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Implementation news: ACO ancillary service industry booms; New poll finds spike in support for mandate

Modern Healthcare reports on the many companies that are lining up to play a role in the services, marketing and other related ventures to support accountable care organizations. Meanwhile, Politico Pro reports on a poll released Monday that shows support for the health law's individual mandate is growing.

16 Nov 2011

Obama adminisration unveils plan to expand health care work force

The initiative, which is part of the White House's "We Can't Wait" agenda, will release funds to hire and train health workers as part of its effort to give the U.S. economy a boost.

15 Nov 2011

Fact-checking Romney's debate performance

CNN examines comments made by GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney regarding the possible dollar savings that could result by repealing the health law, while the AP revisits his positions regarding the Massachusetts health law he signed while that state's governor. Also in the news, more on Rick Perry's Texas and where the candidates state on health research.

15 Nov 2011

Risk of heart failure appears to be higher among low-income seniors

The risk of heart failure appears to be higher among low-income seniors — even those with a college education — according to research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham presented during the 2011 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.

15 Nov 2011

Report highlights difficulties in uncovering Medicare fraud

Contractors paid tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to detect fraudulent Medicare claims are using inaccurate and inconsistent data that makes it extremely difficult to catch bogus bills submitted by crooks, according to an inspector general's report released Monday.

15 Nov 2011

N.J. plans to use managed care system for Medicaid enrollees with mental health problems

The N.J. effort must secure federal approval first. Also in Medicaid news, a judge in California this week will hear arguments in the challenge to the state's plans for adult health care.

15 Nov 2011

Viewpoints: Conservative legal path on health law; Romney's plans for Medicare and vets; States moving on reform

A federal appeals court in the District of Columbia endorsed the constitutionality of health care reform this week in an opinion as notable for its authorship as for its legal reasoning. The majority opinion in the 2-to-1 decision was written by Judge Laurence Silberman, a stalwart of conservative jurisprudence whose views are said to be enormously influential in conservative legal circles.

14 Nov 2011

Super committee may delay tax details

As the panel's Nov. 23 deadline approaches and doubts about its ability for success persist, a new approach is emerging in which the panel may opt to postpone politically difficult decisions by deciding the amount of new revenue their deficit-reduction plan would require, but leaving specifics to Congress' tax-writing committees to fill in next year.

14 Nov 2011

American Shared Hospital Services third quarter revenue increases to $9,148,000

AMERICAN SHARED HOSPITAL SERVICES, a leading provider of turnkey technology solutions for advanced radiosurgical and radiation therapy services, today announced financial results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2011.

From Elekta 14 Nov 2011

First Edition: November 14, 2011

In today's headlines, reports about the Supreme Court's expected health law announcement; about where things stand with the super committee and its fast-approaching deadline; and other health policy news.

14 Nov 2011

BSP completes HyperQ technology clinical research study on CAD

BSP Biological Signal Processing Ltd. (BSP), which develops and manufactures products for the non-invasive, accurate diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), recently announced the successful completion of a comprehensive clinical research study evaluating the performance of the company's HyperQ technology in diagnosing CAD.

14 Nov 2011

New information on kidney-related policies in the U.S.

Two studies presented during the American Society of Nephrology's Annual Kidney Week provide new information on kidney-related policies in the United States.

14 Nov 2011

Super committee may push some tax decisions to next year

In an effort to avoid stark failure, a fallback plan is emerging that would push tough decisions on taxes to next year, perhaps into a lame-duck session after the election, according to officials familiar with the panel's discussions. Under this scenario, the two sides would agree now to a level of revenue from new taxes. They would direct the congressional tax-writing committees to revamp the tax code with fixed dates and goals. The object would be to generate new revenue while lowering corporate rates and keeping the top individual bracket no higher than the current 35%.

14 Nov 2011

Super committee stalled as Nov. 23 deadline approaches

The panel's top Republican said Thursday the main obstacle to a deal is Democratic insistence that tax increases be coupled with reforming health care programs.

11 Nov 2011

Senate Finance Committee investigates companies' use of discounts to funnel medical tests their way

The Senate Finance Committee is probing medical testing companies to determine if they offer insurers heavy discounts in exchange for the insurers funneling all of their Medicare tests their way, Senate investigators and a former company employee have told USA Today.

11 Nov 2011

State highlights: Mass. facing cost decisions; Ore. boosting coordinated care; Lawyers tackling Calif. disparities

After passing universal coverage, Massachusetts is now in the throes of a debate about how to bring down its skyrocketing health care costs. And the state's new proposal to regulate how much providers charge for health care could mark a very important and controversial chapter in that fight.

11 Nov 2011

Research roundup: Cutting speciality care by raising co-payments; Asthma diagnosis and insurance coverage; GAO on early retirees

Mayo Clinic Employees Responded To New Requirements For Cost Sharing By Reducing Possibly Unneeded Health Services Use -- Researchers at the Mayo Clinic examined the effects of changes in the clinic's self-funded health plan "to decrease the use of potentially inappropriate health care services and foster a deliver system centered on primary care."

11 Nov 2011

Senate Republicans question role of $10 billion innovation center

Three GOP Senators have asked the Government Accountability Office to examine the effectiveness of this center, which was created by the health law, and to determine whether it is duplicating work that was already the responsibility of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

11 Nov 2011

Health law alphabet soup: ACOs, MLR and other implementation news

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the application for its shared savings program, and Health News Florida reports which of that state's providers will likely throw their hats into the ring.

11 Nov 2011

AARP poll: Iowa, Florida Republicans disagree with candidates on Medicare cuts

In Iowa, the AARP polled 400 past Iowa primary voters on Oct. 17 -18 who said they would attend the Iowa caucuses. The Florida poll, which was similar to the one conducted in Iowa and some other states, involved 500 respondents. Florida has the largest number of retirees in the nation.

11 Nov 2011