Changing News Archive - February, 2010
Obama gives GOP 6-week deadline -- February 26, 2010
WASHINGTON – At a White House healthcare summit held Thursday, President Barack Obama urged Republican congressional leaders to consider working on several areas of common interest in the healthcare reform package, giving them a rough 6-week deadline before Democrats may consider using alternative measures to pass the plan.
Obama named health insurance reform, the purchase of health insurance across state lines and medical liability reform among the top three areas where agreement could possibly be reached.
Republicans argued they wanted to scrap all proposals on the table and rework a set of smaller steps to reform healthcare.
Eight Health Leaders Respond to Obama's Healthcare Summit -- February 26, 2010
Over seven hours of broadcast, it became clear that very deep divisions remain. And it is unclear whether any package can conquer entrenched Republican opposition. Was it political theater or real progress toward meaningful reform?
HealthLeaders Media asked health leaders to comment on what they took away from the debate. Here's what they said.
UCLA pilot project to boost access to care for low-income patients -- February 26, 2010
VENICE, CA – A pilot project launched by UCLA Health System will provide low-income patients at Venice Family Clinic in California with better access to hospitalization or specialized medical care.
The pilot project is being funded by a three-year, $300,000 grant from Pasadena, Calif.-based public benefit corporation OneWest Foundation, which will be matched by the UCLA Health System.
Officials said the project's goal is to help patients seen at Venice Family Clinic's new Colen Family Health Center in Mar Vista who do not have private insurance or qualify for Medi-Cal or Medicare coverage, and who require specialty care and hospitalization, to secure ongoing treatment at the UCLA Health System. The Colen Family Health Center will open in March 2010 and will serve 4,000 people annually. Roughly 74 percent of the Colen Family Health Center's patients are expected to meet the criteria for this initiative.
http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/ucla-pilot-project-boost-access-care-low-income-patients
Obama releases his own plan for healthcare reform -- February 22, 2010
WASHINGTON – As Congressional leaders prepare for Thursday's White House summit on healthcare reform, President Barack Obama has released his own version of a healthcare reform plan.
Obama said his plan would put American families and small business owners in control of their own healthcare and build on legislation passed by the House and Senate last year, with a focus on providing health insurance reform "that lowers costs, guarantees choices and enhances quality healthcare for all Americans."
http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/obama-releases-his-own-plan-healthcare-reform
Fast Company selects top 10 innovators in healthcare -- February 22, 2010
NEW YORK – GE, athenahealth, and Sermo are among the top 10 innovative healthcare companies named by Fast Company. Kaiser Permanente is the sole healthcare provider on the list.
GE was recognized for its Healthymagination initiatives, athenahealth for its work on the physician billing, practice management and medical records front, and Sermo for its online physician community.
http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/fast-company-selects-top-10-innovators-healthcare
$100M to 10 States to Test Innovations in Children's Healthcare -- February 22, 2010
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced $100 million in federal grant funds to 10 states to improve health care quality and delivery systems for children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
The grants, which will be awarded over a five year period, were funded by the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA). The money will help states implement and evaluate provider performance measures and utilize health information technologies such as pediatric electronic health records and other quality improvement initiatives.
“We all have a stake in the health of our nation’s children,” said Sebelius. “Exploring new technologies and initiatives will help ensure our kids get the high quality care they need and deserve.”
Moody's: Nonprofit Healthcare Downgrades Outpace Upgrades -- February 17, 2010
As yet another indication that 2009 was a horrible year for nearly all aspects of the economy, Moody's Investors Service reported today that the year featured "high downgrade activity" in the not-for-profit healthcare sector.
In fact, Moody's reported 54 downgrades compared to 21 upgrades in 2009, which contrasts to 53 downgrades and 27 upgrades the previous year. In other words, the downgrade-to-upgrade ratio increased from a 2 to 1 ratio in 2008 to a 2.6 to 1 ratio in 2009, said Moody's.
Study puts Mayo Clinic's economic impact at $22B -- February 17, 2010
ROCHESTER, MN – The Mayo Clinic is responsible for $22 billion in healthcare spending nationwide, according to a study conducted by the Battelle Memorial Institute.
About $9.6 billion of that figure is tied to the Mayo Clinic's home base in Rochester, Minn., where it employs roughly 1,900 doctors and scientists and operates Rochester Methodist Hospital, St. Mary's Hospital and the Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital.
http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/study-puts-mayo-clinics-economic-impact-22b
Anthem Blue Cross takes heat over 39 percent premium increase -- February 16, 2010
WASHINGTON – While health insurance reform is stalled on Capitol Hill, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is taking matters into her own hands.
