Susan Morse

CMS instead wants to establish set payment amounts, indicating the bid process lacks competition, and therefore, price incentives.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has extended the moratorium on home health agencies and ambulance services operating in six metro areas to reduce the risk of fraud, waste and abuse, CMS said.

The owner of Alpha Diagnostics in Maryland has been convicted of bilking Medicare and Medicaid of more than $7.5 million in a fraud case authorities say resulted in the death of two patients because their radiology tests were not interpreted by a qualified radiologist.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Friday released proposed changes for the Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug programs for 2017, including an increase in the net payment rate for Medicare Advantage of 1.35 percent, CMS said.

Kindred Healthcare and Select Medical Holdings are swapping hospitals in a transaction that also includes an $800,000 payment by Kindred to Select, Kindred announced on Feb. 18.

On Friday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is expected to release its preliminary payment plan for Medicare Advantage in policies that will address growth rates, risk adjustment and the star ratings system.

Florida insurance regulators have approved Aetna's acquisition of Humana's affiliates there, but with conditions, according to a consent order issued last week.

Community Health Systems net operating revenue for 2015 jumped by more than 4 percent to $19.4 billion, an $800,000 million increase over the same period in 2014 when that year's net operating revenue totaled $18.6 billion, according to CHS's financial statement released on Feb. 15.

For the first time, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and America's Health Insurance Plans have announced standard quality measures among payers, a move designed to reduce confusion and complexity for reporting providers.

Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and their subsidiaries reported a $1.2 billion decrease in profit year over year, according to their 2015 annual and fourth quarter financial results.