Susan Morse

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed changes to how it pays doctors and other providers for primary care with a new focus on care management and behavioral health.

The hospital groups urge CMS to address what they say are several significant underlying methodological problems with the program.

The change in leadership comes as the health system continues its focus on population health, value-based care, and new payment models to create a sustainable health system for the region, according to the hospital.

The federal government's risk adjustment mandate has added another financially struggling consumer oriented and operated plan to the growing list of failed government co-op's established under the Affordable Care Act.

Proposal would eliminate any potential financial pressure clinicians may feel to over-prescribe pain medications, especially opioids.

HHS said consumers could buy fixed indemnity insurance thinking they were getting comprehensive coverage.

Many clinicians report feeling pressure to overprescribe opioids because scores on the pain management questions are tied to Medicare payments.

Out-of-pocket expenses have dropped for employees while access to care has not suffered, executives say.

Theft of a CHCS mobile device compromised the protected health information of hundreds of nursing home residents, according to the federal agency.

Risk adjustment transfers funds from issuers with low risk to plans with high actuarial risk.