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The latest stories from AHA Today.

Limited evidence suggests that cannabis may alleviate neuropathic pain in some patients, but insufficient evidence exists for other types of chronic pain, according to a study reported yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study reviewed the benefits of plant-based cannabis preparations…
Terry Horton, M.D., saw an opportunity for early intervention.  Patients showed up in Christiana Care Health System’s emergency department (ED) with illnesses caused by substance use disorders. The ED team knew they needed help for more than the strokes, broken limbs, high blood pressure and…
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today issued a proposed rule that would cancel the cardiac and surgical hip and femur fracture treatment mandatory bundling payment programs, known as the episode payment models. It also would cancel the cardiac rehabilitation incentive payment model…
If federal payments to reduce out-of-pocket costs for low-income individuals purchasing coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplaces were to end, premiums for silver-level plans would be 20% higher in 2018 and 25% higher in 2026, the Congressional Budget Office estimated today. Individuals…
Acute-care hospitals will be required to report on at least four, rather than six, self-selected electronic clinical quality measures for ORYX performance measure reporting in calendar year 2017, the Joint Commission announced today.
Antidepressant use by Americans aged 12 and older increased 65% between 1999 and 2014, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 13% of Americans reported taking antidepressants in the previous month when surveyed between 2011 and 2014, up from 7…
The AHA will host a two-part webinar Aug. 17 and 31 on how one health system is working with clinicians to prepare for the new Medicare payment system for clinicians under the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act. The webinar, featuring leaders from Providence St. Joseph’s Health,…
President Trump Saturday signed into law legislation providing $2.1 billion in funding to continue the Veterans Choice Program.
Rugby Laboratories, Major Pharmaceuticals and Leader Brands have recalled all liquid drug and dietary supplement products manufactured by PharmaTech LLC due to potential contamination with the bacteria Burkholderia cepacia, the Food and Drug Administration announced Friday. According to the Centers…
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently issued several Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act FAQs on virtual credit cards and electronic fund transfer fees. According to the FAQs, a health plan cannot require a provider to accept virtual credit card payments.