> Two bills introduced by Democratic Kentucky state Rep. Darryl Owens seek to block Gov. Matt Bevin's plans to dismantle Kynect, the state health exchange. Owens hopes to get a hearing on his bills in the House, where Democrats hold the majority, according to the Courier-Journal. Article
> Congress' decision to suspend a tax on health insurers for one year will cost the government $13.9 billion, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said in a memo. Memo (pdf)
> Medical Mutual of Ohio is acquiring the group and individual health insurance business of Mercy Health-owned insurance company HealthSpan Partners, which covers 105,000 people, according to an article from the Cincinnati Business Courier. Article
AntiFraud News
> The nation's largest distributor of endoscopes has agreed to pay $646 million to settle criminal and civil claims that the company offered various kickbacks to hospitals and doctors that signed deals to purchase medical equipment, according to the Department of Justice. Article
> A proposed rule released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would expand the power of government officials to deny or revoke billing privileges for providers that pose a risk to federal healthcare programs. Article
And finally… John Connor warned us about this. Article