Right to a Gun vs. Right to Health Care
In this video, I talk about the nature of what a right is, what it means to have a right to health care, and why passive voice is dangerous in political discourse. My appearance on Ed Ethan: edandethan.com How to Fix Health Care Without Spending a Dime http://www.youtube.com
By: Shane Killian
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Madinah health Care HD OnAir 35sec
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By: Medinahealthcare
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Sharon Brandon, 59, watched her cousin and her auntie die in a matter of months. Her beloved mother went in two weeks. Big Mama, the grandmother who famously distrusted doctors, lasted four months.
Cancer, too far gone to halt, took them all.
Were it not for a persistent Kaiser Permanente doctor badgering her to get her annual mammogram, Brandon might have suffered the same fate. Turns out, the screening captured the image of a tiny white mass of 1.2 centimeters: Stage 1 breast cancer.
"I feel very blessed that the doctors caught it early," said Brandon, an Elk Grove teacher's aide who underwent surgery. She is getting radiation and reports feeling well.
Brandon's case exemplifies the Kaiser experience, experts say. That focus on prevention is what has helped Kaiser evolve from an HMO with a reputation for cut-rate, cookie-cutter care to the health care industry giant it is today.
In the four decades since President Richard Nixon officially threw the federal government's weight behind the concept of HMOs, Kaiser has shed its early growing pains and stigma, rising to become a national model for health care reform.
Today, Kaiser reports that it commands 43 percent of the privately paid insurance commercial market in Sacramento, more than any other health care insurer. In the greater Sacramento four-county region, Kaiser claims 30 percent of the market.
Kaiser operates 35 hospitals and boasts 5.5 million Californians as its commercial customers, collecting $23.3 billion in premiums annually, according to a Citi Investment Research analysis. That analysis concluded that the nonprofit company has captured 40 percent of the state's commercial and individual markets, more than any competitor.
Kaiser's upward trajectory is timely, coming as the Affordable Care Act stands poised to overhaul federal health care so that the industry, in effect, mirrors Kaiser's model of emphasizing prevention, wellness, integrated care and use of electronic medical records. Kaiser's top executive was among the influential players at the table in Washington, D.C., as the policies that would underpin the ACA were shaped.
California officials also have cited the Kaiser model as they move to carry out the federal health care overhaul here. The Legislature recently selected Kaiser as a model for other insurers to follow when they offer products through the state's health exchange.
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The marketplace for health care delivery has shielded consumers from the true cost of health care. It also has insulated providers from having to adopt a consumer focus.
Quality of care isnt the issue. Its the money stuff.
Heres my beef, and I acknowledge its a personal one:
Twice in the past couple of weeks, Ive been to medical services offices for procedures that required me to pay sizable amounts toward the deductible on my employer-provided health insurance.
Two different offices, unrelated to each other.Continue Reading
Both times, I asked for an itemized receipt. The company that manages my flexible spending account that permits me to pay deductibles with pre-tax money requires one.
And, both times, I was cheerfully told no dice. The computer system hadnt registered my service yet, although Id just paid. Id have to call the billing office in about a week.
Now, when I shop at a retailer, restaurant, car mechanic or professional services company, I can immediately get an itemized receipt.
Not, it appears, at medical services offices. Their financial software apparently is geared to help themselves, the insurance companies theyre yoked to, and Medicare, which functionally is just another insurance outfit.
But not to help me, the average consumer, who now is being asked to take more personal responsibility for the cost of health care.
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GREENSBORO Even at their best, Medicaid and health care reforms seem like a complicated mess.
Throw in years of questionable state software projects, damning audits and one of the most complex pieces of federal legislation in history President Barack Obamas health care overhaul is intrinsically tied to Medicaid and the whole thing becomes nigh impossible to follow.
The bottom line of the past few weeks is that the Republicans in control of the N.C. General Assembly and the governors mansion have decided not to cooperate with two key elements of the presidents reforms.
