Bush Administration
N.Y. considers suing feds over SCHIP rules
Never let it be said that New York's Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) takes things lying down. Aggravated by federal officials, who seemingly don't want to give him a waiver to expand the state's Children's... Read more...
Teaching hospitals dodge a bullet
President Bush delivered a blessing for medical educational programs this week as part of new legislation. By signing the Iraq war spending bill, which contained language impacting Medicaid reimbursement, Bush also agreed to halt planned changes to federal Medicaid match funding. The Bush administration had previously proposed to eliminate Medicaid payments given directly to hospitals as a state match. Teaching hospitals have been using that money to pay for residency programs, but the …
... Read more...Employers back value-driven healthcare
Employers have signed on to HHS's value-driven healthcare in large numbers over the past few months, with 775 agreeing to support the Bush administration's plan, according to HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt. The employers, which cover 21 million employees and their families, include 97 firms from the top 200 U.S. companies, plus 25 states and state employee health plans. They've agreed to support the "four cornerstones" of value-driven healthcare, including expanded use of healthcare IT, …
... Read more...Medicaid cuts could slam teaching hospitals
New proposals being developed by the Bush administration would cut Medicaid money that currently pays treatment of patients by residents. Teaching hospitals use the money, which comes in as a match for state Medicaid funds, to fund residency programs. However, Bush officials argue that Medicaid funding shouldn't be used to train residents, and say the cuts would save about $1.7 billion which could be used for other purposes. In a move that would give teaching hospitals a chance to …
... Read more...ALSO NOTED: FL hospitals fight to keep auto insurance dollars; PA players support Bush transparency ideas; and much more...
> Florida's hospitals are fighting to keep the no-fault personal injury protection provisions of the state's auto insurance law alive. If the provisions die, they could lose $350 million. Article
> Pittsburgh-area businesses, insurers and agencies have come together to support the Bush administration's price and quality transparency proposals for healthcare. …
... Read more...ALSO NOTED: Veterans demand free health plan;Drug makers rush to make generic Zoloft; and much more...
> Veterans debate with the Bush administration, arguing that they should be given a no-cost health coverage plan. Article
> The rush is on to create generic versions of the popular antidepressant Zoloft. Article
> The FDA has approved orlistat, its first non-prescription diet …
... Read more...Health IT could hit roadblocks in 2007
Many healthcare policy wonks are speculating that 2007 will be a big year for health IT legislation. Observers say that while some health IT measures got stuck on the Hill in 2006, in the coming year legislators are likely to see health IT as a priority. With the private sector signaling that it's more than ready for health IT change, supporting data-driven initiatives such as PHRs, EMRs and pay-for-performance schemes, legislators …
... Read more...Who will fill McClellan's shoes?
Speculation is in the air in the wake of Mark McClellan's announcement that he will step down as CMS administrator. McClellan said he will join a think tank focused on improving the U.S.'s healthcare system. Now the question is: Who will replace him? The New York Times reports that CMS Deputy Administrator Leslie Norwalk is an obvious candidate. CQ HealthBeat says that Herb Kuhn, …
... Read more...Critics blast Bush's Medicaid cuts
Both Democrats and Republican in the National Governor's Association are opposing the Bush Administration's planned cuts to Medicaid payments. As part of the 2007 budget, the cuts would reduce the rate that states tax nursing homes and hospitals from six percent to three percent. The White House says the changes are necessary in order to preserve the program. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt added …
... Read more...HSAs won't do the job, says Bloomberg columnist
Columnist John Berry at Bloomberg News analyzes why the Health Savings Accounts being pushed by the Bush administration won't have the desired effect on healthcare costs. Using a recent Health Affairs paper as a springboard, he interviews the authors and concludes that for many, the accounts wouldn't increase cost-sharing and might actually reduce it in some cases. The flaw is the tax-deductibility of HSA money, which can mean that the consumer's total liability is less in after-tax …
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