CMS halts No Surprises arbitration decisions

Plus: From the NFL to Harvard Medical School

Feb 17, 2023

Good morning and happy Friday. It is 17 February 2023 and this is the Friday Pulse Check from FLATLINING and Fulcrum Strategies.

In the news:

CMS halts arbitration decisions after TMA 2 decision

After Judge Jeremy Kernodle threw out the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ final rule that governed how decisions are to be made in the arbitration process for the No Surprises Act, CMS halted new decisions as they work on writing new guidance. Judge Kernodle said in his ruling the final rule “continues to place a thumb on the scale for the QPA by requiring arbitrators to begin with the QPA and then imposing restrictions on the non-QPA factors that appear nowhere in the statute.” Additionally, CMS instructed arbiters to retract any payment determinations issued after 6 February. Read more in Fierce Healthcare.

Medicaid Reform and Math-Challenged Reporters at the New York Times ...

California legislature proposes $25 minimum wage for healthcare workers

The proposed minimum wage would apply to health facilities and home health agencies that employ nurse technicians, housekeepers, security guards, food workers, and laundry providers. The bill has been introduced by state Senator María Elena Durazo who said the $15.50 minimum wage is too low given the current level of inflation. One estimate says that 1.5 million Californians would get a wage hike if the bill is passed and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. Read more in the Los Angeles Times.

Physician union activity increasing since the pandemic

Similar to the increased union activity from nurses and other healthcare professionals, physicians are becoming more and more involved in union-related efforts as well. Most recently, residents and fellow physicians at Loma Linda University Health in California filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board this week for a union representation election. They are not the only hospital to do so this year. Read more in Becker’s Hospital Review.

Ukraine

Despite best efforts by Russian forces, Ukraine continues to provide healthcare in less than adequate conditions as the country passes the one-year mark since its invasion. Some have questioned how this is being paid for. Most of it is covered by foreign aid and non-governmental organizations. Some of it, however, is being addressed by the World Bank which has been redirecting funds from other projects to the immediate needs of Ukraine. Read more from the World Bank.

Final Thought

Even though the Super Bowl is now behind us, Americans can look forward to more football on their TV screens this spring. Starting this weekend, the XFL is making its post-COVID-19 return on ABC and ESPN and in April, the USFL will be returning to FOX and NBC.

If you’re looking for a healthcare story with a football angle that is also motivational, this one is for you. On FOX News Sunday this week, host Shannon Bream spoke with Myron Rolle, MD. Dr. Rolle was a football player at Florida State and was a 2010 tenth-round draft pick in the NFL and played for the Tennessee Titans. Since then, he has gone on to Florida State College of Medicine, become a neurosurgeon, and is now a resident at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital. He said people told him he had too many ambitions and he showed them wrong. Watch on FOXNews.com.