The S&P 500 Health Care Sector rose to a record high again Tuesday, led by managed care companies such as Humana and UnitedHealth Group.

It was the sixth-consecutive day that the index set a record. In July, it broke its all-time high set in December 2000.

Within the managed health care group, which is mostly responsible for the overall sector's gain, shares of CIGNA, Coventry Health Care and Aetna were also trading at multi-year highs.

So far this year, the health care group is up 17 percent, outperforming not only the broader market, but rest of the nine major S&P 500 sectors. The last time the sector was up this much in a quarter was in Q2 2000, when it rose 23 percent.

Tuesday's surge followed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announcement of an increase in the payment rate by 3.3 percent in 2014 for insurers that offer coverage through the popular Medicare Advantage program. (Read More: In Reversal, US to Raise Medicare Advantage Payment Rate)

Although the health care sector is traditionally considered a "defensive play" during economic downturns, the projected increase in both revenue and profit this year, as a result of major changes under the U.S. health care law, has helped many of these stocks move higher.

Here's a look at some of the largest managed-health care companies and their performance year-to-date.

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Surging Health Care Index Sets Another Record

Apr. 2, 2013 Everyday, news reports detail the impact of the deficiencies in the nation's mental health care services. Even more startling, a survey from the University of Michigan reveals that many adults across the U.S. believe children and teens have extremely limited or no access to appropriate mental health care services.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation commissioned the National Voices Project to facilitate a five year study to gauge opportunities available for children and teens at the local level in communities across the U.S. Officials at the National Voices Project based their study on the perceptions held by adults who work and volunteer on behalf of children day-to-day.

"The adults in the National Voices Project survey work or volunteer on behalf of kids. These are the adults who are perhaps best positioned to refer children and teens to the healthcare services they need," says Matthew M. Davis, M.D., M.A.P.P., director of the National Voices Project, associate professor of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases at the University of Michigan Medical School and associate professor of Public Policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.

Survey participants were asked how much availability there is in their communities for children and teens to receive healthcare services. More than half of all respondents note that there is "lots of availability" for teens to have hospital care (55%) and primary care (56%) in their communities, but across all healthcare services, only 30% of respondents reported "lots of availability" for mental health care. Healthcare availability for children was very similar.

"These findings indicate low availability of mental health care for children and teens in the majority of communities across the U.S.," says Davis. "Even in communities where there are lots of opportunities for children and teens to get primary care or hospital care, access to mental health care is lacking."

In addition, in communities where respondents perceived racial/ethnic inequities, they consistently reported less access to all healthcare services, including mental health, especially for teens.

The full survey shows that where there are perceived inequities at the community level there are also perceptions of diminished opportunities for young children and teens in the domains of nutrition, health, and healthcare.

To read the full report, please visit: http://nationalvoicesproject.org/america-healing-grantees/resource-center/disparities-access-healthcare-teens

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Access to mental health care lacking for children, teens across the U.S.

As the debate over Medicaid expansion in Ohio rages, a consortium of Butler County health care leaders threw their support behind the proposal Tuesday, saying the expansion would be good for health care and the economy by aiding the working poor.

A provision in Gov. John Kasichs proposed biennial budget calls for the extension of Medicaid to individuals up to age 65 and up to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

Detractors claim that the provision would trade dubious short-term gains for long-term losses. But those in attendance at a rally for Medicaid expansion held at Primary Health Solutions in Middletown maintained raising the level to 138 would bring a lot of additional people into the system.

Many of them work and fall just above the current line, said Marc Bellisario, CEO of Primary Health Solutions. In the current system, if you work, you cant get assistance for health care.

According to a fast facts summary issued by the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services providers, the expansion would allow more than 275,000 low-income parents and single adults statewide to have coverage for the treatment of physical and behavioral health conditions.

The expansion, the summary said, would free up $404 million in the state budget over the next two years, will ensure that $13 billion in federal taxes paid by Ohio citizens would come back to the state.

This policy creates 30,000 jobs in the health care sector (and) in the private marketplace as people gain access to treatment and can successfully return to work and participate in Ohios economy, the summary said.

An estimated 16,679 people in Butler County would sign up for Medicaid under the proposed expansion and 4,208 would do so in Warren County, according to a recently released report by a partnership of the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, Ohio State University, the Urban Institute and Regional Economic Models, Inc. The expansion is also estimated to generate $499,722 in sales tax for Butler County and $168,089 for Warren County, according to the 12-page report.

