CMS has finalized the rule changing how hospital off-campus facilities are reimbursed within its 2017 hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) changes, largely ignoring concerns from the American Hospital Association about the impact of site-neutral payment.

The obesity epidemic has become one of the largest health concerns for Americans, with 81 percent claiming it just as serious as cancer. Still, facing early death, heart disease and diabetes, most Americans are unsure of healthy, effective ways to lost weight.

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 27, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Vocera Communications, Inc. (NYSE:VCRA), the leading healthcare communications company, today announced that it has acquired Extension Healthcare for approximately $55 million in an all-cash transaction. Based in Fort Wayne, Ind., Extension Healthcare is a leading provider of clinical, event-driven communication and workflow collaboration software for the hospital environment.

NORWALK, CT – October 27, 2016 – Health care merger and acquisition activity slipped in the third quarter of 2016. Compared with the second quarter of 2016, deal volume fell 11%, to 369 transactions. Deal volume was also lower than in Q3:15, down 10% from the 411 transactions announced then. Combined spending in the third quarter totaled $48.0 billion, a decrease of 46% compared with the approximately $88.3 billion spent in the previous quarter, according to HealthCareMandA.com.

Most hospitals will see an increase in their fiscal year 2017 Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Group (MS-DRG) payments under CMS’s Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) program.

Just ahead of the fourth open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance marketplace, HHS finalized a rule aimed at improving the risk pool on the exchanges and keeping consumers away from plans that don’t comply with the ACA.

Therap, providers of documentation and electronic billing services, has been integrated with Ohio disability providers to implement the new Flat File feature, giving providers the ability to upload 837 claims to the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities eMBS portal.

Home health agencies will receive $130 million less in Medicare reimbursements for 2017, the final year of reductions meant to recoup overpayments dating back to 2000.