Health Care News: Court schedules week of health care arguments
Court schedules week of health care arguments
The Supreme Court has announced that it will use an entire week’s worth of argument time to decide the constitutionality of President Barack Obama’s historic health care overhaul.
The high court announced Monday that it will hear health care arguments on March 26th, 27th and 28th..
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act aims to provide health insurance to more than 30 million previously uninsured Americans
Justices will hear arguments on Monday the 26th over whether court action is premature because no one yet has paid a fine for not participating in the overhaul. Tuesday’s arguments will be over whether Congress overstepped its authority with the law. Finally, on Wednesday justices will hear whether the rest of the law can take effect even if the health insurance mandate is unconstitutional.
Rotech Healthcare Inc. Announces Acquisition of Home Medical Businesses
Rotech Healthcare Inc. ROHI
+5.17% , one of the largest
providers of home medical equipment and related products and services, announced today its acquisition of three home medical entities. The acquired businesses are Best Care HHC Acquisition Company LLC, NeighborCare Home Medical Equipment of Maryland, LLC and NeighborCare Home Medical Equipment, LLC.
Rotech anticipates that these acquisitions will contribute approximately $11 million in projected annual revenue in 2012.
“We expect the acquisition of these NeighborCare home medical entities to have a positive impact on Rotech’s financial performance in 2012 and beyond, as well as to expand our presence in the Philadelphia, Baltimore and other East Coast markets,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Philip Carter.
About Rotech Healthcare Inc.
Rotech Healthcare Inc. is one of the largest providers of home medical equipment and related products and services in the United States, with a comprehensive offering of respiratory therapy and durable home medical equipment and related services. The Company provides home medical equipment and related products and services principally to older patients with breathing disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), which include chronic bronchitis, emphysema, obstructive sleep apnea and other cardiopulmonary disorders. The Company provides equipment and services in 48 states through approximately 425 operating locations located primarily in non-urban markets.
CMS selects 32 final Pioneer ACOs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced the final list of 32 Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) to start in the new year. CMS estimates that care coordination between hospitals, physicians and other care givers under the Pioneer ACO model could save Medicare up to $1.1 billion.
Among the list are Banner Health Network in Arizona, Dartmouth-Hitchcock ACO in New Hampshire and Eastern Vermont, Monarch Healthcare in Orange County, Calif., as well as Beth Israel Deaconess Physician Organization, Partners Healthcare and Steward Health Care System, all in Massachusetts. CMS chose 32 out of a pool of competitive applicants through a lengthy and open process, according to CMS.
“Pioneer ACOs are leaders in our work to provide better care and reduce health care costs,” said Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “We are excited that so many innovative systems are participating in this exciting initiative – and there are many other ways that health care providers can get involved and help improve care for patients.”
As the forerunner to the Medicare Shared Savings Program, the Pioneer ACO model will allow those organizations and individual providers that already are experienced in coordinating care to reap the benefits earlier and more of them. These groups will move more rapidly from a Shared Savings model to a population-based payment model, according to the press release. Differing from the Medicare Shared Savings Program, starting in year three of the initiative, those organizations that have earned savings during the first two years will be eligible to move to a population-based payment arrangement and full risk arrangement that can continue through an optional fourth and fifth year.
“We know that health care providers are at different stages in their work to improve care and reduce costs,” said Marilyn Tavenner, acting Administrator of CMS. “That’s why we’ve developed a menu of options for Medicare to meet doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers where they are, and begin the conversation of how to enhance the care they are offering to people with Medicare.”
The first performance period of the Pioneer ACO model will start Jan. 1, 2012.