News From Around the Web
> The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved a proposal by Mid-Atlantic Health Care, a Maryland chain of skilled nursing facilities, to offer its patients a Medicare Advantage health plan, the Baltimore Sun reports. Article
> The tension between providers and payers is once again heating up thanks to the two major insurer mergers, but the continued fighting between the two--coupled with rising costs--is no recipe for a well-functioning healthcare system, Harvard professor David M. Cutler, Ph.D., writes in a piece published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. Article
> A new study from the Wilde Agency uses behavioral economics to examine how to motivate baby boomers to alter their purchasing habits of long-term care insurance and Medicare supplement insurance. Announcement
Provider News
> Healthcare professionals in search of a simple rubric for establishing high satisfaction rates across multiple care settings in pediatric care may find their goal is highly elusive. A study by the Neours Children's Health System and Philadelphia's Thomas Jefferson University found that pediatric patient satisfaction varies according to the setting in which care is provided. Article
Health IT News
> The National Institute of Standards and Technology seeks collaborators on two projects to address email security concerns in healthcare and other industries. Article
And finally… On second thought, thanks for nothing. Article