Instead of partnering with the federal government on new health insurance exchanges, which for users will seem a lot like a travel website for insurance, state leaders will let the federal government handle it alone.
And instead of expanding Medicaid to cover an estimated 500,000 additional people, they simply wont, leaving many North Carolinians without health insurance and saving the federal government billions of dollars.Continue Reading
For those who want a deeper understanding, weve tried to lay things out below. For you true policy wonks out there: This is not absolutely everything you need to know to run Medicaid and health care reform. For the rest of you, this will more than get you started. Embrace the acronyms. Keep patience at hand. Dig in.
The basics
Medicaid is government health insurance. It mostly covers children, the disabled and poor senior citizens. It costs about $14 billion a year in North Carolina and helps roughly 1.6 million people.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed Congress in 2010 and survived a U.S. Supreme Court test last year.
Well, it survived for the most part, but more on that later. Its sometimes called ACA, or just health reform. Youve also heard it called, derisively or not, Obamacare.
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SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A new review of public data finds the average net profit margin for California's commercial managed care health plans was 3.6 percent in 2011, far less than the national averages for a host of medical-related industries, Patrick Johnston, president and CEO of the California Association of Health Plans (CAHP), announced today.
Other sectors of health care benefitted from net profit margins of up to 16.7 percent, according to Yahoo Finance data. In comparison, a new review of data filed with the state by California's commercial managed care health plans found they spent 89 cents out of every $1 in revenue on medical care for their members in 2011, the latest year for which figures are available.
"Some people and organizations have misled the public about insurers' profits, so we compiled accurate information that shows the lion's share of premiums goes to medical care rather than profits," said Johnston. "The truth is California's health plans have a very small average net profit margin, especially when compared to profits of up to 16.7 percent for others in the health care industry."
The Affordable Care Act and state legislation also place tight limits on profits by requiring health plans to spend 85 cents out of every premium dollar on health care. This is called the "medical loss ratio." If health plans don't meet these requirements, they must provide rebates to policyholders.
To determine net profit margins, CAHP reviewed the latest and most comprehensive public filings at the California Department of Managed Health Care for the state's commercial managed care health plans. It found these plans, on average, surpassed the medical loss ratio requirements by spending 89 percent of revenues on medical care in 2011 and that they had a 3.6 percent average net profit margin.
"Even if we put together all the net profits earned by the nation's 10 largest health plans over the course of an entire year, we would only be able to cover the costs of three days of national medical expenditures," said Johnston. "Health care costs will continue to climb as we move forward with the Affordable Care Act. Health plans remain steadfast in their commitment to effectively expand coverage and implement the Affordable Care Act. But we recognize that new insurance taxes, more benefit requirements, limits on geography-based pricing and age rating restrictions will ultimately add to the cost of health care coverage."
In comparison to health plans, Yahoo Finance's accounting of net profit margins (accessed on Jan. 18) reported much larger margins for other health care sectors, including a 16.7 percent net profit margin for major drug manufacturers; 14.1 percent for other drug manufacturers; 13.7 percent for medical appliances and equipment; 13.6 percent for medical instruments and supplies, and 11.9 percent for biotechnology.
Yahoo Finance reported that other sectors, including generic drugs and home health care, had net profit margins ranging from 9.4 percent to 5.7 percent. Nationally, health plans' average net profit margin was just 4.5 percent, according to Yahoo Finance.
The only health care sectors with lower profit margins than California's commercial managed care health plans were drug delivery, diagnostic substances, long-term care facilities and medical laboratories and research.
"The net profit margin is the most accurate way to measure health plans' profits, especially when state and federal law require them to spend 85 percent of their premiums on medical care," said Johnston. "Some health plan critics have tried to confuse the public by citing health plans' return on equity figures, rather than measuring net profit. The two numbers cannot be used interchangeably."
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KANSAS CITY, MO--(Marketwire - Feb 15, 2013) - H&R Block ( NYSE : HRB ) -- The Affordable Care Act (ACA) not only includes the most significant health care reform in decades, but also some of the largest changes to the tax code, creating many unique and unprecedented issues for taxpayers and the uninsured.
