cost – Page 2 – Health Law & Policy

How to Build an Effective Compliance Program (Without Breaking the Bank) [Presentation]

16 Jul

In this presentation from the 2014 Clinical Practice Compliance Conference, Brigid Maloney walks us through nine steps to develop an effective compliance program without breaking the bank. She includes best practices for essential steps like how to identify an appropriate ... Read more »

Rx Pizza: 1 Free Meal Can Sway Doctor Prescribing – The New York Times

21 Jun

Tom Brewer

As little as one free meal from a drug company can influence which medicines doctors prescribe for Medicare patients, according to a study using Medicare records and recently released data from the health care law’s Open Payments program. Source: Rx ... Read more »

New legislation would increase Medicare payments to rural hospitals – Waynesboro News Virginian: News

12 May

Tom Brewer

FISHERSVILLE-Rural hospitals like Augusta Health suffer financially on the reimbursement for Medicare patients, who account for about 50 percent of the operation’s patient load. Source: New legislation would increase Medicare payments to rural hospitals – Waynesboro News Virginian: ... Read more »

Taking a Brand-Name Statin? Your Doctor May Be Taking Industry Money

11 May

Tom Brewer

A Harvard study shows doctors who take industry payouts are more likely to prescribe brand-name drugs, which is driving up unnecessary healthcare spending. Source: Taking a Brand-Name Statin? Your Doctor May Be Taking Industry ... Read more »

Medicare Advantage Plans: Rarely Penalized For Overcharging : Shots – Health News : NPR

10 May

Tom Brewer

Privately run Medicare Advantage plans have overcharged the federal government by billions of dollars, yet Medicare hasn’t been effective in recouping the excessive payments, an audit found. Source: Medicare Advantage Plans: Rarely Penalized For Overcharging : Shots – Health News ... Read more »

N.Y. Attorney General Reaches Agreement With Urgent Care Clinics In First ‘Surprise Medical Bill’ Action | Kaiser Health News

20 Oct

Tom Brewer

The clinics have agreed to disclose more fully which health insurance plans consider them “in network.” Source: N.Y. Attorney General Reaches Agreement With Urgent Care Clinics In First ‘Surprise Medical Bill’ Action | Kaiser Health ... Read more »

The lurking risks of hospital-employed physicians: Stark, Anti-Kickback and False Claims Act compliance | Healthcare Finance News

14 Oct

Tom Brewer

The federal laws prohibiting hospitals from paying physicians for referrals are not new, but hospitals need to be on notice: Examine physician compensation structure because enforcement actions are becoming more frequent. Source: The lurking risks of hospital-employed physicians: Stark, Anti-Kickback ... Read more »

Ohio’s behavioral health redesign – Part 1 – AHLA Newsstand

1 Sep

Tom Brewer

Ohio’s behavioral health service delivery and payment systems are heading in a new direction. Over the next three years, we expect providers and service recipients to experience significant changes as alterations are made to the state’s determination of eligibility, authorized ... Read more »

Universal health care for Colorado

30 Aug

Tom Brewer

Colorado may become the first state to establish a universal health care system in the U.S. In July, the Secretary of State certified a proposed initiative for the 2016 ballot that would create a universal cooperative plan called ColoradoCare. They ... Read more »

Ohio’s Medicaid costs $2 billion less than estimates | The Columbus Dispatch

13 Aug

Tom Brewer

Despite higher-than-expected enrollment of Ohioans newly eligible for Medicaid, overall costs of the tax-funded health-insurance program in the most-recent fiscal year were nearly $2 billion below original estimates. According to a report released on Wednesday by Gov. John Kasich’s administration, ... Read more »