Quantcast
Channel: Health Insurance Headlines on One News Page [United States]
Viewing all 22794 articles
Browse latest View live

Obama Confident High Court Will Uphold Health Subsidies

0
0
President Obama expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would uphold subsidies millions of consumers use to buy health insurance, and warned of possible dire consequences if that doesn’t happen. Reported by Wall Street Journal 8 hours ago.

eMindful Continues Attracting Top Talent To Address Growing Employer Wellness Market; Offers Programs Demonstrated to Reduce Employee Stress, Related Health Impairments

0
0
Greg Hiss, Veteran Employee Benefits Sales Executive Joins Leadership Team

Vero Beach, FL (PRWEB) June 09, 2015

eMindful, the leading provider of applied mindfulness programs for employer wellness efforts, has hired Greg Hiss as senior vice president of sales for the U.S. eastern region. Hiss has more than 25 years’ experience in sales management and leadership roles with major wellness organizations, health insurance carriers and health care delivery systems. He is responsible for expanding the distribution channel with employee benefit consultants, brokers and insurance carriers, as well as managing large private and public sector employer accounts.

Formerly, Hiss was vice president of sales for Marathon Health, a provider of onsite health services at employer work-sites, health assessment, risk reduction coaching, disease management, and wellness education. Here, he developed relationships with consulting firms Mercer, Towers Watson, Lockton, Wells Fargo, and others. Previously he held national and regional sales roles with Humana, Aetna, Caremark and others, winning numerous awards for his sales performance and excellence.

“Our bringing in sales executives with track records like Greg’s is not just gratifying, it’s validation of our momentum in the market,” said eMindful CEO Kelley McCabe. “We’re expanding the management team in accordance with our strategic plan as well as the growing interest among employers for bringing applied mindfulness programs into the workplace.”

According to IBIS World, the market for employer wellness services is strong and growing with 93 percent of companies planning to expand or maintain wellness-based incentive programs over the next three to five years. Major employers and insurers are increasingly bringing mindfulness based training into their wellness offerings.

eMindful is the only company offering a guaranteed return on investment for its live, online, mindfulness classes addressing stress, metabolic syndrome, and other costly conditions. With thousands of participants from around the world, the company’s programs have been demonstrated to have a significant outcome on a diverse range of health indicators.

About eMindful
eMindful provides applied mindfulness programs targeting some of the biggest modifiable health cost drivers facing employers -- stress / resiliency, metabolic syndrome, smoking, diabetes, cancer, and chronic pain. It is the only company providing these programs through live, online classrooms --which are more accessible and scalable than in-person training, and more engaging than recorded content.

Its evidence-based programs have been adopted by leading employers and health insurers such as NextEra Energy and Aetna, with results recently receiving the acclaim of the New York Times, PBS NewsHour and CBS This Morning. The company’s Mindfulness at Work® program was recognized by the National Business Group on Health for innovation.

Since 2007, eMindful’s corporate partners have averaged estimated savings of $8 for every $1 spent, by improving stress levels, metabolic syndrome, sleep quality, smoking cessation rates, employee productivity and happiness. To learn more about eMindful or how to participate in a mindfulness program, visit eMindful.com.

                                                                                    ### Reported by PRWeb 6 hours ago.

Some States Make Obamacare Backup Plans, As Supreme Court Decision Looms

0
0
A Supreme Court ruling could threaten health insurance subsidies in about three dozen states. But many states aren't sharing contingency plans lest they be seen as supporting Obamacare. Reported by NPR 5 hours ago.

Obama: Congress can fix health law if court rules against it

0
0
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says he has no alternate plan if the Supreme Court invalidates a key benefit of his health care law. Obama's remarks at the end of an international summit in Germany came as the high court prepares to announce a decision sometime later this month that could wipe out health insurance for millions of people. Reported by SeattlePI.com 5 hours ago.

EY Announces Dave Sanders, M.D., Co-Founder, ZOOM+is An EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2015 Award Winner in the Pacific Northwest

0
0
Award recognizes entrepreneurial excellence in healthcare category.

Hillsboro, Ore (PRWEB) June 09, 2015

EY announced that Dave Sanders, Co-Founder and CEO, ZOOM+, the innovator of on-demand healthcare and Performance Health Insurance, received the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2015 Award in the healthcare category in the Pacific Northwest. The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Sanders was selected by an independent panel of judges, and the award was presented at a special gala event at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel on June 5th.

“We started 9 years ago with a bold promise,” said Sanders, “to deliver Twice the Health, at Half the Cost and Ten Times the Delight. Today, ZOOM+ represents a new generation of healthcare, a complete system with insurance built in that you control with your phone. One that is not based on sickness, nor even on wellness, but on enhancing human performance. Everyday we get closer to our promise of Twice. 1/2. Ten.”

