Citizen Portal News Michigan

@citizenptnewsmi.bsky.social

5 hours ago

Commissioners press MediOne for details after ambulance billing hikes City leaders said MediOne submitted a $156,000 increase to Benton Harbor for ambulance transportation; the city manager will meet with neighboring officials and pursue a targeted FOIA to obtain itemized spending and justification for new rates.

Benton Harbor faces a shocking $156,000 hike in ambulance charges, prompting city leaders to demand answers from MediOne about these rising costs.

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#BentonHarborBerrienCounty #MI #BentonHarborAmbulance #CitizenPortal #LocalGovAI #PublicSafety #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News US

@citizenptnewsus.bsky.social

1 day ago

Lawmakers press EBSA on PBM transparency, claim denials and mental-health parity enforcement Members of the House subcommittee pressed EBSA's assistant secretary over PBM transparency, delayed claim denials, No Surprises Act enforcement and mental-health parity, citing patient harm and asking what authority and steps the agency can take to speed relief.

Lawmakers are demanding answers from EBSA on how they plan to tackle harmful practices by pharmacy benefit managers and ensure mental health parity for patients in need.

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#US #CitizenPortal #ClaimDenials #HealthcareTransparency #MentalHealthParity

Citizen Portal News Louisiana

@citizenptnewsla.bsky.social

1 day ago

House Health & Welfare advances a package of health bills, including background‑check, audit and child‑protection measures On April 15 the committee reported several bills favorably with amendments: HB 4 14 (tightened hiring rules for certain health‑care positions), HB 7 86 (prohibiting MCO extrapolation in provider audits), HB 10 52 (confidentiality for Child Advocacy Centers) and HB 11 18 (disclosure of certain hospital–REIT agreements); stakeholders said they will continue to refine language.

Louisiana's House Health and Welfare Committee is pushing forward crucial bills that tighten hiring standards, protect child advocacy records, and enhance hospital financial transparency.

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#LA #CitizenPortal #ChildProtection #HealthcareTransparency #LouisianaHealthcare

Citizen Portal News Alaska

@citizenptnewsak.bsky.social

1 day ago

House Finance Committee advances bill to create Home Care Employment Standards advisory board The House Finance Committee moved a committee substitute for HB 96, which would establish a Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board to advise on Medicaid personal care payment rates, workforce standards and reporting. The committee set an amendment deadline for April 20 and attached a fiscal note.

A new bill aiming to establish a Home Care Employment Standards Advisory Board could transform Medicaid personal care payment rates and workforce conditions in Alaska.

Learn more here!

#AK #CitizenPortal #AlaskaHomeCare #ElderCareSustainability #HealthcareTransparency #WorkforceDevelopment

Citizen Portal News Oklahoma

@citizenptnewsok.bsky.social

3 days ago

House approves bill aimed at curbing PBM practices to protect local pharmacists The Oklahoma House passed Senate Bill 2074, a measure sponsors described as protecting pharmacists from a 'broken market' by setting minimum reimbursement and transparency requirements for pharmacy benefit managers; an offered amendment was tabled before final passage (87–7).

The Oklahoma House just passed a groundbreaking bill aimed at protecting local pharmacists from a broken market dominated by pharmacy benefit managers!

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#OK #PharmacyReform #CitizenPortal #MarketCompetition #HealthcareTransparency

New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute

@qualityinstitutenj.bsky.social

3 days ago

📅 Join our May 6 webinar to learn more: bit.ly/ASCinfosessi...

#QualityInstituteNJ #NJHCQI #SchwimmerScript #TheLeapfrogGroup #PatientSafety #HealthCareTransparency #AmbulatorySurgery #NJHealth

Resist47 News

@resist47.news

1 week ago

Alarm as acting CDC director delays report showing Covid vaccine benefits via US news | The Guardian — Study that reportedly found reduction in ER visits and hospitalizations being reviewed by Jay Bhattacharya A Trump administration appointee has delayed publication of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that shows benefits related to the Covid vaccine, leading to concerns that the administration is engaging in behind-the-scenes tactics to undermine vaccines. Research by CDC scientists found that the Covid vaccine cut the likelihood of emergency room visits and hospitalizati

CDC report on COVID vaccine benefits delayed by acting director, raising concerns of political interference. The study shows reduced ER visits and hospitaliz...

resist47.news — news & tools for the resistance.

