HealthyCT launches new payment model; BCBSNC sends incorrect rates to 42k customers;

News From Around the Web

> The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced a rule Thursday that will cut 0.3 percent of Medicare payments to the industry, which equates to $60 million. This will affect roughly 3.5 million seniors who use home-based medical services. Announcement

> Connecticut-based HealthyCT teamed up with physician practices and the consulting company Qualidigm to establish the Advanced Practice Medical Payment Model, which is a payment model based on the one used in patient-centered medical homes. Announcement

> Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina announced Thursday that nearly 42,000 customers in the state received insurance renewal letters with incorrect rates. The insurer said it plans to send corrected notices to these customers. Announcement

Health Finance News

> Medicare may penalize many hospitals for patient readmissions due to circumstances that are beyond their control, according to Forbes contributor Peter Ubel. Article

> Where have all the community benefits gone? That's a question asked by the Berkeley, California-based Greenlining Institute, which recently examined how hospitals in San Francisco were expending their community benefits. Greenlining could not find a good answer. Article

And finally … The worst before-and-after photo ever. Article