Now in its 29th year, the program has honored the inspirational leadership of such entrepreneurs as Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company, Pierre Omidyar of eBay, Inc., and Mindy Grossman of HSN. Recent US national winners include Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn; Hamdi Ulukaya, founder of Chobani; and 2014 winner Dr. David Hung, President and CEO and Chairman of Medivation.

As a Pacific Northwest award winner, Sanders is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 14, 2015. The awards are the culminating event of the EY Strategic Growth Forum®, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

Sponsors
Founded and produced by EY, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are sponsored nationally by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and SAP America.
In the Pacific Northwest, sponsors also include Merrill Datasite, Union Bank and Scherzer International.

About ZOOM+
ZOOM+, the Portland-based innovator of on-demand healthcare, is creating the nation’s first health insurance system built from the ground up to enhance human performance. By seamlessly combining the security of traditional health insurance with membership-based brain, cellular and strength/stamina training and coaching, ZOOM+ Performance Health Insurance is empowering people to reach their full potential. Co-founded in 2006 in Portland, Oregon by healthcare entrepreneurs David Sanders, M.D., and Albert DiPiero, M.D., ZOOM+ (formerly called ZoomCare) was built on the promise of delivering “Twice the Health At Half the Cost With Ten Times the Delight.” ZOOM+ is a privately held company currently operating 26 neighborhood clinics in Portland, Vancouver and Seattle. ZOOM+ was selected one of the most admired healthcare companies in Oregon in 2014 and has been a finalist for the Oregon Entrepreneur Network's Growth Company of the Year.

ZOOM+ has been responsible for many retail healthcare firsts. The company built the first mobile online scheduler with same-day access to more than 500 no-wait appointments; created the innovative neighborhood retail clinic format; invented the "Magic Minute" and "Painless Procedure;" helped pass legislation allowing clinics to provide prescription medications; published transparent prices on the website; offered convenient office hours 365 days a year, in some cases until midnight.

For additional information about ZOOM+, please visit ZoomCare.com and our Facebook page.

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year®
EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries.

About EY’s Strategic Growth Markets practice
EY’s Strategic Growth Markets (SGM) practice guides leading high-growth companies. Our multidisciplinary teams of elite professionals provide perspective and advice to help our clients accelerate market leadership. SGM delivers assurance, tax, transactions and advisory services to thousands of companies spanning all industries. EY is the undisputed leader in taking companies public, advising key government agencies on the issues impacting high-growth companies and convening the experts who shape the business climate. For more information, please visit us at ey.com/us/strategicgrowthmarkets, or follow news on Twitter @EY_Growth.

About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com. Reported by PRWeb 47 minutes ago.

Some States Make Obamacare Backup Plans, As Supreme Court Decision Looms

0
0
A Supreme Court ruling could threaten health insurance subsidies in about three dozen states. But many states aren't sharing contingency plans lest they be seen as supporting Obamacare. Reported by NPR 21 hours ago.

Google May Back Bangalore Healthcare Startup

0
0
Most Indians don't have health insurance and typically pay doctors in cash directly. Reported by IBTimes 1 day ago.

Pets Best Pet Insurance Announces Survey Results of Top Toxic Substances for U.S. Dogs and Cats

0
0
Chocolate tops the list of toxicities for dogs, while lilies are No. 1 for cats

Boise, Idaho (PRWEB) June 09, 2015

Common household items top the list of toxic substances that send pets in for veterinary visits, according to a new survey released by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC (Pets Best).

Toxins are one of the most frequent pet insurance claims submitted by pet owners partly due to the seemingly innocent nature of many substances that can harm dogs and cats.

Chocolate, headache medicine, grapes and raisins can all cause serious harm to dogs and make up some of the most likely substances to set off an emergency situation, according to the Pets Best survey. Cats are poisoned most often with a common flower, lilies, but also are susceptible to headache medicine, onions, chives and garlic.

“The majority of items on these lists are not toxic to humans,” said Dr. Jack Stephens, founder of Pets Best. “I’ve always felt that without that element of personal danger, many people tend to not realize the potentially harmful items that can be accessed by their pets.”

Even the most responsible owners can be surprised by what their pet finds in and around the house. Pets Best hopes that by raising awareness of these toxins that pet owners may be able to prevent these threats to their pets before they occur, keeping both pets and owners happy and healthy.

Both dogs and cats can also land at the veterinarian for more obvious dangers. Mouse/Rat poison is the second most common toxin causing a vet visit for dogs, and the third most common for cats, according to the survey.

The national survey was conducted by Pets Best Pet Insurance via an online survey administered between March 19 and April 21, 2015. A total of 362 veterinarians responded.

