The HHS Office for Civil Rights is investigating whether patient data were exposed in the cyberattack on Change Healthcare; a new study claims that the US’ high maternal mortality rates are the product of flawed data; HHS secretary is open to drug testing recipients of welfare.
HHS Opens Probe Into Privacy Impacts of Change Healthcare Cyberattack
The HHS Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into whether the cyberattack on Change Healthcare involved patients’ protected health information and whether the claims processor sufficiently protected patient privacy, according to the Associated Press. The attack in late February brought down the systems of Change Healthcare, a unit of UnitedHealth Group, wreaking havoc on billing and reimbursement, though the company said Wednesday that its major pharmacy and payment systems were back online. The Office for Civil Rights, which enforces federal privacy and security laws for patients’ health information, said its probe was spurred by the “unprecedented magnitude” of the ransomware attack.
Flawed Data to Blame for Apparent High Maternal Mortality Rates in US, Study Claims
New study findings could upend the notion that the US has an especially high and rising maternal mortality rate, claiming that the trend is a result of incorrectly classified data, The Hill reports. Published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the study reports that deaths are considered maternal mortality events if the “pregnancy” box is checked on a death certificate, but this box was at times checked erroneously, including for hundreds of people older than 70 years. The researchers noted that despite the misclassified maternal deaths, racial and ethnic disparities in maternal mortality persist, including disproportionately high rates among Black women.
Amid Fentanyl Crisis, HHS Secretary Doesn’t Rule Out Drug Testing Welfare Recipients
Speaking at Politico’s Health Care Summit, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra seemed open to the idea of requiring drug testing for recipients of welfare benefits. Considering the severity of the substance use epidemic, driven largely by fentanyl overdoses, Becerra said he wouldn’t dictate what actions cities, counties, or states should take; instead, all options should be left on the table. Such a measure was approved by San Francisco voters earlier this month, indicating how even heavily Democratic municipalities are turning to tougher policies to combat the tide of substance use.
The Joint Commission is launching the Rural Health Clinic Accreditation Program to standardize staff training and patient care practices at rural health clinics nationwide; the American Cancer Society recently launched the largest-ever study of cancer risk and outcomes in Black women; the HHS COVID-19 vaccination campaign saved $732 billion by preventing illness and related costs.
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CMS Medicare Final Rule: Advancing Benefits, Competition, and Consumer Protection
May 7th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Karen Iapoce, senior director of government products and programs at ZeOmega, about the recent CMS final rule on Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage.
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Tackling Health Inequality: The Power of Education and Experience
April 30th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our final episode of this limited series and our conversation with Janine Jelks-Seale, MSPPM, director of health equity at UPMC Health Plan.
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Access Denied: CMS’ Action Hurts Patients With Cancer in Rural America
May 6th 2024CMS rules hindered the access of rural patients with cancer to medically integrated pharmacies in 2023. The authors discuss the impact on equity in health care, emphasizing the need for regulatory change.
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What Mass General Brigham Is Doing to Combat Prostate Cancer Disparities Among Men of Color
May 5th 2024Quoc-Dien Trinh, MD, MBA, chief of urology at Brigham & Women's Faulkner Hospital, highlighted successful efforts to improve prostate cancer care access for underserved communities in Massachusetts.
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