News From Around the Web
> The number of pharmacies enabled to receive electronic prescriptions of controlled substances is much greater than the number of prescribers enabled to prescribe them, according to Surescripts. In numbers provided to FierceEMR, as of Feb. 29, the most recent available, 84.2 percent of pharmacies nationally are enabled, compared to just 7.09 percent of prescribers. In New York, where a law requiring electronic prescribing of controlled substances goes into effect March 27, 94.2 percent of pharmacies are enabled and just 37.2 percent of prescribers.
> A Saskatchewan physician who pleaded guilty to unprofessional conduct for inappropriate billing blamed his actions in part on his lack of familiarity with his clinic's electronic health record system, including problems with a pre-populated template, according to the Regina Leader-Post. He also claimed that he was not trained in billing. He was ordered to repay the more than $119,000 overbilled, as well as a fine of $5,000, and also must take ethics and record keeping courses. Article
Health Finance News
> When hospitals merge, no matter their geographic location, higher prices almost always are the result, according to a study of cross-market hospital mergers across the United States. Article
> Surviving cancer is one challenge for victims of the disease. Surviving the financial burdens in the aftermath of the disease is another--and new research suggests there is a lot of worry on that front. Article
Health Insurance News
> Multiple reports indicate that the sizable increase in the number of Americans with healthcare coverage is mostly a result of the Affordable Care Act, rather than an uptick in the economy. Article
> Marilyn Tavenner, CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, has no trouble setting her aim high. She plans to bring UnitedHealth Group and Aetna back into the trade group's fold, close a $2 million budget deficit, fix the "antiquated fee-for-service methodology" used for Medicare Advantage and repeal the Cadillac tax. And she is planning to do it all in 2016. Article
And Finally... Hope he wasn't putting all of his eggs into that work basket. Article