ACEP News

Sunshine Act: tracking of gifts, payments starts in August

aault@frontlinemedcom.com — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:30:02 -0400

CHICAGO � Worried that erroneous data about your relationships with industry will be publicly reported under the federal Sunshine Act? Officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spoke at the annual meeting of the American Medical Association House of Delegates June 17 in an...

Workplace wellness and the ACA: The Policy & Practice Podcast

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 08:00:00 -0400

With each passing week, the Obama Administration rolls ahead with implementation of the Affordable Care Act ? despite attempts by House and Senate Republicans to derail the effort. Most recently, the administration issued rules explaining how employers can establish workplace wellness programs...

Study: ACA means less uncompensated care in the ED

Wed, 29 May 2013 17:00:00 -0400

An Affordable Care Act provision that allows adults aged 19-25 years to remain on a parent�s health plan appears to be helping to decrease the amount of uncompensated care in the emergency department, according to a study published May 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In 2011, following...

EHR use reaches 'tipping point'

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:35:01 -0400

More than half of the nation�s physicians and other health care providers use electronic health records in their practices, new statistics from the Health and Human Services department show.

"We have reached a tipping point in adoption of electronic health records," HHS Secretary...

Tavenner confirmed as Medicare/Medicaid chief

aault@frontlinemedcom.com — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:45:02 -0400

For the first time in 7 years, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has a Senate-confirmed administrator, now that Marilyn Tavenner has received that body�s stamp of approval.

Ms. Tavenner was

ACA still not reducing ranks of uninsured

mschneider@frontlinemedcom.com — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:25:01 -0400

An estimated 55 million U.S. adults � or 30% of those aged 19-64 years � were without health insurance coverage at some point last year, according to the Commonwealth Fund�s biennial survey of health insurance.

Another 30 million (16%) were considered underinsured because their out-of-pocket...

Navigating the new insurance exchanges

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:05:02 -0400

Starting Oct. 1, individuals and small businesses will have the chance to shop for and purchase private insurance through the new health insurance exchanges, but they are likely to have plenty of questions about the products and the process for enrollment. With that in mind, the Affordable Care Act...

Health exchanges could bring unpleasant surprises

aault@frontlinemedcom.com — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:20:02 -0400

SAN FRANCISCO � Stand by for some unexpected and potentially nasty surprises when the health insurance exchanges start up in 2014.

The exchanges will start enrolling patients this fall and begin sending information to patients and physicians as soon as this summer. Health insurers will begin...

CMS audits EHR incentives- before paying them

a.ault@elsevier.com — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:45:02 -0500

NEW ORLEANS � Haven�t received your meaningful use incentive? Check your mail for an audit letter.

If in January you submitted an attestation of meaningful use of your electronic health record � with an eye to reaping the federal health IT incentive � an audit letter may be on its way to you.

A...

HHS defines essential benefits under ACA

a.ault@elsevier.com — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 16:45:01 -0500

The Department of Health and Human Services has issued its final rule on what kinds of coverage must be offered by almost all health plans starting in 2014.

The rule outlines the parameters for the so-called essential health benefits that must be included in health plans offered through the health...