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DMPC to guarantee DM and wellness outcomes for elite group

Al Lewis, president of the Disease Management Purchasing Consortium, Inc., the founder and first president of the Disease Management Association of America and the person most often credited with establishing the metrics by which disease management is measured announced today that he will be personally validating and guaranteeing disease management (DM) and wellness outcomes for an elite, award-winning group of vendors, health plans, benefits consultants and employers.

12 Apr 2010

Threats against lawmakers on the rise after health reform

Threats against lawmakers have risen threefold in recent months, The Washington Post reports. Lawmakers reported 42 threats in the first three months of this year, compared with 15 in last three months of 2009, said Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance W. Gainer, who had information about threats involving both chambers." Gainer said the threats ranged from "very vulgar to serious" and included death threats.

12 Apr 2010

New York Attorney General: Some college health plans violate state regulations

An investigation by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's office into health insurance plans offered to college students found that most plans "pay out far less in benefits than they collect in premiums," sometimes in violation of state regulations.

12 Apr 2010

NHS chief execs paid seven times more than nurses reveals report

According to newly revealed figures the managers of NHS trusts have received a pay rise of 6.9% in 2008-09 compared to less than 3% among the nurses. This data came forth in an ‘Incomes Data Services’ report that was based on data from more than 380 NHS trusts in England, including primary care, mental health and ambulance trusts. The report showed that the NHS Chief Executives earn seven times more than nurses. The top managers now make £147,500 according to the report which is £10,000 more than average workers. The NHS Confederation in reply said that these top managers were needed to bail them out from financial setbacks.

12 Apr 2010

Elmendorf: Health reform will reduce deficit, warns of fiscal crisis

In remarks to reporters Thursday, Congressional Budget Office director Doug Elmendorf warned of a looming budget crisis that "cannot be solved through minor tinkering." The nation's "unsustainable" spending could increase the national debt from $7.5 trillion at the end of 2009 to 20.3 trillion in 2020, when the debt would total 90 percent of gross domestic product, Elmendorf noted (Allen, 4/8).

12 Apr 2010

Health reform effects on Tricare still being discussed

"Defense officials insist that the new national health care reform law has no direct effect on Tricare — but some analysts say indirect effects eventually may surface. ... military advocacy groups say the law's potential interaction with the complex family of Tricare plans over the longer term is vague, and could lead to future cost or coverage encroachment on the valuable benefit that serves 9.6 million beneficiaries."

9 Apr 2010

Research roundup: The effects of health IT, doctor-owned treatment centers, long-term care issues

Physician-Ownership Of Ambulatory Surgery Centers Linked To Higher Volume Of Surgeries - The authors analyzed data from Florida, using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's State Ambulatory Surgery Databases, revealing "a significant association between physician-ownership of surgicenters and greater use" of certain outpatient procedures.

9 Apr 2010

Community health centers eagerly await funding from reform law

The Squirrel Hill Health Center in Pittsburgh is one of many community health centers that will see a significant funding increase under the health overhaul law, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

9 Apr 2010

Ten loopholes and problem areas in new federal health reform law

Consumer Watchdog called on President Obama and Congress in a letter sent today to fix ten problem areas in the new federal health reform law that, if not addressed, will be exploited by health insurers and drug companies looking to charge more for less health care.

9 Apr 2010

Much debate over Brumby health plan

Victorian Premier John Brumby on Thursday proposed an alternative plan to the Prime Minister’s idea of gaining 30% of the GST revenues and give funding control to local hospital networks. According to the alternative 31-page health manifesto put forth by Brumby States should retain control of their hospitals. The Commonwealth proposed to cover the entire bill for primary health care and pick up 60 per cent of the tab for public hospitals. It will retain one-third of GST revenue to help pay for the reforms. Mr Brumby is holding out for extra money from the Commonwealth and a 50-50 funding model for public hospitals.

9 Apr 2010

Democrats, Republicans using health reform votes to plot November strategies

The Associated Press: Vulnerable Democrats around the country are "tiptoeing" during the recess as they prepare for midterm elections. "Tough votes for Obama's health care plan have further complicated the re-election prospects of dozens of already vulnerable freshman and second-term Democrats. There's even a chance the party could lose control of one or both houses in the midterm elections."

9 Apr 2010

NHeLP launches the Campaign for Better Care

To ensure health reform works for those with the most at stake, the National Partnership for Women & Families, Community Catalyst and the National Health Law Program today launched the Campaign for Better Care, a multi-year initiative that will focus on improving health care quality, coordination and communication for older patients with multiple health problems and their family caregivers.

8 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 8, 2010

Today's health policy news coverage explores the political and policy implications of the new health reform law.

8 Apr 2010

Reactions -- even threats -- continue to emerge over lawmakers' reform votes

Lawmakers are considering how health care reform will change their prospects for office as some tout the law amid threats from the public.

8 Apr 2010

Altarum Institute forms new center to focus on macro-economics of health spending

Altarum Institute President and CEO Lincoln Smith today announced the formation of the Altarum Institute Center for Studying Health Spending. The center will be a part of Altarum's internal Systems Research and Initiatives group and will focus on the macro-economics of health spending, health workforce, government outlays, and long-term fiscal sustainability.

8 Apr 2010

HHS Secretary to discuss benefits of health reform for America's seniors in a webchat

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Assistant Secretary for the Administration on Aging Kathy Greenlee will host a webchat tomorrow, Thursday, April 8, to discuss the benefits of the new health reform law as it relates to America's seniors.

8 Apr 2010

Impact on primary care access and health costs is 'uncertain'

"Rather than asking whether the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act does everything to improve access and lower costs, we should ask how it compares with the status quo," the American College of Physicians' senior public policy adviser said in a paper published online today in Annals of Internal Medicine, the flagship journal of ACP.

8 Apr 2010

AMA Victoria supports Brumby opposing Rudd’s health plans

The Commonwealth had proposed health changes by taking control of health funding by withholding some GST revenue. The Victorian Government has released an alternative approach for this. This plan called ‘The Putting Patients First’ intends for increases in Commonwealth health funding to be distributed by the States.

8 Apr 2010

Healthcare reform scams: Tips to avoid being victimized

With the healthcare reform law only days old, Medical Mutual of Ohio is urging its customers and the public to beware of scammers who may try to sell phony health insurance policies.

8 Apr 2010

Sebelius promises help to confused Americans on health law, says to beware of scammers

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday that Americans can expect help from her department as health reform is implemented. She also cautioned consumers to watch out for scammers using the new health bill to try to defraud people.

8 Apr 2010