News From Around the Web
> The number of people whose families have problems paying medical bills decreased from 21.3 percent in 2011 to 16.5 percent in the first six months of 2015, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Report
> Anthem aims to phase out "grandfathered" individual insurance plans that are not compliant with Affordable Care Act standards. The move is expected to ultimately save consumers money as they transition to more affordable plans, the Portland Press Herald reports. Article
> Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas lost an average of $360 per member on the Affordable Care Act exchanges in 2014, compared to an average loss of $163 per member for insurers nationwide, according to The Dallas Morning News. Article
AntiFraud News
> After a record-setting 2014, Civil False Claims Act recoveries saw a 39 percent decline in 2015, dropping to $3.5 billion overall. Additionally, 2015 was the best year on record for similar whistleblower cases in which the government declined to intervene. Article
Healthcare News
> A new architectural design idea from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is putting patients first. Patient input guided architects and other planners to create an innovative design, and some suggestions include where to put exits, waiting room furniture ideas, and the ability for visitors to leave a video message to appear on patients' in-room televisions. Article
And finally… What The Rock is cookin': Holiday cheer. Article