Survey of health opinion leaders finds 'unflagging' health overhaul support

In this survey, conducted by the Commonwealth Fund and Modern Healthcare, 89 percent of respondents supported moving forward with the measure's implementation. In related news, the National Committee for Quality Assurance plans this month to begin accrediting accountable care organizations. Meanwhile, in local coverage, North Carolina's health exchange grant remains unspent and a rural California county has its own health reform calculus.

Modern Healthcare: Unflagging Support
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act continues to have broad support from those on the frontlines of America's health care system -; and many of them think national per capita health care spending can be slowed by an overhaul to the delivery and payment systems. Insurance reform at the heart of the ACA is the most important element of the law, but the CMS is a strong second, in the view of a majority of respondents to the most recent Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Opinion Leaders survey. A full 89 percent of respondents said it is "very important" or "important" that federal and state policymakers continue to move forward implementing the ACA (Butcher, 11/14).

Modern Healthcare: NCQA To Start Accrediting ACOs This Month
The National Committee for Quality Assurance, an accreditation and certification not-for-profit, will accredit accountable care organizations starting in late November. Officials are expected to discuss the accreditation at a briefing today. Margaret O'Kane, president of the NCQA, said accountable care furthers health care delivery reform efforts that began with the patient-centered medical home. The NCQA certifies patient centered medical homes (Evans, 11/14).

Politico Pro: North Carolina's Exchange Grant Unused
North Carolina received a sizable HHS grant in August to continue planning a health insurance exchange -; and the money's been sitting there ever since. The North Carolina Legislature's lack of action on a $12 million Level One exchange grant over the past four months has jeopardized the state's prospects of setting up its own exchange, according to Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin (Millman, 11/11).

KQED/The California Report: Health Reform Rolls Out in Conservative Kern County
Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the ideological lines have been clearly drawn: Republicans don't like it -; Democrats do. But, in a cash-strapped rural area like Kern County, the calculus of paying for health care is considerably more complicated (Varney, 11/11).