To help identify what policymakers, state administrators, small business owners and taxpayers should understand about how the new health care law affects them, The Tax Institute at H&R Block is embarking on a multi-city tour with Bloomberg Government. The tour will bring together thought-leaders from the government, private sector, not-for-profit groups and academia to talk about challenges and opportunities facing taxpayers who will navigate the new system. Kicking off in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 15, the tour will also travel to Florida, California and Illinois.
"Based on a survey we conducted last fall with ORC International, we discovered 3 out of 4 taxpayers don't know what it takes to become eligible for health insurance under the new law, including that it can start with the tax return they will file this year," said Kathy Pickering, executive director of The Tax Institute at H&R Block. "We want to foster a conversation that sheds light on what can be done to help taxpayers, and the uninsured, better understand what they'll face during open enrollment this fall and how to educate them on their health care obligations and choices."
The Tax Institute survey also found that 44 percent of respondents age 18-34 were not aware of a possible tax penalty if they do not have health insurance.
"Understanding your eligibility for health care benefits is important when making decisions on whether to enroll in a health care marketplace exchange," Pickering said. "Educating consumers about the tax implications of their health care choices is important to ensure they get the maximum they're entitled to receive."
Beyond the immediate tax implications for consumers, the tour will bring together the decision makers responsible for helping the millions of uninsured consumers gain access to health insurance information and enrollment assistance. They will examine questions of how government agencies can partner with the private sector to educate consumers and small businesses, an important step in understanding what consumers will face during the first year of health care reform implementation.
Tax and Health Care Review first step in consumer education
"In addition to feedback our millions of clients provide during their personalized, free Tax and Health Care Review this tax season, this tour will provide great insight into how this law affects taxpayers in the real world," said Meg Sutton, senior advisor for tax and health care services at H&R Block.
The personalized review provides the taxpayer with information showing if they qualify for a subsidy and how much they can expect to pay out-of-pocket for the monthly premium. In addition, it will detail the possible penalty they would pay if they do not obtain health insurance.
Just who may qualify for a subsidy could surprise some taxpayers. For example:
Link:
Creating a health care connection
CEO Brian Olson discusses telemedicine initiatives at La Red and in Delaware.
By: DFM News
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@fordschool - Massachusetts Comes to Michigan: Lessons about Health Care Reform
Massachusetts and Michigan business leaders and University of Michigan experts explore lessons from Massachusetts #39; experience with health reform and what may be ahead as the Affordable Care Act is implemented in Michigan. February, 2013. Get more information at: http://www.fordschool.umich.edu
By: fordschool
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@fordschool - Massachusetts Comes to Michigan: Lessons about Health Care Reform - Video
By RTT News, February 12, 2013, 09:43:00 PM EDT
(RTTNews.com) - Health insurer WellPoint, Inc. ( WLP ) on Tuesday named Joseph Swedish as its new chief executive officer, effective March 25. Swedish will succeed John Cannon, who was named interim president and CEO after Angela Braly resigned from the positions in late August.
"He brings to WellPoint an extensive track record leading large, complex health care organizations through diverse challenges in difficult market and regulatory environments, and his experience will be invaluable to WellPoint as we continue to find innovative ways to collaborate with providers in an effort to improve quality outcomes and reduce the cost of care," Chair Jackie Ward said in a statement.
Former CEO Bray, who served at the position since 2007, resigned abruptly following pressure from investors who were disgruntled on the company's financial performance. The company missed analysts' estimates in four consecutive quarters.
Just before Bray left, the company in July cut its full-year 2012 earnings forecast, citing lower enrollment and slightly higher medical cost trends.
However, the company turned around under the interim leadership of Cannon and reported in late January fourth-quarter results that breezed past analysts' expectations, reflecting improved operating performance, solid expense management and improving execution in our core operations.
