News From Around the Web
> The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the Healthcare Billing Management Association (HBMA) are joining up, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding, to share education benefits with both groups' members. The agreement also allows them to work together on best practices and procedures for health information. "Healthcare billing organizations are a logical partner for health information management departments because professionals in both areas are knowledgeable in coding, data analytics and risk management," AHIMA Board President/Chair Cassi Birnbaum said in an announcement. "We look forward to working with HBMA." Announcement
> A new technology that implants radiation treatment into a tumor has been tried out on a patient for the first time. David Williams received the technology, developed at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, according to News-Medical.com. The implant uses "tiny radioactive liposomes ... inserted by the thinnest of catheters directly into a tumor." Article
Health Insurance News
> Churning remains a challenge for consumers who move between subsidized private marketplace plans and Medicaid coverage, but research by the Commonwealth Fund suggested that insurers can help offset the inevitable complication by offering complementary health plans while using a common provider network for both marketplace and Medicaid plans. Article
> The gap between Americans who oppose and favor the Affordable Care Act has narrowed to the closest margin in over two years, according to the latest Kaiser Health Tracking poll. Forty-three percent of respondents view the ACA unfavorably, while 41 percent view it favorably. Last July, the same poll found that 53 percent of Americans opposed the healthcare reform law, while 37 approved of it. Article
Provider News
> Healthcare's biggest challenge in an era of value-based care is to target the causes of poor health before patients require medical intervention, according to a panel discussion on population health management for diverse populations this week at the American College of Healthcare Executives' 2015 Congress. Article
And Finally... Heads California, tails Carolina. Article