Bellisario said that many people who work in jobs without adequate health care insurance will often postpone seeking medical attention for problems until they become serious.

Then they end up in emergency rooms, and that costs us all, he said.

More here:

Butler County health care leaders support Medicaid expansion

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

In its ongoing efforts to advocate for safe, equal and unrestricted health care access for residents in East Los Angeles and to voice its commitment to ensure the availability of information on quality care issues, Our SALUD has launched a new website.

Were thrilled to launch our new website today, said Elba Romo, Our SALUD Community Advocate and Co-Founder. The new website is intended to be a source of empowerment for the East Los Angeles community. It is a way for patients to educate themselves and ensure they will not become victims of health care system schemes.

The website and expansion have been fueled by the courage of a young man, Juan Carlos Jandres a cancer survivor alleging he was delayed care by HealthCare Partners (HCP). Over half a million Los Angeles area residents are part of a network connected to the alleged illegally operating medical group. Jandres is now stepping out to tell his story in hopes that this never happens to anyone else again. Jandres explains his heart wrenching story of how he had to fight to save his life on Our SALUDs first You Tube channel.

You Tube will allow Our SALUD to spread important testimony and information via a medium that is much more personal and widespread, said Ms. Romo, In a couple of weeks time Juans videos have reached many in our community and garnered significant media attention.

The site will also serve as a resource to boost recent expansion efforts. Our SALUD is increasing its advocacy work to encompass other critical issues affecting this Southern California region. This includes an effort to fight childhood obesity, a trend that has more than doubled in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We are excited to assist community members most in need of help. Our hopes are to form long-term mutually beneficial relationships for our community, said Nestor Valencia, Our SALUD Community Advocate and Co-Founder.

About Our SALUD

Our SALUD (Somos Aliados Latinos Unidos por la Dignidad - Latino Allies United for Dignity), is a grassroots coalition and healthcare watchdog representing civic, community and business leaders from the Southern California Latino communities. We believe that our low-income, minority communities deserve quality healthcare access equal to other communities. We believe our communities are not unlike other communities in California that are yearning for best practices and quality health care. With the new Affordable Care Act, we believe legislators should practice transparency and good government in implementing new health care delivery models, which should include exceptional, free of conflict-of-interest, community-patient focused decision makers at every level.

See the rest here:

Our SALUD Health Care Advocates Launch Website, New Video

Millions of people who take advantage of government subsidies to help buy health insurance next year could get stung by surprise tax bills if they don't accurately project their income.

President Barack Obama's new health care law will offer subsidies to help people buy private health insurance on state-based exchanges, if they don't already get coverage through their employers. The subsidies are based on income. The lower your income, the bigger the subsidy.

But the government doesn't know how much money you're going to make next year. And when you apply for the subsidy, this fall, it won't even know how much you're making this year. So, unless you tell the government otherwise, it will rely on the best information it has: your 2012 tax return, filed this spring.

What happens if you or your spouse gets a raise and your family income goes up in 2014? You could end up with a bigger subsidy than you are entitled to. If that happens, the law says you have to pay back at least part of the money when you file your tax return in the spring of 2015.

That could result in smaller tax refunds or surprise tax bills for millions of middle-income families.

"That's scary," says Joan Baird of Springfield, Va. "I had no idea, and I work in health care."

Baird, a health care information management worker, is far from alone. Health care providers, advocates and tax experts say the vast majority of Americans know very little about the new health care law, let alone the kind of detailed information many will need to navigate its system of subsidies and penalties.

"They know it's out there," said Mark Cummings, who manages the H&R Block office where Baird was getting her own taxes done. "But in general, they don't know anything about it."

A draft of the application for insurance asks people to project their 2014 income if their current income is not steady or if they expect it to change. The application runs 15 pages for a three-person family, but nowhere does it warn people that they may have to repay part of the subsidy if their income increases.

"I think this will be the hardest thing for members of the public to understand because it is a novel aspect of this tax credit," said Catherine Livingston, who recently served as health care counsel for the Internal Revenue Service. "I can't think of what else they do in the tax system currently that works that way." Livingston is now a partner in the Washington office of the law firm Jones Day.

Continue reading here:

Obama health care credits could trigger surprise tax bills

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Theres a long list of reasons why you might delay a trip to the doctors office or hospital.

