Early Thoughts On Proposed ACO Rules

Eric Dishman Hear ye, hear ye, read all about it! For those of you who have been waiting with bated breath (you know who you are!), the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has just published the proposed rules and guidelines for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and the Medicare Shared Savings Program (SSP). You […]

Maximizing Health Care Enrollment through Seamless Coverage for Families in Transition: Current Trends and Policy Implications

» Policy Brief This policy brief reviews the literature on the prevalence of uninsurance caused by work or life transitions, including loss of or change in a job, a reduction in work hours, divorce or legal separation, loss of dependent status, a disability or the death of a family member. The brief also provides initial recommendations […]

House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee Meeting Today on Affordable Care Act

The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee will hold a hearing at 2 p.m. EDT in the Capitol Visitor Center on the positive impact of the Affordable Care Act on creating jobs, lowering health care costs, the role of community health centers and rural access to quality care. More information: http://go.usa.gov/2IL

Accountable Care Organizations (ACO’s) and A Revisit To “Managed Care”

Mike Magee Health Policy expert John Iglehart recently wrote, “One of the few major provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with solid bipartisan support establishes a new delivery model: the accountable care organization (ACO). Congress directed the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to develop an ACO program to improve the quality of […]

Why The House of Medicine Needs To Add Nurse Education Funding To Its’ 2011-2012 Legislative Priorities

Mike Magee We will soon add an additional 35 plus million Americans to our health care system with the expectation of improving the overall health, productivity and competitiveness of Americans in the process. Thinking of this challenge in terms of production or provision of services, we are faced with a glaring human resource weakness – […]

Health Professional Collaboration Inside and Outside The Hospital

Mike Magee Ten days ago, my wife and I were blessed with the arrival of our 8th and 9th grandchildren – two little girls, Charlotte and Luca. We were also introduced for the first time, as health consumers, to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The girls came early, at 34 weeks, and are working […]