News From around the Web
> A website analysis from the Robert Wood Johnson foundation and the Health Care Incentives Quality Institute found that most states don't provide consumers with easily accessible data on physician quality. "We have no idea, for the most part, on the quality of care delivered by the majority of clinicians in the U.S.," the brief states. "That's not just shameful, it puts patients at risk every day, and we hope that highlighting states that have made a conscious effort to provide these data to consumers will encourage others to embark on similar efforts." Brief
Health Insurance News
> The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services approved Iowa's partially privatized plan to expand Medicaid, which is more stringent than other states, but it rejected part of the plan that would have required poor Medicaid members to pay premiums. Article
> In the two months since health insurance exchanges have been open to the public, it's clear the state-run marketplaces have fared better than their federal counterpart. Exchanges are running smoothly in four states, in particular--Connecticut, Kentucky, Rhode Island and Washington--primarily because of simple and well-tested functions, Stateline reported. Article
Provider News
> Hospitals that give their pharmacists a lead role in medication reconciliation experience fewer errors and more accurate, up-to-date and comprehensive patient information during the admission and discharge process, according to new research. Article
> Movement toward a nationwide database for medical technicians' misconduct and disciplinary actions may be on the horizon in the wake of the case of "serial infector" David Kwiatkowski, who intentionally infected at least 46 people with the hepatitis C virus and exposed thousands more. Article
And Finally... It's the most wonderful time of the year! Article