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The latest stories from AHA Today.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services yesterday published an interim final rule modifying financial and quality performance requirements for Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organizations located in areas affected by extreme and uncontrollable circumstances, such as…
More than 8.8 million people selected a 2018 health plan during open enrollment at HealthCare.gov, including more than 4.1 million people last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reported yesterday. The total does not include consumers who enrolled after Dec. 15 due to high…
U.S. life expectancy at birth fell for the second year in a row in 2016, to 78.6 years, largely due to increases in mortality from unintentional injuries, suicide and Alzheimer’s disease, according to a report released yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unintentional…
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services yesterday agreed to extend, with changes, a Texas Medicaid demonstration project for five years effective Jan. 1. The agreement extends the state’s Medicaid managed care programs and federal funding for the state’s uncompensated care pool and…
The House of Representatives is expected to vote this evening on a continuing resolution funding the federal government through Jan. 19. The current CR expires tomorrow.
District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras today heard arguments from both sides in the AHA's lawsuit to prevent the Department of Health and Human Services from reducing Medicare payments under the 340B drug savings program by nearly 30% effective Jan. 1.
The Federal Communications Commission this week identified unserved rural areas eligible for up to $2 billion in broadband support over the next decade. The agency is preparing to distribute the funds to companies that successfully compete in an auction to deploy robust broadband to these areas at…
The American Board of Medical Specialties seeks nominations from hospitals, health systems and others for physicians, health care professionals and public members to serve on a commission that will assess the current state of continuing board certification and envision its framework for the future…
The Senate voted 51-48 early today to approve the conference report for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act after removing several provisions that did not comply with budget reconciliation rules. The House then reapproved the bill, which can now go to the president for his signature.
The first performance period for the clinician Quality Payment Program mandated by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act ends on Dec. 31. Clinicians in areas affected by the 2017 hurricane season and Northern California wildfires were granted a special exception from the QPP’s Merit-…