News From Around the Web:
> Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island is partnering with the Rhode Island Quality Institute to launch an incentive program to urge primary care physicians to adopt and use Rhode Island's health information exchange, reported GoLocalProv. Article
> Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler reached a last-minute settlement with Molina Healthcare, allowing it to sell two plans on the state's health insurance exchange. Kreidler reversed his previous decision to block Molina from the marketplace after the insurer corrected information in its provider contracts. Statement
> Cigna and UnitedHealth have both decided not to participate in health insurance exchanges in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, reported the Philadelphia Business Journal. Article
Health Provider News:
> Defunding and delaying the implementation of the reform law is the least popular option for the health overhaul, a survey found. Article
> Group Health, an integrated system in Seattle, has seen significant drops in elective surgery rates and costs by distributing decision aids and engaging in conversations with patients about a course of action, according to an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) report. Article
Health IT News:
> Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, Cleveland Clinic and University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston are the most social media friendly hospitals in the country. Article
> The U.S. Army is launching a "major" upgrade of its electronic health record system to include an upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 and a new version of the Defense Logistics Standard Support Customer Service Module. Article
And Finally... Is Internet addiction the latest illness to hit America? Article