Listed by rank, substance and percent of all responses, the most common toxic substances veterinarians treat dogs for include:

1. Chocolate - 47.6%
2. Mouse/Rat Poison - 28.8%
3. Marijuana - 6.1%
4. Aspirin/Ibuprofen/Acetaminophen - 5.2%
5. Grapes and Raisins - 2.0%
6. Xylitol - 2.0%
7. Anti-Freeze - 1.7%
8. Human Medications - 1.4%
9. Mushrooms - 0.6%
10. Sago Palm - 0.6%

Listed by rank, substance and percent of all responses, the most common toxic substances veterinarians treat cats for include:

1. Lilies - 41.2%
2. Aspirin/Ibuprofen/Acetaminophen - 21.3%
3. Mouse/Rat Poison - 12.1%
4. Dog Flea & Tick Products - 7.8%
5. Onions / Chives / Garlic - 2.9%
6. Sago Palm - 2.0%
7. Other human medications - 1.7%
8. Chocolate - 1.4%
9. Other Plants - 1.4%
10. Amaryllis - 1.2%

“If a pet owner suspects their dog or cat has consumed any of these toxins, they should contact their veterinarian immediately,” said Dr. Stephens, “A quick response to the consumption of any toxic substance can mean a huge advantage in saving a pet’s life.”

About Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC
Dr. Jack L. Stephens, founder and director of Pets Best, founded pet insurance in the U.S. in 1981 with a mission to end euthanasia when pet owners couldn’t afford veterinary treatment. Dr. Stephens went on to present the first U.S. pet insurance policy to famous television dog Lassie. Pets Best provides coverage for dogs and cats. Dr. Stephens leads the Pets Best team with his passion for quality pet care and his expert veterinary knowledge. He is always available to answer questions regarding veterinary medicine, pet health and pet insurance. The Pets Best team is a group of pet lovers who strive to deliver quality customer service and value. Visit http://www.petsbest.com for more information.

Pet insurance coverage offered and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC is underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company, a Delaware insurance company. Independence American Insurance Company is a member of The IHC Group, an organization of insurance carriers and marketing and administrative affiliates that has been providing life, health, disability, medical stop-loss and specialty insurance solutions to groups and individuals for over 30 years. For information on The IHC Group, visit: http://www.ihcgroup.com. Additional insurance services administered by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC are underwritten by Prime Insurance Company. Some existing business is underwritten by Aetna Insurance Company of Connecticut. Each insurer has sole financial responsibility for its own products.

Pets Best is a proud member of the North America Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA).

### Reported by PRWeb 1 day ago.

Watertree Health President Offers A Solution During National Migraine Awareness Month

0
0
People with migraines suffer because they can’t pay for their medications. Watertree Health’s free Prescription Discount Card can provide much-needed relief.

Destin, FL (PRWEB) June 09, 2015

June is National Migraine Awareness Month—a time to review how this medical condition affects so many people.

More than 36 million people in America live with migraines, and up to a third or more of them are not receiving optimal treatment, due in part to prescription migraine medications being too expensive or not being covered by health insurance.

While most sufferers experience migraines once or twice a month, 14 million people or about 4% have chronic daily headaches. Their attacks occur at least 15 days per month. Many insurance companies limit the number of doses per month that are covered, in many cases to only 4 pills. This poses a real problem for chronic migraine sufferers who can’t afford the high out-of-pocket price of their prescription medicine.

Given migraines interfere with a sufferer’s ability to function in everyday life, many live with the fear that they’ll run out of pills. It has been reported that they try to restrict their pill intake and hoard each month. People with these severe headaches sometimes adopt harmful behavior. For example, they may delay taking their expensive prescription medication, which may only make it worse. They also may self-medicate using over-the-counter medication, taking too much and actually causing headaches from over-usage.

“It is unacceptable that people with migraines suffer because they can’t pay for their prescription medications,” said Watertree Health President Shane Power. “Watertree Health’s free Prescription Discount Card can provide much-needed relief. It is readily available to anyone and can save up to 75 percent on prescription migraine medications.”

The Watertree Health Prescription Discount Card is free and accepted at over 60,000 pharmacies, including independent drug stores and national & regional chains such as CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Target and Rite Aid. The Card can be used by people with a health plan—to fill in gaps of coverage—or by individuals who are uninsured. To obtain a Card, visit http://www.watertreehealthcard.com or text CARD to 95577.

Consumers can easily find the lowest discounted Rx drug prices with the Card, at pharmacies close to them, by using the Watertree Health Greatest Prescription Savings (GPS) online resource. Medications commonly prescribed for migraines, heart disease, thyroid problems, heartburn, diabetes, asthma and other health issues can be looked up on the GPS tool found at: wtree.us/savingstool.

