Our new weekly effort seeks to bring you five industry stories from major news outlets that have an impact on the health care industry as a whole or the way you conduct your business. Following are this week's five that you don't want to miss.
FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg To Step Down
WASHINGTON—FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg — who has been at the center of controversial decisions such as relaxing age restrictions on the Plan B contraceptive — has decided to step down after six years in the job. In a letter to FDA staff, Hamburg called the tenure "the most rewarding of my career." She cited, among other things, the agency's record in improving food safety, advancing the safety and effectiveness of medical products, reducing the time for pre-market reviews of medical devices as highlights of her six years at the FDA's helm. (NPR/Scott Neuman)
US Budget Deficit Running 6.2 Percent Higher than Last Year
WASHINGTON—The federal government ran a bigger deficit in January, pushing the imbalance so far this budget year up 6.2 percent from the same period a year ago. The Treasury Department said Wednesday the deficit for January stood at $17.5 billion compared to $10.3 billion a year ago. For the first four months of the budget year that began in October, the deficit widened to $194.2 billion from $182.8 billion during the same period last year. (Associated Press/ Martin Crutsinger)
Experts Warn 2015 Could be 'Year of the Healthcare Hack'
NEW YORK/BOSTON—Security experts are warning healthcare and insurance companies that 2015 will be the "Year of the Healthcare Hack," as cybercriminals are increasingly attracted to troves of personal information held by U.S. insurers and hospitals that command high prices on the underground market. Anthem Inc, the No. 2 U.S. health insurer, last week disclosed a massive breach of its database containing nearly 80 million records, prompting investigations by state and federal authorities. That hack followed a breach last year at hospital operator Community Health Systems, which compromised some 4.5 million records. (Reuters/ Caroline Humer and Jim Finkle)
Anthem Says Hackers had Access to Customer Data Back to 2004
LOS ANGELES—Insurance giant Anthem Inc. said Thursday that hackers had access to customer data going back to 2004 as investigations continue into the massive breach. The nation's second-largest health insurer disclosed the new time frame as it prepares to offer two years of free identity-theft protection to millions of affected consumers starting Friday. (LA Times/ Chad Terhune)
Medicare Moves Toward Value-Based Oncology Payments
CHICAGO—The CMS Innovation Center plans to test a new oncology payment model intended to address the spiraling costs of cancer care and improve quality for beneficiaries. As part of a broader federal push to reward hospitals and doctors for value rather than the volume of services they provide, the CMS is inviting oncology practices and solo practitioners to join a five-year test set to begin in the spring of 2016. (Modern Healthcare/ Sabriya Rice)
