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Beacon Health Partners, Empire BlueCross BlueShield sign Patient Centered Primary Care agreement

Beacon Health Partners, an independent physician network and Accountable Care Organization consisting of almost 300 healthcare practitioners, announced that it has signed a Patient Centered Primary Care agreement with Empire BlueCross BlueShield.

6 Jun 2013

First Edition: June 6, 2013

Today's headlines include a report about a new poll showing public uneasiness is increasing in regard to the health law. At the same time, the White House is stepping up its efforts encourage people to enroll in the health coverage the will be available as a result of the overhaul.

6 Jun 2013

ACR urges Americans not to forego recommended screening for colorectal cancer

The American College of Radiology strongly urges Americans ages 50-and-older, particularly those with a family history of colorectal cancer, not to delay or forego recommended screening due to concerns raised by a June 1, New York Times article titled, "The $2.7 Trillion Medical Bill."

6 Jun 2013

Sebelius defends phone calls to urge outreach support

At a House hearing Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said she did not seek funds from companies, but did ask them to support the outreach efforts of Enroll America, a nonprofit group. She told panel members she made five calls on behalf of the organization.

6 Jun 2013

Health care issues take Capitol Hill stage

Representatives from both sides of the aisle focused on various issues including "dual eligibles," veterans' health care, drug-tracking laws and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

6 Jun 2013

'Doc fix' momentum builds among House Republicans

GOP staff of the House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees released a framework for repealing Medicare's sustainable growth rate formula. One House Democrat said the approach wasn't strong enough.

6 Jun 2013

First Edition: June 5, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the questions about fundraising phone calls faced by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius during a Capitol Hill hearing.

5 Jun 2013

NextGen EDR version 4.3 now certified as ONC HIT Complete EHR

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC., a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. and a leading provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions, announced today that its NextGen Electronic Dental Record version 4.3 is compliant with the ONC 2014 Edition criteria and was certified as a Complete EHR by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology, an ONC-ACB, in accordance with the applicable Eligible certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

5 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Calif., Oregon exchanges curb premiums with limited networks; Why the U.S. pays so much for health care

A closer examination of these health plans (to be offered on the California and Oregon exchanges) reveals a less rosy picture. Although the premiums are lower than some anticipated, this has been achieved by designing the plans around much more limited provider networks and including greater cost-sharing than the typical commercial health-insurance plan. The premiums for the policies that will be offered on the states' exchanges are much higher than analogous plans being sold today (Daniel P. Kessler, 6/3).

5 Jun 2013

State highlights: Ore. mental health could see expansion, Calif. lawmakers take up health law 'loophole'; N.Y. abortion proposal hits obstacles

When Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward walked into a committee meeting, she didn't plan to reveal to the world that she has suffered from major depression for 15 years. "If I go two days without taking my medication, I can't walk in the door of this building," Steiner Hayward, D-Beaverton, told colleagues. "I can't get up in the morning. I can't take a shower. I can't function as a normal human being." Steiner Hayward is coming forward as a public voice for mental health at a time when Oregon lawmakers are considering Senate Bill 823, which would significantly expand mental health care in Oregon (Zheng, 6/3).

5 Jun 2013

HHS unveils Medicare claims data detailing hospital price information for outpatient treatment

The average charges for 30 hospital outpatient procedures show big hospital-to-hospital variation in terms of how much the facilities bill patients for the same service.

5 Jun 2013

End-of-life care: A challenge in terms of costs and quality

t first glance, America is making great strides toward a medical and cultural shift in its approach to end-of-life care: More and more providers are recognizing the benefits of hospice, more people are dying at home, and many health care organizations are institutionalizing the discussions between providers and patients that would help patients formalize their wishes for end-of-life care through an advance directive. But pull up the curtain on these statistics, and the drama that unfolds tells a very different story. End-of-life care continues to be characterized by aggressive medical intervention and runaway costs (Adamopoulos, 6/3).

5 Jun 2013

First Edition: June 4, 2013

Today's headlines include a report about what the Democrats' health law strategy might be as the 2014 mid-term elections approach.

4 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Current insurance was made cheaper by turning away the sick; Even in Obama's Illinois, implementing changes is tough

Some people will find the new rules make insurance more expensive. That's in part because their health insurance was made cheap by turning away sick people. The new rules also won't allow for as much discrimination based on age or gender. The flip side of that, of course, is that many will suddenly find their health insurance is much cheaper, or they will find that, for the first time, they're not turned away when they try to buy health insurance (Ezra Klein, 6/1).

4 Jun 2013

Chances for deficit deal diminish as Medicare's outlook improves

Last week's report on Medicare projected that the program's hospital trust fund would be solvent until 2026 -- two years longer than the last prediction. That slowing of health care costs, combined with shrinking near-term federal deficits and partisan gridlock are making a congressional deficit deal unlikely, at least until after the 2014 elections.

4 Jun 2013

Physicians call for tax hike on tobacco, alcoholic beverages; new tax on sugary drinks, fatty foods

Go ye and sin no more -- or pay for it, when it comes to junk food, smoking and consuming alcohol. That's the message from two Mayo Clinic physicians who say raising "sin" taxes on tobacco and alcoholic beverages and imposing them on sugary drinks and fatty foods would lead many people to cut back, improving public health.

4 Jun 2013

Federal judge lifts ban on Medicare releasing individual doctor data

A federal judge has lifted the ban on Medicare releasing data on individual doctors to the public. The end on the 33-year ban -- after the publishers of The Wall Street Journal sued to end it -- could mean closer scrutiny of doctor practices in the program.

4 Jun 2013

Medicare News and Research

Beacon Health Partners, Empire BlueCross BlueShield sign Patient Centered Primary Care agreement

First Edition: June 6, 2013

ACR urges Americans not to forego recommended screening for colorectal cancer

Sebelius defends phone calls to urge outreach support

Health care issues take Capitol Hill stage

'Doc fix' momentum builds among House Republicans

First Edition: June 5, 2013

NextGen EDR version 4.3 now certified as ONC HIT Complete EHR

Viewpoints: Calif., Oregon exchanges curb premiums with limited networks; Why the U.S. pays so much for health care

State highlights: Ore. mental health could see expansion, Calif. lawmakers take up health law 'loophole'; N.Y. abortion proposal hits obstacles

HHS unveils Medicare claims data detailing hospital price information for outpatient treatment

End-of-life care: A challenge in terms of costs and quality

First Edition: June 4, 2013

Viewpoints: Current insurance was made cheaper by turning away the sick; Even in Obama's Illinois, implementing changes is tough

Chances for deficit deal diminish as Medicare's outlook improves

Physicians call for tax hike on tobacco, alcoholic beverages; new tax on sugary drinks, fatty foods

Federal judge lifts ban on Medicare releasing individual doctor data

Black patients in most segregated areas more likely to receive surgery at low-quality hospitals

HHS limits Obamacare options for small businesses

First Edition: June 3, 2013

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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