About Watertree Health
Watertree Health was founded in 2010 to address the growing need for accessible health care products and services in America. The Company's mission is to help people improve their lives by improving their health. Watertree Health's founders believe everyone should be able to afford their medicines. The Company launched the free Prescription Discount Card in 2011 to help the tens of millions of people in America without adequate prescription coverage.

Media Inquiries: 1-855-739-3770, media(at)watertreehealth(dot)com Reported by PRWeb 23 hours ago.

How Employee Negligence Can Put Your Company's Data At Risk

0
0
Cyber Liability Insurance is a coverage that many businesses have overlooked in the hopes of keeping costs down in tough market conditions. With the dramatic increase of highly publicized data breaches faced by major retailers, health insurance companies, and banks, cyber liability coverage is finally gaining the attention it deserves. Reported by Forbes.com 21 hours ago.

Data Breach & Your Business

0
0
Cyber Liability Insurance is a coverage that many businesses have overlooked in the hopes of keeping costs down in tough market conditions. With the dramatic increase of highly publicized data breaches faced by major retailers, health insurance companies, and banks, cyber liability coverage is finally gaining the attention it deserves. In today’s [...] Reported by Forbes.com 22 hours ago.

Where Is Hillary On Health Care?

0
0
Twenty-one years ago, Hillary Clinton, then leading the presidential committee proposing a health care reform plan, made these statements in speaking to a group at Lehman Brothers Health Corporation on June 15, 1994, as revealed by a transcript made public through the Clinton Presidential Library:

...if there is not health care reform this year, and if, for whatever reason, the Congress doesn't pass health care reform . . . I believe that by the year 2000 we will have a single payer system . . . I don't even think it's a close call politically.

I think that the momentum for a single payer system will sweep the country . . . it will be such a huge popular issue . . . that even if it's not successful the first time, it will eventually be.

. . . there are only three ways [to get to universal coverage]. You either have a general tax -- the single payer approach that replaces existing private investment -- or you have an employer mandate, or you have an individual mandate. (1)

Now, two decades later, it is helpful to recall what happened to the Clinton Health Plan (CHP). After heated battles among competing stakeholders and their lobbyists, the CHP became more complex, expensive and confusing (1,342 pages), and died in committee without getting to a floor vote in the House. Colin Gordon, historian at the University of Iowa, described what happened to the bill this way:

The CHP's fatal flaw, at least in these terms, lay in its attempt to combine employer mandates (which attracted health interests and repelled many employers) and cost control (which attracted employers and repelled health interests). This pairing made for a slowdance to the right, as reaction set in from all quarters against employer mandates, against spending controls, against any increased federal presence in health care. (2)

The unfortunate end of the CHP could have been predicted by how the Clinton Health Care Task Force was selected -- it brought together the key stakeholders in the medical-industrial complex, including the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, that themselves were responsible for health care system problems of access, costs, and quality. Though they might agree to a concept of "managed competition", there were deep divisions and separate agendas within and among stakeholders -- as examples, big insurers were at odds with small insurers, while Big Business could support employer mandates as small business opposed them. (3)

The status of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, enacted in 2010, is more familiar to us, but has striking similarities to the CHP. President Obama again chose to primarily involve corporate stakeholders in the medical-industrial complex in the planning and development of Obamacare, with its (water-downed) employer and individual mandates. The interests of insurers, the drug and medical device industries, hospitals and organized medicine took precedence over the needs of patients for broad access to affordable quality health care. In fact, five years later, it is clear that these stakeholders have received a bonanza of expanded markets without real cost controls and still with many millions of Americans uninsured and tens of millions underinsured. Wall Street tells that story, as illustrated by health care stocks increasing by 40 percent in 2013, the highest of any sector in the S & P 500 (4) and venture capital funding for health technology firms soaring by 176 percent in the first eight months of 2014 compared to the previous year. (5)

It is still completely unclear where Hillary stands on health care reform. She voted for the ACA, and recent comments seem to support it as the best that can be done. Much of the public is concerned about her close ties to Wall Street and questions her trustworthiness on today's issues. Can she learn from the failure of the CHP and the problems of the ACA? She claims to want to champion the interests of the middle class, but will that include taking on corporate interests in our deregulated marketplace? How can we trust her punditry as a health care "expert" based on her apparent resistance to even bringing up single payer after her predictions twenty-plus years ago?

The upcoming debates among Democratic presidential candidates, followed by those between the two parties' candidates, will be a test of Hillary Clinton's credibility on health care reform as well as the integrity of the "mainstream" media covering them. Let's hope that substance prevails over misleading and disingenuous rhetoric.

