Healthcare Finance Staff

A regional healthcare fraud prevention summit in Philadelphia on Friday brought together a wide array of federal, state and local partners, beneficiaries, providers and other interested parties to discuss ways to eliminate fraud within the U.S. healthcare system.

Blue Shield of California, AllCare Independent Physician Association and Doctors Medical Center of Modesto have announced a three-year accountable care initiative that will serve nearly 8,000 Blue Shield members in Stanislaus County.

The Council For Affordable Quality Healthcare's Committee on Operating Rules for Information Exchange (CAQH CORE) will collaborate with the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) on activities related to harmonizing electronic data interchange standards and operating rules across healthcare.

A majority of medical groups have not completed critical software upgrades for transition to HIPAA Version 5010 electronics standard, nor have they scheduled testing with health plans, according to follow-up research by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).

President Barack Obama requested $54.9 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans' Affairs for fiscal year 2012 and $56.7 billion for fiscal year 2013, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office this week.

The sacrifices caregivers make to aid their aging parents have a significant impact on their current and future financial stability, says a new study released Tuesday.

Three major Kentucky healthcare organizations are forming a statewide healthcare system. The new system created by the University of Louisville Hospital/James Graham Brown Cancer Center, the Jewish Hospital & St. Mary's HealthCare in Louisville, and Saint Joseph Health System in Lexington will have 91 locations.

Companies increased philanthropic giving in 2010, with a large portion of the increase coming from pharmaceutical companies, according to preliminary survey findings announced by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP).

After reaching a historic low in April, the Thomson Reuters Consumer Healthcare Sentiment Index found that Americans' confidence in their ability to pay for and access healthcare rose in May. The index rose three points from 95 in April to 98 in May, a statistically significant increase.

The National Quality Forum Board has approved for endorsement a list of 29 serious reportable events in healthcare. Of the events submitted, 25 were updated from their earlier endorsement in 2006, and 4 new events were added to the list.