UnitedHealth Group has agreed to sell off 164 hospice and home health locations to resolve U.S. antitrust concerns over its $3.3 billion acquisition of Amedisys, DOJ said on Thursday. DOJ and AGs from four states sued last year to block the deal, arguing it would reduce competition in the home health services market.
The government is dropping Weiss from Medicare and Medicaid after months of failing to meet federal standards. Hospital staff say it could close Friday.
Sens. Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren are launching an investigation into UnitedHealth Group related to allegations that the company secretly paid nursing homes thousands in bonuses to help slash hospital transfers for ailing residents. In a letter Wednesday to UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Hemsley, the senators called on the healthcare conglomerate to provide detailed information about its reported incentive programming and its impact on residents.
President Trump on Tuesday threatened to impose tariffs of up to 250% on pharmaceutical imports, the highest rate he's discussed to date. 'We'll be putting a, initially small tariff on pharmaceuticals,' Trump told CNBC's 'Squawk Box.' 'But in one year, one in a half years maximum, it's going to go to 150%, and then it's going to go to 250%, because we want pharmaceuticals made in our country,' Trump said.
Half of the $50 billion fund will be evenly distributed to states without accounting for factors like population size. In fact, this means that some of them—such as Wyoming and North Dakota—may receive more from the rural health fund than they lose in federal Medicaid funding. On the flip side, the $50 billion fund would leave other states—such as Kentucky, Washington, and Oregon—in the red. Wyoming is in an enviable position, potentially receiving stands to cover 1,453% of what the state loses in Medicaid cuts. Meanwhile, Kentucky is expected to lose $5.4 billion through the cuts and gain only $1.9 billion from the fund, covering just 36% of the state's losses. Coincidentally, the states that stand to gain the most from this half of the rural health fund's distribution are governed by Republicans, and the states that stand to lose the most are not.
Delayed treatments, canceled doctor visits, skipped prescriptions. Losing insurance is bad for your health. The CBO forecasts that the U.S. uninsured population will grow by 10 million in 2034, due to the tax and spending bill signed into law by President Donald Trump. And, thanks to a natural experiment nearly two decades ago, researchers can forecast what that will mean for patient care.