Here are seven updates:
ASCs reduce outpatient procedure costs by $38B per year compared to HOPDs
ASCs can reduce outpatient surgery's cost by more than $38 billion dollars annually compared to hospital outpatient departments. ASCs can reduce a patient's out-of-pocket costs by more than $5 billion each year through lower deductibles and coinsurance payments.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals' Salix to pay $54M for alleged illegal kickbacks
Valeant Pharmaceuticals is paying $54 million to settle kickback charges against its Salix unit. Valeant's Salix unit, focused on licensing, developing and marketing gastroenterology disorder treatment products, allegedly paid illegal kickbacks to physicians for prescribing seven of its products. As per the settlement, Salix will pay $46.53 million to the United States and $7.47 million to various states.
AMA asserts gun violence is a 'public health crisis'
The American Medical Association voted to declare gun violence "a public health crisis," following our nation's deadliest mass shooting in Orlando, Fla. During the early hours of June 12, 29-year-old Omar Mateen shot and killed 49 people and injured another 53 people at a nightclub. AMA's decision marks the first time the organization labeled gun violence a public health crisis.
North Carolina senator brings state CON law back into the spotlight
Sen. Ralph Hise, R-McDowell, is working to repeal the state's certificate of need law by next year during a Senate Health committee meeting. Working to revoke the CON legislation, the senator amended House Bill 161 so the legislation features language revoking the CON legislation starting January 2017.
5 top-paying states for anesthesiologists
Insider Monkey published a list of the top-paying states for anesthesiologists, which includes Iowa, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Kansas. Anesthesiologists in Iowa, on average, make $307,663.
Maryland co-op sues government over $22M+ potential fees
Evergreen Health Cooperative, a Maryland co-op, filed a lawsuit against the federal government to avoid more than $22 million in fees. Evergreen Health is the first co-op to file a lawsuit against the federal government, and claims the Affordable Care Act's risk adjustment program is "dangerously flawed."
Aetna to partially fund Humana deal with $3.2B bond
Aetna reported the payer plans to take out a $3.2 billion bond to help fund its proposed $37 billion Humana acquisition. Despite many Aetna and Humana stockholders and shareholders approving the merger, some Humana stockholders filed three class action complaints opposing the merger. The stockholders filed two suits in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County (Ky.) and one in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
More healthcare news:
6 factors dictating investment and M&A activity in the ASC sector
5 things to know about selling and leasing back your ASC
Tucker Carlson on how the nation arrived at a Trump vs. Clinton showdown