Meanwhile, Cannon is the executive vice president, general counsel, corporate secretary and chief public affairs officer of the company. He will remain at these positions, and also help in the leadership transition.
Swedish, with 40 years experience in health care, most recently served as president and CEO for Trinity Health Corp. since December 2004. Swedish has held a variety of senior executive positions in both non-profit and for-profit health care systems.
"In 24 years as a CEO, he has had tremendous success growing and advancing health care systems by improving core operations, initiating financial restructurings, and expertly integrating strategic mergers and acquisitions. He is an agile leader at a time when major transformations are requiring health benefit companies to examine new ways to better serve our stakeholders," Ward added.
Prior to joining Trinity Health, Swedish was president and CEO of Centura Health, the largest health care provider in Colorado. He also served as President of the East Florida and Central Florida Divisions for the Hospital Corp. of America from 1994 through 1998.
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WellPoint Names Health Care Executive Joseph Swedish As New CEO
DENVER, Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CORHIO, the Colorado Regional Health Information Organization, announced today that HealthONE has signed an agreement to participate in its secure health information exchange (HIE) network. The seven HealthONE hospitals join 28 other hospitals around the state already connected to CORHIO, including Centura Health which operates 13 hospitals connected to the HIE network, of which seven are located in Metro Denver. HealthONE is a subsidiary of the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), which is the nation's largest private hospital system.
The CORHIO HIE is a highly protected electronic network that links the medical records systems of doctors and other health care providers throughout Colorado. The HIE allows providers to exchange patient information, including lab test and pathology results, x-ray, MRI and other imaging reports, and physician transcription reports, when needed for patient care. To view a video that describes HIE, please visit http://youtu.be/9iO8NaVt6Sw.
Hospitals and health care providers that participate in HIE help to improve the overall quality of care that patients receive, including reducing delays in treatment and the need for redundant testing, which can be costlyand sometimes painfulfor patients.
For patients who go to a hospital for care, studies have shown that coordinated after-hospital care is critically important to avoid serious complications. Too often, patients can end up back in the hospital within 30 days, something referred to as a "hospital readmission." By joining the CORHIO HIE, HealthONE and Centura Health have demonstrated a strong commitment to the health and wellbeing of Denver area patients because HIE will improve their communication with community-based physicians, home health nurses, skilled nursing facilities and other providers who can help patients regain their health and avoid unnecessary trips back to the hospital.
The HealthONE system includes seven metro Denver hospitals, all of which are joining the CORHIO HIE:
The HealthONE system also includes 15 stand-alone ambulatory surgery centers, eight occupational medicine and rehabilitation clinics, Airlife Denver and dozens of specialty clinics.
"HealthONE is proud to partner with CORHIO's HIE to help improve clinical operations for our physicians, nurses and ultimately the patients we serve," says Chris Wobensmith, chief information officer, HCA-HealthONE. "We are committed to providing the highest quality patient experience--from great service at the bedside to enhanced clinical processes like CORIHO."
"We applaud the commitment to patients that HealthONE is demonstrating by participating in our community HIE," said Larry Wolk, MD, chief executive officer of CORHIO. "With the addition of HealthONE to CORHIO's network, we will have one of the nation's most robust HIEs. This is a testament to the collaboration of health care leaders across the state and means that Colorado citizens can expect to get some of the highest quality, most coordinated care of any place in the nation."
About CORHIO
CORHIO is dedicated to improving health care quality for all Coloradans through health information exchange (HIE). As the state-designated entity for HIE, CORHIO collaborates with health care stakeholders including physicians, hospitals, clinics, public health, long-term care, laboratories, health plans and patients to improve care collaboration through secure systems and processes for sharing clinical information. CORHIO is a not-for-profit supported in large part by grants, including awards from the Colorado Health Foundation and from federal ARRA HITECH funds. CORHIO's technical infrastructure is built on industry-leading HIE technology developed and maintained by Medicity. For more information about CORHIO, please visit http://www.corhio.org.
