News From Around the Web
> BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York dropped a lawsuit that accused Catholic Health System of false and deceptive advertising. The insurer and hospital system took part in a public feud in fall 2014 over a Medicare Advantage plan that was offered by BlueCross BlueShield and excluded non-emergency treatment at Catholic Health hospitals, according to the Buffalo News. Article
> More than 1.3 million people signed up for Affordable Care Act plans in the week leading up to a key December deadline--and almost 40 percent are new customers. Officials said it's "unprecedented" and a sign that uninsured people have paid attention to the Dec. 15 deadline to get insurance and avoid a tax penalty next year, according to CMS. Announcement
> Republican leaders have decided to delay a House vote to unravel President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul and block federal money for Planned Parenthood until January 6., according to the Associated Press. Article
Payer Anti-Fraud News
> State-of-the-art technology does a great job when it comes to editing claims to prevent fraud, but software may not be a cure-all for many fraud threats. The human element still plays a crucial role in fraud detection. Article
Health Finance News
> As deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs rise for patients, payers and hospitals have an increasing obligation to provide them price transparency, since payers are currently doing nothing to provide price transparency to enrollees. Article
And Finally… A long time ago, in an acapella studio far, far away… Article