Center has withdrawn its appeal of the hospital's cooperative agreement. Steel of West Virginia filed its voluntary dismissal of its appeal Tuesday afternoon in Kanawha County Circuit Court and proposed the case be stricken from the court's docket.
Pennsylvania hospitals see fewer deaths for serious conditions | Reading (Pa.) Eagle
Fewer patients are dying or being readmitted at Pennsylvania hospitals for pneumonia, strokes, heart failure and several other conditions, according to a report released by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.
Soaring health costs may leave Mass. small businesses ailing | Boston Herald
Pending increases in healthcare costs could have a big impact on small businesses, which are expected to pay about 20 percent more to insure employees. The issue is of concern "because the backbone of employment in Massachusetts is small business," said Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders at a Health Policy Commission hearing.
New rule on nursing-home lawsuits draws legal challenge | National Public Radio
The American Health Care Association, an industry group that represents most nursing homes in the U.S., is suing the federal government over a new rule that it calls "arbitrary and capricious." The new rule bans certain binding arbitration clauses in nursing home contracts that limit families' rights to sue nursing homes.
Blackstone in lead to acquire Team Health: sources | Reuters
Blackstone Group LP is the lead bidder to acquire Team Health Holdings Inc, the U.S. hospital staffing provider that has been the target of activist funds, including Jana Partners, according to people familiar with the matter.
Regulators approve higher health premiums to strengthen Obamacare insurers | USA Today
State insurance regulators across the country have approved healthcare premium increases higher than those requested by insurers, despite a national effort to keep rates for policies sold on Affordable Care Act exchanges from skyrocketing.
U.S. health officials outline Zika spending priorities | Reuters
U.S. health officials outlined on Tuesday how they planned to divide up $1.1 billion in funds approved by Congress to fight the Zika virus, including repaying $44.25 million they were forced to borrow from a fund allocated for other emergencies.