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Physician Involvement in Health Care Reform
Physician Involvement in Health Care Reform is presented by Donald J. Palmisano, MD, JD, FACS, member of The Doctors Company #39;s Board of Governors, and former president of the American Medical Association. In this video, Dr. Palmisano challenges physicians to get involved in government decisions on health care. As the government considers new health care laws, doctors must offer legislators their specific medical knowledge in order to ensure patient safety. SUBSCRIBE FOR OTHER VIDEO TIPS AND NEWS http://www.youtube.com VISIT OUR WEB SITE http://www.thedoctors.com LET #39;S CONNECT Twitter http://www.twitter.com LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com
By: doctorscompany
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Advocate Health Care, one of the largest health care providers in the Midwest, has selected eVariants HealthConnect suite for their physician relationship management (PRM) needs.
Weatogue, CT (PRWEB) February 12, 2013
The HealthConnect platform provides a continuously updated, detailed view of all the physicians within a market and shows the most detailed inbound and outbound referring patterns in the industry.
Joanne Detch, Vice President, Physician Relations and Network Development at Advocate Health Care, said the platform will strengthen outreach efforts with Advocate physicians resulting in greater efficiencies and improved communication with valued partners.
Being able to communicate with doctors in a more efficient, timely and consistent way will have a direct and positive impact on our relationships, Detch said. We are confident the eVariant suite will provide us the foundation necessary to enhance outreach.
We are very pleased to be working with Advocate Health Care, said A. Robert Grant, EVP. Across the healthcare industry, we are seeing an increasing interest in understanding physician referring patterns through the use of claims data. Our enterprise class PRM solution provides a continuously updated data and analytics platform that integrates seamlessly with our clients existing backend systems.
About eVariant
eVariant integrates healthcare marketing products, business data and analytics onto one platform, so healthcare organizations can identify market opportunities, measure marketing campaigns against reportable ROI and improve patient and physician engagement.
About Advocate Health Care
Advocate Health Care, named among the nations top health systems, is the largest health system in Illinois and one of the largest health care providers in the Midwest. Advocate operates more than 250 sites of care, including 10 acute care hospitals, the states largest integrated childrens network, five Level I trauma centers (the states highest designation in trauma care), two Level II trauma centers, one of the areas largest home health care companies and one of the regions largest medical groups. Advocate Health Care trains more primary care physicians and residents at its four teaching hospitals than any other health system in the state. As a not-for-profit, mission-based health system affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ, Advocate contributed $571 million in charitable care and services to communities across Chicagoland and Central Illinois in 2011.
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gorman Health Group (GHG), the leading consulting firm and solutions provider in government health care programs, announces today the arrival of two new additions to the firm's team of government health care experts. Dawn Aston and Michael Bush bring a combined 53 years of experience in a variety of topic areas, including Health Insurance Exchanges, Medicare Advantage and Part D, and health reform implementation.
"Both Dawn and Mike are long-standing, recognized experts in the health care industry, and each offers a wealth of knowledge to GHG clients, who face tough challenges in 2013 and beyond," said John Gorman, Executive Chairman of Gorman Health Group. "GHG is committed to ensuring our team is always able to support the industry with the very best and brightest topic experts, no matter where health reform takes us, and the unique skill sets and in-the-trenches experience Dawn and Mike have to offer make them natural additions to our bench of experts."
Dawn Aston brings to GHG over 24 years of experience in the insurance industry, nine of them specifically focused on government programs. Her deep knowledge of the Medicare and Medicaid market, policies and business processes has enabled her to work successfully with both large and small payers. Michael Bush has nearly 30 years of health care experience under his belt and has worked with such leading health care organizations as Geisinger Health System and United Healthcare. In addition, Mr. Bush served as director of an early Health Insurance Exchange (CARE of Utah). Both Ms. Aston and Mr. Bush join GHG as VP of Business Development and will work directly with clients to support them in achieving strategic goals.
