Policy and Legislation
The first of three anticipated federal Courts of Appeals decisions on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act was handed down by a Sixth Circuit panel in Cincinnati—and it was a win for the Obama administration.
Well, thankfully there has been a quick decision to forget the idea to use tax payer money to assess the doctor shortage issue we have in this country. Guess it took all the negative press for some in Washington to realize the time and money they would spend would be irresponsible.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) took the first steps to implement an Affordable Care Act provision that cuts red tape in the healthcare system and saves an estimated $12 billion over the next ten years.
New models for reimbursing physicians that put a greater financial risk on the medical practice is the No. 1 challenge in a list of five concerns that weigh most heavily on practice administrators, according to new research from the Medical Group Management Association.
A U.S. appeals court in Cincinnati upheld the individual mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Wednesday. The ruling was the first to address the constitutionality of the healthcare reform act's requirement that everyone purchase health insurance or be penalized.
Leaders of healthcare systems, hospitals and healthcare payers are on the fence when it comes to their participation in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' shared savings program (MSSP) - the Medicare ACO program - according to a recent poll led by KPMG LLC.
According to a recent Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) 45.2 percent of responding physician practices said they had not started HIPAA 5010 implementation.
With the prohibitive and rising cost of healthcare, there has never been a greater need for accountable care organizations, according to Mark McClellan, MD, former Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has informed state Medicaid directors of new smoking cessation services and reminded them that Medicaid programs are now required to fully cover those services for pregnant women.
U.S. Reps. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) and Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and 26 co-sponsors have introduced the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act, which would allow physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinic nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives to order home health services for Medicare beneficiaries.