Here are 35 updates from the last month.
TeamHealth rejects AmSurg's $7.8B offer
TeamHealth rejected AmSurg's $7.8 billion offer to acquire the company. AmSurg originally proposed an offering of $71.47 per TeamHealth share, which would have been a 36 percent premium for TeamHealth shareholders. In a letter to AmSurg CEO Christopher Holden, TeamHealth President and CEO Michael Snow said AmSurg's undervalued TeamHealth in the proposal.
SCA, Advanced Surgical Hospital form joint venture
Surgical Care Affiliates acquired an interest in Washington, Pa.-based Advanced Surgical Hospital. SCA partnered with the members of Advanced Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation. AOR physicians founded Advanced Surgical Hospital.
Outpatient care has higher commercial costs when hospitals employ physicians
Hospital-employed physicians have higher commercial healthcare prices compared to their non-employed physician counterparts. A study found hospital-physician integration rose 3.3 percent on average during the study period across the 240 metropolitan areas.
Theranos under scrutiny after investigative report in the Wall Street Journal
Palo Alto, Calif.-based Theranos is facing backlash after an investigative report in the Wall Street Journal was published debunking the company's claims it could perform more than 240 tests with a finger prick-worth of blood.
PA salary on the rise
The 2015 American Academy of Physician Assistants Salary Survey found physician assistants' assistant salary is increasing. In 2014, the median base salary for a PA increased to $93,800 a year, representing a $3,800 rise from 2012.
US bombing of Doctors Without Borders hospital sparks international outrage
An American AC-130 gunship mistakenly bombed Doctors Without Borders’ field hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan. President Obama gave a personal apology to the pubic on Wed., Oct. 7.
ASC advocates debrief Congress on outpatient surgery benefits
ASC leaders briefed Congress about various trends in the ASC industry such as quality and cost-savings for payers. ASCA hosted the event and discussed how total joints were a prime example of how ASCs are changing same-day procedures for patients.
U.S. trails behind other countries in healthcare quality
The quality of the U.S. health system is improving, but the United States is still lagging behind other comparable countries. The United States has improved on quality measures such as mortality amenable to healthcare, the number of hospital-acquired infections and the percentage of children receiving all recommended doses of vaccines.
US spends most on healthcare
The United States pays more for healthcare than other high-income countries, but Americans have substantially fewer hospital visits. The United States spent 17.1 percent of its gross domestic product on healthcare in 2013. France spent 11.6 percent of its GDP on healthcare and the United Kingdom spent 8.8 percent of its GDP on healthcare costs.
ACA losing ground among US healthcare providers
Less healthcare providers stated the Affordable Care Act is pushing in the right direction for healthcare compared to one year ago. Nearly eight out of 10 providers feel the ACA needs legal provisions.
The Joint Commission releases new sentinel event alert
The Joint Commission released a new sentinel event alert focusing on patient falls. The alert investigates the contributing factors to patient falls and has suggested solutions for healthcare organizations to help minimize patient falls.
Blue Shield of California closes on $1.2 billion acquisition of Care1st
Blue Shield of California, based in San Francisco, completed its $1.2 billion of Care1st Health. Care1st Health Plan is provider-founded managed care company based in Monterey Park, Calif.
39% of ACA co-ops going out of business
Nearly 39 percent of the health insurance co-ops created under the Affordable Care Act are going out of business. South Carolina's Consumers' Choice Health Insurance is the ninth health insurance co-op to go out of business, leaving 67,000 businesses and individuals without health insurance.
Medicare Advantage members are on average more satisfied with their health plans than commercial plan members
Medicare Advantage members reported an average satisfaction score of 774 out of 1,000 for their plan. Commercial plan members gave their plan an average score of 679.
CMS releases Medicare Advantage 2016 star ratings
On Thursday, CMS released its 2016 Star Ratings with more Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage earning top scores this year. Nearly half of these plans earned four or more stars for their overall rating, a 9 percentage point increase from 2015 ratings.
HealthCare.gov undergoes consumer privacy protections updates
The government updated HealthCare.gov's consumer privacy protections. The updated site will have a "privacy manager," allowing users to opt out of embedded connections to third party advertising, analytics and social media sites.
Surgery Partners' IPO expected to reap up to $350M
Surgery Partners' is scheduled to go public this week and the company's initial public offering is expected to net between $300 million and $350 million.
AmSurg expects Q3 revenues at $650M
In the third quarter of 2015, AmSurg expects its revenue to reach $650.2 million compared to $502.4 million the same period the year prior. The company's ambulatory service same-center revenue growth is expected at 6.6 percent.
