The group is trying to campaign for Congress to make certain changes in the pandemic permanent. One of the biggest requirements is to allow hospitals to continue hospital-at-home programs, Modern Healthcare reports. Other industry news includes Mercy Hospital & Medical Center, Centene, and Telemedicine.
Modern Healthcare: Intermountain, Ascension Push for permanent changes in the reimbursement of CMS home care costs
Two major hospital systems are partnering with multiple home care companies to form a coalition to stand up for Congress to make permanent changes to the reimbursement of CMS home health care in the COVID-19 era. Intermountain Healthcare and Ascension form the Moving Health Home Coalition with multiple home care companies including Dispatch Health, complex home care provider Signify Health, home health care provider Elara Caring, and value-driven complex care company Landmark health and retirement home care provider Home Instead. The coalition has five major policy priorities that it will make available to Congress and other policy makers to enable reimbursement of home care once the pandemic ends. (Gillespie, 3/3)
Crain’s Chicago Business: Michigan Company Agrees to Acquire Mercy Hospital, Chicago
Insight of Flint, Michigan has entered into a non-binding agreement to acquire Mercy Hospital & Medical Center on the Near South Side of Chicago. The deal is still pending regulatory approval, but if closed it would keep open a safety net facility that was threatened with completion. Under the contract, the terms of which are still under negotiation, a unit of biomedical technology company called Insight Chicago would operate Mercy as a full-service acute care hospital, Mercy said in a statement today. Insight intends to file an application with the state later today, the statement said. The current owner of Mercy Hospital, Trinity Health, plans to open a separate outpatient center in the area later this year. (Goldberg, 3/3)
Axios: Michael Neidorff, CEO of Centene, earned $ 59 million in the pandemic year
Michael Neidorff, CEO of Centene health insurance company, earned almost $ 59 million in 2020, according to calculations from the company’s preliminary financial documents. That amount was roughly 1.5 times higher than Neidorff’s in 2019. Neidorff’s compensation is an early sign that business leaders, particularly in healthcare, are making big, stock-intensive paydays despite the more general economic turmoil during the coronavirus pandemic could. (Herman, 3/4)
Axios: Virtual doctor visits and digital health tools start in the pandemic
Telemedicine and other health-related technologies have seen a huge surge in the past year as COVID-19 has improved the way patients receive medical care. Virtual doctor appointments and therapy sessions are likely to be the norm, even after more people are vaccinated. (Hard, 3/4)
This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a round-up of health coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for a Email subscription.
