Life is hectic, we know, so here’s a recap of the Healthcare Weekly Hot Topics you can’t afford to miss:
- Judge Approved a $74 Million Settlement Against Premera Blue Cross for a 2014 Data Breach. Becker’s Hospital Review. August 6, 2019.
Federal Judge approved a $74 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit against Premara Blue Cross for a 2014 data breach. Premera Blue Cross knew vulnerabilities existed, but failed to take action and more than 10.6 million patient records were exposed.
2) Baylor Scott & White Defeat False Claims Act Suit. Modern Health Care. August 7, 2019.
The case alleged that Baylor wrongly billed Medicare for more than $61.8 million from an upcoding scheme. The court dismissed the case because there was no showing of intentional submission of false claims.
3) Doctors Argue Congressional Efforts To Remedy Surprise Medical Bills Will Affect Patient Care. Kaiser Health News. August 7, 2019.
Physicians for Fair Coverage is running an ad campaign about these efforts. It claims that what Congress is considering would cut money that vulnerable patients rely on the most.
4) Conservatives Are Uneasy About the Trump Administration’s New Drug Pricing Policy. The Hill. August 7, 2019.
The president has supported importing drugs from Canada, as well as an international pricing policy that would bar Medicare from paying more than other countries for prescription drugs. Conservatives are pushing back against these policies.
5) Pittsburgh Health Data Alliance Teams Up With Amazon to Improve Patient Care. Pittsburgh Business Times. August 7, 2019.
Pittsburgh Health Data Alliance will be teaming up with Amazon Web Services. The partnership will include a machine learning research sponsorship, aiming to advance innovation in areas like cancer diagnostics, precision medicine, voice-enabled technologies, and medical imaging.
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