According to CMS, the average premium for Medicare Part D plans will be $30.50 in 2021, up from $30 in 2020, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.
A new study raises questions about whether some common cold viruses can trigger a degree of immunity to the novel coronavirus—a prospect that, if true, could hold big implications for long-term coronavirus immunity and vaccinations.
Some public health experts are calling for a nationwide lockdown to "reset" America's response to its coronavirus epidemic. Meanwhile, Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the White House's coronavirus task force, on Sunday warned that the epidemic has entered a "new phase"—and urged some individuals to consider wearing masks even while at home.
Major employers such as Walmart, Safeway, and Tyson are facing major lawsuits alleging they negligently allowed their employees to contract the novel coronavirus—raising a controversial question: Should Congress grant liability protections to employers during the epidemic?
CMS on Friday finalized rules to update Medicare payments for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), hospices, and inpatient psychiatric facilities for fiscal year 2021. Here's what's inside the final payment rules—and what the updates mean for SNFs, according to Advisory Board's Tripti Rathi and Monica Westhead.
With the coronavirus pandemic crippling the global supply chain, American hospitals are increasingly relying on domestic manufacturers for much-needed medical supplies—but the shift has made essential medical supplies far more costly, potentially placing both hospitals and patients "in greater financial jeopardy," Lisa Ishii, SVP of operations for Johns Hopkins Health System, writes for Vox.