What if Hillary took a bold position in support of single payer health care financing reform? If she did, she would follow in the steps of Teddy Roosevelt as a presidential candidate in 1910 and Harry Truman in 1948. She would have broad support of a majority of the American people, as shown by national polls over many years, and dating back to the 1940s, when 74 percent of the public supported a proposal for national health insurance. (6) She would also have the support of a majority of physicians and other health care professionals, who would find a single payer system far less bureaucratic than what we now have, with more time for more satisfying direct patient care. As one example of that support, 59 percent of U. S. physicians in 13 specialties support single payer national health insurance, according to a large national study in 2008. (7)

The time has come for real leadership on health care, not continuing misguided and ill informed rhetoric. We have 35 years' experience with marketplace-based "attempts" to make health care accessible and affordable--all have failed as the business "ethic" prevails over a service ethic in the public interest. Will Hillary step up to the challenge? If so, she can take charge of the health care debate, expose the lack of effective Republican plans for health care, win in 2016, and govern for two terms while setting a landmark legacy in this country.

*References: *

1. Clinton, H, speaking to a group at Lehman Brothers Health Corporation, June 15, 1994, as reported by Health Care for All-WA Newsletter, Winter 2015, p. 9.

2. Gordon, C. The Clinton Health Care Plan: Dead on Arrival. Westfield, NJ. Open Magazine Pamphlet Series, 1995.

3. Geyman, JP. Health Care in America: Can Our Ailing System Be Healed? Butterworth-Heinemann, Boston, MA, 2002, p. 318

4. Soltas, E. Nobody should get rich off Obamacare. Bloomberg View, December 3, 2013.

5. Randall, D, Farr, C. In quest for next windfall, tech funds look to healthcare. Reuters, September 3, 2014.

6. Steinmo, S, Watts, J. It's the institutions, stupid! Why comprehensive national health insurance always fails in America. J Health Politics, Policy and Law 20: 329, 1995.

7. Carroll, AE, Ackermann, RT. Support for national health insurance among U.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 22 hours ago.

Arise Health Plan from WPS reaches co-branding deal with AboutHealth network

0
0
WPS Health Insurance said Tuesday it will co-brand its Arise Health Plan with the AboutHealth network in all seven health care systems throughout the state that are network members. Arise Health Plan this year started selling a narrow network that includes the two metro Milwaukee members of AboutHealth: Aurora Health Care of Milwaukee and ProHealth Care of Waukesha. Arise Health Plan touts the network as providing employers a discount of 12 to 15 percent compared with the insurer’s broad network… Reported by bizjournals 21 hours ago.

The Side Effects of Obamacare Are Just What the Doctor Ordered

0
0
When many people think of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA or "Obamacare"), they think of a health insurance program designed to expand coverage and care options for Americans. The insurance element of Obamacare is the most prescribed and detailed aspect of the law, which is probably why debate about it is so contentious. Arguments over Obamacare-related insurance issues have escalated to the Supreme Court twice. Disagreements over Medicaid expansion have left many Americans uninsured and angry. The bureaucracy and inefficiency of insurance exchanges have led to a whole lot of finger-pointing. Things could have gone better. Things have gotten better. It depends whom you ask.

It has been over five years since Obamacare was signed into law in 2010, and many individuals who have been critical of the legislation, including me, still harbor some concerns. Yet time gives perspective. There's no question that expanding insurance is the cornerstone of Obamacare. But there are other elements to Obamacare that have yielded, directly or indirectly, a wave of activities--side effects if you will--that are undeniably positive. These side effects are impacting healthcare in ways that the authors of the embattled legislation never quantified, and are at a scale and scope that they probably didn't expect.

Listed below are three of these elements of Obamacare and their associated side effects.

*Cost Transparency* In layman's terms, cost transparency advocates seek to understand why a hospital will charge a patient $25 for an aspirin. Or why prices for seemingly similar insurance plans may have markedly different rates between companies. The objective is to ensure that healthcare consumers and purchasers--patients and employers--can gain a clear understanding of why things cost what they do.

The fact that the American healthcare industry has a bloated expense structure is not news. The Commonwealth Fund has been providing this data for years. The most recent report, which compares the U.S. to 10 other industrialized nations, ranked the U.S. highest in per capita spending for healthcare and the lowest in many health delivery outcomes.

But it took the implementation of Obamacare to get everyone fired up to do something about it. A quick review of some of the "Key Features of the Affordable Care Act by Year" from the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) website indicates that as part of Obamacare, healthcare costs must come down. But the real catalyst driving interest in cost transparency might be the cost shifting shuffle between insurance companies, employers and employees over the financial burden of providing care for many previously uninsured Americans. There is incredible uncertainty over how rates should be set and how much healthcare will cost.

*The Side Effects?* Addressing issues related to cost transparency has practically created a cottage industry for healthcare professionals specializing in financial analysis. Leading industry publication Healthcare Financial Management has devoted a section of its website to the topic. Even insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina started a cost transparency initiative. Industry group Catalyst for Payment Reform, in conjunction with the Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute, has begun to publish regularly on the topic of cost transparency. Their publications are helping to lead the charge in giving purchasers and consumers more information about healthcare pricing.

