News From Around the Web
> States that used outreach efforts to connect with residents eligible for Medicaid or Affordable Care Act plans saw higher enrollment and happier customers than states that placed restrictions on outreach or plan navigator services, according to a Health Affairs report. Abstract
> Consumers with grandfathered health insurance plans were able to keep their insurance after the Affordable Care Act passed, but many experience sticker shock when they receive bills for birth control pills or other preventive services that plans created after the ACA went into effect must cover for free, Kaiser Health News reported. Article
> Health Care Services Corp. experienced more than $280 million in losses in 2014, Crain's Business Chicago reported. The losses, attributed to market changes as a result of the Affordable Care Act and not unexpected for the nation's largest nonprofit insurer, represent a nearly $1 billion swing from a $684 million surplus the previous year. Article
Health Finance News
> Hospitals and healthcare systems are becoming more capable of functioning in a world of value-based payments, according to a new survey by the Healthcare Financial Management Association and Humana. Article
> Long-term care hospitals intentionally time patient discharges in order to maximize reimbursement from the Medicare program, according to a new study published in the journal Health Affairs. Article
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