Reimbursement

The Department of Health and Human Services has expanded the Rural Community Hospital demonstration program.

A study in the September issue of Health Affairs has pegged the cost of malpractice at approximately $55.6 billion a year, or 2.4 percent of annual healthcare spending.

A report on healthcare spending released in September by actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has been used to support both sides of the bitter partisan debate over healthcare reform.

A former chief financial officer for three different hospital networks is under house arrest and facing federal fraud charges for allegedly stealing more than $200,000 from health systems in Connecticut and Ohio.

Health insurance carriers have been on the minds of lawmakers, consumers and federal officials over the past month.

Marin General Hospital, a 235-bed acute care hospital in Greenbrae, Calif., has filed suit against Sutter Health to recover more than $120 million.

Annual performance-based incentive plans are on the rise for physicians, according to a recent survey of provider organizations.

In an effort to increase understanding of the tax and grandfathering provisions of healthcare reform, WellPoint Inc. recently launched two new online tools to help business owners understand the implications of these provisions with their current health plan.

The Integrated Healthcare Association (IHA), a statewide leadership group that promotes quality improvement, accountability and affordability of healthcare in California, has named its top 45 performing physician organizations for 2009, based on the IHA statewide Pay for Performance (P4P) program measures.

Acquiring and retaining the best risk, meeting the 80 percent medical loss ratio and establishing cost-effective distribution channels and working with exchanges are top priorities of executives of health insurance companies, according to a recent survey.