Becker News and Research

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GAO: Postal health plan could add to retired workers' costs, impact Medicare

The proposal to opt out of the federal health plan would save billions of dollars but could bring uncertainties for employees.

21 Aug 2013

States continue to wrestle with health law implementation issues

Even as an Arkansas effort by a private group to block the health law appears to be falling short, states like Missouri continue to contemplate expanding Medicaid, and, in California, the health exchange experiences growing pains.

16 Aug 2013

12 insurers sign contracts for California exchange - but one plan opts out

Reports also detail how health exchanges are taking shape in Maryland, Wisconsin, Oregon, Iowa, D.C. and Connecticut.

9 Aug 2013

State highlights: Va. governor hopefuls talk mental health, Medicaid expansion

Ken Cuccinelli II touted tax cuts and preschool vouchers while Terry McAuliffe embraced Medicaid expansion Monday night as the candidates for Virginia governor laid out different visions for improving mental health in Virginia. The rivals to succeed Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) appeared at a candidate forum for mental-health advocates and families affected by mental illness. Sponsored by a coalition of mental health organizations, the event drew several hundred people to an auditorium at Collegiate School in suburban Richmond (Vozzella, 8/5).

7 Aug 2013

In Maine, a first look at rates for health plans available on the exchange

News outlets also report on state efforts to implement the health law's online insurance marketplaces in Connecticut and Hawaii.

7 Aug 2013

Georgia seeks 'emergency delay' for approving health exchanges' proposed rates

The state insurance commissioner cited "massive rate increases" in the proposals from seven insurers seeking to do business on these online insurance marketplaces.

1 Aug 2013

State highlights: Mandatory treatment for mental illness working in NY, study finds; Ore. regulators lower insurance rates $69M

A year ago, Montana opened the nation's first clinic for free primary health care services to its state government employees. The Helena, Mont., clinic was pitched as a way to improve overall employee health, but the idea has faced its fair share of political opposition. A year later, the state says the clinic is already saving money (Boyce, 7/30).

31 Jul 2013

State highlights: DOJ sues Fla. over keeping children in nursing homes

The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Florida on Monday, accusing the state of unnecessarily institutionalizing about 200 disabled children in nursing homes and cutting services that would allow them to receive care at home (7/22).

24 Jul 2013

Small business owners anxious about health law, Chamber survey finds

Small business owners are increasingly concerned about the law's impact, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, while Karen Ignagni of the nation's biggest trade group of insurers says the nation's focus must move to reducing the cost of health care.

19 Jul 2013

ACO pioneers face decision deadline

Modern Healthcare reports that Medicare Pioneers have until July 15 to let the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services know if they plan to stay in the program for a second year. Meanwhile, the Connecticut Mirror offers a picture of how accountable care organizations work.

16 Jul 2013

Community health centers get $150 million to help enroll people in new marketplaces

Community health centers across the country will share in $150 million in grants that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday will help them enroll up to 3.7 million Americans in the new marketplaces this fall. HHS on Wednesday announced that 1,200 centers will get at least $59,000 each, money available through the health care law (Bunis, 7/10).

12 Jul 2013

State highlights: Maine to permit Rx drugs from Canada; Ore. to levy hospital, nursing home assessment tax

For the first time in several years, a state has acted to allow its citizens to purchase prescription drugs by mail from other countries. The idea is to take advantage of those nations' lower prices, which can be half the cost of those at American pharmacies (Rovner, 6/27).

29 Jun 2013

Hospital news: Layoffs at Pa.'s Temple University Health System; Parkland Hospital in Dallas among nation's top 100 grossing hospitals

Temple University Health System announced the elimination of 11 positions at Fox Chase Cancer Center and 14 at Jeanes Hospital. Officials said efforts were underway to find new jobs in the system for the affected employees, who came from management and nonmanagement ranks but were not involved in patient care. Fox Chase and Jeanes have a combined 3,500 employees (Brubaker, 6/25).

27 Jun 2013

Sebelius ramps up enrollment push

The Obama administration unveiled a revamped HealthCare.gov website, the centerpiece of its campaign in more than 30 states to enroll people in health coverage, as well as a 24-hour consumer call center. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius aims to enroll 7 million people by late March with help from major sports franchises and moms.

26 Jun 2013

Study explores various strategies, suggests cost-effective options for HIV testing in India

In India most people who are HIV positive don't know it, yet testing and treatment are relatively cheap and available. It would therefore meet international standards of cost-effectiveness - and save millions of lives for decades - to test every person in the billion-plus population every five years according to a new study published in the journal PLoS One.

11 Jun 2013

No easy answers about health law's impact on full-time jobs

CQ Health Beat parses conflicting data on whether the health law may be spurring employers to keep workers part-time. Meanwhile, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, questions whether the projections of rising health insurance subsidy costs may be due to employers dumping coverage. News outlets also offer reports on health exchanges from Connecticut, Maryland, Colorado and California.

7 Jun 2013

State highlights: Conn. bill would maintain coverage for low-income parents; Wis. may pay hospitals for uninsured care; Is hospital data sale a risk to patient privacy?

The House of Representatives adopted an omnibus bill Tuesday to implement numerous social service policy changes in the next state budget, including the end of a health coverage program launched by former Gov. M. Jodi Rell to help the uninsured. One thing it doesn't change: Medicaid eligibility for low-income parents. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy had proposed restricting eligibility for the program, a move that would have caused an estimated 37,500 parents to lose Medicaid coverage (Phaneuf and Becker, 6/4).

6 Jun 2013

States grapple with mental health care after federal inaction

Mental health legislation is taking the spotlight in states after federal lawmakers have failed so far to act. In Wisconsin, some mental health care changes gain momentum.

4 Jun 2013

State highlights: La. grand jury to examine $200M Medicaid contract

More than half of the states that applied to participate in a controversial CMS pilot for dual-eligible beneficiaries have either dropped out or delayed implementation of their programs, according to health policy experts. Among the 26 states that applied to participate in the CMS Financial Alignment Initiative, which stems from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, six have dropped out or opted for different "customized" plans and nine have delayed their start dates (Daly, 5/23).

27 May 2013

Highlights: Geography's role in elective surgeries in Calif.; Conn. Democrats eye shifting $400M in Medicaid money; HHS says Cedars-Sinai has $2.2M in billing errors

Geography plays a role in whether patients in California have elective operations such as joint replacement, weight loss surgery and gallbladder removal, according to a new study. The California HealthCare Foundation study showed wide variations in patient surgeries across the state (Gorman, 5/22).

24 May 2013