*Medicare Scrutiny* With all the debate about one healthcare program, Obamacare, it was only a matter of time before the federal government was pressured to release more comprehensive data about another major health program, Medicare. Last year, for the first time, detailed reports about charges and payments in the 2012 Medicare program went public. Last week, data for $62 billion in Medicare payments was released. To be sure, aspects of the PPACA legislation do acknowledge that improvements should be made to the Medicare program. But the data release is at least in part a result of legal action, and by requests submitted as part of the Freedom of Information Act.

*The Side Effects?* Not surprisingly with a program of Medicare's magnitude ($529 billion for 2015 as projected in the 2016 Budget of the U.S. Government), there's a lot of fraud. The federal government has initiated numerous lawsuits against providers who are accused of substantial financial abuse related to Medicare billing. One Florida cardiologist received $16 million in Medicare payments in 2013. That's right--$16 million paid to one doctor in just one year.

The data is also providing incredible value for cost transparency initiatives. Numerous media outlets are creating interactive graphics to compare case rates by hospital, state and/or provider around the country. There's so much information to analyze that, according to Dr. Bob Kocher, a partner at the venture capital firm Venrock and a former Obama administration health care policy official, the data is "already spurring entrepreneurship in health analytics, helping to create consumer tools, rooting out fraud and enabling new research." Which brings us to another side effect of Obamacare.

*Tech Investment* One of the key non-insurance aspects of PPACA is that the current pay-per-event reimbursement model is being phased out in lieu of awarding fixed payments to providers for achieving patient outcomes. This change in approach can have positive effects (like fewer unnecessary tests) and negative ones (like increases in drug prescriptions and surgeries to ensure results). Is the new model better, or will it just usher in more confusion without improving the healthcare of Americans? No one can be sure. But when an industry is in flux, innovators and investors see opportunities for improvement.

*The Side Effects?* Healthcare tech companies raised a record $3.9 billion in venture capital in the first quarter of 2015. The previous record for quarterly growth was $3.4 billion, raised in the second quarter of 2014. Major tech players are riding the healthcare investment wave. In 2014, Google Ventures, Google's investment arm, put over one third of its money into healthcare and life sciences start-ups, up from 9% in 2013. Established tech companies like Apple, Google, Facebook and Samsung have or are planning apps and platforms to engage users in their personal healthcare experience in new ways.

To use a medical device analogy, healthcare tech is the defibrillator that is hopefully going to shock the life into an industry in need of a radical transformation. So remember, at some point in the near future, when your physiological data is transmitted to your doctor via the shirt on your back, you'll have Obamacare to thank. And who knows? Maybe the public will be clamoring for data transparency not from hospitals, insurers and Medicare, but from Facebook. That may, in turn, may trigger another round of side effects, this time related to patient privacy. Stay tuned America!

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 20 hours ago.

UPMC Bedford Memorial, Community Nursing and Home Nursing Agency Partner to Increase Depression Screenings and Access to Care for Seniors

0
0
UPMC Bedford Memorial Hospital has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Federal Office for Rural Health Policy as part of a comprehensive initiative to improve the health outcomes of Bedford County residents 65 and older with depressive symptoms.

Everette, Pa (PRWEB) June 09, 2015

UPMC Bedford Memorial Hospital has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Federal Office for Rural Health Policy as part of a comprehensive initiative to improve the health outcomes of Bedford County residents 65 and older with depressive symptoms. Efforts are also under way to increase their access to primary care and physician specialist care as deemed as criteria of importance in a 2013 Community Health Needs Assessment.

UPMC Bedford, Community Nursing and Home Nursing Agency will collaborate for three years on a project titled “Bedford County Mental HealthPLUS Senior Outreach.” Designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area and a Medically Underserved Area, Bedford County is one of the state’s most rural counties, with a large and increasing percentage of elderly residents ( 19 percent). Currently, there is no access to geriatric mental health services in Bedford, even though research confirms an increased prevalence of depression in older adults living in rural areas.

Using an evidence-based approach and a standardized assessment tool, care managers at UPMC Bedford Memorial and home health nurses with Community Nursing and Home Nursing Agency have identified multiple points of assessment throughout the county in order to screen for depression. Over the grant period, they will collaborate with the Bedford Area Office on Aging and other health care providers for screening, education, outreach and project sustainability to continue to improve access, diagnosis and treatment of geriatric depression.

“This consortium leverages the expertise of our UPMC partners to ensure the health and wellness of our rural elders while implementing proven strategies to improve population health,” said Jerry Murray, president of UPMC Bedford and UPMC Altoona.

