If the first quarter of the year is any indication, the frantic pace of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) among hospitals won’t be slowing down in 2018. Thirty transactions were announced between January 1 and March 31, an 11 percent increase over the same period in 2017, according to Kaufman Hall.

In 1999, Amazon bought a 46 percent stake in Drugstore.com and began marketing its products on the Amazon site. Once hailed as “a likely gold mine,” the venture never turned a profit after running into problems with regulations, logistics and the existing pharmacy benefit managers that already dominated the market.

Fewer quality measures, a shorter reporting period for Meaningful Use requirements and an increase in uncompensated rate payments were all positives in the eyes of hospitals in their initial reaction to the proposed 2019 Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) rule.

Healthcare real estate investor Welltower has announced it will acquire the outstanding shares of Quality Care Properties and form a joint venture with Toledo, Ohio-based health system ProMedica for the real estate holdings of QCP tenants HCR ManorCare and Arden Courts.

The growth in Medicare Advantage membership has benefited hospitals and physician groups that operate their own plans, with total enrollment increasing by more than 20 percent to three million beneficiaries since 2015.

A new CMS proposal will require hospitals to post their standard prices for treatments online and aims to increase patient access to electronic health records (EHRs).

An academic and insurance executive discussed innovations to control healthcare costs in the U.S., including pricing reforms and payment modifications.

In an April 23 release, CMS announce it is seeking input on an alternative payment model that would allow direct provider contracting (DPC) between payers and primary care or multi-specialty groups. CMS asked for comments to inform possible testing for such a model for Medicare Parts A and B, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid.