> The state of California has passed legislation allowing it to funnel Medi-Cal spending to pharma companies that provide drug discounts. It also passed a law requiring insurance companies to cover HPV testing as part of cervical cancer screening. Article and article
> Michigan has passed a law allowing HMOs and health insurers to help smaller companies reward healthy behavior. Article
> The NCQA says that one-quarter of privately insured Americans, or 70 million people, are in health plans that collect and report quality data. In these plans, care for chronic conditions such as diabetes has improved, but mental health care remains inadequate, the group says. Release
> CIGNA HealthCare is ending its contract with First Choice Health Network in Washington state and setting up its own direct provider network. Release
> One week after Travis County (TX) commissioners agreed to pay for gastric bypass surgery for 15 employees, they reversed their decision, after being flooded with negative feedback from constituents. Article
And Finally... When the Russian healthcare system collapsed, these doctors decided to take matters into their own hands. Article