Anthem Blue Cross of California recently announced a 39 percent increase in premiums for some of its customers. Sebelius queried the company last week over the hike, demanding a public explanation.
Nearly $1 Billion Recovery Act Investment in Use of Health IT -- February 12, 2010
Grant Awards to Help Make Health IT Available to Over 100,000 Health Providers by 2014, Support Tens of Thousands of Jobs Nationwide
WASHINGTON, DC - Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis today announced a total of nearly $1 billion in Recovery Act awards to help health care providers advance the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology (IT) and train workers for the health care jobs of the future. The awards will help make health IT available to over 100,000 hospitals and primary care physicians by 2014 and train thousands of people for careers in health care and information technology. This Recovery Act investment will help grow the emerging health IT industry which is expected to support tens of thousands of jobs ranging from nurses and pharmacy techs to IT technicians and trainers.
Texas jury acquits nurse who complained of doctor -- February 11, 2010
ANDREWS, Texas -- A Texas nurse who was brought up on criminal charges for filing an anonymous complaint accusing a doctor of unethical conduct was acquitted by a jury Thursday in a case that watchdog groups warned could have a chilling effect on health care workers and patients.
Prosecutors have said personal - not professional - reasons motivated nurse Anne Mitchell to file the complaint against Dr. Rolando Arafiles with the Texas Medical Board. She was indicted in June on a count of "misuse of official information" after Arafiles filed a harassment complaint with the Winkler County Sheriff's Department.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/11/AR2010021102624.html
Public health organizations urge health reform, preventive care -- February 11, 2010
More than 175 public health organizations have sent a letter to the White House and Congress voicing "strong" support for comprehensive healthcare reform.
The organizations, members of Trust for America's Health, said in the Feb. 4 letter that healthcare reform should "emphasize the need to modernize and increase funding for disease prevention, wellness and public health in the United States."
Neurosurgeons criticize ongoing Medicare payment reductions -- February 11, 2010
WASHINGTON – A national survey of neurosurgeons indicates many are limiting their Medicare practice in some way and more will do so if drastic Medicare physician payment cuts continue.
The online survey of 678 neurosurgeons was commissioned by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies. Perception Solutions conducted the survey in September 2009.
MassGeneral Program Brings Remote Doctor to the Bedside 24/7 -- February 8, 2010
A "home-to-hospital" program in use at MassGeneral Hospital for Children uses real-time video communication that enables an on-call attending physician, from their home, to personally examine patients and communicate directly with staff, other specialists, and even the patients' relatives.
Through the Connected Pediatric Critical Care program, six Pediatric Intensive Care Unit physicians from MassGeneral currently have the videoconferencing units in their homes. When they are need to consult patients and families while away from the hospital, they can videoconference in from home to a portable telemedicine station at the patient's bedside.
Obama targets healthcare reform -- February 8, 2010
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is calling on lawmakers to revisit healthcare at a White House summit – this time before a live camera.
In a highly televised pre-Super Bowl interview with CBS Evening News Anchor Katie Couric on Sunday, Obama announced his plans to try and break the partisan stalemate over healthcare reform.
http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/pre-super-bowl-appearance-obama-targets-healthcare-reform
More Than $119 Million Awarded to States and Territories -- February 5, 2010
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today awarded more than $119 million to states and U.S. territories to support public health efforts to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking-the four most important actions for combating chronic diseases and promoting health. This money supports the one of several components in the Department’s comprehensive prevention and wellness initiative, Communities Putting Prevention to Work, which is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Improving efficiency should be goal of healthcare system -- February 5, 2010
SACRAMENTO, CA – Regardless of whether reform legislation passes, the healthcare industry must become more efficient, a healthcare policy expert said this week.
“The current system is rife with inefficiency. The allocation of resources is indefensible,” said Alan Weil, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Academy of State Health Policy. “If you start there, it gives you room to talk about what’s hard – how do we squeeze that out.”
AHA now offering healthcare construction credentialing -- February 4, 2010
WASHINGTON – The American Hospital Association’s Certification Center has launched the Certified Healthcare Constructor (CHC) credential for professionals in healthcare construction.
The American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) has endorsed the new certification. The ASHE is an AHA personal membership group.
IBM Continues Expansion into Health IT -- February 3, 2010
IBM has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Initiate Systems, a Chicago-based provider of information-sharing software for healthcare organizations and government. The deal is expected to be finalized by the end of March. Financial terms were not disclosed.
It's the 30th acquisition IBM has made in the information and analytics arena, as Big Blue positions itself for the release of about $20 billion in federal stimulus money for the comprehensive, nationwide adoption of electronic medical records.
http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/TEC-245999/IBM-Continues-Expansion-into-Health-IT
