Government: Page 221
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CMS to stop taking RAC requests, may change program
By the end of February, CMS will stop taking requests for additional provider documentation from Medicare recovery audit contractors.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 21, 2014 -
Wisc. bill would protect physicians who apologize to patients
The bill would make apologies, condolences and expressions of sympathy inadmissible as evidence in civil court regarding the provider's actions.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 19, 2014 -
Mass. hospitals seek right to determine Medicaid eligibility
Hospitals want to avoid incurring charges from patients whose coverage is in limbo.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 19, 2014 -
Iowa's nursing shortage clause set to expire
The law allows retired state healthcare professionals to return to work earlier than usual, a move designed to alleviate provider shortages.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 18, 2014 -
Deep Dive
Why we need national guidelines for narrow networks
Putting national standards in place for narrow networks could make forming them much easier.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 14, 2014 -
Uninsured rate falls
The percentage of uninsured Americans has fallen to 16% so far in the first quarter of 2014.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 13, 2014 -
AMA wants HHS to call off ICD-10 mandate
Small practices expenses for ICD-10 will range anywhere from $56,639 to more than $226,000.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 12, 2014 -
Community health workers improve outcomes for high-risk patients
Patients helped by community health workers were more likely to get post-hospital primary care and to report high quality discharge communication.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 11, 2014 -
Health insurance requirement deadline extended for smaller businesses
The latest rule would extend health insurance requirements to as late as 2016 for some businesses.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 10, 2014 -
State health exchanges may have trouble paying for themselves
Fourteen states, plus the District of Columbia, have received almost $3.8 billion to date to run state health insurance exchanges.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 8, 2014 -
Study: Patients fear hospital nurses spread too thin
40% of respondents said they'd personally seen inferior-quality care from hospital nursing staff.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 7, 2014 -
Wash. lawmakers seek to create healthcare cost database
The state's two largest payers oppose the creation of such a database.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 6, 2014 -
Deep Dive
Doctors: Watch out for these ACO legal issues
"ACOs need to be aware that just because they're being embraced by the government, that doesn't give them a free pass to do whatever they want to coordinate care," says attorney Kathryn Hickner-Cruz..
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 4, 2014 -
Calif. hospitals pay $770K in fines for medical errors
Each event cited by the state caused or could easily cause death or serious injury.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 4, 2014 -
Patients may now receive lab test results directly
The HHS has issued a new rule allowing patients access to their lab results.
By Anne Zieger • Feb. 3, 2014 -
Lawmakers propose Medicare chronic care teams
The bill's supporters say the new program would create a better coordinated care process.
By Anne Zieger • Jan. 31, 2014 -
CMS not taking new providers in high-fraud zones
CMS is temporarily blocking all new provider applications for Medicare, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program in areas where similar specialists are generating excessive claims.
By Anne Zieger • Jan. 31, 2014 -
ACO programs save Medicare $275M
Roughly 30% of ACOs in the Medicare Shared Savings Program generated enough savings to get back a share of the funds.
By Anne Zieger • Jan. 30, 2014 -
Oncologists come out for single-payer healthcare
The oncologists argue that they have a "moral and ethical" obligation to endorse a universal healthcare system under a single payer.
By Anne Zieger • Jan. 30, 2014 -
As ACA enrollment rises, doctor wait times do too
Observers say that an increase in insured patients under the ACA may be creating a doctor shortage.
By Anne Zieger • Jan. 29, 2014 -
Republicans Propose New Alternative to ACA
The proposed legislation would scrap many of the key provisions of the ACA, including the individual mandate.
By Anne Zieger • Jan. 28, 2014 -
Maine wants patients to have access to their health data
The pilot program is part of a federally-funded state innovation model initiative.
By Anne Zieger • Jan. 27, 2014 -
Gov. Cuomo proposes $79B healthcare plan for N.Y.
Gov. Cuomo's healthcare budget includes a $1.2 billion capital program to support health facilities.
By Anne Zieger • Jan. 24, 2014 -
Deep Dive
How the ACA leaves the middle class uninsured
The ACA does little to nothing to help the middle class get covered.
By Anne Zieger • Jan. 21, 2014 -
Red-state hospitals lobby for Medicaid expansion
Twenty-six states, plus Washington, D.C., are expanding their Medicaid programs.
By Anne Zieger • Jan. 17, 2014