Medicaid

 
What ACOs must do to succeed
March 25, 2013 |
Diana Manos
Two words: systemic change. That's according to Lumeris vice president Jim Hansen, who gazes ahead to ACO 2.0.
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ACA at 3: Neither success nor survival a foregone conclusion
March 22, 2013 |
Tom Sullivan
While Karl Rove maintains that the ACA's future is unsettled, healthcare experts are predicting slow but consistent progress. Does the Obama administration have time enough to guarantee the law long-term?
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Some states balk at enforcing health law's insurance protections
March 20, 2013 |
Kaiser Health News www.kaiserhealthnews.org

Florida and others are saying they won't penalize insurance companies that violate new health law consumer protections.
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OIG: HHS needs to fill gaps in improper payment reporting
March 19, 2013 |
Anthony Brino
While HHS is mostly in compliance with the Improper Payment Information Act, an audit is suggesting the agency fill accuracy and reporting gaps and consider new strategies for reducing erroneous payments.
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Commentary: Building a technology bridge to accountable care
March 18, 2013 |
Charles Kennedy, MD
Charles Kennedy, MD, CEO of accountable care solutions at Aetna, explains the promise of data analytics in the ACO model, and offers 3 key areas for focusing on population health management.
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37 states get D or F on health price transparency laws
March 18, 2013 |
Kaiser Health News www.kaiserhealthnews.org

Many state laws allow hospitals and other providers to keep costs hidden until they send you the bill. The Catalyst for Payment Reform consortium graded states on pricing transparency, and only two earned an "A".
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Kathleen Sebelius turns to Twitter
March 15, 2013 |
Anthony Brino
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is following some other federal officials in using Twitter for public engagement, as federal agencies like the CDC are looking to social media as a public health tool.
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Senate budget counters Ryan's proposal to voucherize Medicare
March 14, 2013 |
Tom Sullivan
Senator Patty Murray says that the entitlement programs can be maintained while creating $275 billion in healthcare savings.
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Commentary: Tavenner brings clarity, outlines future at HIMSS13
March 14, 2013 |
Tom Leary HIMSS Vice President of Government Relations
The acting CMS administrator said that there will be no federal rule-making around meaningful use in 2013, meaning no Stage 3 this year.
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Ryan budget plan calls for repeal of HIX, Medicaid expansion
March 12, 2013 |
Tom Sullivan
The Ryan plan released on Tuesday maintains the GOP's desire to do away with the ACA, two provisions in particular.
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Survey finds rising interest in HIXs
March 11, 2013 |
Diana Manos
Almost 75 percent of respondents who purchase insurance on their own say they will shop for coverage in a state health insurance exchange.
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GOP Senators aim to cut health law funding
March 11, 2013 |
Kaiser Health News www.kaiserhealthnews.org

Saying that the ACA "is going to be an implementation disaster," that will "hurt our economy severely," Senators including Marco Rubio insist they will only agree to a bill funding the federal government if it contains cuts to spending on the health reform law.
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Without ACA, can health reform really continue on course?
June 20, 2012 |
Tom Sullivan
The abundance of optimism about how little the Supreme Court's ruling on ACA will hinder health reform is making a pessimist of me.
Editor's Desk: T.W.I.G. Notes
June 8, 2012 |
Tom Sullivan
Big data, Medicaid medical homes, mashups, public health, next week's Government Health IT conference, and a bit of comic relief, acronym-style.
In clinching nomination, Romney promises to stop Obamacare
May 30, 2012 |
Tom Sullivan
As an issue, healthcare is rising higher in the general election debate, but are the candidates histories different enough to sway voters to one side or the other?
Editor's Desk: T.W.I.G. Notes
May 25, 2012 |
Tom Sullivan
The top 10 IT projects at HHS, how big data can reduce inefficiencies, DHS' 5 security threats of medical devices, what the VA has learned since that 2006 data breach, and President Obama's nagging problem.
What Wisconsin court ruling on informed consent means to states and ACOs
May 22, 2012 |
Timothy Kelly
A Wisconsin Supreme Court decision is compatible with the emerging accountable care model, at least in the movement toward more evaluation and explanation of treatment options to patients.
Medical associations argue different points in the ICD-10 debate
May 21, 2012 |
Carl Natale
The American Medical Association (AMA) started a busy week for letter writing.
Editor's Desk: T.W.I.G. Notes
May 18, 2012 |
Tom Sullivan
Oregon CCOs, as in Coordinated Care Organizations, 3M opens HDD and the VA and DoD will inject it into iEHR, early progress points from a Pioneer ACO, big data tools on fraud and abuse, and a public hospital CEO's chief concerns.
Field report: One Pioneer ACO's 9 early progress points
May 15, 2012 |
Colin Barry
While still early in the initiative, Pioneer ACOs such as Mount Auburn Cambridge Independent Practice Association are already sharing notes.
Paul surprises in 3 states, Obama talks healthcare on the trail
May 7, 2012 |
Tom Sullivan
Ron Paul garnered delegates in Iowa, Maine and Nevada, furthering his chances to making it to the GOP convention, while President Obama reinforced his take on health reform.
Editor's Desk: T.W.I.G. Notes
April 12, 2012 |
Tom Sullivan
This Week in Government Health IT: What the ICD-10 delay really means, CMS touts MSSP ACOs many of which are physician-led, a pair of HIEs adopt Direct, and the PHI questions to ask all your business associates.
New ICD-10 compliance deadline doesn't mean a lot will change
April 11, 2012 |
Carl Natale
We finally have a new ICD-10 implementation deadline. After all the letters, changing the 2013 to 2014 seems pretty mundane.
HIPAA 5010: CMS explains why medical claims are rejected
April 2, 2012 |
Carl Natale
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has an incredibly useful document for figuring out why your medical claims are being rejected.