Big retailers expanding into health care delivery increasingly see a growth opportunity tapping their huge customer bases to recruit participants into clinical trials.
Why it matters: The moves byKroger, Walgreens and Walmart, among others, could create a more diverse pool of subjects and expand access to cutting-edge treatments. But there are concerns, including whether there are enough safeguards to protect sensitive patient data.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing lump-sum payments to reimburse safety-net hospitals for about $9 billion in illegal discount drug program cuts from 2018 to 2022.
Yes, but: The payments will come at the expense of other hospitals under a proposal released Friday, because CMS wants the reimbursements to be budget-neutral, over the objections of leading industry groups.
