Managed Care News and Research

RSS

Registered nurses conduct joint informational picketing to protest against changes in RN staffing levels

The registered nurses of Boston Medical Center's East Newton Campus and Tufts Medical Center, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, are taking the unprecedented step of conducting joint informational picketing outside their respective facilities on Feb. 11, 2010 to protest what they believe are dangerous changes in RN staffing levels, which will result in nurses caring for too many patients at one time and could compromise the quality of patient care.

11 Feb 2010

sanofi-aventis reports 2009 fourth-quarter and full-year net earnings

Commenting on the Group's 2009 performance, sanofi-aventis Chief Executive Officer Christopher A. Viehbacher said, "2009 was the first year of implementation of our new strategy. Major steps have already been achieved in strengthening our growth platforms and reinforcing our R&D pipeline while delivering a double-digit EPS(1) growth".

10 Feb 2010

DTM programs increase adherence to injectable medications and treatment persistence in MS patients

A new study reveals that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients enrolled in a seven-month disease therapy management (DTM) program show greater adherence to injectable MS medications and treatment persistence than patients who receive injectable MS medications through a community pharmacy.

10 Feb 2010

Proposed 2010-11 Rendell budget preserves essential health care and safety net services

Governor Edward G. Rendell's proposed 2010-11 budget maintains essential health care and other safety net services during the economic recovery by better managing programs, attacking waste and reducing unnecessary spending.

10 Feb 2010

Triple-S Management reports consolidated revenues of $516.9 million for fourth-quarter 2009

Triple-S Management Corporation, the largest managed care company in Puerto Rico, today announced consolidated revenues of $516.9 million and operating income of $34.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2009.

9 Feb 2010

Centene announces fourth quarter and full year 2009 financial results

Centene Corporation today announced its financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2009. The results of operations for our New Jersey health plan, University Health Plans, are classified as discontinued operations.

9 Feb 2010

Glaucoma medications appear to reduce mortality risk

Glaucoma patients who take medication for the condition appear to have a reduced likelihood of death, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

9 Feb 2010

Research roundup: Medicare spending, community health centers, children's dental services

Health Affairs: Prices Don't Drive Regional Medicare Spending Variations - "Per capita Medicare spending is more than twice as high in New York City and Miami than in places like Salem, Oregon.

6 Feb 2010

N.J., Tenn. and Florida battling growing Medicaid costs; need for health care for parolees in Calif.

Medicaid costs in many states are expanding deficits while lawmakers and the public struggle to keep up with the growth in health costs.

6 Feb 2010

Physmark introduces HealthKeys for preventive care programs

Physmark has announced HealthKeys, a software system and service based on the company's patent-pending cost model that measures the effectiveness and cost savings of preventive care programs.

5 Feb 2010

CCHP implements TriZetto systems to improve its network and health management programs

The TriZetto Group, Inc. today announced that Chinese Community Health Plan (CCHP) has successfully implemented several TriZetto systems, including the Facets®, NetworX Pricer® and Clinical CareAdvance® applications.

5 Feb 2010

State round up: Florida considers eliminating popular Medicaid plan; State program for low-income adults changing in Minn.

e year the state of Florida eliminates its popular MediPass program, which gives more than half a million Medicaid recipients, mostly aged and disabled Floridians, an alternative to HMOs. Hints of its demise showed up in the governor's budget and letters from a powerful lawmaker.

4 Feb 2010

Ohio changes Medicaid drug program, N.C. weighs cuts in Medicaid personal care services

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Ohio's seven Medicaid managed care plans this month will make changes in the prescription drug plans that cover about 1.5 million people, although many of those beneficiaries will not face increased costs.

3 Feb 2010

Tenet Healthcare signs multi-year agreement with MultiPlan

Tenet Healthcare Corporation today announced that it signed a multi-year agreement with MultiPlan, Inc., effective Jan. 1, 2010. The agreement includes participation in the PHCS (formerly Private Healthcare Systems) Network, the MultiPlan Network and, in select markets, PHCS Savility, which is MultiPlan’s newest primary PPO network.

3 Feb 2010

Amilpar subsidiary holds 97.6% of Medial Saude's total capital after share acquisition

Amilpar, the largest managed care organization in Brazil, in accordance with article 157, paragraph 4, of Law 6,404/76 (Brazilian Corporate Law) and CVM Instruction no. 358/02, informs its shareholders and the market that its subsidiary Amil Assistencia Medica Internacional Ltda. ("Applicant") acquired, in the Public Offer auction (Tag Along) for the acquisition of common shares issued by Medial Saude S.A.

30 Jan 2010

Research roundup: Raising seniors' co-pays increases costs; The stimulus and safety net providers

New England Journal of Medicine: Increased Ambulatory Care Copayments And Hospitalizations Among The Elderly - This study examines the consequences of increasing copayments for outpatient care of Medicare enrollees in managed-care plans. "As compared with matched control plans in which copayments for ambulatory care were unchanged, Medicare plans that increased these copayments by an average of 95% for primary care and 74% for specialty care had a reduction in the number of outpatient visits but an increase in hospital admissions, in the number of days of hospital care, and in the proportion of enrollees who used hospital care," the authors write.

30 Jan 2010

Annual spring conference to focus on behavioral health services for children, youth and young adults

Developing comprehensive behavioral health services for children, youth, young adults and families will be the subject of the annual spring conference of Community Care, a nonprofit behavioral health managed care organization that is part of UPMC and based in Pittsburgh.

29 Jan 2010

Increased cost sharing may hurt seniors' health care

Cost sharing and increased co-pays, even if it's just a few dollars, can lead seniors to put off visits to the doctor and result in increased hospital admissions and longer hospital stays, according to a new study.

28 Jan 2010

Health care stocks gain as reform falters

"Health care stocks lagged the broader market's recovery in 2009," Forbes reports.

27 Jan 2010

Web-based records worried patients, prompting more neutral language

Kaiser Permanente's experience while providing digital records to patients highlights the potential for miscommunications -- and sometimes needless alarm, The Huffington Post Investigative Fund reports. The health care company gave patients access to the same online lab reports that went to doctors and they included warning messages, such as a capital "H" to indicate above average results. That worried enough patients that the managed-care giant changed its format.

27 Jan 2010

Managed Care News and Research

Registered nurses conduct joint informational picketing to protest against changes in RN staffing levels

sanofi-aventis reports 2009 fourth-quarter and full-year net earnings

DTM programs increase adherence to injectable medications and treatment persistence in MS patients

Proposed 2010-11 Rendell budget preserves essential health care and safety net services

Triple-S Management reports consolidated revenues of $516.9 million for fourth-quarter 2009

Centene announces fourth quarter and full year 2009 financial results

Glaucoma medications appear to reduce mortality risk

Research roundup: Medicare spending, community health centers, children's dental services

N.J., Tenn. and Florida battling growing Medicaid costs; need for health care for parolees in Calif.

Physmark introduces HealthKeys for preventive care programs

CCHP implements TriZetto systems to improve its network and health management programs

State round up: Florida considers eliminating popular Medicaid plan; State program for low-income adults changing in Minn.

Ohio changes Medicaid drug program, N.C. weighs cuts in Medicaid personal care services

Tenet Healthcare signs multi-year agreement with MultiPlan

Amilpar subsidiary holds 97.6% of Medial Saude's total capital after share acquisition

Research roundup: Raising seniors' co-pays increases costs; The stimulus and safety net providers

Annual spring conference to focus on behavioral health services for children, youth and young adults

Increased cost sharing may hurt seniors' health care

Health care stocks gain as reform falters

Web-based records worried patients, prompting more neutral language

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Latest News