"Since GHG's founding in 1996, the firm's philosophy has always been the reverse of the 'Big 4' model," said Jeff Fox, President and CEO of Gorman Health Group. "We don't recruit young consultants and then teach them the industry. Instead we hire the best and brightest industry experts and offer careful oversight and meaningful mentorship to help them become the best advisors possible to health care organizations. Dawn and Mike are especially exciting additions because they are both industry experts and accomplished advisors. We are thrilled to welcome them aboard."
About Gorman Health Group | http://www.gormanhealthgroup.com
Gorman Health Group is a national health care professional services and software company staffed by subject-matter experts, former health plan executives and seasoned regulators. For 16 years, hundreds of clients serving millions of beneficiaries have leveraged the strategic counsel and technology solutions of GHG to maintain compliant operations, improve market position, and advance growth objectives. Learn more at gormanhealthgroup.com.
For more information: Kristin Rodriguez Gorman Health Group, LLC 510.244.7114 krodriguez@gormanhealthgroup.com
This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com http://www.cisionwire.com/gorman-health-group/r/gorman-health-group-welcomes-dawn-aston-and-michael-bush-to-the-firm-s-elite-team-of-government-heal,c9368758
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WASHINGTON -- A sharp and surprising slowdown in the growth of health care costs is narrowing the federal deficit, leaving budget experts trying to figure out whether the trend will last and how much the slower growth could ease the country's fiscal problems.
In figures released last week, the Congressional Budget Office said it had erased hundreds of billions of dollars in projected spending on Medicare and Medicaid.
The budget office now projects that spending on those two programs in 2020 will be about $200 billion, or 15 percent, less than it projected three years ago.
New data also show overall health care spending growth continuing at the lowest rate in decades for a fourth consecutive year.
Health experts said they do not yet fully understand what is driving the lower spending trajectory. But there is a growing consensus that changes in how doctors and hospitals deliver health care -- as opposed to merely a weak economy -- are playing a role.
Still, experts disagree on where spending might be in future years, a question with major ramifications for the federal deficit, family budgets and the economy.
Part of the slowdown stems from "the recession and the loss of income and wealth" causing people to cut back on health care, Douglas Elmendorf, director of the Congressional Budget Office, said last week.
But he said a "significant part" of the slowdown "probably arises from structural changes in the health care system."
Some insurers
Many of the changes predate the 2010 health care overhaul, but the law has contributed to the changes by offering financial incentives, health care experts said.
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OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
If Americans could choose how the U.S. government spends their tax dollars, theyd designate affordable health care (38%) and job creation (36%) as top priorities, according to a new Tax Survey released by TD Ameritrade, Inc. (TD Ameritrade), a broker-dealer subsidiary of TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation (AMTD). The survey also revealed that the desire for more affordable health care increases with age (35% of Gen Y; 38% of Gen X; 44% of Baby Boomers).
Over the last quarter, slow and steady job growth and improvements in the housing market have Americans feeling more optimistic that the economy is on the rebound+, but they also want the government to focus on the things that impact them most, said Carrie Braxdale, managing director, investor services at TD Ameritrade. And as more and more Baby Boomers enter retirement, quality and affordable health care will continue to be a growing concern among Americans.
Improving the quality of public education (24%) and improving the quality of health care (24%) were also top priorities, while protecting the environment (16%) and investment in U.S. defense (18%) were at the bottom of the list.
Although men and women were relatively aligned on how government should spend the money it gets from taxes, more men said job creation should be the top priority (42% vs. 31% for women) while more women feel affordable health care should be the top focus (43% vs. 33% for men). Further, men were more likely to favor expenditures on defense (23% vs. 12% for women) and job training (20% vs. 14% for women), while more women want tax dollars used to protect the environment (18% vs. 13% for men), resources for homeless people (16% vs. 10% for men) and alleviating world hunger (13% vs. 7%).
According to the Department of Labor, women make approximately 80 percent of the health care decisions for their families. Women also typically live longer* than men, so its not surprising to see that they want their tax dollars being used to improve health care and make it more affordable, continued Braxdale.