Maybe you cant find a ride. Maybe you need to work instead. Maybe its just too expensive.

A new study by researchers at Harvard University and Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston shows theres more evidence that people in Berkeley and Colleton counties are delaying treatment specifically because of high health care costs at a higher rate than adults in Charleston and Dorchester counties. The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week. The study analyzed county-level data across the nation.

Particularly vulnerable areas were in the South, including Texas and Florida because Medicaid eligibility requirements in those states are stricter, the study found. Locally, the study estimated between 19.8 percent to 40.6 percent of adults in both Berkeley and Colleton counties are waiting to seek treatment because of the cost. In Charleston, that rate is between 17.2 percent and 19.7 percent.

Dorchester Countys rate was the lowest in the tri-county area between 15.4 percent to 17.1 percent of adults there wait to seek treatment due to cost. The study also found a higher rate of delayed care in areas with fewer primary care doctors, more Hispanic residents, lower income levels and a higher prevalence of chronic disease.

I think that the states that appear to have the highest rates are the states have the least investment in insurance and infrastructure. Thats not surprising, said Dr. Jennifer Haas, a professor at Harvard Medical School and one of the studys authors. In South Carolina, adults who are not disabled or pregnant do not qualify to enroll in a Medicaid plan, regardless of their poverty level.

The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act allows states an option to expand Medicaid to more uninsured adults in 2014, but Republican lawmakers, including Gov. Nikki Haley, have said the state will not participate.

Tony Keck, director of the state Department of Health and Human Services, an opponent of Medicaid expansion, said he wasnt surprised by the study results, either.

It confirms a lot of what we know about health care and the trick has always been when prices are artificially low for health care because of subsidies or because people arent connected to the price, they many times use too much health care, but other times, when prices are too high, people dont use enough health care.

Original post:

Study: Southerners delay health care treatment because of cost

Monterey County labor leaders and politicians are sounding the alarm about a proposal by Gov. Jerry Brown to decrease health care funding they say would be disastrous for Natividad Medical Center.

At issue is $2 billion the state government now gives to counties to take care of poor residents for their health care needs.

As part of ongoing negotiations in Sacramento over how to implement the federal Affordable Care Act, Democrats are at odds with Brown over how to expand medical coverage for low-income people, and who will pay for it. There are two proposals: Have the state government just expand Medi-Cal and pay for it, or have the counties each expand their own program. The counties favor an expansion of Medi-Cal, according to news reports.

It is estimated the Affordable Care Act will result in direct coverage for about one million residents through expanded Medi-Cal coverage. Two to three million residents could also benefit from buying their own health care coverage and using federal tax credits promised to that effect.

With all this added coverage, Brown is reportedly saying counties won't need as much money for health care, so he wants to keep about $2 billion from that pot to administer the federal health care expansion.

But even with the expansion, about two to three million Californians will remain uninsured, labor leaders said at a news conference Monday outside Natividad Medical Center. The cut would be disastrous for Monterey County

"Right now, 1-in-4 people under 65 years old lack medical insurance," said Benjamin Franklin, Jr., president of Service Employees International Union Local 512, which represents most Natividad Medical Center workers. "When fully implemented, 23,000 people will receive coverage through medical expansion (of the Affordable Care Act). But for the thousands who remain uncovered, public hospitals are a lifeline."

If $2 billion is stripped from counties, these services will be in jeopardy, Franklin and other officials said.

"We're calling on state legislators to protect existing health care funding so they can continue protecting the indigent and uninsured" said Cesar Lara, executive director of the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, which represents 64 unions on the Central Coast. Many of the uninsured are immigrant workers who got left out of the Affordable Care Act and won't be eligible even after the program is fully implemented, Lara said. That would be about 137,000 people in Monterey County who will still remain dependent on Natividad.

County owned Natividad provides health care to 60 percent of all the poor patients in Monterey County and 60 percent of all government- insured patients.

Read the original post:

County leaders worried about health care cuts

Boston Three years after it split Massachusetts voters in the 2010 special U.S. Senate election, the debate over President Obamas health care law has lost little of its political punch.

Of the five candidates vying to fill the seat left vacant by John Kerrys resignation, just one has offered a full-throated defense of the law. Democratic U.S. Rep. Edward Markey has described his vote for the Affordable Care Act as the proudest vote of my career.

Markeys primary opponent, fellow Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, voted against the bill and continues to point to what he says are serious flaws. But Lynch has stopped short of calling for its repeal.