UnitedHealth Group revenue rises 27% in Q3
In the third quarter of 2015, payer UnitedHealth Group's revenue increased by 27 percent. The revenue reached $41.5 billion from $32.8 billion in the same period the year prior.
Physicians Realty Trust acquires ASC in Q3
In the third quarter of 2015, Physicians Realty Trust closed $297 million in medical office real estate investments. The company acquired two buildings affiliated with Memorial Hermann Health System, which will house an ASC. The ASC is joint-ventured with United Surgical Partners International and other Memorial Hermann services.
Baptist Health joint ventures with Tenet Healthcare
Baptist Health System, based in Birmingham, Ala., formed a joint venture with Tenet Healthcare to own and operate a network of healthcare facilities providing care for residents in Birmingham and central Alabama.
Larry Robbins raises stake in Tenet by 11%
Founder, Portfolio Management and CEO of hedge fund Glenview Capital Management, Larry Robbins, increased his stake in Tenet Healthcare by more than 11 percent. Mr. Robbins purchased nearly 1.7 million shares for an average price of $36.30 per share.
Judge denies immediate appeal in House suit
On Monday, Judge Rosemary M. Collyer of Federal District Court denied the Obama administration's request for an appeal of her ruling that the House had reason to sue the administration. Judge Collyer stated the administration would have its chance to appeal, but after both sides discuss whether the administration violated the Constitution by spending the money in an abuse of executive power.
Government denies delay for EHR rule
Despite requests for delays, federal health officials are passing new rules mandating physicians to switch to electronic health records or pay fees. The rules will decrease the number of standards each provider must meet and enable providers to apply hardship exemptions.
101 economists send Congress a letter in support of Cadillac Tax
The group implores Congress to take no action to weaken, delay or reduce the Cadillac Tax unless Congress implements a tax change that would better curtail cost growth. The tax mandates employers to pay a 40 percent tax on the health benefits they give employees. It will go into effect in 2018.
Coalition in Connecticut fights a new 6% ASC tax
A new coalition in Connecticut is fighting against a 6 percent on ambulatory surgery centers statewide. The 6 percent provider tax is imposed on the 47 ASCs in the state, potentially resulting in 35 percent of those ASCs operating at a loss.
Hillary Clinton has 'serious concerns' about health insurer mega-mergers
Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stated she has "serious" concerns about the proposed mergers between Anthem and Cigna and between Aetna and Humana. She stated the balance of power is moving far away from the consumers into the hands of the providers and insurers.
Regent Surgical Health partners with Alaska ASC
Regent Surgical Health is partnering with the Surgery Center of Wasilla in Alaska. Regent will serve patients in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley near Anchorage.
SurgCenter Development, Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville breakground on ASC
Orthopaedic Associates of Zanesville (Ohio) and SurgCenter Development broke ground on a $1.1 million surgery center that is expected to open in the spring. The 5,000-square-foot center will house two operating rooms and focus on orthopedics.
WVU Medicine to open $29M surgery center
Morgantown-based West Virginia University Medicine is building a new $29 million facility. The facility will house four operating rooms and four endoscopy procedures rooms.
AAAASF accredits 5 Illinois facilities
American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities accredited five facilities in August. AAAASF accredited Champion Fitness of Leroy, Champion Fitness of Pekin, Evangelical Retirement Homes of Greater Chicago – Outpatient in Schaumburg, Northshore Ambulatory Care in Skokie and Champion Fitness of Mahomet.
Congress members show support for halting colonoscopy reimbursement cuts
Many Congress members voiced their support for colonoscopy's role in colorectal cancer screening. In a letter to the CMS, 27 U.S. senators and 94 U.S. representatives asked the CMS to consider the effect its proposed colonoscopy reimbursements cuts would have on colorectal cancer screening efforts.
APEX honors Iowa City Ambulatory Surgical Center
APEX granted 90 facilities, including Iowa City Ambulatory Surgical Center, the APEX Award. The Iowa ASC has received the award for the last five years.
Eveia & ECG Management Consultants join forces
Eveia Health joined forces with EC Management Consultants to improve value-based delivery. Eveia Health will strength ECG’s ASC service offerings.
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia opens ASC
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Glen Mills opened the Brandywine Valley Specialty Care and Ambulatory Surgery Center. The facility will be 44,000 square feet and will include more than 20 medical and surgical specialties.