News From Around the Web
> The Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services has added several new answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the public health reporting requirements for the Meaningful Use program. The three new FAQs deal with registry readiness, software issues and alternate exclusions. Website
> Most (89 percent) of hospitals offered patients the ability to view their electronic medical records in 2014, up from 43 percent in 2013. Moreover, 57 percent of consumers share data with hospitals outside of their system. However, barriers remain to fuller data exchange, including the lack of other providers use of EHRs, technology issues and infrastructure problems. Report
Health Finance News
> Hospitals in states that have refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are taking a financial hit. Article
> As many as 400,000 people die in U.S. hospitals every year due to medical errors. Yet some states continue to make it more difficult for patients to sue a provider for medical malpractice and hope to get anything close to recompense for the injuries suffered. Article
Health Insurance News
> Following criticism from the health insurance industry, the federal government has dialed back portions of its proposed rule that would more strictly regulate health plans' network adequacy at the federal level. Article
And Finally ... Guess he forgot about DNA testing--or his tatoos. Article