#resist47 #CDCReportDelay #COVIDVaccineBenefits #HealthcareTransparency #JayBhattacharya

Citizen Portal News Louisiana

@citizenptnewsla.bsky.social

1 week ago

Committee advances PBM reform bill tied to transparency measure; industry warns of higher costs Senate Bill 387, amended to require PBM audits, fiduciary duties, rebate pass‑through and limits on PBM compensation models, was reported out by the Senate Insurance Committee April 1. PBMs and industry groups warned the changes could raise premiums and create legal risks; sponsors argued reforms protect patients and independent pharmacies.

The Senate Insurance Committee has just advanced a groundbreaking bill aimed at reforming pharmacy benefit managers, but the industry warns it could lead to higher costs for patients.

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#LA #PharmacyReform #CitizenPortal #LouisianaPharmacy #PatientAccess #HealthcareTransparency

EMSGrades

@emsgrades.bsky.social

1 week ago

240 million 911 calls are placed every year in the United States. You should know who is walking through your door. EMSGrades.com just indexed 411 agencies and 21,637 providers in Georgia to change this. Know Who Responds. #EMS #HealthcareTransparency #EMSGrades

@acdepaoli.bsky.social

1 week ago

Ever noticed unexpected charges in your employer health plan? 🧐 Let's dive into why transparency is vital for us all. Join the conversation and share your experiences! #HealthcareTransparency https://altiqe.com/?p=3215

Citizen Portal News Ohio

@citizenptnewsoh.bsky.social

2 weeks ago

LeadingAge Ohio urges statutory clarifications on privacy and bandwidth in SB 154 (Esther’s Law expansion) LeadingAge Ohio told the Senate Health Committee it supports the goals of Senate Bill 154 to expand resident transparency but wants clearer consent, HIPAA disclosure language, and allowance to recover internet‑connectivity costs for monitoring devices in long‑term care settings.

LeadingAge Ohio advocates for crucial amendments to Senate Bill 154, emphasizing the need for clear consent and privacy protections in long-term care monitoring.

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#OH #TechnologyAccessibility #CitizenPortal #PrivacyProtection #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News Oklahoma

@citizenptnewsok.bsky.social

3 weeks ago

Oklahoma Senate advances package of PBM and pharmacy-reimbursement measures after contentious floor debate Lawmakers passed multiple bills aimed at pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacy reimbursement, with proponents saying the measures will protect community pharmacies and critics warning of higher costs for employers and consumers. Debate cited audits and cost figures; SB 20-74 and related bills passed on the floor. (Example vote: SB 20-74, 34–3.)

Oklahoma's Senate is taking a bold step to protect community pharmacies from the growing power of pharmacy benefit managers, but could this move lead to higher costs for consumers?

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#OK #CitizenPortal #CommunityAccess #FairReimbursement #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News Arizona

@citizenptnewsaz.bsky.social

3 weeks ago

Panel advances bill creating guardrails for stem‑cell and regenerative therapies The committee approved SB 12‑14 to regulate certain stem‑cell and regenerative therapies not fully FDA‑approved, requiring provider training, sourcing standards, informed consent and reporting; proponents framed it as consumer protection against bad actors.

Arizona's Senate just advanced a groundbreaking bill to regulate stem-cell therapies, ensuring patient safety while allowing innovative treatments to flourish.

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#AZ #PatientSafety #CitizenPortal #RegulatoryFramework #ArizonaRegenerativeTherapies #HealthcareTransparency

Mason Roberts

@masonroberts.bsky.social

1 month ago

Nonprofit Hospitals: Profits And Cash Reserves Grow, Charity Care Does Not | Health Affairs Journal Using the National Academy of State Health Policy Hospital Cost Tool, we compared changes in hospital profits with changes in hospitals’ charity care and cash reserves between 2012 and 2019. We…

expand into wealthier markets, prioritizing growth over the community benefit obligations that justify their tax-exempt status.

Here's the study - let me know what you think: buff.ly/DnkMrs7

#NonprofitHospitals #HealthcareTransparency #HospitalConsolidation #HealthPolicy #ValueBasedCare

Citizen Portal News Arizona

@citizenptnewsaz.bsky.social

1 month ago

Committee backs HB2176 to tighten licensing denials and align investigator timelines with CMS HB2176 would let DHS deny facility licenses or ownership changes when applicants or related persons have recent serious licensing violations, expand clear notice and inspection protocols, and align complaint and dispute timelines with federal CMS standards; sponsors and hospital associations supported the bill.

