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First Edition: July 27, 2010

Today's health policy news includes reports about the continuing Senate backlash to Dr. Donald Berwick's appointment to head the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services as well as findings from a new poll that reveal seniors really don't understand health reform.

27 Jul 2010

Some insurers will stop offering individual coverage for children after implementation of health law provision

"Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said that in his state UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield have stopped issuing new policies that cover children individually. Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland said a couple of local insurers in her state have done likewise." The law requires insurers to accept children regardless of medical problems, worrying insurers that parents won't seek coverage for their kids until the kids get sick.

27 Jul 2010

Insurers, young, uninsured all prepare for different changes under health reform

Insurers, the young, the uninsured and lawmakers are just a few of the groups sorting out what the implementation of health reform means for them as details emerge on changes to the system.

27 Jul 2010

Australian medical devices market to grow at 9% CAGR in 2009-2012

The consequences as a result of the major Australian healthcare reform plan will impact the outlook of the medical devices industry, and possibly precipitate a series of rapid changes for the market.

27 Jul 2010

Lack of dental insurance a problem for millions

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Lack of dental insurance is an "endemic problem" that affects millions of people, largely those without jobs, health coverage or solid incomes. "It began with a toothache. Tori Pence, 23, could feel the hole that had suddenly developed on her tooth, and she couldn't stand either hot or cold food.

27 Jul 2010

Healthcare Labor Update 2010: A year of critical opportunity for employers

When labor unions, particularly the Service Employee International Union (SEIU), spent hundreds of millions during the last presidential election cycle - resulting in a labor-friendly Democratic Administration and Congressional majority for the first time in a decade - it appeared the labor movement was poised to make a swift resurgence.

26 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Health reform and long-term care; Health care incentives; Reasons for optimism or repeal and replace?

Our system of long-term care does not provide adequate or coordinated human services and medical treatment for our growing aging population. … Thanks to a provision of the new health care law known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program, tomorrow's continuum of care does not have to be so unforgiving. For the first time, a voluntary public insurance program will be available to help adults and families pay for long-term care services (Bruce Chernof, 7/23).

26 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 26, 2010

Today's headlines include news about the politics of implementing the new health reform law as well as the ADA's 20th anniversary.

26 Jul 2010

Experts available for comment on new medicare contracts that drive health care hookups

So-called "accountable care organizations" or ACOs might change the way that the agency running Medicare does business. An article in the Indiana Business Journal explains that the new health reform law requires the agency to sign new "shared savings" contracts with ACOs and gives examples of how these organizations work. ACOs can begin doing business with Medicare in January 2012.

26 Jul 2010

It's back: House Democrats argue anew for public option

House Democrats are arguing again for the passage of a public option to compete with private health plans and reduce the deficit, news outlets report.

26 Jul 2010

Research roundup: Hospital emergency room HIV screenings; Medical device reviews; Health law impact on docs and hospitals

Physician Satisfaction With Chronic Care Processes: A Cluster-Randomized Trial Of Guided Care - The authors randomly assigned teams of physicians and their chronically ill older patients into groups that either provided Guided Care - an educated registered nurse works with a primary care practice team to enhance quality of care - or usual care. One year later, they measured "physicians' satisfaction with chronic care processes, time spent on chronic care, knowledge of their chronically ill older patients, and care coordination provided by physicians and office staff."

26 Jul 2010

Health law gives consumers new rights to appeal insurer decisions

The Obama administration issued regulations yesterday addressing a top consumer gripe with health insurers: The rejected claim. "Rejection notices are often unclear, as are the procedures for challenging them." The new regulations are "designed to simplify the process and expand consumers' rights, as required by the recently enacted healthcare law." Current appeals rules differ by insurer. The regulations will standardize the process, allowing consumers to first take their complaints to the insurer, and then to an independent review panel (Levey, 7/22).

