What’sTrending: A Tad Late

Travel last week took me off schedule a tad so this post, normally scheduled for last Friday, didn’t make it on-line until Monday.  Below is the list of what I am trending (watching) followed by last week’s Fall Outs (worth noting but not worth watching). Hospice Fraud Redux: This issue is one that I have … Read more

What’s Trending: Last Friday in July

Opening celebration at the Olympics is catching most of the buzz today and the Dog Days of Summer are definitely full-on.  Still too much heat and not enough rain for my pleasure but August is around the corner and hopefully, some cooler weather.  If nothing else, I can rely on the Olympics to alter my … Read more

CBO Releases Updated ACA Score

Tuesday, the Congressional Budget Office released their updated score of the ACA post the Supreme Court ruling.  Substantively, the only reason or need for an update is the Court’s tweak concerning Medicaid expansion; allowing states to opt-out of expansion.  See my post from earlier this week for a bit more information on the Court’s ruling and … Read more

CBO Score on Post-Court ACA Implications Due Today

Later today, the Congressional Budget Office is set to release an updated “score” of the Affordable Care Act (PPACA) incorporating the decision of the Supreme Court.  The fundamental reason for the update is the Court’s decision to invalidate a provision within the Act that would have penalized states via reduced federal Medicaid funding should one or more opt … Read more

What’s Trending: A Hot Friday Perspective

Seems every day this month has been hot and dry – could use a break from the heat  and definitely, some prolonged rain.  Within the past couple of weeks, I’ve traveled “rural” a bit and as a result, I have a different perspective on what farmers and ranchers in the middle-section of the country are struggling … Read more

An Omission from Friday

Every once in a while, I make a mistake (rare I think but others when asked, would convey a different sentiment).  This gaff is really an omission; a missed thought from Friday’s post on “What’s Trending”.  In reviewing my notes (the mess that they can be), I noticed I forgot to include a “watch” tip for … Read more

What’s Trending: A Friday the 13th in July Perspective

Back after a week of vacation (sort of) and then a week of scramble to catch up, here’s the latest that I am watching and that I find trending from readers and clients. Medicaid and Health Care Reform: Oddly, this has been a Medicaid week for me on a number of fronts.  The Supreme Court decision … Read more

Supreme Court Upholds the PPACA

In a surprising ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the PPACA, in its entirety.  Earlier in the week I wrote that my view, substantiated via conversations with many insiders ranging from lawyers to professors to think-tank analysts, was that the Court would find the core of the law unconstitutional.  My guess is that many … Read more

What’s Trending: A New Feature

By popular request, I’ve created a new feature to this site to cover issues and topics “in brief” that I am watching or in some cases, directly tangential to by engagement.  Weekly, my inbox is awash in “what have you heard?”, “are you seeing this?”, “what’s going on with?”, etc., type questions.  I do try to answer them … Read more

Senate Back and Forth on Psychoactive Medication Regs

Last week, Senators Kohl, Grassley and Blumenthal introduced an amendment to an existing FDA bill that would require the informed consent of nursing home patients or their legal surrogates before certain anti-psychotic/psychoactive medications were given.  The target of this legislative initiative is to reduce the use of certain types of drugs commonly used to treat serious, chronic … Read more