Arizona's Senate Health Committee is poised to enhance patient safety with House Bill 2176, allowing stricter licensing denials for healthcare institutions with troubling histories.

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#AZ #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #RegulatoryReform #ArizonaHealthcare #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News South Carolina

@citizenptnewssc.bsky.social

1 month ago

Senators debate PBM bill’s costs and exemptions as committee adopts amendment and advances measure to floor S342, addressing pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices, reimbursement floors and licensing, prompted extended debate over cost impacts and exemptions for state plans; the committee adopted a subcommittee amendment, agreed to carry several amendments to the floor, and reported the bill out for further consideration.

Senators are wrestling with a new bill aimed at reforming pharmacy benefit managers, but uncertainty looms over who will ultimately shoulder the financial burden.

Get the details!

#SC #PharmacyBenefitManagers #CitizenPortal #RuralHealthcare #HealthcareTransparency #SouthCarolinaPharmacy

Citizen Portal News Utah

@citizenptnewsut.bsky.social

1 month ago

A groundbreaking bill in Utah is set to transform healthcare by mandating transparency and accountability in prior authorizations, ensuring timely access to crucial treatments.

Learn more here

#UT #CitizenPortal #PatientProtection #HealthcareTransparency #AIInHealthcare

OFFSHIFT MEDIA

@offshiftmedia.bsky.social

1 month ago

RFK Jr. highlights U.S. healthcare’s hidden costs, urging hospitals to post prices after 1,000+ warning letters. He calls for full transparency so patients can make informed decisions.
#RFKJr #HealthcareTransparency #MedicalCosts #USHealthcare #PatientRights #HealthPolicy

Citizen Portal News Utah

@citizenptnewsut.bsky.social

1 month ago

Committee advances pharmacy‑pricing transparency bill after hours of testimony over PBM practices and fiscal shift The committee passed HB 527 (third substitute), a pharmacy‑pricing transparency measure that requires PBMs to provide appeals contact details and price data to pharmacies and gives the insurance commissioner enforcement authority; PBMs and union and pharmacy representatives sharply debated whether the bill improperly shifts costs to state employees and how appeals data should be handled.

A new bill aimed at increasing transparency in pharmacy pricing has sparked fierce debates over cost shifts and the broken appeals process for independent pharmacies.

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#UT #CitizenPortal #HealthcareTransparency #PharmacyBenefitManagers #PublicPolicy

Citizen Portal News Washington

@citizenptnewswa.bsky.social

1 month ago

Washington hearing exposes sharp split over 340B expansion and reporting in SSB 5981 The House Appropriations Committee heard hours of technical briefings and sharply divided testimony on SSB 5981, which would expand reporting and fee authority tied to the federal 340B drug discount program. Safety‑net providers urged transparency to protect vulnerable patients; manufacturers and employers warned of lost rebates, higher costs and federal preemption risk.

Washington's House Appropriations Committee faces a fierce showdown over SSB 5981, with safety-net providers advocating for patient access while industry giants warn of rising costs and legal risks.

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#WA #DrugDiscountProgram #CitizenPortal #PatientAccess #HealthCareTransparency

Citizen Portal News Oregon

@citizenptnewsor.bsky.social

1 month ago

Senate Health Care committee sends three health-policy bills to the floor The committee moved three measures — HB 4107 A (urgent-care rules), HB 4039 A (CCO rate-setting transparency) and HB 4053 A (EMS program fund) — to the Senate floor with do-pass recommendations; most drew limited debate, though members raised provider protections and transparency concerns.

Oregon's Senate Health Care Committee just advanced three crucial bills aimed at enhancing transparency and support in the healthcare system—what does this mean for patients and providers alike?

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#OR #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News Oregon

@citizenptnewsor.bsky.social

1 month ago

Committee approves patient‑assistance reporting amendment for drug transparency bill and sends bill to floor The Senate Committee adopted a dash-2 amendment to SB 1528 to require drug manufacturers to report details of all patient assistance programs for Oregon consumers and forwarded the bill to the Senate floor with a due‑pass recommendation.

Oregon's Senate Committee just approved a significant amendment to drug transparency legislation that will hold manufacturers accountable for patient assistance programs starting in 2028!

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#OR #PatientAssistancePrograms #PharmaceuticalCosts #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News New York

@citizenptnewsny.bsky.social

1 month ago

Senate Passes Bill to Send Majority of Drug Rebates to Patients at Point of Sale, Sponsors Say On Feb. 23 the New York State Senate approved a measure (transcribed as S2128) that sponsors said will require that a large share of prescription drug rebates negotiated on behalf of patients be delivered at the pharmacy counter; sponsors argued the bill increases transparency and curbs anti-competitive practices by PBMs and drug manufacturers.

