News From Around the Web
> Roughly 20 million have insurance under the Affordable Care Act as of May 1, according to researchers from the Commonwealth Fund. The total gained coverage takes into account the provision allowing young adults to stay on their parents' plans, the new online marketplaces, direct purchases from insurers, and Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program enrollment. Announcement
> Some insurers selling plans on New York's health exchange are seeking big rate increases, the New York Times reported. For instance, MetroPlus has proposed an average rate hike of 18.5 percent, Empire HealthChoice H.M.O. has asked for 18 percent and Health Republic wants a 15 percent average increase. Article
> Actuaries warn that healthcare reform's reinsurance, risk corridors and risk adjustment programs could prove costlier than insurers expect, while misjudged enrollment and morbidity assumptions could throw off projections, according to LifeHealthPro. Article
Health Finance News
> Despite fears that healthcare inflation may be on the rise, new economic data suggests just the opposite. The White House Council of Economic Advisers, citing data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, concluded that the drop in gross domestic product (GDP) during the first quarter of this year was linked in part to a drop in healthcare spending. Article
> Academic hospitals often provide cutting-edge care and research, but they also have to pay the bills, a sometimes vexing task when cash is left on the table due to outdated claims management systems. Article
And Finally... The kibbles n' bits diet. Video