Roundup: Officials look to resolve Kancare concerns; Mental health hospitalization rises in Idaho; Calif. ACOs set pace

A selection of health policy stories from Kansas, Idaho and California.

Kansas Health Institute: Ombudsman Says Most KanCare Concerns Are Being Resolved
Kancare Ombudsman James Bart today assured members of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee that he's been able to resolve most of the 74 complaints that have reached his office since it opened on Jan. 2. Almost 95 percent of the concerns raised by providers and 89 percent of those raised by consumers were resolved within a few hours or days. The remaining issues, he said, were in the process of being addressed (Ranney, 1/16).

The Associated Press: Mental Health Hospitalizations Rising In Idaho
Officials with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare say more Idaho residents are being committed to the state's psychiatric hospitals, but the length of time they spend in the hospitals is dropping. Ross Edmunds with the department's Division of Mental Health told members of the Legislature's budget-setting committee on Wednesday that there were 473 commitments to State Hospital South in Pocatello and State Hospital North in Orofino in fiscal year 2008, compared to a projected 818 commitments for fiscal year 2013 (Boone, 1/16).

California Healthline: Inside Three ACOs: Why California Providers Are Opting For The Model
While we're close enough to see their outline, some ACOs are still just teasing their promise. Many organizations have yet to launch a Web presence (or in San Diego Independent ACO's case, are waiting to get CMS approval). And more health care providers are rushing to build the ACO structure in hopes of winning federal contracts -- and filling out the details later. … Based on ACO participation, California continues to help set the pace for reform (Diamond, 1/16).