Rates of major depression — a serious mental illness that involves depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure over a two-week period, along with several other symptoms of impairment — are higher in younger populations, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. But other, less severe conditions, such as minor depression and dysthymic disorder, are more common among older adults. Estimates for the different conditions vary, but about 25 percent of adults age 65 or older have some type of mental health problem, according to the CDC.

“Feelings of grief and bereavement, financial stress and other worries, a loss of identity after leaving the workforce, loneliness or worthlessness, as well as biological and medical factors often contribute,” said Charles F. Reynolds III, MD, director of the Aging Institute of UPMC Senior Communities and the University of Pittsburgh.

According to Reynolds, physical decline and depression also often “travel together,” interacting and making each other worse, and with the increase of disabilities that occurs as people age, the risk of developing depression symptoms increases.

"Depression in older adults is eminently treatable, thereby enhancing health-related quality of life and prolonging health span, as demonstrated by many studies published from the University of Pittsburgh's NIMH Center of Excellence in late life mood disorders. The HRSA-sponsored project is now a superb opportunity to extend the evidence to help older residents living in underserved areas of Pennsylvania,” he said.

UPMC Bedford will screen all inpatient and observation patients 65 and older for depression, as will Community Nursing and Home Nursing Agency. Individuals identified with depression will be directed to the most appropriate and least restrictive level of care, including management by a primary care physician, in-home behavioral health nurse and/or telepsychiatry in the patient’s home or at the Teleconsult Center on the UPMC Bedford campus in partnership with UPMC’s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic).

The goal is to evaluate ongoing depression symptoms across the continuum of care at every community visit made by the patient. The effectiveness of the program will be assessed by the number of newly diagnosed patients with depression who would otherwise not have received therapy and other measures. The consortium, which also collaborated with Dr. Reynolds and physicians from the UPMC Aging Institute and UPMC Senior Communities, was one of 60 awardees among 240 applicants nationwide.

# # #

About UPMC
A world-renowned health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of accountable, cost-effective, patient-centered care. It provides more than $888 million a year in benefits to its communities, including more care to the region’s most vulnerable citizens than any other health care institution. The largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC integrates more than 60,000 employees, more than 20 hospitals, 500 doctors’ offices and outpatient sites, a more than 2.5-million-member health insurance division, and international and commercial operations. Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC ranks No. 12 in the prestigious U.S. News & World Report annual Honor Roll of America’s Best Hospitals — and No. 1 in Pennsylvania. For more information, go to UPMC.com.
http://www.upmc.com/media

Contact: Patt Keith
Phone: 814-889-2622
E-mail: Keithps(at)upmc(dot)edu

Contact: Jamie Baser
Phone: 814-889-6405
E-mail: Baserja(at)upmc(dot)edu Reported by PRWeb 19 hours ago.

Obama Makes Moral Plea For Health Care Law As Supreme Court Ruling Looms

0
0
WASHINGTON-- President Barack Obama restated the moral case for his health care reform law during a speech Tuesday, asserting, "Health care is not a privilege. It is a right."

Obama's remarks come just weeks or even days ahead of a Supreme Court ruling that could do major damage to the Affordable Care Act -- and reopen the legislative debate about the law more than five years after he signed it. Obama addressed the Catholic Health Association of the United States, a trade group of hospitals affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, at a conference in Washington.

"The rugged individualism that defines America has always been bound by a shared set of values, an enduring sense that we're in this together," Obama said. "America is not a place where we simply turn away from the sick, or turn our backs on the tired, the poor, the huddled masses. It is a place sustained by the idea, I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper -- that we have an obligation to put ourselves in our neighbor's shoes and see each other's common humanity."

The flaws in the American health care system, starting with tens of millions of people who had no health insurance, poor access to medical care and unlimited exposure to financial ruin from illness, were problems that needed to be solved, Obama said. "So after nearly a century of talk, after decades of trying, after a year of sustained debate, we finally made health care reform a reality here in America," he said.

Obama cited the Affordable Care Act's successful reduction in the share of Americans without health coverage, and asserted that the changes brought by his reforms couldn't easily be undone.

"Five years in, what we are talking about is no longer just a law. It's no longer just a theory. It isn't events about the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. This isn't about myths or rumors that folks try to sustain," he said. "This is a reality that people on the ground, day to day, are experiencing. Their lives are better. This is now part of the fabric of how we care for one another. This is health care in America."

Obama mocked the continuing efforts to repeal or otherwise disrupt the law, and reiterated his pledge to fight them.

"We're not going to go backwards," he said. "It seems so cynical to want to take coverage away from millions of people, to take care away from the people who need it the most, to punish millions with higher costs of care, and unravel what's now been woven into the fabric of America."

