Operations
Prior authorization requirements have hindered freeing up hospital beds due to delays in getting inpatients to post-acute care.
HHS and CMS should immediately distribute funds to every hospital at the rate of $25,000 per bed, or $30,000 in hot spots, AHA says.
Humana joins Aetna in covering in-patient hospital admissions for COVID-19 related treatment.
Forgoing these medications would increase health risks for millions of patients with hypertension and congestive heart failure.
CMS is also allowing ERs to use drive-through testing and telehealth, and for tests to be done at home for stay-at-home residents.
Anthem claims the DOJ has violated the law in holding Medicare Advantage plans to payment standards that are not applied to regular Medicare.
Other insurers have committed to covering testing at no cost to patients, as well as doctor visit treatment.
BMC takes on financially distressed ambulatory surgery centers and makes them viable, company says.
The physicians are needed to meet the demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, AMA says.
Many hospitals will not be able to survive the damage to their cash flow for longer than 60-90 days, report says.