New York State Senate has just passed a groundbreaking bill ensuring that over 85% of prescription drug rebates go directly to patients at the pharmacy counter!

Learn more here

#NY #CivicAccountability #NewYorkPatients #CitizenPortal #HealthcareTransparency #PrescriptionDrugRebates

Citizen Portal News Vermont

@citizenptnewsvt.bsky.social

1 month ago

Senate panel weighs reference‑based pricing and rules for hospital outsourcing The Senate Health & Welfare committee reviewed S.190, which would require hospitals to express rates as a percentage of Medicare, publish machine‑readable files with those percentages, and set default Medicare‑based price caps for new CPT codes. Witnesses urged careful timing, clearer definitions for outsourced clinical departments, and collaborative rulemaking.

The Vermont Senate is considering a groundbreaking bill that could revolutionize hospital pricing by tying it to Medicare rates—could this be the answer to soaring healthcare costs?

Learn more here

#VT #CostControl #RuralHospitalSupport #CitizenPortal #VermontHealthcare #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News Nebraska

@citizenptnewsne.bsky.social

1 month ago

Nebraska optometrists urge law to curb vision‑plan practices they say limit choice and depress pay Supporters of LB987 told the Banking, Commerce & Insurance Committee that a small number of vision benefit managers (VBMs) use vertical integration and contracting practices to steer patients and underpay providers, reducing rural access; industry groups disputed the scale of the problem and warned the bill could raise costs and operational burdens.

Nebraska optometrists are rallying behind a new bill aimed at curbing deceptive practices by vision benefit managers that could limit patient choice and jeopardize access to quality eye care.

Learn more here!

#NE #RuralCare #CitizenPortal #PatientAccess #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News Oklahoma

@citizenptnewsok.bsky.social

1 month ago

Oklahoma Senate approves bill letting dentists set prices for services not paid by insurers after extended debate After an extended debate over surprise charges and contract limits, the Oklahoma Senate passed SB 1942 to clarify that when an insurer does not pay for a service, the insurer cannot fix the provider's price; the bill passed on final reading 40–3.

The Oklahoma Senate just passed a controversial bill that could change how much you pay for dental services, giving providers freedom to set their own prices when insurers don’t cover the costs.

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#OK #CitizenPortal #ConsumerProtection #MarketCompetition #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News Utah

@citizenptnewsut.bsky.social

1 month ago

Utah’s committee just took a major step toward transparency in Medicaid, pushing for public reporting and independent audits that could reshape how billions are spent!

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#UT #CitizenPortal #PublicReporting #FinancialAccountability #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News Utah

@citizenptnewsut.bsky.social

1 month ago

A recent vote by Utah lawmakers aims to bring much-needed transparency to pharmacy benefit managers, addressing alarming statistics that show pharmacies often lose money on prescriptions.

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#UT #CitizenPortal #PharmacyAccountability #RuralAccess #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News Washington

@citizenptnewswa.bsky.social

1 month ago

Bill would expand attorney general notice and review of hospital and provider transactions in Washington A bill before the Senate Law and Justice Committee would broaden the Attorney General's pre-transaction notice authority to cover majority-ownership changes, asset sales and private-equity acquisitions of hospitals and providers; supporters said the changes increase transparency to protect access and affordability, while hospital groups raised concerns about fees.

A new bill in Washington aims to lift the veil on hospital transactions, boosting transparency in healthcare ownership and protecting patient access—are you ready for these changes?

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#WA #AccessAffordability #CitizenPortal #ConsumerProtection #HealthcareTransparency

Citizen Portal News Connecticut

@citizenptnewsct.bsky.social

1 month ago

Aging committee hears bill to bar municipal agents with conflicts from counseling older adults State aging officials and advocates urged the committee to tighten rules for municipal agents who advise older adults, citing instances where paid insurance brokers and other sellers used municipal‑agent roles to steer beneficiaries. Supporters would require written conflict certifications and options for shared agents in small towns.

Connecticut's Aging Committee is taking bold steps to protect older residents from conflicts of interest in municipal agents, ensuring they receive unbiased benefits and services.

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#CT #CivicAccountability #CitizenPortal #ElderlySupport #HealthCareTransparency