CEO Update | 82
Hospital Associations Sue Trump Administration to Block Price-Transparency Rule
Hospital groups sued the Trump administration this week over a new rule that would require hospitals to disclose their negotiated rates with insurers.
The American Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals, Association of American Medical Colleges, and other groups sued HHS over the rule the department released in November as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to make healthcare markets more transparent to patients. Hospital groups argue that the rule—which would take effect in 2021—violates their First Amendment rights.
“We make the case that the burden placed on our members to come up with this information is extensive,” Tom Nickels, executive vice president with the American Hospital Association, told The New York Times.
Buprenorphine Providers in Rural Areas Increase More Than 100% Since 2016
From 2016 to 2019, the number of waivered clinicians who prescribed buprenorphine per 100,000 population in rural areas increased by 111%, according to a study published this week in Health Affairs.
As the article notes, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act in 2017 enabled nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) to obtain federal waivers that would allow them to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication that is used to treat opioid use disorder.
The waiver expansion was meant to increase patients’ access to opioid use treatment, which was especially important in rural areas with few physicians.
Researchers noted that NPs and PAs accounted for more than half of the increase and were the first waivered clinicians in 285 rural counties with 5.7 million residents.
“The rapid growth in the numbers of NPs and PAs with buprenorphine waivers is a promising development in improving access to addiction treatment in rural areas,” the study said.
SAMHSA Applications for Community Services Program Grant Due Dec. 23
SAMHSA is accepting applications for its Recovery Community Services Program to provide peer recovery support services through recovery community organizations to individuals with substance use disorders or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.
The agency said it plans to issue six grants of up to $300,000 per year for up to five years. Applications are due by Monday, Dec. 23. Click here to learn more and to register.
Register Today for the 2020 NABH Annual Meeting!
Please visit NABH’s Annual Meeting homepage today to view the Schedule At-a-Glance, learn about our speakers, and to register for the meeting.
Also please be sure to make your hotel reservation at the Mandarin Oriental Washington, DC from March 16-18, 2020. We look forward to seeing you next March!
Fact of the Week
Primary care reimbursements were 23.8% higher than behavioral health reimbursements as of 2017, which is an increase from 20.8% higher in 2015.
For questions or comments about this CEO Update, please contact Jessica Zigmond.