Advocate Sherman Hospital receives board approval for $12.7M ASC
The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board gave Elgin, Ill.-based Advocate Sherman Hospital the green light to build its ASC in Elgin. The 15,000-square-foot surgery center costs an estimated $12.7 million. The surgery center is a joint venture between Deerfield, Ill.-based Surgical Care Affiliates, 13 physician investors and Advocate Sherman Hospital.
Judge blocks $37B Aetna, Humana deal
Judge John Bates of the U.S. District Court ruled in favor of the Department of Justice and blocked the proposed Aetna and Humana deal. In a 156-page opinion, Judge Bates ruled the deal would significantly reduce competition in the Medicare Advantage market in 364 complaint counties and three complaint counties in Florida.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health updates DON regulations for existing freestanding ASCs
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health updated its state medical regulations on Jan. 11, 2017, allowing existing freestanding ASCs to apply for a determination of need without an acute care hospital affiliation. The DPH will continue to mandate applicants submitting plans to build a new ASC to affiliate with either a Health Policy Commission-certified ACO or existing independent community hospital.
US woman dies from superbug resistant to 26 antibiotics
A superbug resistant to 26 different antibiotics killed a 70-year-old Nevada woman in September 2016. The CDC reports the patient returned to the United States in August 2016 following an extended trip to India. Upon admission on Aug. 18, 2016, providers first diagnosed the patient with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, which the CDC reports the infected right hip seroma likely caused. The patient later went into septic shock and died in early September 2016.
Surgery Partners opens ophthalmology-driven ASC
Nashville, Tenn.-based Surgery Partners is opening a surgery center in Beverly Hills, Calif. The 20,000-square-foot center marks the ASC management company’s second surgery center within the Beverly Hills region.
Republican senators bring ACA alternative to the table
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Sen. Susan Collin (R-Maine) introduced a proposal to former President Barack Obama’s ACA. The senators say the alternative would grant states more power over healthcare policy while also providing Americans more access to affordable coverage and work to cover millions of Americans who presently lack insurance.
Data breaches jump 40% in 2016
An Identity Theft Resource Center and CyberScout report found the nation tracked 1,039 total data breaches in 2016, an all-time record. This figure equates to a 40 percent jump compared to 2015. The business sector comprised 45.2 percent of all data breaches last year, with the healthcare sector trailing behind at 34.5 percent.
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