SCHIP provided coverage to 7.4M children in 2008
Some 7.4 million children were enrolled in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program in 2008 – a 4-percent increase over the previous year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. “With unemployment numbers rising and the economy struggling to regain momentum, more and more American families are relying on SCHIP to ensure their children get the health coverage they need,” said acting Health and Human Services Secretary Charles Johnson. “We expect this trend to continue well into 2009.”
Medicare pilots failed, study concludes
Medicare programs designed to boost the care of chronically ill patients while reducing hospital admissions and saving costs have largely failed, a new government-contracted study concludes. Many of the programs employ information technology and Web portals to track their patients. Only two of the 15 Medicare programs resulted in reduced hospital admissions, and none generated net savings, according to a study in the Feb. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Calif. nonprofits get $5.7M+ in healthcare grants
UnitedHealth Group and PacifiCare awarded more than $5.7 million in healthcare grants to California nonprofits to enhance information technology, education, prevention and coordinated care throughout the state. The grants are part of a $25 million commitment to California by UnitedHealth Group and PacifiCare. The grants represent the third phase of proposal applications, which were received in August 2008. In January 2008, 15 nonprofit organizations statewide were awarded more than $6 million in grants; in June 2008, 12 nonprofit organizations statewide were awarded more than 6.2 million.
Elderly in long-term care use Medicare more often
Elderly Medicare beneficiaries who receive help with three or more activities of daily living constitute only 7 percent of the Medicare population but account for nearly 25 percent of Medicare Part A and B spending. According to research by Avalere Health, these beneficiaries consumed nearly 4.5 times more per person in Medicare spending ($18,902) than those without disabilities ($4,289) in 2005, the most recent year for which data is available.