Friday Five: Top 5 healthcare business news items from the MCOL Weekend edition

Every business day, MCOL posts feature stories making news on the business of health care. Here are five we think are particularly important for this week:

 Feds Extend Healthcare.Gov Deadline To Dec. 19, Citing Late Rush

USA Today reports: Federal regulators Thursday night extended the midnight deadline for Affordable Care Act insurance by four days, as consumers fought to get through to call center operators and log onto Healthcare.gov to buy insurance that takes effect Jan. 1.

USA Today, December 16, 2016

G.O.P. Plans to Replace Health Care Law With ‘Universal Access’

The New York Times reports: House Republicans, responding to criticism that repealing the Affordable Care Act would leave millions without health insurance, said on Thursday that their goal in replacing President Obama’s health law was to guarantee “universal access” to health care and coverage, not necessarily to ensure that everyone actually has insurance.

The New York Times, December 16, 2016

 

CMS debuts new ACO model for dual-eligibles

The federal government has introduced a new accountable care organization model aimed at working with states to provide better quality, lower cost care for people enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid.

Fierce Healthcare, December 15, 2016

Obama administration blocks states from cutting off grants to Planned Parenthood

The Washington Post reports: The Obama administration took steps Wednesday to block states from cutting off federal family planning grants to Planned Parenthood, finalizing a rule that is to take effect just days before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

The Washington Post, December 14, 2016

Aetna CEO takes stand to defend deal with Humana

In his turn on the witness stand in the Aetna-Humana antitrust trial, Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini sparred with Justice Department lawyers about the central debates surrounding the acquisition—including whether the deal will deliver on its promised efficiencies.

Fierce Healthcare, December 13, 2016

These and more weekly news items on the business of healthcare are featured in the MCOL Weekend edition, along with the MCOL Tidbits, and more, for MCOL Premium level members.