Worker News and Research

RSS

Research roundup: Examining readmissions; easing doctor burnout

Despite massive early IT problems, exchange enrollment is accelerating rapidly. While enrollment may not reach 7 million by the end of March, we expect at least 5 million to have enrolled by the close of the initial open-enrollment period. If enrollment falls far short, HHS could extend open enrollment for a fixed period to reach its 7 million target. ... We project that 5 million new beneficiaries will be covered by Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program by the end of 2014. Medicaid managed-care enrollment of non-dual beneficiaries will increase by 20 percent from 2013 to 2014 and by 38 percent from 2013 to 2016. We expect that 75 percent of non-dual Medicaid beneficiaries will be covered by Managed Care Organizations starting in 2015, up from 63 percent in 2012 (Feb. 2014).

14 Feb 2014

Poll: Uninsured rate lowest in five years

In other Obamacare implementation news, some regions are finding few plan options. And HHS is trying to resolve some healthcare.gov issues with a personal touch.

13 Feb 2014

Viewpoints: Obama's 'cavalier approach' to health law; CBO report's job forecast isn't bad news

The Obama administration on Monday announced that it was delaying, once again, enforcement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) "employer mandate." Yes, Republicans have done everything they can to impede implementation of this law.

13 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 11, 2014

Today's headlines include detailed coverage of the Obama administration's announcement that it will delay a health law requirement that mid-sized employers provide health insurance to workers while also allowing larger employers more flexibility.

11 Feb 2014

Viewpoints: The debate at AOL about a baby's medical costs; Gov. Jindal says economy's verdict on health law is not good

Late last week, Tim Armstrong, the chief executive officer of AOL, landed himself in a media firestorm when he held a town hall with employees to explain why he was paring their retirement benefits. After initially blaming Obamacare for driving up the company's health care costs, he pointed the finger at an unlikely target: babies. Specifically, my baby. ... ... She weighed 1 pound, 9 ounces. ... I take issue with how he reduced my daughter to a "distressed baby" who cost the company too much money. How he blamed the saving of her life for his decision to scale back employee benefits. How he exposed the most searing experience of our lives, one that my husband and I still struggle to discuss with anyone but each other, for no other purpose than an absurd justification for corporate cost-cutting (Deanna Fei, 2/9)

11 Feb 2014

State highlights: Wis. Bill would limit worker's comp medical costs; Democratic AG in N.C. to appeal abortion ultrasound ruling; Conn. Medicaid primary care docs double since 2011

Wisconsin would put tighter caps on how much doctors and physical therapists could be paid to treat injured patients covered by worker's compensation insurance, under a bill before lawmakers.

11 Feb 2014

More seniority employees have positive attitudes

One might think that after years of seeing people at their worst, mental health workers would harbor negative attitudes about mental illness, perhaps associating people with mental health issues as less competent or dangerous. But a new study suggests the opposite.

5 Feb 2014

Researchers investigate challenges involved with robots working in manufacturing plants, homes

Two researchers in the pioneering Robotics Engineering Program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) have received awards through the National Science Foundation's (NSF) National Robotics Initiative to investigate and overcome fundamental challenges involved with robots working alongside people in settings such as manufacturing plants and the homes of the elderly.

4 Feb 2014

State highlights: Cities, states spending nearly 32% of budgets on health care; Detroit reaches retiree health coverage agreement; NYC, Calif. back caregiver protection bills

A selection of health policy stories from Michigan, New York, California, Wisconsin, Maryland, Georgia, Colorado and Mississippi.

4 Feb 2014

New super-resolution microscopy method could spot dozens of distinct types of biomolecules

A new microscopy method could enable scientists to generate snapshots of dozens of different biomolecules at once in a single human cell, a team from the Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University reported Sunday in Nature Methods.

4 Feb 2014

Financial, social hardships account for increased likelihood of asthma readmissions among black children

Black children are twice as likely as white children to be readmitted to the hospital for asthma - a disparity due in large part to a greater burden of financial and social hardships, according to a new study.

3 Feb 2014

Study examines direct and indirect costs associated with health inequalities for minority men in the U.S.