This is now part of how we care for one another.
President Barack Obama

More than 10 million people enrolled into private health insurance plans via the Affordable Care Act's health insurance exchange, and 87 percent of them received tax credit subsidies to help pay for the plans as of March 31, according to data published by the Department of Health and Human Services this month. The law's expansion of Medicaid to more low-income people -- despite being rejected in nearly half the states -- has extended coverage to millions more. The administration estimates 16 million fewer people are uninsured because of the law.

"There are outcomes that we can calculate and enumerate -- the number of newly insured families, the number of lives saved -- those numbers add up to success in this reform effort," Obama said. The White House launched a new website to promote the law Tuesday.

Obama touted the positive effects of his health care overhaul as he awaits a decision from the Supreme Court that could undermine the law and reverse its gains in expanding health coverage to the uninsured.

This month, the Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in King v. Burwell, a lawsuit engineered by conservative and libertarian activists that seeks to eradicate Obamacare's health insurance subsidies for millions of people. According to the plaintiffs in the case, a strict reading of the law means these tax credit subsidies are only legal for residents of states that created health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. The Obama administration argues the law clearly allows subsidies in every state, regardless of whether the state or the federal government operates the exchange marketplace.

The consequences of ruling against Obama would be severe, and would create pressure on Obama, Congress and the states to respond.

The federal government runs the exchanges in 34 states, where 6.4 million people who currently receive subsidies would lose them if the plaintiffs prevail. Since these individuals have low or moderate incomes, most are expected to lose their health coverage. The abrupt exit of millions of customers from the health insurance rolls is further expected to roil the markets in those states, because those with expensive medical conditions are considered most likely to retain their policies, driving up expenses for insurers and leading to rate hikes. Eight million or more people would wind up uninsured, according to estimates from the Rand Corp. and the Urban Institute.

The White House maintains it could do little to mitigate these effects, beyond assisting states that want to create their own health insurance exchanges to preserve subsidies for their residents. To date, only Delaware and Pennsylvania have initiated efforts to establish an exchange if the high court strikes down the subsidies. And Republican governors in places including Louisiana and Wisconsin have declared they wouldn't take action to restore financial assistance for Obamacare enrollees in their states. Mostly, state leaders are waiting to see how the Supreme Court rules while considering their options.

Republicans in Congress are deeply split about how, or whether, to respond to a high court ruling that eliminated subsidies in 34 states -- mainly in those currently governed by the GOP.

Republican members of Congress have floated various proposals to temporarily extend Obamacare subsidies, but these plans are predicated on eventually undoing all of the Affordable Care Act, which ultimately would result in even more people losing health coverage. Senior GOP lawmakers like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (Wis.) said Republicans won't unveil their official plans for responding to King v. Burwell until after the Supreme Court rules. But other Republicans in Congress prefer to let the subsidies lapse and do nothing.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website. Reported by Huffington Post 19 hours ago.

Should an Independent Business Owner Choose an HSA Health Plan?

0
0
An old friend wrote me with a question I thought I'd share. It's a question asked by countless small business owners trying to navigate the complicated world of individual and family health insurance plans: We've typically used high-deductible plans linked to a health savings account ("HSA") plan in order [...] Reported by Forbes.com 16 hours ago.

Community Health Choice (CHC) Goes Live with Softheon Marketplace Connector Cloud in Under 90 Days

0
0
STONY BROOK, N.Y., June 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Softheon, Inc., a proven leader in health insurance marketplace integration and business operation, announced today that Community Health Choice, Texas' ninth largest, serving over 300,000 lives, has fully implemented its Marketplace... Reported by PR Newswire 17 hours ago.

The making of Zoom+'s Dave Sanders: The quiet partner

0
0
Dr. Dave Sanders has always been the public face and pitchman-in-chief for ZoomCare, now called Zoom+ Performance Health Insurance. But someone much more low profile has been equally instrumental and involved in Zoom’s growth. Dr. Albert DiPiero is co-founder with Sanders and Zoom’s chief medical officer. After meeting 31 years ago and eventually forming three companies together, he and Sanders remain best friends. “We’ve had rough patches and disagreements and tense moments for sure.… Reported by bizjournals 16 hours ago.

Obama defiant over threat to healthcare reforms as court prepares to rule

0
0
President appears unwilling to entertain possibility that Obamacare could be reversed in ruling expected from supreme court on latest Republican challenge

Barack Obama has insisted it would be inconceivable to reverse his health insurance reforms, as the White House braces for a court decision that threatens to gut the president’s flagship domestic achievement.Just days before the US supreme court is due to rule on perhaps the last big Republican challenge to a policy that has cut the number of uninsured Americans by a third but riled conservatives by making coverage mandatory, its chief architect appeared unwilling to countenance the possibility of defeat.

Continue reading... Reported by guardian.co.uk 16 hours ago.
Viewing all 22794 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images