The three Republicans in the race former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, Norfolk state Rep. Daniel Winslow and Cohasset businessman Gabriel Gomez are all strong critics of the law.

Sullivan and Gomez say they support repealing the law; Winslow says hed push to give states a chance to opt out of it.

The jousting is more vigorous on the Democratic side.

Lynch has described the 2010 law as a giveaway to the insurance industry. He said the decision to abandon a proposed public option that would have created government insurance plans that could have competed with private plans ended up benefiting insurance companies even as the law requires tens of millions of Americans to obtain health insurance.

What the insurance companies wanted, they wanted 31 million new customers. We gave them everything they wanted, Lynch said in a recent debate. It was like a hostage situation where we not only paid the ransom, but we let the insurance companies keep the hostages.

Lynch also said the law includes so many new taxes that employers are running away from their health care obligations.

Markey said that when Lynch had a chance to cast a vote for the broadest expansion of health care in generations a decades-long Democratic quest he sided with Republicans.

Link:

Health Care Law Divides Bay State Senate Hopefuls

(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

BOSTON (AP) Three years after it split Massachusetts voters in the 2010 special U.S. Senate election, the debate over President Barack Obamas health care law has lost little of its political punch.

Of the five candidates vying to fill the seat left vacant by John Kerrys resignation, just one has offered a full-throated defense of the law. Democratic U.S. Rep. Edward Markey has described his vote for the Affordable Care Act as the proudest vote of my career.

Markeys primary opponent, fellow Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, voted against the bill and continues to point to what he says are serious flaws. But Lynch has stopped short of calling for its repeal.

The three Republicans in the race former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, Norfolk state Rep. Daniel Winslow and Cohasset businessman Gabriel Gomez are all strong critics of the law.

Sullivan and Gomez say they support repealing the law; Winslow says hed push to give states a chance to opt out of it.

The jousting is more vigorous on the Democratic side.

Lynch has described the 2010 law as a giveaway to the insurance industry. He said the decision to abandon a proposed public option that would have created government insurance plans that could have competed with private plans ended up benefiting insurance companies even as the law requires tens of millions of Americans to obtain health insurance.

What the insurance companies wanted, they wanted 31 million new customers. We gave them everything they wanted, Lynch said in a recent debate. It was like a hostage situation where we not only paid the ransom, but we let the insurance companies keep the hostages.

Lynch also said the law includes so many new taxes that employers are running away from their health care obligations.

Read more:

National Health Care Law Divides Mass. Senate Candidates

Crain's is seeking nominations for Health Care Heroes, a special report on hat will run Aug. 12. The program honors top-notch medical innovators and patient advocate.

There are five categories:

Corporate achievement in health care: Honors a company that has created an innovative health benefits plan or has solved a problem in health care administration.

Advancements in health care: Honors a company or individual responsible for a discovery or for developing a new procedure, device or service that can save lives or improve quality of life.

Physician: Honors a physician whose performance is exemplary.

Allied health: Honors an individual from nursing or allied health fields who is deemed exemplary.

Trustee: Honors leadership and distinguished service on a health care board.

A panel of health care judges will choose the winners. Nominations, which are due May 13, can be made at crainsdetroit.com/nominate. Statewide nominations accepted. Questions? Contact Bill Shea at bshea@crain.com or (313) 446-1626.

If you enjoy the content on the Crain's Detroit Business Web site and want to see more, try 8 issues of our print edition risk-free. If you wish to continue, you will receive 44 more issues (for a total of 52 in all), including the annual Book of Lists for just $59. That's over 55% off the cover price. If you decide Crain's is not for you, just write "Cancel" on the invoice, return it and owe nothing. The 8 issues are yours to keep with no further obligation to us. Sign up below.

Offer valid for new MI subscribers only. Non-MI subscribers - $79. All other Foreign - $127.

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Nominate Health Care Heroes

BOSTON Three years after it split Massachusetts voters in the 2010 special U.S. Senate election, the debate over President Barack Obamas health care law has lost little of its political punch.

Of the five candidates vying to fill the seat left vacant by John Kerrys resignation, just one has offered a full-throated defense of the law. Democratic U.S. Rep. Edward Markey has described his vote for the Affordable Care Act as the proudest vote of my career.

Markeys primary opponent, fellow Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, voted against the bill and continues to point to what he says are serious flaws. But Lynch has stopped short of calling for its repeal.

