Stay in the know with Becker's Hospital Review's weekly roundup of the nation's biggest healthcare news. Here's what you need to know this week.
1. Dr. Tom Price rumored to be Trump's pick to lead HHS
After reports surfaced Tuesday that Rep. Tom Price, MD, R-Ga., was being considered for the top spot at HHS, the congressman was seen visiting Trump Tower in Manhattan Wednesday afternoon.
2. Dr. Ben Carson turns down position in Trump administration
Ben Carson, MD, a retired neurosurgeon who ran in the primaries to be the Republican presidential candidate, indicated he does not want to serve in President-elect Donald Trump's administration.
3. Leavitt Partners: 5 thoughts on what repealing, replacing the ACA may actually look like
In what former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt (R) called "the most provocative statement of change that has occurred in my lifetime," Republican candidate Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States, and the GOP maintained control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, signaling a now imminent shift to the right on healthcare policy. This shift in the core ideology that has shaped the healthcare landscape since the passage of the ACA leaves many healthcare leaders wondering how they can reposition their strategic plan for the future.
4. CHS sells 2 hospitals for $425M as part of debt-reduction effort
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems signed a definitive agreement to sell Spokane, Wash.-based Rockwood Health System to Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare for $425 million.
5. Ascension records $423M net gain on higher patient volume: 5 things to know
St. Louis-based Ascension reported $5.6 billion in revenue in the first quarter of fiscal year 2017, up 3.4 percent from revenue of $5.2 billion in the same period of the year prior, according to recently released unaudited financial documents.
6. Patients witness gunmen shoot, rob physician
Patients witnessed a physician get shot during an armed robbery Tuesday evening at Orlando-based Florida Primary Care.
7. Oscar Health loses $45M in 3 states in Q3
New York City-based startup Oscar Health posted a $45 million loss in its New York, Texas and California ACA individual plan markets in the third quarter of fiscal year 2016.
8. UnitedHealthcare, two other insurers lose protests over $58B Tricare contracts
The U.S. Government Accountability Office dismissed protests from UnitedHealthcare, Health Net and WellPoint over losing two large military healthcare contract bids valued at a combined $58 billion.
9. Medicare's top 15 costliest drugs in 2015
CMS recently released data identifying the costliest drugs to Medicare in 2015, and Gilead Sciences' hepatitis C treatment Harvoni topped the list.
10. Thousands of nurses to protest in Philadelphia
Thousands of nurses in the midst of contract negotiations with multiple hospitals in the Philadelphia area demonstrated Nov. 15.
11. Outbreak of bloodstream infections linked to syringes reaches 149 cases
The case count in an outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia increased to 149 cases across five states, according to a CDC update on Nov. 9. Health officials linked the infections to pre-filled saline flushes manufactured by Nurse Assist — a Fort Worth, Texas-based medical device maker for long-term care facilities.
12. 3 more children hospitalized with suspected AFM in Washington
Three additional children with polio-like symptoms were hospitalized in Washington. If the children are confirmed to have acute flaccid myelitis, it will bring the total number of cases reported in the state this fall to 11.