| December 4, 2008 | America's Health Insurance Plans |
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- AHIP proposal calls for reducing costs by $500 billion
AHIP has released its universal health care plan, which seeks to reduce by 30% the growth in U.S. health care expenses and cut costs by more than $500 billion between 2010 and 2014. The plan recommends Congress set a five-year cost goal and establish a public-private advisory group to find ways to lower spending, including changes to the reimbursement system. The plan also would ensure coverage for all Americans, with a refundable, advanceable tax credit to allow low-income people to buy private insurance. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)
(12/4)      
- Nursing program enrollment growth slows
A survey shows nursing programs admitted 2% more students this year than in 2007, the smallest annual increase since 2001. Data also show stagnant growth in enrollment and graduations for masters-level nursing programs. The findings may indicate that nursing schools have reached their enrollment capacity with existing faculties, said Fay Raines, president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, which conducted the survey. Modern Healthcare (free registration)
(12/3)
 | Complimentary Webinar: Achieving a State of Continuous Provider Credentialing Verification from Portico Systems. Continuous Credentialing Verification (CCV) is the future of credentialing. In this webinar, you will learn more about CCV, the trends driving CCV, and a framework for measuring your progress towards CCV. Click here to register. |
- Obesity linked to thyroid damage in children
Italian researchers say obesity in children may cause inflammation that damages the thyroid, affecting how it secretes hormones that regulate metabolism. Researchers say more study is needed to see if losing weight returns the thyroid to normal. Yahoo!/Reuters
(12/3)
- Survey finds women put off health care because of cost
A survey of 754 U.S. women found 28% put off seeing a provider when they were ill over the last year because of financial reasons. The survey shows 19% of women said they skipped recommended screenings, such as Pap smears or mammograms, because of the cost and 18% took less than the recommended dose of a prescription drug to make it last longer. Medscape (free registration)/WebMD
(12/2)
- Researchers question maintenance therapy for hepatitis C
Hepatitis C patients who fail to respond to standard medications peginterferon and ribavirin are often placed on maintenance therapy, but they are unlikely to benefit from the extended treatment, a U.S. study found. The practice, which involves administering smaller doses of peginterferon for an unspecified period, should be halted because it is costly and could be dangerous, researchers said. NYTimes.com
(12/3), Bloomberg
(12/3)
- Study: Health care IT improves outcomes, saves money
A study from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found using health care IT results in improved care quality and significant cost savings for chronically ill patients. One project found that remote monitoring of congestive heart failure patients reduced unnecessary hospitalizations and ER visits. Healthcare IT News
(12/3)
- New index tracks health industry's move to e-records
A revenue-cycle-management company in Nashville, Tenn., has created the U.S. Healthcare Efficiency Index to track the health care industry's switch from paper to electronic records. Emdeon says it hopes to raise awareness of potential cost savings that come with using e-records, noting $11 billion could be saved annually just by using direct deposit for medical payments. The Tennessean (Nashville)
(12/2)
 | Are You Looking to Replace Your Legacy Claim System? Take advantage of leading edge technologies and integrate disparate applications into one enhanced solution. By utilizing the latest advancements in healthcare administration you can get the best value for your IT investment with HEALTHsuite® from RAM Technologies. Learn More |
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| The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
HEDIS 2009 FREE Webinar Rebroadcast FINAL DAYS—Preview what's changing for the HEDIS 2009 reporting season! National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) experts discussed new measures, proposed changes, and quality initiatives on the horizon for 2009. Sponsored by ViPS, a General Dynamics Information Technology Company, and available for a limited time. Listen Now!
FREE WEB SEMINAR for Health Plan Provider Contracting and Network Development Professionals! See how Thomson Reuters leading MarketScan databases can enhance contracting and network development strategies by improving comparative fee schedule analysis – in 2009 and beyond. Click here for instant access to a FREE Web seminar and Information Guide. Questions? healthplan@thomsonreuters.com.
Interested in learning more about advertising in the AHIP Solutions SmartBrief? Contact Matt Kavney at (202) 737-5500 x244 or mkavney@smartbrief.com.
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| Other Company News from AHIP Solutions | | |
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| Policy Watch | | |
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- Supreme Court to hear case on VSP nonprofit status
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether the IRS was right to revoke Vision Service Plan's status as a 501c4 tax-exempt social welfare organization. The case could have far reaching effects for hospitals and HMOs. Forbes
(12/3)
| AHIP News | | |
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Is your health plan up to CLAS?
A promising approach to reducing racial and ethnic disparities and improving health care quality is the use of clear and effective health communications. AHIP's compendium, Communications Resources to Close the Gap, highlights materials, Web sites, and steps on how to incorporate culturally and linguistically appropriate services and messages into everyday communications with consumers. Access a free copy today.
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CAQH CORE rules transforming health care administrative data exchange
Aetna, Aultcare, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Tennessee, Health Net, WellPoint, and more than 25 other organizations are on the cutting edge of a movement that's improving health plan-provider connectivity and advancing interoperability. They're complying with CAQH's CORE rules to create nearly instant access to consistent patient information in provider offices. Find out more. Visit our Web site today.
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AHIP educational opportunities -- Sponsorships available
America's Health Insurance Plans has been dedicated to educating health care professionals throughout the world for more than 40 years. AHIP offers a range of educational opportunities, including conferences, webinars, virtual seminars and more. A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available -- for more information, contact AHIP's Business Advancement Team at BusinessAdvancement@ahip.org or 866-707-AHIP (2447).
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| | Recent AHIP Solutions SmartBrief Issues:
- Wednesday, December 03, 2008
- Tuesday, December 02, 2008
- Monday, December 01, 2008
- Wednesday, November 26, 2008
- Tuesday, November 25, 2008
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