The three Republicans in the race former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, Norfolk state Rep. Daniel Winslow and Cohasset businessman Gabriel Gomez are all strong critics of the law.

Sullivan and Gomez say they support repealing the law; Winslow says hed push to give states a chance to opt out of it.

The jousting is more vigorous on the Democratic side.

Lynch has described the 2010 law as a giveaway to the insurance industry. He said the decision to abandon a proposed public option that would have created government insurance plans that could have competed with private plans ended up benefiting insurance companies even as the law requires tens of millions of Americans to obtain health insurance.

What the insurance companies wanted, they wanted 31 million new customers. We gave them everything they wanted, Lynch said in a recent debate. It was like a hostage situation where we not only paid the ransom, but we let the insurance companies keep the hostages.

Lynch also said the law includes so many new taxes that employers are running away from their health care obligations.

Markey said that when Lynch had a chance to cast a vote for the broadest expansion of health care in generations a decades-long Democratic quest he sided with Republicans.

Read more from the original source:

Health care divides US Senate hopefuls

BOSTON Three years after it split Massachusetts voters in the 2010 special U.S. Senate election, the debate over President Barack Obamas health care law has lost little of its political punch.

Of the five candidates vying to fill the seat left vacant by John Kerrys resignation, just one has offered a full-throated defense of the law. Democratic U.S. Rep. Edward Markey has described his vote for the Affordable Care Act as the proudest vote of my career.

Markeys primary opponent, fellow Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, voted against the bill and continues to point to what he says are serious flaws. But Lynch has stopped short of calling for its repeal.

The three Republicans in the race former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, Norfolk state Rep. Daniel Winslow and Cohasset businessman Gabriel Gomez are all strong critics of the law.

Sullivan and Gomez say they support repealing the law; Winslow says hed push to give states a chance to opt out of it.

The jousting is more vigorous on the Democratic side.

Lynch has described the 2010 law as a giveaway to the insurance industry. He said the decision to abandon a proposed public option that would have created government insurance plans that could have competed with private plans ended up benefiting insurance companies even as the law requires tens of millions of Americans to obtain health insurance.

What the insurance companies wanted, they wanted 31 million new customers. We gave them everything they wanted, Lynch said in a recent debate. It was like a hostage situation where we not only paid the ransom, but we let the insurance companies keep the hostages.

Lynch also said the law includes so many new taxes that employers are running away from their health care obligations.

Markey said that when Lynch had a chance to cast a vote for the broadest expansion of health care in generations a decades-long Democratic quest he sided with Republicans.

Read more:

Health care divides hopefuls

Don't hate on the market because winning sectors are traditionally defensive plays, Chris Verrone of Strategas said Thursday.

"What really strikes me is that the rally in the broader market is being discounted because health care is leading," he said. "So, just buy health care."

On CNBC's "Fast Money," Verrone said that historical stock performance shows that strength in defensive sectors can lead the market higher.

"What really strikes me is, coming off the August '82 lows, as the market was breaking out in August '82, for the next six, seven years, your leadership was consumer staples," he said. "So this entire bull market, even up through the '90s, staples were leading, health care was leading."

Verrone used Johnson & Johnson as an example of a safety stock that shows strength.

"JNJ was trying to get through $70, $75 for about 13 years. It's $82 right now," he said. "When the stock broke out in 1995, it went up for 15 of the next 19 quarters, he said. "We think this is a similar break out, and we're seeing it all across health care Bristol-Myers, JNJ, Pfizer. We like the space here."

Another stock called out for a potential breakout was Boston Scientific, which Verrone said was poised to climb toward $10 per share.

"So I don't necessarily buy the argument that health care or staples is bad leadership," he said. "I would say just buy health care or staples."

(Read More: When Defensive Stocks Outperform, Not Always a Red Flag)

Trader disclosure: On March 28, 2013, the following stocks and commodities mentioned or intended to be mentioned on CNBC's "Fast Money" were owned by the "Fast Money" traders: Enis Taner is long GS; Enis Taner is long GS PUT SPREAD; Enis Taner is long BIDU CALL SPREAD; Enis Taner is long MSFT PUTS; Enis Taner is long YHOO CALL SPREAD; Enis Taner is long FXE PUTS; Enis Taner is long XLV; Guy Adami is long C; Guy Adami is long GS; Guy Adami is long INTC; Guy Adami is long MSFT; Guy Adami is long NUE; Guy Adami is long AGU; Guy Adami is long BTU; Brian Kelly is long TREASURIES; Brian Kelly is long GOLD; Brian Kelly is long SILVER; Brian Kelly is short S&P 500; Brian Kelly is short CAC; Brian Kelly is short DAX; Brian Kelly is short EURO; Brian Kelly is short EUROSTOXX; Tim Seymour is long AAPL; Tim Seymour is long BAC; Tim Seymour is long INTC; Tim Seymour is long CSCO; Tim Seymour is long WMT; Tim Seymour is long SBUX; Tim Seymour is long CLF.

