Joseph Rugg's Health Law Blog

The days speed by and so much happens, that it’s good to regroup over the weekend and, while enjoying a cup of coffee, see what you may have missed.  In no particular order, here are some items to be aware of:

1. AMA Calls for Design Overhaul of Electronic Health Records to Improve Usability — The AMA, with the help of the RAND Corporation, has figured out that physicians are struggling with their EHR systems.
2. Despite Progress, Problems—New And Old—Pop Up In Florida’s Medicaid Managed Care Program — Problems challenge Florida’s new Medicaid Managed Care system.  In other news about the struggles with Medicaid, Kaiser Health News reported on ways states game the Medicaid system.
3. Healthcare costs in South Florida and the Nation are often Shrouded in Secrecy — The Miami Herald and WLRN-Miami Herald News have been exploring secrecy in healthcare pricing.  Interestingly, some states, e.g., New Hampshire, have better healthcare pricing transparency.
4. USF Medical School extends deal with Tampa General — USF med students and faculty continue their relationship with TGH.  In related news, USF severed its relations with The Villages Health.
5. OIG Issues Special Advisory Bulletin, Report on Manufacturer Copayment Coupons — Pharmaceutical manufacturers do not have adequate safeguards in place to prevent their copayment coupons from being used to fund copayments for drugs paid for by Medicare Part D.
6. Florida Home Health Care Company and its Owners Agree to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations for $1.65 Million — A Plus Home Health Care, Inc. located in Ft. Lauderdale and its owners settle allegations against them that they hired spouses of referring physicians in a kickback scheme.   In another healthcare fraud case, Dr. Farid Fata, a Detroit-area cancer specialist, pleaded guilty to putting some of his patients through unnecessary chemotherapy treatments and then billing insurers.
7. CMS Says ACOs Have Saved Medicare Millions and Improved Care — In a press release, CMS issued quality and financial performance results showing that Medicare ACOs “have improved patient care and produced hundreds of millions of dollars in savings for the program.”
8. Health care still big in midterms — Healthcare issues continue to burn up the political campaign airwaves.  The Tampa Bay Times reported on some of the facts and fictions used in campaign rhetoric.
9. 7.3 Million Who Picked Exchange Plans Paid Their Premiums — The New York Times, Bloomberg, and other news sources reported that 7.3 million people who had signed up for health insurance had paid their premiums and remained covered.
10. More Doctors Optimistic About Future Of Medicine — More doctors are optimistic about their profession even if they remain skeptical of healthcare reform efforts.

Of course, the feeds on the right always provide a handy resource of what’s happening in health law.