African-American men incurred $341.8 billion in excess medical costs due to health inequalities between 2006 and 2009, and Hispanic men incurred an additional $115 billion over the four-year period, according to a new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The study, published this week in the International Journal of Men's Health, looks at the direct and indirect costs associated with health inequalities and projects the potential cost savings of eliminating these disparities for minority men in the U.S.

23 Jan 2014

Viewpoints: High court weighs home health care workers' union rights; abortion protections becoming 'all but meaningless'

On Tuesday, the justices were presented with a golden opportunity to further increase inequality. The court heard arguments in Harris v. Quinn, a case testing whether home-care providers who work under a union contract with the state of Illinois can avoid paying dues that support the union's collective-bargaining work.

23 Jan 2014

Target to drop health coverage for part-time workers

A corporate blog post by the company's human resources chief cited the health plans now available on public health exchanges as part of Target's decision, as well as the fact that only about 10 percent of its estimated 360,000 employees participated in the plan that is being discontinued. Those workers will be given $500 because their current coverage is ending.

23 Jan 2014

Shortage of mental health services underscored by health law

The impact of the health law on individuals needing mental health services, as well as on small businesses and the homeless are explored by various media outlets.

18 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 17, 2014

Today's headlines include reports from Capitol Hill about passage of a $1.1 billion spending bill as well as testimony by an Obama administration official about healthcare.gov

17 Jan 2014

Researchers find new way to boost survival of pediatric patients suffering cardiac arrest

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford have found a new way to boost the survival of pediatric patients whose hearts stop while they are hospitalized.

16 Jan 2014

State highlights: Calif. Governor's budget to include $670M in new Medi-Cal spending; Mass. launches new electronic health records updates

When he unveils his new budget plan Thursday, Gov. Jerry Brown will propose billions of dollars in new spending on schools, health care, social services and environmental programs as California reaps the benefits of an economic turnaround. … The proposed budget includes $670 million more for Medi-Cal, the state's public health care program, which is expanding as part of President Obama's federal overhaul. The program is expected to serve a quarter of California's residents next year.

10 Jan 2014

Undergraduate students develop innovative, non-X-ray device that evaluates spinal movement

Those have undergone extensive back surgery and need repeated X-rays to monitor their progress may soon have access to a new technology that skips the X-rays and repeated radiation exposure, opting instead for an innovative, noninvasive, non-X-ray device that evaluates spinal movement.

10 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 9, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about how the politics of the health law continue to play out on Capitol Hill.

9 Jan 2014

Worker News and Research

Research roundup: Examining readmissions; easing doctor burnout

Poll: Uninsured rate lowest in five years

Viewpoints: Obama's 'cavalier approach' to health law; CBO report's job forecast isn't bad news

First Edition: February 11, 2014

Viewpoints: The debate at AOL about a baby's medical costs; Gov. Jindal says economy's verdict on health law is not good

State highlights: Wis. Bill would limit worker's comp medical costs; Democratic AG in N.C. to appeal abortion ultrasound ruling; Conn. Medicaid primary care docs double since 2011

More seniority employees have positive attitudes

Researchers investigate challenges involved with robots working in manufacturing plants, homes

State highlights: Cities, states spending nearly 32% of budgets on health care; Detroit reaches retiree health coverage agreement; NYC, Calif. back caregiver protection bills

New super-resolution microscopy method could spot dozens of distinct types of biomolecules

Financial, social hardships account for increased likelihood of asthma readmissions among black children

Study examines direct and indirect costs associated with health inequalities for minority men in the U.S.

Viewpoints: High court weighs home health care workers' union rights; abortion protections becoming 'all but meaningless'

Target to drop health coverage for part-time workers

Shortage of mental health services underscored by health law

First Edition: January 17, 2014

Researchers find new way to boost survival of pediatric patients suffering cardiac arrest

State highlights: Calif. Governor's budget to include $670M in new Medi-Cal spending; Mass. launches new electronic health records updates

Undergraduate students develop innovative, non-X-ray device that evaluates spinal movement

First Edition: January 9, 2014

Industry Focus eBook - Neurology/Neuroscience - 2nd edition eBook

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

Latest News