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Alabama Hospitals Recognized for Patient Recommendations

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Seven Alabama hospitals received a five-star patient recommendation rating in the latest CMS Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) data. The rating is based on patient survey responses about whether they would recommend their hospital to friends and family. The Alabama hospitals recognized were  The latest HCAHPS data reflects patient surveys collected from October 2024 through September 2025 and provides a publicly reported measure of patient experience and hospital recommendations. Resource: 765 hospitals patients would highly…
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Alabama Receives $144 Million for Rural Healthcare Improvements

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Alabama is receiving $144 million through the Rural Health Transformation Program to strengthen healthcare services and improve access across the state. The funding will support initiatives focused on mental health, substance abuse, emergency and maternal care, healthcare workforce development, technology, and cybersecurity. The investment is part of the broader $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, which provided funding to all 50 states. Alabama’s allocation is intended to address rural healthcare needs while helping modernize healthcare infrastructure and expand…
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UnitedHealth Group: Recent Updates Affecting Payers and Providers

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UnitedHealth Group and its subsidiaries have had several recent developments involving prior authorization, Medicare Advantage, provider contracts, healthcare administration, and leadership. One notable change is UnitedHealthcare’s plan to remove prior authorization requirements for 1,700 procedure codes across commercial, Medicare Advantage, individual exchange, and Medicaid plans as part of its goal to reduce prior authorization requirements by 30% by the end of 2026. Other developments include Lee Health’s decision to terminate its UnitedHealthcare hospital and physician contracts at the end…
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CY 2024 QPP Performance Information Released

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CMS has published Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Quality Payment Program (QPP) performance information for clinicians, groups, virtual groups, subgroups, and Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). The information is now available through the Provider Data Catalog (PDC) and on clinician and group profile pages in Medicare.gov’s Compare Tool. The publicly reported information includes MIPS performance by category, measure-level performance results, percentage scores, and star ratings for clinicians and groups. CMS is also reporting the names of Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs) and clinicians…
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EHR Documentation, Telehealth Billing and Medicare Claims Updates

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CMS is reminding providers to verify information carried forward in electronic health records (EHRs) rather than relying on copied documentation from previous visits. Current records should accurately reflect the patient’s condition, provider assessment, decision-making and services provided, as conflicting or outdated information can contribute to claim denials. Several billing and coding updates are also important for Medicare providers. COVID-19 vaccine payment allowances have been updated for the 2026–2027 season, with revised pricing for several CPT codes. Beginning October 1,…
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GoodRx Launches Family Prescription Plan as Employer Benefit

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GoodRx is introducing a new Companion Family Plan that can be purchased directly by consumers or offered by employers as a supplement to traditional health benefits. The $24.99 monthly plan covers a primary member and up to four dependents, including pets, with access to more than 250 generic medications at no cost and additional medications for under $10. The plan also provides savings on dental, vision, lab and imaging services, with prescriptions processed through retail pharmacies without…
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Rural Health Transformation Program Funds Technology, Access and Workforce Initiatives

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States are beginning to direct portions of their Rural Health Transformation Program awards toward specific initiatives designed to strengthen rural healthcare. Recent announcements include funding for health IT modernization, cybersecurity, telehealth, workforce development, emergency and maternal care, specialty services, and expanded access to care. The initiatives are part of the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program approved for all 50 states in December 2025, rather than additional funding. Recent allocations include $144 million for Alabama to support mental health,…
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Key CMS & Medicare Updates for Alabama Providers

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Alabama Receives $144 Million to Strengthen Rural Health Care Alabama is receiving $144 million through the federal Rural Health Transformation Program to support 138 grants focused on expanding access to care, improving mental health and substance abuse services, strengthening emergency and maternal care, modernizing health care technology and infrastructure, and growing the rural health workforce. The investment is expected to help improve health care delivery and access across rural communities in Alabama. Resource: Trump Administration Announces $144…
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CMS Releases FY2027 ICD-9 and ICD-10 Diagnosis Code Lists

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CMS has released the updated ICD-9 and ICD-10 valid and excluded diagnosis code lists for Fiscal Year 2027, which take effect in October 2026. Providers and billing teams should review the updated lists to ensure they are using the appropriate diagnosis codes and are aware of any codes that are no longer valid or are excluded under the updated FY2027 guidelines. Reviewing these changes ahead of the October implementation date can help practices avoid potential billing or…
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CMS Clarifies Medicare Enrollment Requirements for Telehealth and Teleradiology

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CMS has updated its guidance on Medicare enrollment for telehealth and teleradiology providers, clarifying how providers should report practice locations when services are delivered remotely. For telehealth, providers who work from home but maintain a physical practice location generally do not need to report their home address on their Medicare enrollment. However, providers who operate entirely through virtual care and have no other physical practice location must report their home address, using the appropriate practice location designation to help…
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UnitedHealth Challenges IRS Proposal That Could Increase Tax Liability

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UnitedHealth Group is disputing proposed tax adjustments from the IRS related to transactions with an unnamed foreign subsidiary between 2017 and 2020. The IRS is seeking to increase the company’s taxable income for those years and could pursue additional adjustments for later periods. UnitedHealth said it disagrees with the proposed changes and plans to challenge the IRS position through available administrative and legal processes. The company also reported that its existing reserves for uncertain tax positions are sufficient…
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250 Hospitals Earn Five-Star CMS Patient Experience Ratings

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CMS has released updated patient experience data showing that 250 hospitals received the highest five-star rating for overall patient experience. The ratings are based on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, which measures patients’ experiences during recent hospital stays. The latest data reflects surveys collected from Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2025, and was made public Aug. 13, 2026. The overall hospital rating is based on patients’ responses about their experience and uses a…
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