Stark Reform, Other Healthcare Changes Coming

Health care providers of all types are urging officials to waive or roll back the requirements of federal fraud and abuse laws so they can join forces and coordinate care, sharing cost reductions and profits in ways that would not otherwise be allowed. From hundreds of letters sent to the government by health care executives and lobbyists in the last few weeks, some themes emerge: Federal laws prevent insurers from rewarding Medicare patients who lose weight or take medicines as prescribed. And they create legal risks for any arrangement in which a hospital pays a bonus to doctors for cutting costs or achieving clinical goals. HHS officials are busy on developing significant Stark Law reforms, with a proposal expected soon. Click here for more from the NYTimes.

• Looking ahead to the next Congress, those that are most likely to be chosen as committee chairs are set to dramatically change the focus in health care policy. For a brief overview, click here
• Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) released a new bill last week that would require drug companies to lower prices to match prices from other countries or lose market exclusivity, very similar to the recently released plan by President Trump, click here for a bill summary, and here for the bill language.