A Michigan judge on Wednesday ruled a state law passed in 1931 that banned abortions cannot be enforced, citing the state’s constitution and the right to privacy that it provides. Planned Parenthood of Michigan filed the lawsuit against the Michigan state government in April to halt a near-total abortion ban from going into effect. The 1931 law, which was triggered […]

Walmart and UnitedHealth Group announced a 10-year collaboration Wednesday that will help several Walmart Health facilities transition into value-based care.  The retail company has been working to expand its presence in healthcare, launching Walmart Health in 2019, which offers primary and urgent care, labs, X-ray and diagnostics, behavioral health, dental, optometry and hearing services. Walmart Health currently has 27 locations […]

Bronson Healthcare (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and behavioral health care firm Acadia Healthcare (Franklin, Tenn.) celebrated the topping out ceremony for Bronson Battle Creek Hospital, a new inpatient behavioral health hospital in Battle Creek, Mich. The 96-bed hospital will offer behavioral health care services for adult patients including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The new hospital is scheduled to […]

UW Health (Madison, Wis.), the integrated health system of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, unveiled a new transplant clinic at University Hospital in Madison. Situated adjacent to the hospital entrance, the 10,000-square-foot Pleasant T. Rowland Transplant Clinic offers services for adults who are donating an organ or receiving a transplant. It includes an interactive living donor wall, a glass and electronic […]

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) is isolating in India after testing positive for COVID-19, his office confirmed on Wednesday. Ossoff, who has mild symptoms, headed to India for an eight-day economic delegation at the end of August. He was expected to return to the U.S. this week as Congress resumed business after the August recess, but his office confirmed he would […]

The Office of the Inspector General issued a special fraud alert in July concerning telehealth fraud, only the fourth special fraud alert in the last decade. The fraud alert cautioned against misleading marketing practices and emphasized how important transparency is. Jeremy Sherer, co-chair of Hooper, Lundy & Bookman’s digital health practice group describes what this means for telehealth companies.  MedCity News: […]

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Wednesday announced the state’s health department will lift its mask mandate for public transit, shelters and correctional facilities. Hochul declared the move “a new normal” in the state’s fight against COVID-19, adding that officials will still encourage mask-wearing on transit and the mandate remains in effect for health care facilities. “Getting vaccinated, boosted […]

In the first quarter of 2022, my personal life converged with my work life concerning the topic of healthcare data use and privacy. My new role at a healthcare IT company necessitated research and a greater understanding of the push and pull between privacy and interoperability, between what is legal and what is ethical, and a consideration of the cost […]

Walmart will provide preventive care services to UnitedHealth Group Medicare Advantage customers under a 10-year deal the companies announced Wednesday.  UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Optum’s data and analytics tools will guide Walmart Health clinicians to provide value-based care for Medicare beneficiaries, according to the companies. The initiative will begin in January at 15 Walmart Health locations in Florida and Georgia before expanding elsewhere, and the partners […]