President Joe Biden will call for improved safety and quality at nursing homes, which have faced scrutiny during the pandemic, and will take aim at corporate owners.

via Section Page News - Modern Healthcare https://www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-policy/biden-announce-nursing-home-reforms-state-union-address

HHS' Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has received 274 complaints against providers, software developers and other entities since the agency's information-blocking rule went into effect.

via Section Page News - Modern Healthcare https://www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-policy/onc-77-info-blocking-complaints-accuse-providers

Mayo Clinic said its patients were sicker and had to be hospitalized longer in 2021, contributing to the health system's $1.2 billion operating surplus.

via Section Page News - Modern Healthcare https://www.modernhealthcare.com/providers/sicker-patients-meant-higher-operating-income-mayo-clinic

The company is also planning to spend $7 billion in capital on its share repurchase program this year, slightly less than its investment in 2021.

via Section Page News - Modern Healthcare https://www.modernhealthcare.com/finance/cigna-allocate-450m-its-venture-arm-part-its-growth-strategy

Fewer people now than in January say they are concerned that they will be infected after the rise and fall of the wildly contagious virus variant, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

via Section Page News - Modern Healthcare https://www.modernhealthcare.com/safety/pandemic-fears-are-fading-along-omicron-ap-norc-poll

The failure of single-payer healthcare legislation in California casts doubt on the ability of other states to pass government-run, universal healthcare. But activists in New York, Washington state, and elsewhere say they are taking lessons from California and changing their tactics.

via Section Page News - Modern Healthcare https://www.modernhealthcare.com/policy/demise-single-payer-california-trips-up-efforts-other-states

Inoculation rates remain low despite massive outreach efforts and incentives from federal and state programs and Medicaid plan operators, leaving many low-income people vulnerable to the virus.

via Section Page News - Modern Healthcare https://www.modernhealthcare.com/medicaid/alabama-utah-efforts-vaccinate-medicaid-enrollees-against-covid-run-obstacles

Anesthesia is administered over 100 million times annually and carries a high profit margin, presenting an easy target for corporate investment.

via Section Page News - Modern Healthcare https://www.modernhealthcare.com/healthcare-economics/study-private-equity-linked-higher-anesthesia-costs

Patients will be able to say, "Alexa, I want to talk to a doctor," to connect with Teladoc Health's call center. It's the latest example of Amazon adding health services to its voice assistant.

via Section Page News - Modern Healthcare https://www.modernhealthcare.com/technology/teladoc-telehealth-services-roll-out-amazons-alexa