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Viewpoints: Insurance rate increases; High risk pools; Mental health funding

In another sign of dysfunction in the U.S. healthcare system, Blue Shield of California has levied three rate increases in rapid succession that could raise some premiums as much as 59%. New state Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has said he plans to scrutinize the increases, and that's a good thing, given that Anthem Blue Cross sought a huge increase in premiums last year based on faulty math. But Blue Shield's request also highlights why the country should stay the course on healthcare reform (1/12).

13 Jan 2011

Roundup: Penn. and Conn. insurance issues; MD. hospital's uncompensated care; Calif. budget

Pennsylvania's subsidized health insurance for low-income working people will likely end next month, officials on Gov.-elect Tom Corbett's transition team said Tuesday, leaving more than 40,000 people with less palatable options and dashing the hopes of more than 400,000 on the waiting list.

13 Jan 2011

California insurance commissioner asks more insurers to delay rate hikes

Last week the new insurance chief asked Blue Shield Of Califorina to delay its increase. This week his attention includes Anthem, Aetna and PacifiCare.

13 Jan 2011

Insufficient evidence of interstitial brachytherapy's advantages for localized prostate cancer treatment

It remains an unresolved issue as to whether interstitial brachytherapy has advantages compared to other therapy options in men with localized prostate cancer, nor do newer studies provide proof in this respect. This is the result of a report published by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) on 11 January 2011.

12 Jan 2011

Advisers poised to determine which insurance benefits are 'essential'

Meetings begin this week to determine what benefits insurers must cover under the new health law. The resulting regulation will be just one of the ways in which the new health law will change the health care landscape.

12 Jan 2011

Ruling may foreshadow Supreme Court's view of key health law provision

Legal experts are reviewing a recent ruling by the Supreme Court which involved the Commerce Clause, the central point in pending challenges to the health overhaul.

12 Jan 2011

Coventry Health Care offers new medicare plans for employer group

Coventry Health Care of Florida is first to the greater Tampa market with a portfolio of hybrid PPO health care plans that blend the best features of traditional co-pay based plans with the freedom and affordability of consumer-directed plans.

12 Jan 2011

More states join lawsuit challenging the health law

As power shifts at the state level, news outlets report that Georgia, Ohio and Wisconsin are joining the multi-state challenge. The individual mandate is the focus of this legal action.

12 Jan 2011

First Edition: January 11, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about how a recent high court ruling may offer clues as to how the Supreme Court will view a key aspect of the health overhaul law.

11 Jan 2011

Group health insurance policies help attract high calibre employees

Group health insurance policies are an excellent means of attracting high calibre employees to your business. That's according to advisers from Health Insurance Solutions.

11 Jan 2011

California's DWC releases new medical bill regulations for public comment

New California electronic medical billing regulations and revised paper medical billing requirements were released January 6th for public comment by California's Division of Workers Compensation (DWC). The regulations, part of the Division's 12-point plan to help control medical costs in California's workers' compensation system, will be signed into law in approximately 60 days.

11 Jan 2011

African-American men's delay in getting preventive medical care more attributable to medical mistrust than masculinity

Whether they see themselves as tough or just self-reliant, men are less likely than women to seek routine, preventive medical care, like blood pressure and cholesterol screenings.

11 Jan 2011

Survey reveals rise in Americans' concern over privacy of genetic information

A report just released by Cogent Research, in partnership with CAHG, reveals that Americans are more concerned than ever about the privacy of their genetic information. Furthermore, this concern is increasingly inhibiting the likelihood that they will consider having a molecular diagnostic test. These and other findings are explored in more detail in the 5th edition of the Cogent Genomics, Attitudes & Trends study (CGAT 2010).

11 Jan 2011

Roundup: Okla.'s health reform lawsuit; Medicaid issues draw attention in Texas, N.Y., N.J.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's alliance with the state's health-care union and hospital lobby is drawing fire from some patient advocates, who question the governor's decision to give the powerful industry figures a front-and-center role in the process of overhauling Medicaid (Gershman, 1/8).

10 Jan 2011

How the overhaul's small business tax credit is working

Kansas Health Institute News explores how tax credits — one existing at the state level and the new one put in place by the health law — may be encouraging small business owners to provide health coverage to their employees.

10 Jan 2011

First Edition: January 10, 2011

Health policy headlines include reports about the decision to delay the scheduled House vote on repealing the health law.

10 Jan 2011

GOP sets stage for health reform law repeal vote; Dems fight back, citing CBO report

News outlets report that as House Republicans moved ahead to bring the repeal of the health law to a floor vote next week, political messaging wars about the law are continuing.

10 Jan 2011

Anthem Blue Cross, Washington Hospital enter agreement to deliver quality care

Washington Hospital and Anthem Blue Cross today announced that they have reached an agreement which will continue the Hospital's delivery of quality care to Anthem members and the Tri-City community's access to its local hospital.

10 Jan 2011

Research roundup: Accountable Care Organizations; Electronic health records; Medicaid and deficit reductions

Health Affairs: Accountable Care Organizations: Making Them Work - The January issue of the journal features several articles examining initiatives underway that could help form ACOs, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' "Alternative Quality Contract,"a modified global payment model in which annual payments to medical groups are linked to a per member per month budget.

7 Jan 2011

Roundup: Calif. and health reform; Conn. mental health parity; Insurance premium increases in Iowa, Fla.

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield's proposed 11 percent health insurance premium increase is excessive, two experts have concluded. The company, which insures three-quarters of Iowans who buy their own policies, already raised premiums on those plans an average of 18 percent last spring. Wellmark sparked outcries when it announced in November that it wants to raise those rates again in order to keep up with rising prices and increased use of medical care (Leys, 1/7).

7 Jan 2011