health policy report
Medicare increases preventive care, screening coverage
It's well documented that preventive care has significant wellness benefits, not to mention cost-saving advantages. However, at present, less than 10 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are getting all... Read more...
Study: Physicians dismiss complaints about statins
A recent study suggests physicians may be dismissing or minimizing patient complaints about possible side effects from statin drugs like Lipitor, Zocor and Crestor. University of California-San Diego... Read more...
HHS forced to release physician Medicare data
In a decision that could have major implications for the transparency movement, HHS will be forced to release Medicare claims data for physicians practicing in Illinois, Maryland, Virginia,... Read more...
Fla. billing firm charged with $170M Medicare fraud
South Florida's rich trove of Medicare scammers took a hit this week, with the announcement that... Read more...
House studies New Orleans health system gaps
The U.S. House of Representatives has begun a hearing on the still-unmet healthcare needs of New Orleans residents this week. At the hearing, Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) said since Hurricane Katrina... Read more...
Mid-career pros choosing nursing training
With the nationwide nursing shortage barreling down on providers, it's nice to learn that a growing number of mid-career professionals from outside the medical profession are pursuing nursing degrees. Over the past few years, the number of enrollees in nursing programs who already have a bachelor's degree in another field has shot up, from 6,860 in 2003 to 12,347 in 2006. Nursing instructors say a mix of factors have contributed to this trend, including rising nurse salaries, widespread …
... Read more...Study:Consumers choose cheaper services, drugs
Consumers are responding to the advent of higher-deductible plans and higher co-pays as you might expect. According to a new study by consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, patients who bear a higher percentage of the cost of health services are choosing lower-cost options for their care, such as substituting generics for branded prescription drugs or primary care visits for specialist visits. In particular, the study noted, consumers seemed to be happy to switch medications to save money, …
... Read more...Blue Cross of California settles another policy cancellation suit
Blue Cross of California has settled a lawsuit challenging its policy-cancellation practices, agreeing to stop rescinding individual policies unless it can prove that a beneficiary intentionally lied on their application. The agreement brings the curtain down on a class-action lawsuit involving 6,000 policyholders, who argued that the health plan had improperly canceled their coverage in a manner violating state law. The managed care company had contended that they have the right to …
... Read more...CMS may target 'inefficient' doctors
Adding yet another wrinkle to the agency's complex relationship with doctors, CMS may begin profiling physicians and targeting those it deems inefficient sometime next year. Herbert Kuhn, acting deputy administrator of CMS, told a House subcommittee that the agency will have the data and computer capacity available to do the tracking as soon as mid-2008. To monitor efficiency, CMS would compare levels of tests physicians order for certain types of patients to tests ordered by other …
... Read more...FL DME companies named in $142M fraud
Federal officials have arrested 38 individuals in South Florida--a world capital of DME fraud--accusing them of defrauding the Medicare program of more than $142 million. Working with state and local authorities, the feds investigated the individuals for two months, relying in part on real-time computer data to track the progress of their activities. The officials concluded that the defendants paid Medicare enrollees to use the enrollees' card numbers. Prosecutors say that the accused …
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