Medicaid News and Research

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Medicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the states and federal government, and is managed by the states.

Medicare will still cover Avastin for breast cancer, despite revocation of FDA approval

The FDA announced that Avastin, while still approved for other cancers, is more harmful than helpful to breast cancer patients.

22 Nov 2011

If there's no deficit reduction deal, what happens next?

Both parties are jockeying for position, trying to spin the super committee's expected announcement of failure into political victory. Meanwhile, some news outlets are examining what happens next for the automatic cuts, which will be triggered in 2013 if the deficit panel indeed does not offer a plan.

22 Nov 2011

Viewpoints: Finding savings in Medicare; The Avastin saga; Changes in health care business

There is no way to wrestle down the deficit without reining in Medicare costs. Ensuring that the program provides quality health care coverage to millions of older and disabled Americans is essential. These goals are not incompatible, but they require a judicious approach to policy making that is depressingly absent in Washington.

21 Nov 2011

State roundup: Provider groups merging - or not

A selection of health policy stories from California, Illinois, Georgia, Connecticut, Minnesota, Michigan and Massachusetts.

21 Nov 2011

Aetna, Banner Health Network enter accountable care collaboration

Aetna today announced an accountable care collaboration with Banner Health Network and the introduction of Aetna Whole Health, a new commercial health care product that provides members access to highly coordinated care from physicians and facilities in the Banner Health Network.

21 Nov 2011

Super committee stuck: Dems spurn latest GOP deficit deal

News outlets covered the latest tension in super committee negotiations. The Republicans offered a much-smaller deal which they say would not cut Medicare or Medicaid.

21 Nov 2011

Roger C. Lipitz Center to offer free Guided Care training and tools for ACOs

The Roger C. Lipitz Center for Integrated Health Care at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will offer free training and technical assistance for organizations that seek to use the Guided Care model to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

19 Nov 2011

Super committee still at loggerheads on deficit, agreement still elusive

With just days remaining to overcome the impasse, deficit panel members appear to be making no progress toward an agreement to reach the 10-year savings target. Still, meetings and discussions continued regarding possible tax increases and cuts in the growth of programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

19 Nov 2011

Colo. Gov. dismisses GOP call for Medicaid waivers; Fla. sanctions Medicaid docs

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper on Thursday rejected a Republican suggestion that he seek a federal waiver to rules governing Medicaid to balance the state budget. The Democratic governor's reaction comes amid a standoff with Republicans over suspending a property-tax break for seniors that costs the state $100 million a year.

19 Nov 2011

Roundup: Fla. Medicare HMO closed; Tufts and BCBS resume talks

Quality Health Plans, a Medicare HMO with 10,000 Florida members, has been ordered into liquidation after failing to come up with the cash reserves the state says were needed. Its members will be moved to another -- still unnamed -- plan by Dec. 1.

19 Nov 2011

New website helps small business owners to review health insurance plans

A greatly expanded website to give small business owners an unprecedented detailed review of their health insurance plan choices was announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

19 Nov 2011

MedSolutions introduces ICD Surgery Management Program

MedSolutions, a leading provider of quality-driven medical cost management services, today announced the launch of its Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Surgery Management Program, which uses evidence-based guidelines to ensure the clinical appropriateness of ICD and CRT-D implantation.

19 Nov 2011

FDA revokes approval of Avastin for breast cancer

The commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration on Friday revoked the approval of the drug Avastin as a treatment for breast cancer, ruling in an emotional issue that pitted the hopes of some desperate patients against the statistics of clinical trials.

19 Nov 2011

CHCWM, Priority Health partner to explore oncology patient-centered medical home

In keeping with society's urgent need for more efficient and effective health care, Priority Health and Cancer and Hematology Centers of West Michigan (CHCWM) have joined forces to explore an innovative oncology patient-centered medical home.

19 Nov 2011

Viewpoints: Waiting for the super committee; TV coverage of Supreme Court's health law session

Congress's bipartisan super committee is heading toward its November 23 deadline with no deal in sight to cut $1.2 trillion from the deficit over 10 years. So it's time to think seriously about the consequences of the default alternative, which would be a $1.2 trillion "sequester," or automatic spending cut, starting in 2013. It's hardly the nightmare of Washington dread.

19 Nov 2011

NCQA to release standards and guidelines that compose new ACO Accreditation program

On November 21, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) will release the standards and guidelines that compose its new Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Accreditation program.

18 Nov 2011

Research roundup: The effect of heart drug costs; Doctors' financial incentives when ordering stress tests

The researchers examined whether drug costs for heart attack patients affects health. Half of a group of more than 5,000 patients were given prescription coverage that eliminated co-payments and expanded drug choices. The others had "usual prescription coverage."

18 Nov 2011

First Edition: November 18, 2011

In today's health policy headlines, reports indicate that the super committee continues to face difficulties and may not make its fast-approaching deadline.

18 Nov 2011

New Jersey HITEC reaches 5,000 primary care providers member milestone

The New Jersey Health Information Technology Extension Center (NJ-HITEC) announced today that it has reached the 5,000 primary care providers member milestone in support of the healthcare evolution to transition to patient Electronic Health Records (EHRs).

18 Nov 2011

Survey finds health care costs a key issue in presidential campaign

Healthcare and the national deficit tied as the second-most important issue after job creation in the 2012 U.S. presidential election, a new survey said. Forty-two percent of the 1,000 adults nationwide surveyed by PwC's Health Research Institute said they would prefer lower healthcare costs over an economic rebound. Nearly half said they made the decision to not seek healthcare or pay for medication at least once in the past year because of how much that care cost.

18 Nov 2011

Medicaid News and Research

Medicare will still cover Avastin for breast cancer, despite revocation of FDA approval

If there's no deficit reduction deal, what happens next?

Viewpoints: Finding savings in Medicare; The Avastin saga; Changes in health care business

State roundup: Provider groups merging - or not

Aetna, Banner Health Network enter accountable care collaboration

Super committee stuck: Dems spurn latest GOP deficit deal

Roger C. Lipitz Center to offer free Guided Care training and tools for ACOs

Super committee still at loggerheads on deficit, agreement still elusive

Colo. Gov. dismisses GOP call for Medicaid waivers; Fla. sanctions Medicaid docs

Roundup: Fla. Medicare HMO closed; Tufts and BCBS resume talks

New website helps small business owners to review health insurance plans

MedSolutions introduces ICD Surgery Management Program

FDA revokes approval of Avastin for breast cancer

CHCWM, Priority Health partner to explore oncology patient-centered medical home

Viewpoints: Waiting for the super committee; TV coverage of Supreme Court's health law session

NCQA to release standards and guidelines that compose new ACO Accreditation program

Research roundup: The effect of heart drug costs; Doctors' financial incentives when ordering stress tests

First Edition: November 18, 2011

New Jersey HITEC reaches 5,000 primary care providers member milestone

Survey finds health care costs a key issue in presidential campaign

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