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Large data breaches involving sensitive patient information are, unfortunately, all too common and with more and more healthcare organizations using electronic health records (EHRs), companies need to be very concerned about the protection of their data.
Propelled by government incentives, a desire to improve patient outcomes and the bottom line, sales of electronic medical records reached $17.9 billion in 2011, up 14.2 percent from the previous year, according to market research publisher Kalorama Information.
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Tuesday the first batch of organizations receiving Health Care Innovation awards, a program created by the Affordable Care Act. The awards total $122.6 million and will support 26 innovative projects nationwide that will save money, deliver high quality medical care and enhance the healthcare workforce.
As more patients grapple with high-deductible health plans and self-pay circumstances, it is becoming increasingly difficult for providers to collect payment for services rendered.
A new study from Rand Corp. published in the May edition of Health Affairs indicates that consumer-directed health plans could save $57 billion annually if they grew to comprise 50 percent of all employer-sponsored health insurance in the U.S.
With the federal government making big changes to the way healthcare providers are reimbursed for services through programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, many organizations are considering all their strategic options for how to best prepare to take the hit to the bottom line.
For a company in need of strong leadership at the top as it looks to complete the acquisition of West Penn Allegheny Health System, reopen negotiations with recalcitrant provider UPMC and battle rival health insurers entering the market, now is not a good time to be looking for a new CEO.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) is a regional insurer serving the greater Kansas City, Mo., market and two Kansas counties. It counts nearly one million members. In 2009, it launched a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) program with area primary care physicians, which has grown from 67 practitioners at its inception to more than 420 doctors today caring for 110,000 Blue KC members. Building on the success of its PCMH initiative, the insurer is bringing a similar model to area health systems and recently signed St. Luke’s Health System as the first under its new Collaborative Value Program. Senior vice president and chief contracting officer Brian Burns spoke recently with Healthcare Finance News Senior Editor Chris Anderson about using the PCMH model as the backbone of Blue KC’s health system collaborations.
Abbott Laboratories, a global healthcare company, has agreed to pay $1.6 billion to settle allegations that it improperly marketed its neurological drug, Depakote, for off-label uses.
The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) released new data last week showing Medicaid payments falling short of costs by $5.28 billion between 2011 and 2015.