Man or woman, young or old, one thing is clear taxes are a big concern for Americans. And its no wonder when you consider that 85 percent of investors believe their taxes will be higher by the end of 2013, according to a separate Investor Sentiment Survey by TD Ameritrade.
To help investors, TDAmeritrades Online Education Center offers a breadth of research, tools and articles, including this article on Five Strategies for Tax-Efficient Investing.
For more information on the surveys, visit the TD Ameritrade Newsroom, which includes a wide selection of past research studies capturing the pulse of retail investors and independent registered investment advisors on topics ranging from retirement and young money to taxes and general market sentiment. For the latest news and information about TD Ameritrade, follow the company on Twitter, @TDAmeritradePR.
TD Ameritrade does not provide tax advice. We suggest you consult with a tax-planning professional with regard to your personal circumstances.
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Editor's Choice Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP Also Included In: Litigation / Medical Malpractice Article Date: 12 Feb 2013 - 0:00 PST
Current ratings for: Health Care Fraud, Record $4.2 Billion Recovered In 2012, USA
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder issued a report which showed that for every dollar the US government spent on health care-related fraud and abuse investigations over the last 36 months, it got $7.90 back. This is a record over a three-year period since the HCFAC (Health Care Fraud and Abuse) Program began sixteen years ago.
Is this huge haul a sign of better coordination among public authorities, or does it reflect an increase in criminality? The Justice Department and HHS believe it is a sign of the government's health care fraud prevention and enforcement efforts. $4.2 billion (2012) is an increase from $4.1 billion in 2011.
The money was recovered from companies and individuals who had tried to defraud federal health programs aimed at seniors and taxpayers for payments they were not entitled to receive. $14.9 billion have been recovered over the last four years, compared to $6.7 billion during the previous four-year period. Over $23 billion have been returned to the Medicare Trust Funds since 1997 by the HCFAC Program.
According to the Office of the Inspector General, US Department of Health & Human Services, during the fiscal year 2012:
HEAT (Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team) was created in 2009 to fight fraud, abuse and waste in the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and to close in on people and entities which abuse the system and cost the American taxpayers billions of dollars.
Attorney General, Eric Holder, said:
HHS Secretary Sebelius said:
According to HHS, the Obama Administration is also using tools that the Affordable Care Act authorized to combat fraud, including better data sharing across government departments, enhanced screenings and enrollment requirements, expanded recovery efforts for excessive payments, and closer monitoring of private insurance abuses.
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Health Care Fraud, Record $4.2 Billion Recovered In 2012, USA
The Pace Group of Companies become a subsidiary of We Care Health Services
TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2013 /CNW/ - We Care Health Services (We Care), Canada's most trusted name in home health care and support services, is pleased to announce that it is further expanding its comprehensive health care portfolio with the acquisition of the Kitchener-Waterloo based Pace Group of Companies (Pace). The addition of Pace, which includes Pace Consulting Group, Pace Homecare and Pace Physiotherapy Centre, broadens We Care's service offerings, most notably in the areas of therapy and rehabilitation services, as well as organizational consulting.
The Pace Group of Companies was founded by Frank Pace of Kitchener in 1987. Through its three operating companies, Pace has become a recognized leader in the communities it services across Ontario - directly assisting individuals, families and organizations with maintaining their health and productivity. Pace provides a diverse range of health care services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, registered massage therapy, speech-language pathology, dietetics, social work, and mental health services.
"Combining the We Care and Pace organizations was a natural move as we continue to invest in the home and community health care sectors," said John Schram, President and CEO of We Care. "Pace's expertise in home and community rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation, and primary care complement We Care's growing and diversified national home care operations. We are also very excited that in addition to enhancing our core home health care offerings, we are gaining access to an extensive network of professional consultants in the areas of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), counselling and corporate health and wellness. I believe we are now very well positioned to be able to support our clients and their families in many different settings; whether it is in their home, in the community, a facility, or the work place."
