HFMA – March 11, 2009. Researchers at the RAND Corporation are evaluating a statewide pay-for-performance program launched by the California Integrated Healthcare Association in 2003. Under the program, physician groups receive financial bonuses if they meet certain performance guidelines such as increasing the number of patients with diabetes who receive recommended blood tests. Click title […]
PR Newswire (press release), NY – March 10, 2009. These discounts artificially reduce Medicare Part B drug reimbursement rates for community oncology clinics, jeopardizing the viability of these providers. The bill is a step forward in addressing problems with Medicare reimbursement for cancer drugs. … House Bill to Improve Accuracy of Medicare Reimbursement …
Brooklyn Daily Eagle – March 10, 2009. “The settlement reached in this case reflects our continuing commitment to vigorously investigate fraud on the Medicare Program.” In accordance with the settlement agreement, the total settlement of the fraud claims could approach a total of $2.8 … Defunct Victory Hospital Settles Medicare Fraud Charges
HFMA – March 10, 2009. A series of articles offers perspectives on health IT and the recently enacted economic stimulus package (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009). Click title to read more… David Brailer, the former National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, shares lessons from health IT efforts in the Bush administration and […]
Wall Street Journal – Feb. 27, 2009. Most U.S. doctors still use paper records, but the federal stimulus bill aims to change that by introducing big incentives for docs to buy and use electronic medical records. Click title to read more… The WSJ’s Andy Jordan is taking a road trip to look at how the […]
Health care costs will continue to grow and most ideas to cut them may not result in savings for the federal government withing a decade, according to Senate Testimony given by Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Douglas Elmendorf on Wednesday, February 25. Find his testimony here. Click title to read more… Mr. Elmendorf provided a […]
kaisernetwork.org – Feb. 19, 2009. Summaries of some the potential effects of the recently enacted economic stimulus package appear in this article, including COBRA subsidies, effectiveness research, effects on hospitals and states. Click title to read more… Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report provides the following analyses: COBRA subsidies: Some employers have raised concerns that a […]
kaisernetwork.org – February 22, 2009. The American College of Emergency Physicians last week said that a University of Chicago Medical Center initiative to divert patients from its emergency department is “dangerously close to patient dumping,” which would violate federal law, the Chicago Tribune reports. ACEP said the medical center is “failing in its obligation to […]
kaisernetwork.org – February 22, 2009. Modeling the U.S. health care system after Massachusetts’ health insurance law would leave many residents without affordable health coverage, according to analysis by three Harvard Medical School physicians and a letter signed by 500 state physicians sent to Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), the Boston Globe‘s “Political Intelligence” blog reports. According […]