News
Study says ACA will strengthen employer-based health insurance -- September 2, 2010
WASHINGTON – While many are still debating whether the Affordable Care Act will strengthen or break down the employer-based health system, a new study by the Rand Corporation finds the ACA will strengthen it.
The study, published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, was based on a simulation of how the Affordable Care Act will affect the current system. According to Rand, the number of workers offered coverage will increase from 115.1 million (84.6 percent of the approximately 136 million U.S. workers) to 128.7 million (94.6 percent) after the reform.
Physician Visits Down 7% in July -- September 2, 2010
Total patient visits to physician offices were down 7.3% in July from the July 2009—the fourth consecutive month to post negative growth in physician visits, according to researchers with the North American offices of Deutsche Bank Securities. Overall, primary care visits were down by 5.7% for the month.
July appeared even weaker than June (with a 4.1% decline in visits) and the previous second quarter, with a 4.6% decrease in visits.
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/PHY-255951/Physician-Visits-Down-7-in-July
MHIP launches federal high-risk health coverage program -- September 2, 2010
State leaders and health care professionals are launching Wednesday a new federal high-risk health care program that will insure those previously denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
The Maryland Health Insurance Plan currently operates a state-funded high-risk pool program and was chosen by the Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council to carry out the federal program.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 allocates $5 billion nationally for the creation of a new high-risk health plan to be administered by either the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or individual states.
MHIP, which will now be called MHIP Federal, received $85 million of those federal funds and began accepting applications for the new insurance plan through the federal pool in August.
http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2010/08/30/daily20.html
America's Most Profitable Hospitals -- September 1, 2010
The average American hospital barely breaks even. But some are enormous profit centers. Forbes' first-ever survey of America's most profitable hospitals reveals that some American hospitals make 25 cents or more for every $1 in patient revenue they take in.
The list, done by the American Hospital Directory, is based on operating income figures that hospitals must report to the federal Medicare program each year. It found that 24 hospitals in the country with over 200 beds make an operating margin of 25% or more. That kind of profit margin compares favorably to drug giants like Pfizer ( PFE - news - people ), who are often vilified for charging too much for their drugs. It easily beats the operating profit margin that General Electric ( GE - news - people ) reported last year.
The most profitable hospital in the country, 235-bed Flowers Medical Center in Dothan, Ala., recorded an incredible 53% operating margin. It is part of the big for-profit Community Health Systems ( CYH - news - people ) chain in Brentwood, Tenn. Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso snared second place with an astronomical 45% operating margin. It's part of the big HCA chain, based in Nashville. Neither hospital returned calls asking for comment. After this story came out, Flowers Hospital disputed the figures in an e-mail. It says it overstated its revenue by an astonishing $180 million in its official report to Medicare and that its actual margin is 12%.
Physicians use patients' cellphone photos to deliver 'mobile health' -- August 31, 2010
Doctors already use traditional forms of telemedicine -- teleconferencing and videoconferencing -- but Sikka said "mHealth" goes further, eliminating the need for scheduling conference rooms and reserving equipment.
MHealth could especially benefit patients living in isolated areas and those who don't want to spend the time, money and energy waiting for evaluation of a superficial injury, Sikka added.
"For emergency medicine," Sikka said, mHealth "allows us to reach out into the community and provide a service that crosses that whole issue of time and space."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/30/AR2010083003939.html?hpid=sec-health
Illinois governor looks to re-open long-closed hospital -- August 31, 2010
CARMI, IL – Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to re-open a financially troubled hospital that has been closed for almost five years is a bid to help a town in need of better healthcare services and an economic shot in the arm.
Quinn has earmarked $3 million from a capital construction program to restore Carmi-White County Hospital in Carmi, the county seat of White County in the southeastern part of the state. According to officials, 44 percent of the town’s population of roughly 5,200 live in low-income households, while the nearest hospital lies more than 20 miles away and requires an ambulance trip that usually takes between 32 minutes and two hours.
Re-opening the hospital, Quinn said, would bring in 160 medical personnel and support staff – as well as more than 20 construction jobs – and improve the quality of life in an economically disadvantaged part of the state, where many residents work in high-risk jobs in agriculture, mining and manufacturing.
http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/illinois-governor-looks-re-open-long-closed-hospital
HHS announces expansion of rural community hospital demonstration -- August 30, 2010
WASHINGTON – Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced the expansion of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Rural Community Hospital demonstration program.
Made possible through the Affordable Care Act, up to 20 small rural hospitals in selected states will be eligible for enhanced reimbursement for inpatient services, in addition to the 10 hospitals already participating in the program.
“Improving healthcare for rural Americans is a top priority in the Affordable Care Act,” said Sebelius. “One in five Americans lives in a rural area and small community hospitals are often their only source of care. This demonstration project and other important investments in hospitals, infrastructure and the healthcare workforce will help ensure that Americans living in rural communities can get the quality health services they need.”
9 Dallas-area employers unite to collect data on health benefits -- August 26, 2010
Nine large North Texas employers have formed a partnership to help each other get a grip on rising health care costs. The group announced Thursday a three-year effort called the Texas Health Strategy Project to help the partners create better health benefit packages for their workforces.
They'll do this by collecting more detailed employee health data, reorganizing how they manage benefits and purchasing only the most needed health options to keep workers healthy and out of doctor offices.
Kindred acquires 5 CA hospitals, 3 TX nursing homes -- August 25, 2010
LOUISVILLE, KY – Kindred Healthcare, one of the nation's leading long-term care hospital companies, is acquiring five acute care hospitals in California and three nursing homes in Texas in two separate deals totaling $218 million.
The Louisville, Ky.-based company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire five acute care hospitals in California from Vista Healthcare, LLC in a $180 million cash transaction.
The deal with Vista, which is based in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., involves four free-standing, long-term care hospitals and one hospital-in-hospital with a total of 250 beds, all located in southern California. The assets being acquired currently generate annualized revenues of approximately $150 million.
In a separate deal, Kindred subsidiaries have signed a definitive agreement to acquire three recently constructed nursing and rehabilitation centers in the Dallas-Fort Worth market for $38 million in cash.
Calif. Legislature advances health care reform -- August 25, 2010
California lawmakers advanced several bills Tuesday that would help the state implement national health care reform, over the objection of Republicans.
The state Senate narrowly approved two bills to set up an insurance exchange that would allow people to shop for health insurance. The exchange would let people compare insurance plans and buy coverage through a consumer-friendly website.
Republicans who opposed the bills said the measures could create unaccountable bureaucracy.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/08/24/state/n180310D24.DTL&type=politics