Read more from the original source:

'Just Buy Health Care ': Chris Verrone

Re: "It's up to all of us to understand, rein in U.S. health care costs, " Other Opinions, March 24. While I agree with the Rev. Kevin Wildes that the cost of health care in this country is rising significantly -- and it is difficult to understand all of the aspects of insurance coverage, fees for office visits, procedures, and hospitalization, and the intricacies of Medicare and the Affordable Care Act -- the editorial doesn't include two key factors.

The first is that the population is, and has been, aging, and with an aging population comes higher health care expenditures. The second is the medico-legal climate. Medical malpractice lawsuits have a significant impact on the cost of practicing medicine, not only regarding awards to plaintiffs and their attorneys, as well as malpractice insurance premiums paid by hospitals and physicians, but the cost of practicing "defensive medicine" is astronomical. So when patients expect or demand a test or procedure, chances are they will get it whether or not it is necessary.

Finally, I challenge the logic in suggesting that the health care system of this country is anything less that the best the world has to offer. Father Wildes states that we rank 51st in life expectancy in spite of the money spent on health care. However, we rank sixth in obesity, according to his source. Homicides, accidental deaths on our streets and highways, and the incidence of smoking and drug and alcohol abuse further erode life expectancy.

The fact that people come here from all over the world to seek medical care and to work in research and development to improve the health and lives of everyone speaks volumes. I will gladly pay my health insurance premiums, co-payments, and deductibles to know that, in spite of its flaws, I will receive the best health care anywhere.

David W. Hoerner

Metairie

Read more here:

U.S. health care is the best in the world: Letter

CNN Reports on Rising Health Care Premiums Due to Obamacare
CNN Reports That Obama Will Have A Hard Time Delivering On His Promise Of Lower Health Premiums (3/27/13)

By: GOPICYMI

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CNN Reports on Rising Health Care Premiums Due to Obamacare - Video

DALLAS, March 27, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CenseoHealth, a pioneer in physician home consultations, today announced that Nathan Goldstein has joined the Company in the newly-created position of Chief Strategy Officer. In this capacity, Goldstein, a nationally recognized leader in publicly-financed health care, will spearhead efforts to identify and execute new opportunities for the Company to leverage its in-home diagnostic and care expertise and drive improved care for its clients and members.

"The health care landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and we are very pleased Nathan has joined the Company as CenseoHealth executes on opportunities for vastly improved member outcomes based on attentive, specialized, in-home consultations," said Dr. Jack McCallum, CEO of CenseoHealth. "We are confident Nathan will play a key role as we continue to help plans, their members and health care providers make important decisions to improve the health of their members in the home setting. We believe the organizational enhancements we are putting into place will not only enhance this unique service, but will ultimately make our services, specifically CareConsult(TM), further accessible to more plan members."

"CenseoHealth is at the forefront of a national effort to provide higher quality care at a sustainable price," said Goldstein. "The health reform era is marked by rapid change and extraordinary opportunities for changing the way care is delivered and financed to ensure the beneficiary is at the center and payment is tied to quality. I have known the members of the CenseoHealth team for a number of years and I am proud to join a team that has already made such progress in positively impacting the lives of so many."

Most recently, Nathan Goldstein served as CEO of Gorman Health Group, where he brought the industry's leading Medicare consulting firm into the health reform era by developing new practices and software products as the company doubled its client base. In addition to practices dedicated to Medicare "Star Ratings" and risk adjustment, teams led by Goldstein developed software to use in service of revenue management, compliance and business strategy and forecasting. Previously, he was also a part of the founding management team of the first full-service risk adjustment management company serving the managed care industry. Before becoming CEO of Gorman Health Group, Goldstein served as Executive Vice President, where he was responsible for the development of new software and consulting capabilities for the Government-sponsored health care industry. Goldstein is a nationally known speaker and presents at numerous industry events each year on topics including health care finance and reform, reimagining the health care service model and innovations in clinical practice.

