Payer Roundup—PBM executives set to testify before Senate Finance Committee

Executives at five major pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are confirmed to testify before the Senate Finance Committee on drug prices next month. Leaders at Cigna, the parent company of Express Scripts, CVS, Humana, Optum and Prime Therapeutics are slated to testify at a hearing on April 9. The hearing will be the latest in a series before the Finance Committee on drug prices. Last month, executives at major pharmaceutical companies were grilled by senators. Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in a joint statement that it's "only fair" for PBMs to address rising prices.

Spotlight

Other News
Health Technology

ShiftKey Extends Its Tech Solutions to Embrace Acute Care Facilities

ShiftKey | September 15, 2023

ShiftKey, a leading technological enterprise at the forefront of reshaping the future of workforce engagement, has officially announced its expansion into acute healthcare facilities. ShiftKey's technology, data resources, and talent marketplace are set to be accessible to acute care facilities in Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. This expansion addresses workforce-related challenges and enhances patients' access to top-tier healthcare services. Furthermore, the technology has already undergone beta testing at acute care facilities in Alabama, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Carolina, and West Virginia. CEO of ShiftKey, Mike Vitek, characterized the company's foray into the acute care sector as a pivotal step in its platform and business development. He emphasized the organization's vantage point on healthcare staffing challenges and expressed optimism regarding the potential alleviation of strain on acute care facilities and healthcare professionals. Meanwhile, Brandon Tappan, Chief Revenue Officer at ShiftKey, added that the escalating workforce challenges confronting healthcare facilities have become an annual trend. The departure of nurses from acute care facilities in large numbers underscores the imperative for a novel approach to address staffing needs within institutions serving vulnerable populations. Integrating ShiftKey's technology into acute care facilities represents establishing an independent healthcare staffing solution. This initiative aims to reinvigorate and safeguard this vital industry by enabling individuals to rejoin the workforce on their terms. About ShiftKey ShiftKey is a technological enterprise dedicated to transforming workforce access and integrity. Employing data and a marketplace model, the company facilitates connections between independent licensed professionals and facilities with workforce requirements. It is pivotal in advancing empowered labor, stability, and solutions for professionals, institutions, and beneficiaries. With a platform encompassing 10,000 healthcare facilities and myriad independently licensed professionals, ShiftKey is one of the foremost leaders in strategic workforce solutions, catalyzing a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous workforce economy for the years ahead.

Read More

Health Technology

Home Care Delivered, Inc. Completes Acquisition of Medline Industries, LP's DMEPOS Supplier Business Unit

PR Newswire | October 17, 2023

Home Care Delivered, Inc. a leader in providing medical supplies including diabetes/CGM, incontinence, wound, urological, and ostomy products, is excited to announce the successful acquisition of Medline Industries, LP's DMEPOS supplier business unit. This strategic move will significantly enhance HCD's market presence, expand its geographical footprint, and provide access to a broader customer base while reinforcing relationships with patients, healthcare plans and providers, and manufacturers. "The transaction represents a major milestone for HCD by leveraging over 25 years of distinguished expertise in medical supplies," said Gordy Fox, founder and chief executive officer of HCD. "This acquisition aligns with our commitment to delivering personalized and compassionate customer experiences while leveraging Medline's DMEPOS supplier assets, and continuing to provide our industry expertise and best-in-class customer service." said Brad Mariam, executive vice president, Medline. With the transition of Medline's DMEPOS supplier assets to HCD, a company that shares in our commitment to exceptional service and patient care, Medline will continue to focus on its core role as an industry leader in the manufacturing and distribution of quality medical supplies. [Source: PR Newswire] "By integrating Medline's DMEPOS supplier assets, we are accelerating our growth strategy, delivering an avenue for expanded cost-efficiencies and member adherence," said Lowell Price, senior vice president of business development and chief growth officer of HCD. "This strategic move aligns with our commitment to delivering superior customer service, additional product offerings and ensuring reliable delivery to our members. HCD is well-positioned to continue to elevate customer experiences and reinforce our market presence." About Home Care Delivered, Inc. Home Care Delivered is a leading direct-to-consumer provider of insurance-covered medical supplies of diabetes testing, incontinence, urology, ostomy and wound care supplies delivered directly to the patient's home. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Glen Allen, Virginia, Home Care Delivered is dedicated to providing best-in-class customer support and quality supplies for patients and caregivers nationwide.

