Chris Anderson
An amendment tacked onto an unrelated transportation bill that would allow any employer, not just those affiliated with a religious organization, to not offer contraceptive health coverage to employees failed yesterday in the U.S. Senate by a vote of 51-48.
In moves designed to solidify its presence in the Florida market, UnitedHealthcare announced earlier this week that it will acquire the operations of two senior-focused health plans in the state, Preferred Care Partners and Medica HealthCare Plans.
A remote monitoring program implemented by Geisinger Health Plan using interactive voice response (IVR) and other telemonitoring technology to aid case managers has shown a 44 percent reduction in hospital readmissions, the company announced recently.
Despite increases in revenue and patient admissions, Tenet Healthcare posted a $76 million loss in the company's 2011 fourth quarter, due largely to an early extinguishment of company debt. In the same period last year, the hospital operator reported income of $74 million or 14 cents per share.
A new USA Today/Gallup poll of voters in 12 "swing" states that will likely decide the presidential election shows health reform is hurting the reelection chances of President Obama against his likely Republican opponents Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.
In a deal that aims to create a technology company focused on providing real-time data to doctors from both medical records and private payers, Lumeris and payers Highmark Inc., Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Independence Blue Cross announced they will acquire NaviNet for an undisclosed price.
Revenue and payment cycle specialist Recondo Technology announced last week it had acquired revenue cycle competitor Lakewood, Fla.-based Trilogi, Inc., in a move that broadens Recondo's customer base.
Health insurers will now be required to publish marketing materials in plain language and eliminate the technical or confusing language that can often make if difficult for consumers to understand exactly what they are buying, under a new provision of health reform.
West Penn Allegheny Health System recorded a loss of $52 million in its 2011 fiscal year - an amount that would have been nearly double had it not received $50 million from health insurer Highmark on June 28, just two days before closing its books for the year
Jeff Rideout, Chief Medical Officer, TriZetto Group, spoke recently with Healthcare Finance News Senior Editor Chris Anderson about how data will play a part in redesigning the healthcare landscape and the readiness of both payers and providers to collaborate on these changes.