- Physician burnout rates in the United States have dropped below 50 percent for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as revealed by recent survey data from the American Medical Association (AMA). This decline, with 48 percent of surveyed physicians reporting burnout in the past year compared to 53 percent in 2022 and a high of 63 percent in 2021, marks a significant improvement in doctors’ mental health and work satisfaction. The findings underscore a tentative shift towards alleviating the severe workforce shortages and gaps in patient care exacerbated by physicians leaving the profession. Efforts to improve working conditions and support doctors’ well-being are crucial to sustaining this positive trend. Despite progress, challenges remain, necessitating continued policy focus and investment in mental health resources for health care workers to ensure a resilient health care system. (Article here)
- Hackensack Meridian Health filed a lawsuit against HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on Friday — the same day that the Supreme Court overturned the Chevron doctrine — targeting the implementation of Medicare. The lawsuit, filed in a Washington D.C. federal court, challenges the formula for disproportionate share hospital payments, and says the agency deprived hospitals of sufficient data to check their reimbursement rates. The suit was triggered by the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to overturn a decades-old policy allowing federal agencies to interpret vague statutes when crafting regulations. Experts, including credit agency Moody’s Ratings, predict the ruling would usher in a wave of new health care litigation. (Article here)
July 17, 2024
Providers | Tea Leaves