Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
AnMed Centers In South Carolina Remain Closed A Week After Malware Disruption
A cybersecurity incident last week has led to the ongoing closure of several AnMed facilities in South Carolina. The malware-related issue affected phone, internet and computer systems, according to a July 27 news release from the health system. Patient access to electronic health records has also been disrupted. AnMed has been working with unnamed third-party cybersecurity specialists as well as state and federal authorities to address the problem. (DeSilva, 8/4)
In other healthcare industry developments —
UnitedHealthcare is rolling out new reimbursement limits on five categories of lab tests across its commercial, ACA, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans. The five policies cover allergen testing, liver fibrosis testing, in vitro chemotherapy sensitivity assays, testosterone blood tests and vitamin B12 testing. (Emerson, 8/4)
Effective Saturday, a new four-year contract will keep Blue Shield of California members in-network with all Dignity health hospitals, facilities and providers throughout the state, according to a news release from CommonSpirit Health, Dignity’s parent nonprofit. (Lynch, 8/4)
HCA Healthcare has acquired 40 Texas MedClinic urgent care centers. Financial details and terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquired Texas facilities include eight in Houston that will be rebranded under the system’s CareNow urgent care division, according to an Aug. 3 LinkedIn post from Tyler Laymon, vice president of strategic growth at HCA Healthcare. (DeSilva, 8/4)
Jacksonville, Fla.-based Complete Health agreed to pay $14.1 million in a settlement to resolve claims that it violated the False Claims Act to increase Medicare Advantage program payments. The settlement resolves allegations from 2020 to 2023 that the company submitted diagnoses within two Hierarchical Condition Codes (HCC) that were incorrect, according to an Aug. 3 U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) press release. (Gleeson, 8/4)
Cleveland Clinic just launched a drone delivery program for prescription drugs and already is talking about using the technology to send other items to patients and between its own facilities. Drone delivery in healthcare is not new, but moving a prescription delivery program past the pilot stage represents a new phase for health systems’ use of the autonomous aerial vehicles. Companies including Amazon Pharmacy and Matternet have explored drones’ use in healthcare, with Amazon piloting prescription deliveries in College Station, Texas, in 2023 and drone delivery platform Matternet transporting blood samples, lab materials and supplies between healthcare facilities. (Dubinsky, 8/4)
Danaher Corp. named its next president and CEO following its acquisition of Masimo Corp., which this week announced its own new president. Danaher in a Monday news release said Julie Sawyer Montgomery, executive vice president of its diagnostics division, will take over as president and CEO Oct. 1. The same day, Masimo in a separate release named Tim Benner as president of the patient monitoring company. (DeSilva, 8/4)
