AHA urges CMS to increase number of hospital-based labs under proposed rule; Medicare tests models under its bundled payment pilot program;

News From Around the Web

> The American Hospital Association sent a letter this week to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services asking the agency to increase the number of hospital-based and physician office laboratories that qualify as applicable laboratories under a proposed rule for the new Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule. Letter (.pdf)

> Anthony Nasralla, president and CEO of Pennsylvania's Titusville Area Hospital, will retire in July 2016, The Titusville Herald reports. Article

> Ken Johnson was recently named president and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System in Kansas, the system announced. Announcement

Health Insurance News

> Through its bundled payments pilot program, the Medicare program is testing models that it hopes will encourage higher-quality, lower-cost care--and ultimately influence how other payers test their own alternative payment models, according to a policy brief from Health Affairs. Article

> After examining the expenditures on the five highest-cost Medicare Part B drugs, a report by the Government Accountability Office found that high costs were concentrated among a small number of drugs and conditions. Article

And Finally... Hospitality at its finest. Article