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Cost controls key for insurers participating in Federal Employee Health Plan

The Office of Personnel Management has urged companies participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program to boost their efforts to hold down the cost of prescription drugs.

27 Mar 2014

Contraceptive commentary: Religious liberty should not be constrained; women employees are forgotten

The Affordable Care Act returned to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, as the Justices heard a major challenge to the law's birth-control mandate. Five and maybe even six Justices across ideological lines seemed discomfited by the Administration's cramped conception of religious liberty (3/25).

27 Mar 2014

Too-restricted hours may work for some residents, but not for surgical residents

Strictly limiting the number of hours surgical residents can work has not improved patient outcomes but may have increased complications for some patients and led to higher failure rates on certification exams, a research paper concludes.

27 Mar 2014

Convey updates Taxport Compass tool for ACA tax reporting

In time for the implementation of new Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax reporting requirements, Convey Compliance Systems Inc. has announced an update to Taxport Compass™ to make understanding and complying with these obligations easier.

27 Mar 2014

N.H. lawmakers vote to expand Medicaid; VA. still at impasse

In New Hampshire, the legislature approved the bill and sent it to the governor. The Virginia House, controlled by Republicans who oppose an expansion of the program for low-income residents, approved a budget that does not accept the governor's request for expansion.

27 Mar 2014

State highlights: Bad grades for 45 states on medical price posting; Kan. Planned Parenthood funds; Conn. for-profit hospitals

A selection of health policy stories from California, Kansas, Connecticut, North Carolina and Minnesota.

27 Mar 2014

High court hears arguments regarding health law's contraception coverage requirement

The justices appeared to be divided on the question of whether companies are entitled to a religious exemption from this mandate. A decision is expected in June.

27 Mar 2014

People eat more breakfast cereal when flake size is reduced, say researchers

People eat more breakfast cereal, by weight, when flake size is reduced, according to Penn State researchers, who showed that when flakes are reduced by crushing, people pour a smaller volume of cereal into their bowls, but still take a greater amount by weight and calories.

27 Mar 2014

Chefs at Michigan Technological University share secrets to healthy eating

Michigan Technological University chefs are running seminars on healthy eating for faculty and staff.

27 Mar 2014

Redesigned medication alerts in EMR reduce prescribing errors, increase efficiency

Changing how medication alerts are presented in electronic medical records resulted in safer prescribing, increased efficiency and reduced workload for health care providers who placed drug orders in a study published online in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.

27 Mar 2014

Obama administration will extend HealthCare.gov sign-up period beyond March 31 deadline

People who began the enrollment process but were not able to finish it because of technical problems will be given additional time to enroll in a health plan.

27 Mar 2014

States say federal exchange stalling Medicaid and CHIP applications

CQ HealthBeat is reporting that more than 400,000 people who qualify for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program are waiting for their applications to be sent from the federal insurance exchange website to states for processing.

27 Mar 2014

Expert highlights the importance of gender-specific approach for treating diabetes mellitus

The international guidelines on the drug-based therapy of diabetes mellitus specify which factors need to be taken into account during treatment.

27 Mar 2014

Challenge to health insurance subsidies at center of appeals court hearing

News outlets report that a split federal appeals court on Tuesday debated whether individuals buying health insurance in the federal marketplace should be eligible for tax subsidies, presenting a potentially serious legal challenge to a central part of President Barack Obama's health care law.

27 Mar 2014

Higher exposure to TRAP increases odds of readmission to hospital for asthma

Higher exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) dramatically increases the odds of readmission to the hospital for asthma - but only for white children, according to a new Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study.

27 Mar 2014

Democrats focus on pocketbook issues after rocky health law rollout

On the defensive about health law missteps, the White House and congressional Democrats are stepping up attacks on the GOP over pocketbook issues like the minimum wage. Meanwhile, The Washington Post's Fact Checker looks at a new attack ad.

27 Mar 2014

TCSPP to launch online B.A. Completion Program in Psychology in fall 2014

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (TCSPP), the leading nonprofit national graduate school devoted exclusively to psychology and related behavioral and health sciences, will offer an online Bachelor's of Arts Completion Program in Psychology for the first time starting fall 2014.

27 Mar 2014

ACE Group launches standalone Passenger Accident Insurance

ACE Group today announced the introduction of standalone Passenger Accident Insurance. This coverage provides accidental death and dismemberment and accident medical/dental expense benefits for authorized passengers who are injured while traveling with a driver who is working under the operating authority of the motor carrier.

27 Mar 2014

Miriam Hospital ICU attains silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence

The Intensive Care Unit at The Miriam Hospital has attained a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence from The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. The three-year award recognizes the hospital for its exceptional patient care and improved patient outcomes, and practices that follow the AACN's six Healthy Work Environment Standards.

27 Mar 2014

Weighing coverage options down to the wire

Some uninsured Americans, among them young adults, are weighing the costs of coverage against potential penalties with only days to go until the end of open enrollment for most people. Meanwhile, Minnesota's health insurance exchange hits its enrollment target.

27 Mar 2014