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First Edition: April 1, 2011

Today's health policy news coverage helps fill in the details of the much-anticipated rule for accountable care organizations, which was released yesterday by the Obama administration.

1 Apr 2011

Roundup: Minn. and Fla. weigh changes in programs for disabled, poor; Iowa lawmakers consider new abortion restrictions

Due to a shockingly large deficit, Gov. Rick Scott is planning to invoke his emergency powers and make deep cuts to the rates charged by group homes and case workers who help the developmentally disabled. Scott could announce a 15 percent rate cut as early as Thursday to close the $170 million budget gap in the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, according to lawmakers who were briefed Wednesday.

1 Apr 2011

Revenues grow, but states wrestle with shortfalls in Medicaid needs

A new Census Bureau report find revenues for local and state governments are growing but many states are still having difficulty funding Medicaid programs. In Conn., the governor says he has reservations about a proposal to create a new entity to oversee state health care. California and New Jersey officials are having trouble finding cuts to balance the budget. And hospital officials in Texas are urging lawmakers to not trim health care.

31 Mar 2011

GOP looks to reshape Medicaid; Democrats question HHS stance on cuts

Republicans are gearing up to make suggested changes to the Medicaid system, one GOP lawmaker reports. At the same time, some congressional Democrats are unhappy with the administration's efforts to help states find trims in the program.

28 Mar 2011

State-level action, reactions coincide with health law anniversary

Party politics appear to be a key determinant in how states and state-level officials are reacting to the measure's implementation.

25 Mar 2011

State roundup: Vt. closer to single payer plan

After a full day and evening of debate, the Vermont House gave preliminary approval to health care reform legislation that's designed to put the state on the path toward a single payer system. ... The heart of the bill is the creation of a five person Health Care Board, modeled after the Public Service Board, which will oversee virtually every aspect of health care in the state.

25 Mar 2011

Money matters: Some of the health law's big winners, possible costs emerge

MarketWatch reports that insurance companies appear to be coming out in the win column. Meanwhile, a new industry report details some of the health law's "hidden" costs.

24 Mar 2011

Decision Resources: 68% of gastroenterologists select Remicade for Crohn's treatment

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that more than two-thirds of surveyed gastroenterologists selected Centocor Ortho Biotech/Merck & Co./Mitsubishi Tanabe's Remicade as the most efficacious therapy for Crohn's disease, when compared to other currently available agents.

24 Mar 2011

ACS announces definitive agreement to acquire CredenceHealth

Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS), A Xerox Company, today announced a definitive agreement to acquire CredenceHealth, Inc., creating a simple way for healthcare providers to use patient information to predict and prevent complications.

21 Mar 2011

Medicaid, state health programs face continued budget cuts

Voters in a Pennsylvania poll expressed their opposition to the cuts proposed by the state's governor. Meanwhile, though, a number of states continue to wrestle with these spending challenges.

19 Mar 2011

Non-adherence to chronic opioid therapy increases healthcare costs and hospital days

Patients undergoing opioid therapy for chronic pain who may not be following their prescription regimen have significantly higher overall healthcare costs, Ameritox Ltd. announced recently. The study was published in The American Journal of Managed Care.

18 Mar 2011

Roundup: Cuts in Calif. programs; Ga. seeks federal MLR waiver; N.J. lawmakers try to restore some health funding

State lawmakers Wednesday approved billions of dollars in cuts to welfare, medical programs for the poor and in-home care for the elderly and frail, among other services, moving forward key pieces of Gov. Jerry Brown's budget reduction package.

18 Mar 2011

Improving care for Medicaid's sickest 5% could help reduce funding gap

Politico reports that the Obama administration is targeting this very needy population, many of whom are known as dual eligibles, for better care because — although their numbers are actually quite small — the amount of program money they use is quite large.

16 Mar 2011

UnitedHealth Group ranked No. 1 on FORTUNE's 2011 'World's Most Admired Companies'

Diversified health and well-being company UnitedHealth Group earned the top overall ranking among insurance and managed care companies in FORTUNE's 2011 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, featured in the magazine's March 21 issue.

11 Mar 2011

BioScrip fourth quarter revenue increases 31.9% to $450.4 million

BioScrip, Inc. today announced 2010 fourth quarter and year-end financial results. Fourth quarter revenue was $450.4 million with a net loss of $67.1 million, or $1.25 per share, which included a deferred-tax asset valuation allowance expense of $54.0 million and $9.2 million of litigation, restructuring, integration, acquisition, severance and CAP bad debt expense.

11 Mar 2011

ADVANTAGE, ITA to implement proprietary oncology decision-support platform

To improve outcomes and manage costs for members with cancer, ADVANTAGE Health Solutions, Inc. has contracted with ITA Partners to implement eviti - ITA's proprietary oncology decision-support platform - across their provider network.

9 Mar 2011

GRACE model improves health and reduces Medicare costs in high risk seniors

The March 2011 issue of the journal Heath Affairs highlights an evidence-based model of geriatric care management developed, implemented and tested by researchers and clinicians from Indiana University, the Regenstrief Institute and Wishard Health Services.

9 Mar 2011

Florida considers managed care program to cut Medicaid costs

In Florida, the state legislature is looking for ways to cut Medicaid costs and one of the options is setting up a state-wide managed care program.

9 Mar 2011

Roundup: Medicaid cuts coming in Pa., Kansas; Mass. insurance hikes

Come Tuesday morning, bad news will abound in the Capitol - and it will be in the billions. That is when Gov. Corbett is to unveil, at last, the closely guarded details of his first state budget to the legislature and the people of Pennsylvania.

8 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 8, 2011

In today's headlines, news about ongoing budget discussions and how issues like Medicare spending and the health law fit into them as well as reports about the growing interest in replacing the current chief of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

8 Mar 2011