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Month: August 2018

Few Patients Use Price Comparison Tools: NBER Study

Few Patients Use Price Comparison Tools: NBER Study

August 8, 2018 Despite the fact that most health insurance companies now provide a price transparency tool for beneficiaries, only a tiny minority of patients choose to shop for healthcare services or review provider prices before accessing services, a new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research has found. Researchers analyzed data from a large private insurer on more than 50,000 MRI scans of the lower limb that were not delivered in the midst of an ongoing inpatient admission or emergency…

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CMS 2019 Proposed OPPS Rule Calls for Site-Neutrality Expansion, More 340B Cuts

CMS 2019 Proposed OPPS Rule Calls for Site-Neutrality Expansion, More 340B Cuts

August 1, 2018 Expansion of the site-neutral payment policy for outpatient services, additional cuts to the 340B drug discount program and separate payments for non-opioid pain medications in ambulatory surgery center (ASC) settings are among the highlights of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS’s) Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) proposed rule for 2019. Comments on the proposed rule must be submitted by September 24, 2018.  Publication of the final rule is expected in early November. One of the…

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