News From Around the Web
> The University of Massachusetts Amherst is notifying 1,670 patients of a possible data breach of protected health information at its Center for Language, Speech and Hearing. According to an announcement, the information potentially was put in jeopardy after a workstation was infected with a malware program on April 5. Possible at-risk data includes Social Security numbers, addresses, names, dates of birth, health insurance company names, insurance numbers, primary health or referring doctors, and diagnoses and procedure codes. Announcement
> An implanted device that causes upper airway stimulation via an electric jolt was found to be both safe and effective for treating obstructive sleep apnea, MedPage Today reported this week. Results of a year-long study were presented at SLEEP 2013, the 27th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, held in Baltimore. Article
Provider News
> To improve population health, small and rural hospitals need to engage the community. So the American Hospital Association released a new guide that describes how small and rural hospitals can develop effective community partnerships. Using a population health partnership checklist, hospitals should take into account the representation and composition of leadership and governance roles; specific partner-related resources; internal and external partner communication methods; clearly defined care delivery roles; and the collection, storage, sharing and utilization of information, according to the new AHA guide. Article
> Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration has recouped more than $14.9 billion in healthcare fraud recoveries, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced yesterday. Moreover, CMS has thrown 14,663 crooked providers and suppliers out of Medicare over the past two years, compared to only 6,307 revocations two years before healthcare reform screening and review requirements took effect. Article
Health Finance News
> Slower rates of spending have extended the lease on the life of the Medicare Trust Fund. The fund's trustees recently reported that Medicare is expected to operate financially unimpaired until the year 2026. That's compared to the 2024 insolvency date for the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund that came out of last year's report. Article
And Finally... Only in Florida would a llama be on the loose. Article