23 Jul 2010

Insurers, advocates fight over upcoming spending rules

Insurance companies are banding together to weaken a key health law rule that requires them to spend as much as 85 percent of their revenues on medical care, according to the advocacy group Health Care for America Now. At issue is the definition of 'medical loss ratio,' a figure used on Wall Street to show an insurer's profitability.

23 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Varying points on the nation's doctor shortage, benefits of negative studies, and what about universal health care?

In the long list of problems affecting the American health care system, the shortage of general practitioners and overabundance of specialists is usually ranked near the top. There is truth to this: only 32 percent of physicians practice primary care medicine. As a result, patients have to wait longer to see their doctors and are more likely to be seen by nurse practitioners and physician assistants instead. However, pediatrics has the opposite problem: a growing shortage of pediatric subspecialists (Dennis Rosen, 7/22).

23 Jul 2010

GOP questions math of HHS' premium hike estimates; Abortion issue defining implementation

Senate Republican leaders are questioning an estimate by the Department of Health and Human Services that the effect of the new health law on insurance premiums will likely be less than 1 percent, The Hill reports.

23 Jul 2010

Achieving meaningful use of inpatient EHR is top priority of hospital executives: Survey

According to a survey of U.S. hospital executives released today by CSC, steps to meet meaningful use requirements were already a priority for hospitals before the final rules to establish an incentive program for electronic health records were announced by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on July 12.

23 Jul 2010

New rules Thursday on appealing insurance claims, states take lead in health reform implementation

Kaiser Health News /The Washington Post obtained a summary of new rules to be released Thursday by the Obama administration that will make it easier for consumers to appeal the denials of their health insurance claims as the White House tries to "boost political support" for the new health law.

23 Jul 2010

Report: Nonprofit insurers collected billions in surplus while hiking premiums

An analysis by Consumers Union has found that non-profit Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans collected billions of dollars in surplus over the past decade while raising premiums for customers.

23 Jul 2010

KHN column -- Massachusetts shows federal reform headed for trouble

In this Kaiser Health News column, Grace-Marie Turner writes that Massachusetts' health reform has increased demand without increasing the supply of health care providers, it continues to keep people in the dark about the true cost of health care and health insurance, and has not changed incentives for people to seek more affordable options or for a truly competitive marketplace.

23 Jul 2010

KHN column – Dispatch from Massachusetts: The individual mandate is working

In his latest Kaiser Health News column, Austin Frakt writes: "In Massachusetts, the individual mandate requiring state residents to buy health insurance is working. Yet, a similar requirement remains among the more controversial elements of the new national health reform law. Opponents of the mandate resent being required to purchase a product they may not want.

23 Jul 2010

Health Reform News and Research

First Edition: July 27, 2010

Some insurers will stop offering individual coverage for children after implementation of health law provision

Insurers, young, uninsured all prepare for different changes under health reform

Australian medical devices market to grow at 9% CAGR in 2009-2012

Lack of dental insurance a problem for millions

Healthcare Labor Update 2010: A year of critical opportunity for employers

Today's OpEds: Health reform and long-term care; Health care incentives; Reasons for optimism or repeal and replace?

First Edition: July 26, 2010

Experts available for comment on new medicare contracts that drive health care hookups

It's back: House Democrats argue anew for public option

Research roundup: Hospital emergency room HIV screenings; Medical device reviews; Health law impact on docs and hospitals

Health law gives consumers new rights to appeal insurer decisions

Insurers, advocates fight over upcoming spending rules

Today's OpEds: Varying points on the nation's doctor shortage, benefits of negative studies, and what about universal health care?

GOP questions math of HHS' premium hike estimates; Abortion issue defining implementation

Achieving meaningful use of inpatient EHR is top priority of hospital executives: Survey

New rules Thursday on appealing insurance claims, states take lead in health reform implementation

Report: Nonprofit insurers collected billions in surplus while hiking premiums

KHN column -- Massachusetts shows federal reform headed for trouble

KHN column – Dispatch from Massachusetts: The individual mandate is working

Industry Focus eBook - Forensics & toxicology (2nd edition) eBook

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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