About CenseoHealth

CenseoHealth's mission is to facilitate meaningful connections between health plans and their members by providing tailored solutions resulting in high-quality, cost-effective health care. The Company's suite of services is anchored by CareConsult(TM), an in-home health consultation conducted by one of the Company's 10,000 licensed physicians that results in improved member engagement, more accurate diagnoses, and more informed primary care providers. CareConnect(TM) and CareCurrent(TM) expand CenseoHealth's breadth of support and subsequently assist health plans in their effort to close gaps in care and mitigate audit risk. For more information please visit http://www.censeohealth.com.

Contact Nicole Terranella Director of Marketing, CenseoHealth 972-715-3817 nterranella@censeohealth.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/censeohealth/r/health-care-industry-expert-nathan-goldstein-joins-censeohealth-as-chief-strategy-officer,c9392753

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Health Care Industry Expert Nathan Goldstein Joins CenseoHealth as Chief Strategy Officer

JEFFERSON Its the only service in America where we dont directly pay for it.

Thats the curious nature of health care in America, especially for those who have some type of insurance that picks up the tab, said Joe Giangola, an Ashtabula insurance professional who participated in a discussion on the subject Tuesday evening. Giangola said that while Americans historically have been isolated from the real cost of care, that is about to change as more than 40 million uninsured Americans must find insurance or face a penalty.

We will add a disproportionate number of people to the pool who are going to file more claims, Giangola said. The people who are paying (rates) are going to see a disproportionate increase (in their rates).

Giangola wouldnt predict where rates will go, although some are predicting increases of 100 percent or more when the health-care insurance requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) kick in Jan. 1, 2014.

The forum, sponsored by the Ashtabula County League of Women Voters, was held at Jefferson Health Care and focused specifically on how ACA will impact businesses, providers and patients. At the end of the nearly two-hour discussion, two things were evident: Health care wont become more affordable for most Americans and there are likely to be negative repercussions lawmakers didnt foresee.

For example, small business owner Bonnie Warren predicts she will have to cut staff if forced to provide insurance for her 135 employees. Warren, the sole owner of the home-care business Comfort Keepers, operates in four counties and has a monthly payroll of $200,000. She said that if ACA forces her to provide health care insurance to her full-time employees, she will have to raise the rates she charges customers.

The minute we raise our rates, we will lose clients, said Warren, who characterized ACA as poorly designed. In addition to laying off workers, Warren predicted ACA will change the culture of her business. Since starting the business 10 years ago, shes given workers the freedom to select their assignments. But in order to satisfy the governments full-time or part-time designations under the ACA rules, she will have to assign workers to cases they otherwise might not have chosen.

The nice flow weve enjoyed for 10 years is not going to be there anymore, she said.

Robert David, president of UH Geneva and Conneaut, has no doubt about the need for health care reform in the United States. He said that ACA will challenge hospitals and other providers to do more with less and achieve the same outcome, or better, that is realized under the current wasteful system.

That waste, due largely to inefficiencies, is estimated at 30 percent of the total spending on health care, which in 2010 was $2.6 trillion, or more than $8,400 per citizen. David said that at that rate, health care will bankrupt the nation in a few years and workers who have paid into the Medicare Trust Fund will not be able to collect.

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Health care law changes will be drastic for many

SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --The Office of the Patient Advocate (OPA) released the 2013 Report Cards today on a redesigned, consumer-friendly Website, http://www.opa.ca.gov, and, for the first time, as a mobile app for iPhone and iPad. The Website and app make it easy for consumers to review quality ratings on more than 40 clinical care measures for the state's 10 largest commercial Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), six largest commercial Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), and 209 medical groups.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130327/SF84086LOGO)

The Report Cards are an easy-to-use tool for Californians making decisions about health care coverage or medical groups. This year's Report Cards show that health plans and medical groups are improving in the number of children getting immunized, checked for excess body fat, and treated appropriately for throat infections. The Report Cards also reveal that the quality of care for adults with chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease while improving on some measures, varies widely in California and often depends on where someone lives or which HMO, PPO, or medical group provides their care.

"Under the Affordable Care Act, millions of Californians will soon be shopping for health coverage through the state's health benefit exchange, Covered California," said Diana S. Dooley, Secretary, California Health and Human Services Agency. "The Report Cards are a great resource for moms, dads, family caregivers, and people who strive to get healthier and make informed choices about their health care."

