Health Reform News and Research

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Free health reform webcast on health risk management, wellness for employers

Employers concerned about new health insurance rules under the new health reform law will get practical tips during Lockton's free Health Reform Summit online May 4-5 and May 11-12.

15 Apr 2010

States examine role in health reform implementation, worry over scams

The federal government is turning to states to "to institute key components" of the health overhaul law, "some of which have never existed before."

15 Apr 2010

Experts, public consider health reform merits, hardships and unintended consequences

Confusion persists about health reform and insurance for members of Congress. "The law stipulates that lawmakers and some members of their staffs enroll in new health insurance exchanges. But an apparent drafting error in the law makes it unclear when that transition is supposed to occur."

15 Apr 2010

Queensland Health payroll stuff up – blame game on

In a huge error in the payroll system more than 3,000 Queensland Health (QH) staff remained underpaid or missed out on their pay in the last fortnight and many continued to face such problems this week.

15 Apr 2010

Financial concerns can delay heart attack treatment

A study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that financial concerns can lead people having heart attacks to delay treatment.

15 Apr 2010

Healthcare reform debate at its peak before the COAG meeting on Monday

Following the fall out between Premiers on Prime Minister Rudd’s health care reforms more debates have come up. South Australian Premier Mike Rann also urged Victorian Premier John Brumby to come to an agreement with the Prime Minister’s plans. Earlier Mr. Brumby had suggested a 50-50 sharing model in healthcare compared to the model suggested by the PM. He has said that that the federal government's grab for 30 per cent of the states' GST would damage co-operative federalism. Mr. Brumby is expected to outline his reasons at a National Press Club address on Wednesday, April 14th 2010.

14 Apr 2010

Hospital quality needs significant improvement: 2009 Leapfrog Hospital Survey

According to new results from the 2009 Leapfrog Hospital Survey released today at the World Health Congress in Washington, DC, hospital quality needs significant improvement and waste remains rampant. One encouraging sign: steady improvements over time, supporting the value of hundreds of purchasers' growing efforts to use Leapfrog performance data in decision-making, contracting, pay for performance, and benefits design.

13 Apr 2010

Optovue founds "Eye-Give" non-profit foundation

Optovue, a pioneer in fourier/spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), has founded "Eye-Give," a non-profit foundation for the purposes of donating technology and funding to sight saving charities and organizations around the world.

13 Apr 2010

New website for PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Industries practice

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP today launched a new website for their Health Industries practice – www.pwc.com/healthreform – which will serve as a central point of access for PricewaterhouseCoopers' latest insight and analysis on the implications of health reform for health organizations including insurers, physicians, hospitals and other providers, pharmaceutical and life sciences companies and employers.

13 Apr 2010

New employee benefit program to manage healthcare costs and savings

My Health and Money, a Chicago-based healthcare technology company, has launched a new employee benefit that helps employees stretch their healthcare dollars.

13 Apr 2010

ACOEM awards CHAA Exemplary Practice Citation to URS Corporation

URS Corporation, a global engineering and construction firm serving both private and public sector organizations, has been awarded the Corporate Health Achievement Award (CHAA) Exemplary Practice Citation by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). URS Corporation received the citation for its outstanding efforts in promoting employee health, wellness, and safety.

13 Apr 2010

KHN column - Medicare advantage competitive pricing: The political failure of a good idea

Few Americans should be satisfied with the way the government pays private health insurance plans that participate in the Medicare Advantage program. Taxpayers pay 14 percent more to insure a beneficiary through the Advantage program than through traditional, fee-for-service Medicare, the program's 'public option.'

13 Apr 2010

Small businesses continue search for health reform information

The Bergen County (N.J.) Record/NorthJersey.com: Small businesses continue to assess the impact health reform will have on them. "While some believe the reforms will help control health costs and give assistance to small businesses that can't afford worker coverage, others are skeptical they will benefit when the plan is up and running — and some are sure it will hurt.

13 Apr 2010

Health care experts brand plan for a “Big Australia” as disaster waiting to happen

Increased immigration rates are set to make Australia’s population hit 36 million by the year 2050 according to Federal Government estimates. This would be a huge leap from the present 22,300,000 people that the nation has today. The added population is being seen as a necessity to ensure economical survival for the country.

13 Apr 2010

Dems defend health votes; GOP hoping for repeat of 1994 elections

Congressional Republicans are hoping Democrats suffer the same fate in 2010 as they did after President Clinton's failed health reform bid in 1994, The New York Times reports. "That fall, Republicans swept to power, capturing nine seats in the Senate and 52 in the House. … In many ways, the 1994 election has become the template both Republicans and Democrats are looking to as they set their strategies for the fall Congressional elections.

13 Apr 2010

COAG to work out deal on proposed health reforms

NSW Premier Kristina Keneally was hopeful that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s health reforms proposed would be beneficial to the states despite the major opposition that it has seen. Ms Keneally chaired a teleconference on Monday night with first ministers after Mr Rudd released the full details of his health reforms.

12 Apr 2010

More states coping with primary care shortage

In a major feature, The Tennessean reports that the "nation is short 16,663 primary care doctors, and by 2025 that number will reach nearly 140,000, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians."

12 Apr 2010

How will the health overhaul affect you?

Nonprofit and advocacy Web sites, online "chats" with government officials, and hotlines for lawmakers are getting barraged with questions about how the health law will affect Americans, Kaiser Health News reports. "No matter which source they turn to, consumers are asking about every element of the bill. People who don't have health care coverage want to know how they can enroll in the high-risk pools that are scheduled to be up and running within 90 days.

12 Apr 2010

Americans asking: 'How will health reform help me?'

Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey writes about the questions stemming from the new health reform law: "David wanted to know how the new health care overhaul law would impact retiree health care coverage.

12 Apr 2010