News From Around the Web
> Wisconsin need to raise about $760 million in taxes to pay for healthcare for the state's low-income residents. The added costs stem from a decrease in federal aid that is now being used on improving the state's economy, and now for Medicaid programs, according to a report from Wisconsin's Department of Health Services. Report (.pdf)
> As Maryland transitions to its revamped state-run exchange website, state officials must contact tens of thousands of residents who will need to re-enroll in their plans, due to issues from the state's previously botched site during last enrollment period, reports CBS-Baltimore. Article
> The Vermont Health Connect website is currently down for maintenance repairs, according to Burlington Free Press. The site, which is federally regulated, has been plagued with problems since its launch last October. Article
Electronic Medical Record News
> The American Medical Association (AMA), concerned about current electronic health record design, has released a new framework outlining eight priorities to improve the usability of the systems. Article
> Seventeen major stakeholders have joined forces in a rising groundswell, sending a joint letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell urging immediate relief from the Meaningful Use program's full year reporting requirement using 2014 certification criteria in 2015. Article
And finally… Here's a tiny hamster eating a tiny hotdog. Video