rural hospitals news from FierceHealthcare
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Pharmas settle $124M Medicaid fraud suit; Legislators fight for 'critical access' funding for rural hospitals;
> Four pharmaceutical companies--Mylan Pharmaceuticals, UDL Laboratories, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and Ortho McNeil Pharmaceuticals-- have agreed to pay $124 million to resolve claims that... Read more...
Federal bill would address nursing shortage
A bill has been filed that would address the U.S. nursing shortage through a series of grants, financial assistance and incentives. The bill was introduced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) after it... Read more...
TN execs start firm to buy, operate rural hospitals
A pair of executives from Brentwood, TN have launched a company focused on buying up and operating rural hospitals, hoping to grow the facilities' business by supplying partnership and hard-to-get... Read more...
Trend: Large, small hospitals differ on safety issues
If you're part of a large hospital, are your safety practices--and results--likely to be different than those of smaller facilities? The answer is yes, according to a growing body of research. The... Read more...
Study: Gain-sharing with physicians controls hospital costs
A new study has concluded that paying physicians a cash reward to cut hospital spending cuts costs without harming care quality or access. Some policymakers have raised concerns that such programs... Read more...
IA bill exempts some hospitals from CON process
Iowa lawmakers have approved a bill that would strike down the state's certificate of need rules, at least as they apply to the state's 82 small, rural hospitals. The bill, which certainly makes the... Read more...
GA may approve sweeping CON changes
Georgia seems well on its way to approving a new bill that would remove most of the state's Certificate of Need restrictions. The state House of Representatives is considering a measure, championed... Read more...
HHS advisories give guidance on doctor gain-sharing
With the release of two new advisory opinions by HHS, it's clearer now how hospitals can share cost savings with doctors without running afoul of regulators. One of the two opinions address address... Read more...
HHS Ok's hospital/physician gainsharing
Two gainsharing arrangements between a hospital and physician groups have gotten an OK in advisory opinions from the HHS Inspector General's office. The ruling assures the applicant(s) that they'd be... Read more...
Study: Rural patients get fewer organ transplants
A new study suggests that patients living in rural areas are less likely to get organ transplants, or even be put on organ donor waiting lists, though they don't see worse outcomes once they do... Read more...
