U.S. District Judge Joy Flowers Conti on Tuesday gave Highmark Inc. and UPMC a week to each file a notice as to who they believe has the authority to enforce a settlement agreement brokered by Gov. Tom Corbett. UPMC wants Conti to order Highmark to drop the antitrust...
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Expanded role of paramedics shows promise for closing California health-care gaps
In a new report, the UC Davis Institute for Population Health Improvement (IPHI) recommends that the state launch pilot programs to test a new model of community-based health care that would expand the role of paramedics under certain circumstances. In “Community...
Carlisle Regional reacts to two-tier health plan that could steer away business
Carlisle Regional Medical Center wants to provide cost-efficient care needed to retain access to people covered by health insurer Highmark Inc. Carlisle Regional issued this statement Friday afternoon: "CRMC has been working closely with Highmark over the past several...
Study says Hospitals with Strong Safety Cultures Show Better Patient Outcomes
When hospital senior management supports the creation and maintenance of a strong safety culture, patient outcomes improve, staff productivity increases, and there is less clinical employee turnover, according to research reported in the Journal for Healthcare...
BCBSM: “Medical Home” Model Saves Time, Money
Doctors who have transformed their practices to "patient-centered medical homes" have improved patient care while providing savings. According to an analysis by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, doctors that adopted the "medical homes" practice model, which involves...
Community Health Network lays plans for Higher Profits
Community Health Network thinks it can improve its profitability by $100 million over the next two years by reorganizing itself into patient-centered teams. It’s the latest move by a local hospital system to cut costs in the face of declining reimbursement from public...
IV Therapy Accesibility for Medicare Beneficiaries
Dr. Emma Sing recently sat down with a patient and had a tough conversation. Although she has had this same dialogue many times the outcome does not get any easier to explain. She was explaining care options to an 84 year old patient as his intitial shock turned to...
Beneficiary Access Problems Due to Medicare Bid Program
Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers (PAMS) is receiving numerous reports of beneficiary access problems throughout Pennsylvania and the country. It is VERY IMPORTANT that ALL beneficiary access problems are reported so that the program’s failings can be...
Chicago to Revoke Sacred Heart Hospital’s License
The Illinois Department of Public Health plans to revoke the license of Sacred Heart Hospital, a day after the West Side facility abruptly shut down amid a suspension of Medicare payments. Late Tuesday afternoon, the Sacred Heart was preparing to seek protection from...
Hospitals to pay $34 million settlement
Fifty-five hospitals in 21 states have agreed to pay $34 million to the U.S. government to settle allegations that they used more expensive inpatient procedures rather than outpatient spinal surgeries to get bigger payments from Medicare, the U.S. Justice Department...
Highmark, UPMC align arguments against anti-trust lawsuit
Highmark and UPMC argued on Monday that a federal judge should throw out an antitrust case filed by insurance premium payers because even if they could prove collusion between the insurer and hospital system, the plaintiffs can't win damages. Royal Mile Co., a...
Hospitals Voice Frustration to Senators About Burdensome RAC Audits
On June 25, 2013, the Senate Committee on Finance heard testimony from hospital representatives and a recovery audit contractor (RAC) representative regarding burdensome audit procedures. RACs were created to identify improper payments made to Medicare Parts A and B...