Government: Page 221


  • 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 Feb. 21, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Fotolia
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 Feb. 19, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Fotolia
    Image attribution tooltip

    Mass. hospitals seek right to determine Medicaid eligibility

    Hospitals want to avoid incurring charges from patients whose coverage is in limbo.  

    By 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 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 Feb. 14, 2014
  • Uninsured rate falls

    The percentage of uninsured Americans has fallen to 16% so far in the first quarter of 2014.

    By 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 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 Feb. 11, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Wikipedia
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 Feb. 10, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Wikipedia
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 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 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 Feb. 6, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Fotolia
    Image attribution tooltip
    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 Feb. 4, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Getty
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 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 Feb. 3, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Fotolia
    Image attribution tooltip

    Lawmakers propose Medicare chronic care teams

    The bill's supporters say the new program would create a better coordinated care process.

    By Jan. 31, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Fotolia
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 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 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 Jan. 30, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Fotolia
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 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 Jan. 28, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Fotolia
    Image attribution tooltip

    Maine wants patients to have access to their health data

    The pilot program is part of a federally-funded state innovation model initiative.

    By Jan. 27, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 Jan. 24, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Fotolia
    Image attribution tooltip
    Deep Dive

    How the ACA leaves the middle class uninsured

    The ACA does little to nothing to help the middle class get covered.

    By Jan. 21, 2014
  • Image attribution tooltip
    Getty
    Image attribution tooltip

    Red-state hospitals lobby for Medicaid expansion

    Twenty-six states, plus Washington, D.C., are expanding their Medicaid programs.

    By Jan. 17, 2014