Policy and Legislation

Medicare is giving bonuses to a majority of hospitals that it graded on quality, but many of those rewards will be wiped out by penalties the government has issued for other shortcomings, federal data show.

Republican asked the state Legislature to continue the private option for Medicaid through the end of 2016 to keep insurance coverage for more than 200,000 low-income residents.

As hundreds of hospitals face steep fines, one doctor explains how class, poverty and neighborhood demographics affect the trend.

Program costs more than $140 billion, leaders say, but temporary 'doc fix' keeps physicians from serious reimbursement cuts.

While healthcare did not take up too much of Pres. Barack Obama's State of the Union speech on Tuesday, the commander in chief did make sure to tout his initiatives and throw out some new ideas for the field.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has recommended a 3.5 percent increase in the rates paid for inpatient and outpatient hospital procedures in 2016. The group also wants to level the field between what is paid to hospitals and physician offices.

Marilyn Tavenner, the senior government official responsible for implementing the Affordable Care Act, is stepping down.

Only four groups out of 48 that were studied in the Community-based Care Transition Program significantly cut readmissions compared with those of a control group.

Overall, healthcare leaders are optimistic about the future and are relying on a combination of mergers and acquisitions and organic growth to expand.

Though Republicans this week have already voted to change an employer mandate in the Affordable Care Act, healthcare providers are more focused on what the new majority in Washington will do with the controversial tax.