News From Around the Web
> Medicaid expansion has come at a price in California, according to Kaiser Health News. Medi-Cal now covers 5.2 million young people up to age 20--half of the state's population of young people--with 1 million added in the last year alone. That, combined with recent Medicaid rate cuts, has program officials worried about the program's sustainability. Article
> The Treasury Department estimated that as many as 6 million Americans will have to pay a penalty for not having health insurance in 2014, the Wall Street Journal reported. Another 30 million will receive an exemption. Article
> First it was expecting mothers. Now it's kids. In the latest round of the feud between Highmark and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, UPMC has accused Highmark of denying claims for 154 children treated in the region's only pediatric facility. Highmark said the claims were paid, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Article
Health Policy News
> Several leading healthcare providers and payers announced a new alliance aimed at hastening the healthcare industry's transition to value-based models that reduce costs and strengthen outcomes. Article
> The False Claims Act dates back to Abraham Lincoln's presidency, but the longevity of the law hasn't alleviated any concerns surrounding it, particularly for those in the healthcare and life sciences industries. Article
And finally … While it snowed in the Northeast, temperatures apparently approached 3,000 degrees in Arizona. Video