health insurer
ALSO NOTED: Mental health parity progresses; Aetna offers physician pricing; and much more...
> The federal mental health parity bill continues to progress, with the pivotal House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee holding a hearing on the matter. Article
> Aetna is rolling a program under which patients will have physician-specific pricing information. …
... Read more...CT considers single-payor reform bill
While far from enjoying a landslide of support, a bill which would create a single health insurer in Connecticut is continuing to move through the state legislature. Few observers expect the measure to proceed much further, but the progress of the Connecticut Saves Health Care bill intrigues supporters, who say that its continued progress shows a surprising level of support for single-payor reform. After all, if approved, the measure would radically change the state's health insurance …
... Read more...Study: Young adults use more healthcare
A new study by health insurer Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has found that at least in their territory, healthcare visits amount young adults aged 20 to 30 are going up markedly. To conduct the study, BCBS looked at internal claims data dating from 2001 through 2005, covering 150,000 of its members in that age group.
What they found was that the volume of medical visits for this age group grew meaningfully over the five year span. The most dramatic increase was for …
... Read more...ALSO NOTED: Walgreens opens Milwaukee retail clinics; CA counties plan disease mgmt pilot; and much more...
> Chain drug store operator Walgreens plans to open 10 to 15 retail clinics in the Milwaukee area over the next 12 months. The Walgreens offering will compete with Aurora Health Care's QuickCare clinics. Article
> California's Los Angeles and Alameda counties have contracted with McKesson to run a pilot disease management program. McKesson will work Medi-Cal patients, who …
... Read more...NY hospitals sue UnitedHealth, claim racketeering
A pair of New York hospitals--Flushing Hospital Medical Center and Jamaica Hospital Medical Center--have filed a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) suit against health insurer UnitedHealth. The suit is unusual in that RICO suits are typically used as a tool by public prosecutors in their war against against gangland activity. But that hasn't stopped the two hospitals, which are seeking at least $50 million in punitive damages and millions more in actual …
... Read more...ALSO NOTED: NLM hires Vivisimo; ATC Healthcare Services moves into Twin Cities; and much more...
> The National Library of Medicine has hired software firm Vivisimo to upgrade the search features of the consumer-oriented MedlinePlus and MedlinePlus en español sites. Release
> Medical staffing firm ATC Healthcare Services moves into Twin Cities. Release
> Lippincott Williams & Wilkins has published the fourth edition of its popular …
... Read more...ALSO NOTED: Louisville heartcenter opens; "Ad police" hit OTC marketing; and much more...
> Jewish Hospital and the University of Louisville have opened the Cardiovascular Innovation Institute in downtown Louisville, Ky., a $28 million facility to research new treatments for congestive heart failure. Report
> The "advertising police" are cracking down on OTC marketing from Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories and Pfizer. …
... Read more...Aetna offers Web-based cultural education
Aetna has created a Web-based course designed to help clinicians work better with culturally-diverse patient populations. The training is available not only for Aetna physicians, nurses and internal clinical employees in the Aetna network, but also out-of-network physicians who've filed claims with the health insurer. The classes offer case-based education on cross-cultural healthcare situations. Doctors and nurses who complete the classes are eligible for CME and CEU credits. Aetna has …
... Read more...New York plan adds advocate coverage
Two New York Blue plans--BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and BlueShield of Northeastern New York--have become what they claim is the nation's first health insurer to offer a health advocacy service to all of its members at no cost to them. The plans' parent company, HealthNow New York, is partnering with Health Advocate Inc. Health Advocate, for its part, already works directly with several large employers, including BankAtlantic and Comcast-Spectacor, but this seems to be its …
... Read more...UnitedHealth Group faces criminal inquiry
Prosecutors in Manhattan have launched a criminal investigation into stock-option grants to senior executives at UnitedHealth. The Minnetonka, Minnesota-based health insurer also said the IRS has asked for access to documents, suggesting that an investigation into tax issues may be a possibility. For weeks, the consensus has been that it is unlikely that CEO William McGuire will resign as a result of the affair. Criminal charges could change things in the blink of an eye. UnitedHealth …
... Read more...