Read More

Health Technology

CareView Launches Software 5.10 for Improved Virtual Care Solutions

CareView Communications | September 13, 2023

CareView Communications, Inc., a prominent provider of integrated virtual care solutions for the healthcare sector, has announced the introduction of its most recent milestone in patient care technology through the unveiling of Software Version 5.10. This release incorporates many cutting-edge features and improvements meticulously crafted to empower healthcare professionals and enhance patient results. Software Release 5.10 introduces a range of significant enhancements, beginning with the seamless integration of CareView with Get Well, a leading patient engagement platform. This integration facilitates bidirectional video communication, ultimately elevating patient engagement, education, and overall satisfaction. Additionally, a new Universal Dashboard has been introduced. This internal tool plays a crucial role in optimizing solutions. It leverages hospital utilization data along with machine learning algorithms to provide predictive analytics and enables in-depth analyses, significantly enhancing the overall offerings. Derek del Carpio, CareView's VP of Product Development, stated, At CareView, we continuously strive to provide innovative solutions that redefine patient care. Software Release 5.10 is a testament to our commitment to advancing virtual care technology and enhancing the well-being of patients. [Source: Business Wire] Further, substantial improvements have been applied to the Virtual Sitting feature, empowering CareView Controllers to manipulate associated views through EquipmentView and introducing Night Mode in SitterView to reduce eye strain, thus enhancing both patient monitoring flexibility and safety. Virtual Nursing has also undergone notable refinements, enabling the virtual Registered Nurse to mute participants during TeleCareView encounters, facilitating participants' easy transition between viewing fellow participants and shared screens, and granting healthcare providers the capability to blur backgrounds in TeleCareView, thereby fostering a more professional and focused virtual interaction environment. CareView maintains a steadfast commitment to fostering collaboration with healthcare providers to elevate patient safety, optimize clinical processes, and enhance overall patient care quality. Introducing this latest software release further underscores CareView's unwavering dedication to providing hospital teams with innovative virtual care solutions to meet their evolving needs. About CareView Communications CareView, leveraging predictive technology and purpose-built hardware, has forged partnerships with more than 200 hospitals to tackle pressing staffing issues and elevate patient safety through its platform. The company collaborates closely with its hospital partners to deliver tailored virtual care strategies that improve patient outcomes and foster a sustainable healthcare ecosystem.

Read More

Healthcare Analytics

Keena Healthcare Technology and Altera Digital Health Expand Strategic Partnership

Business Wire | October 27, 2023

Keena Healthcare Technology, a healthcare optimization organization, and Altera Digital Health, a global health IT leader, announce today that they have engaged in a reseller agreement. The expanded sales collaboration deal is an extension of the partnership and developer agreement Keena has had with Altera’s TouchWorks® EHR business unit since 2008. Keena has had several years of successful selling into Altera’s TouchWorks EHR client base of provider practices and has consistently prioritized its strategic focus on developing new technologies and services needed to optimize their clinical and financial performance. In parallel, Keena has looked to maintain a select group of trusted strategic partnerships with industry leaders and best of breed niche technology vendors to efficiently extend their sales reach into select segments of the marketplace. said Craig Luce, Founding Partner of Keena Healthcare Technology. We are very optimistic about our expanded relationship with Altera and the opportunity to work closely with their client success and client development teams. There is both a strategic and cultural fit between our two organizations that we feel will be of significant benefit to the TouchWorks EHR client base, while at the same time fulfilling a common high priority initiative for Keena and Altera. [Source:Business Wire] With the current EHR market made up principally of system replacement transactions, a premium is placed on strengthening relationships with existing clients and providing them with new opportunities for performance optimization and value-add solutions. Altera’s expanded partnership with Keena demonstrates the company’s commitment to and investment in providing more value to their TouchWorks EHR clients. ”Altera Digital Health strives to be insanely great for our clients. We’re constantly identifying new ways technology can meaningfully improve their everyday lives, whether they’re from our own portfolio or that of our likeminded partners,” said Ben Scharfe, Executive Vice President of the TouchWorks EHR business unit at Altera Digital Health. The timing is perfect for our sales team to leverage Keena’s past successes and provide an extended line of enhanced value solutions to our loyal TouchWorks EHR clients.” About Keena Healthcare Technology Keena is a full-service healthcare optimization organization focused on clinical workflows, interfaces, conversions and archival solutions. Built upon a vision for improving technology delivery, Keena is the collaboration of two companies that share a core value system for life, work, and healthcare. Having come from the pedigree of EHR Integration Services and Byte Sized Solutions, Keena transforms the way people manage information, develop workflows and share knowledge within healthcare. About Altera Digital Health A global healthcare IT leader, Altera Digital Health develops and elevates technology to connect and inspire healthier communities. Formerly the Allscripts Hospitals and Large Physician Practices business segment, Altera’s platform approach to our solutions is changing the way healthcare is delivered. Altera designs digital health services that lead healthcare to a higher place, while we guide those we partner with, all along the way. Together, with our clients, we’re bringing next-level healthcare within reach.

Read More