We Care began providing personal support and nursing care in 1984 and today is one of the most highly regarded health service providers in Canada. As the needs of the communities the company serves have evolved, We Care has diversified its services portfolio to offer a host of integrated care options. With a network of 5,000 home care and health care professionals, We Care is now one of the largest home and community health care providers in the country.
Frank Pace, President of Pace states: "We Care and Pace are an excellent fit as both companies have a tradition of commitment to serving clients' needs. We Care has built a truly impressive organization which includes nurses, homemakers and companions who are dedicated to delivering compassionate, high quality care. This was a logical move for our organization as we have seen a renewed emphasis and need in health care for integrated and seamless care. We believe that by joining We Care we can deliver on that agenda. We are truly excited about becoming part of the We Care organization and believe that this move will further enhance Pace's ability to meet the diverse needs of our current and future clients."
About We Care We Care Health Services, a leading national provider of in-home care and support services with over 50 locations across Canada, provides professional and compassionate care that allows seniors and others to live independently in the comfort of their own homes. We Care employs 5,000 homecare staff and provides care in over 800 communities across Canada, and has received accreditation through Accreditation Canada within all the regions in which it operates in. For more information, visit http://www.wecare.ca.
About Pace Group of Companies Headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario, the Pace Group of Companies (Pace Homecare Services Inc., The Pace Consulting Group Inc. and Pace Physiotherapy Centre Inc.) provides professional healthcare services that directly assist individuals, families, and organizations with maintaining their health and productivity within the home, community and work place. Pace has an extensive multi-disciplinary network of service providers acrossCanada, which it established over 25 years in the EAP, counselling and homecare fields. http://www.pacehealth.com
SOURCE: We Care Home Health Services
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Posted: 6:30 a.m. today Updated: 6:51 a.m. today
Raleigh, N.C. Good morning, and welcome to Today @NCCapitol for Tuesday, Feb. 12, WRAL's roundup of what you need to know about North Carolina state government this morning.
SENATE UNEMPLOYMENT:At 2 p.m., the state Senate will take the first of two floor votes on the remake of North Carolina's unemployment program. The bill, which cuts state benefits and would lead federal regulators to cut extended benefits for those who have been unemployed longer than 26 weeks, has come under criticism from Acting U.S. Labor Sec.Seth Harris.
"If enacted, the legislation also would cut off all federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation that is, benefits after 26 weeks of unemployment to 170,000 unemployed North Carolinians. This cutoff is automatic under federal law," Harris wrote in a news release.
Assuming the Senate passes the measure today, a final Senate vote on Wednesday would send the bill to Gov. Pat McCrory. WRAL.com will live stream the Senate floor session at 2 p.m. Check the Video Central box on the home page.
HOUSE SESSION: Also at 2 p.m.,the House will vote on a constitutional amendment restricting governments' ability to exercise eminent domain, the power to take land from property owners. If it passes, the measure will next go to the Senate.
HOUSE HEALTH CARE:The House Health Committee will take up the bill blocking North Carolina from expanding Medicaid or participating in the health insurance exchanges created by the federal Affordable Care Act.
Individual House Republicans have expressed different sentiments on the bill. Early after it was passed by the Senate, House Speaker Thom Tillis said the chamber would carefully consider the measure to take into account objections raised by Gov. Pat McCrory. The Republican governor was worried North Carolina could lose federal funding for a benefits computer system if the bill became law as passed by the Senate.
Rep. Jim Fulgham, R-Wake, said on Saturday's edition of On the Record that he would slow down the bill because he had questions about how the state would care for those without health insurance. And leaders of the Health Committee last week said they would at least make a few tweaks in order to deal with McCrory's concerns.
However, late Monday, health care advocates said they had been told the bill would push through committee without being amended and could go straight to the House floor.
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Today @NCCapitol: Health care, unemployment, and the Red Route
Raging Grannies Health Care Out take.
Raging Grannies preform from the stage at the HCAO on the Oregon Capital steps on 2.4.13
By: BenWaitingClips
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