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Policy and Legislation

By Eric Wicklund | 09:08 am | April 16, 2012
The VA had published a proposed rule in March to eliminate the co-pays, then added a direct final rule that would expedite the process if the proposed rule received no "significant" opposition. With the comment period ending on April 5, the rule could go into effect as early as May 7.
By Rene Letourneau | 09:38 am | April 12, 2012
To improve America's lackluster performance on health outcomes compared with its peer nations and to maintain its international competitiveness, the United States needs to invest more in its public health system and spend public health dollars more efficiently, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.
By Chris Anderson | 09:25 am | April 12, 2012
A Commonwealth Fund brief that analyzed insurance company MLR data from 2010 shows that health insurance consumers would have received $2 billion in rebates if the new medical loss ratio (MLR) rules contained in the Affordable Care Act had been in effect that year.
By Chris Anderson | 10:29 am | April 11, 2012
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced yesterday that it has signed on 27 organizations as the first under its Shared Savings Program for accountable care organizations (ACO).
By Stephanie Bouchard | 09:19 am | April 11, 2012
As president and CEO of one of the country's largest healthcare organizations, Susan DeVore has pushed for cost-effective and high-quality care as well as set an example for the importance of ethical business standards.
By Kelsey Brimmer | 01:52 pm | April 10, 2012
A proposed rule that would establish a unique health plan identifier under HIPAA and would implement several administrative simplification provisions of the Affordable Care Act was announced Monday by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
By Chris Anderson | 09:10 am | April 10, 2012
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.
By Rob Gillespie | 01:56 pm | April 09, 2012
Healthcare is a complex industry, and changing the way business is done to ensure the viability and success of hospitals and medical suppliers is a daunting challenge. With the Supreme Court scheduled to review the healthcare reform act in the year ahead, 2012 should continue to be a disruptive one for the industry. And that’s not entirely a bad thing.
By Rene Letourneau | 01:48 pm | April 09, 2012
On Oct. 31, 2011, President Barack Obama issued an executive order to the Food and Drug Administration to do everything possible to detect and deter drug shortages in the United States, which have been a problem for years and have recently reached record levels.
By Stephanie Bouchard | 11:09 am | April 09, 2012
By the time this issue of Healthcare Finance News is published, the U.S. Supreme Court will have heard arguments on the Affordable Care Act. Since the announcement that the court would take the case, we’ve covered in print and online how the case could play out with the court, as have analysts across the country. Looking for new – slightly off-kilter – perspectives on the much-debated law and case, we’ve reached out to comedians for their take on it.