Obama administration wants six states to speed up Medicaid enrollment; RWJF to study ACA impact on hospital utilization;

News From Around The Web

> The Obama administration has demanded that six states, including California, fix a backlog of Medicaid applicants who have yet to be enrolled, Kaiser Health News reported. Article

> The average U.S. hospital loses nearly $2 million a year by keeping old communications systems--such as pagers--in place, HIT Consultant reported. Article

Provider News

> To fix the healthcare system, providers must accept and embrace the necessity of hospital closures and physician firings, healthcare experts said during a recent panel discussion as part of the Aspen Ideas Festival. Article

> The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has teamed with 24 state hospital associations to determine the impact of the ACA on hospital admissions and emergency department utilization, according to an announcement. Article

Healthcare IT News

> The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced its second batch of recipients in round two of the Health Care Innovation Awards program, bringing the total to $360 million handed out for organizations to test innovative care models. Article

And Finally... Spicy burger hospitalizes two. Article