The California Department of Insurance regulates health plans underwritten by insurance companies, including PPOs, and makes the PPO Report Card available at its site (www.insurance.ca.gov) also. "The Report Cards provide consumers with essential information to make informed choices," said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. "The Department of Insurance has a long track record of providing consumer protection, fielding nearly 200,000 calls annually. The Report Cards are one more important element in that protection."

HMOs and medical groups dramatically improved (14 percent) the number of adolescents receiving immunizations (measles, tetanus, hepatitis B, meningitis). Medical groups increased childhood immunization rates by 4 percent. PPOs are not rated for this measure.

Individuals and families can use the Report Cards to see:

Developed by the Department of Health Care Services, the new app is now available for download from the OPA Website, http://www.opa.ca.gov, as well as iTunes.

For more detailed information about the 2013 Edition of the Health Care Quality Report Cards, visit http://www.opa.ca.gov, or call (866) 466-8900.

The California Office of the Patient Advocate represents the interests of health plan enrollees by educating them on their rights and responsibilities and publicly reporting on health care quality. The OPA website lists health care quality report cards that cover health plans and insurers, medical groups, Medi-Cal, the Healthy Families Program, hospitals, and long-term care facilities. It also includes resources (opa.ca.gov/about/consumer_information) to help consumers get the most out of their health care.

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2013 Health Care Quality Report Cards are a Vital Tool for Consumers Making Health Care Choices

The issue:

Health care was the defining political battle of President Barack Obama's first term, and - after the economy- it remains his most complicated policy challenge at home, central to his place in history.

Fixing the system is a tall order as "Obamacare's" major coverage expansion takes effect this year and next. The U.S. is projected to spend $2.9 trillion on health care in 2013, approaching one of every five dollars in the economy, much more than any other advanced country. But Americans are not appreciably healthier and more than 48 million are uninsured. The nation's mix of private insurance and government programs supports many of the world's best hospitals, but overall the quality of care is uneven and much is wasted by lack of coordination and overtreatment, putting patients at risk. Fraud bleeds the system of tens of billions of dollars a year.

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The campaign promise:

Obama said he would cover most of the uninsured, preserve Medicare and Medicaid benefits, deny insurance companies the ability to turn away the sick, improve quality, get tougher and smarter against fraud and bring medical records into the Internet age - all while keeping cost increases manageable for government and employers, and premiums affordable for families and individuals. And he promised that for those without coverage, "starting in 2014 this law will offer you an array of quality, affordable, private health insurance plans to choose from" (June 28, 2012).

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The prospects:

Against the odds, an unlikely combination of circumstances has put Obama within reach of his goals, despite enduring opposition from Republicans. But his administration may yet stumble. The rollout of his health care law, and whether the president can prevent major Medicare and Medicaid cuts in the budget battle, could help or hurt Democrats running in the 2014 congressional elections.

The Supreme Court handed Obama a big victory by upholding the Affordable Care Act, with its unpopular individual requirement to carry insurance. Another big break has come from an unusual and perhaps fleeting lull in health care inflation. That's taken away some of the pressure for sweeping changes in Medicare, such as privatization. It's also providing economic breathing room to cover the uninsured.

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PROMISES, PROMISES: Testing Obama's health care

High Point, NC -- It's a done deal as High Point Regional has completed its merger with UNC Health Care System effective April 1, 2013.

The merger means UNC Health Care will take over management and daily operations of the hospital. It will also provide $150 million for capital improvements along with $50 million to create a Community Health Fund. High Point Regional will keep its name, but it will get a new logo to reflect its new relationship with UNC Health Care to be unveiled April 1.

Jeffrey Miller, President of High Point Regional says the merger puts the hospital in a better position.

"UNC Health Care will ensure High Point Regional continues to advance in clinical care and remain competitive while also positioning us for a strong future."

Gary Park, President of UNC Hospitals says the merger will provide quality health care.

"We proudly welcome High Point Regional's trustees, physicians, staff and volunteers to the UNC Health Care team. With our shared mission and values, this partnership will further a comprehensive approach to health care that connects communities with the health care resources they need, provided by the local hospitals and doctors they trust."

Celebrations will take place over the next several weeks to mark the merger.

WFMY News 2/High Point Regional Health System

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High Point Regional Merges With UNC Health Care