Midweek update

Healthcare Dive offers a supportive article about Medicare's primary care reform initiative discussed in this past Monday's musings. "Atul Gawande, CEO of the Amazon-J.P. Morgan-Berkshire Hathaway joint venture now called Haven, voiced support [as did the American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association.] He emphasized its potential to enable "using telehealth, health coaches and other innovations."

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued its proposed Fiscal Year 2020 inpatient inpatient prospective pricing rule yesterday.  "The proposed increase in operating payment rates for general acute care hospitals paid under the IPPS that successfully participate in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program and are meaningful electronic health record (EHR) users is approximately 3.2 percent." Healthcare Dive discusses the proposed rule's efforts to support rural hospitals.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Anthem, the large Blue Cross licensee, plans to pass along prescription drug rebates to consumers in insured plans. Anthem will allow self-funded employers to decide whether or not to take this step.

Federal News Network reports tonight that

President Donald Trump has officially authorized the transfer of the governmentwide suitability, credentialing and security clearance portfolio from the Office of Personnel Management to the Defense Department. The move was highly anticipated. An executive order, which Trump signed Wednesday evening, makes the transfer official 

The executive order officially renames the Pentagon’s Defense Security Service as the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). The DCSA will serve as the primary security clearance provider for all of government, effective June 24.