News From Around the Web
> When it comes to the employer-sponsored market, two recent reports present conflicting results, according to LifeHealthPRO. In a report from the Urban Institute, employer-sponsored coverage was steady from June 2013 to September 2014. But a Mark Farrah Associates report notes that enrollment in this coverage has dropped in the past year. Article
> Aetna announced earlier this month that it will spend $4.5 million to accelerate digital health innovation in underserved communities. Announcement
> Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey announced Tuesday a new telehealth benefit, Horizon CareOnline, that offers members access to a board-certified doctor 24/7, with no appointments needed. Announcement
Provider News
> Matters just keep getting worse for Veterans Affairs. The department continues to waste billions on elaborate, controversial projects even as it struggles to address urgent quality of care issues, according to a new CNN report. Article
> Palliative care--long thought of mainly as a precursor to hospice care for patients with terminal illnesses--is not just for the dying anymore, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Article
And finally … Santa was in Australia this morning; currently over the Great Wall of China. Tracker