News From Around the Web
> All eyes on Arkansas as the state has made progress by moving away from traditional fee-for-service payment models to value-based care, reports the Commonwealth Fund. The state's success rests on addressing the triple aim by reducing costs. Article
> Despite requirement under the ACA, certain insurers refuse to cover contraceptives, reports Kaiser Health News. One woman cited that her insurer told her to choose a more generic contraceptive instead of the NuvaRing, which costs between $15 and $80 a month. Article
> It may seem obvious, but to make healthcare plans less expensive, the ACA should allow insurers the freedom to sell health plans that are less costly, according to a blog post from Reason.com. Article
Provider News
> Several California healthcare professionals have formed a Coalition for Quality Hospital Care in response to Tenet Healthcare Corp.'s plan to cancel contracts with independent physicians, according to an announcement from the coalition. One Tenet hospital has already protested, calling the statement inaccurate. Article
> Although the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) boasts patient safety improvements through its Partnership for Patients program (PPP), an opinion piece in the New England Journal of Medicine questions whether the initiative actually improved patient care. Article
And finally … Good thing cats have nine lives. Article