BLOOMINGTON, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Practice Greenhealth, one of the nations leading membership organizations for the health care community, and Sustainability Dashboard Tools, LLC, announce the formation of a strategic partnership.

Practice Greenhealth has more than1,100 hospital members across the United States and Canada,all of whom have made a commitment to promote sustainability and eco-friendly, environmentally responsible practices.

Sustainability Dashboard Tools is the creator of a new Web-based system that empowers companies and other organizations to reduce their operating costs by monitoring and managing their use of natural resources and supplies.

The collaboration will produce a new system available to Practice Greenhealth members called theGreenhealth Sustainability Dashboard.

Using the system, our members and other health care professionals will be able to monitor, track, report, and improve their facilities efficiencies while reducing their environmental footprint, says Laura Wenger, Executive Director of Practice Greenhealth.

And this can be accomplished in one location or multiple locations, allowing our members to compare one facilitys performance with anothers.

The system also helps membersfulfill the goals of the Healthier Hospitals Initiative andlower their operating costs, according to Wenger. Because of this, our members can reinvest that money into the communities they serve, improving their delivery of health services.

According to Stephen Ashkin, CEO of Sustainability Dashboard Tools, the collaboration is an exciting development.

Because Practice Greenhealth members represent some of the most innovative and environmentally committed organizations in health care, this relationship will help us accelerate the greening of the entire health care sector, he says. It will also help demonstrate that we can improve health and protect the environment in a way that is also good for the bottom line.

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Practice Greenhealth and Sustainability Dashboard Tools Form Strategic Partnership

Is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act constitutional? Makes no difference to me, my small business, or most of the small business owners I know.

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Let me please share a few things that have zero impact on my life.

Gays in the military. The Facebook IPO. The Ivy League college admissions process as it relates to my three high school age kids. Lindsay Lohan. Gay marriage. The new Spiderman movie. Roger Clemens. The two gay guys on Modern Family. The NBA finals. Jerry Sandusky. Betty White.

Not that these things (and people) aren't important to some and I respect that. It's just that I don't have to think about them very much. They are of little consequence to me.

Oh, I forgot health care reform. That is also of little consequence to me. Or my business for that matter.

Because very, very soon the Supreme Court will rule on whether all or parts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 is constitutional. It'll be big news. But not for me. And not for my small business. Or most of the small business owners I know. Contrary to what many anti-legislation groups are arguing, most small businesses like mine have been blissfully left out of the health care debate. Health care reform doesn't affect most of us, at least not in the short term. And even in the long term its effects are murky at best.

Here's what I mean. There's the tax credit for small business that's part of the legislation. Companies like mine can take a credit against taxes owed based on how much health insurance we're paying. Sounds like a good thing, right? It is a good thing. But for a very select few. That's because to take full advantage of the credit you need to have fewer than 10 full time employees earning an average salary of $25,000 per year. From there it gets reduced. So unless you're employing oompah loompas making everlasting gobstoppers somewhere in Alabama you're going to find yourself disappointed by the actual benefit you receive, if any. Sure, it can add up to a few bucks saved. But for most it's not such a big impact. This would be why only 170,000 small businessestook advantage of the tax credit last year. Remember: that's out of 20 million small businesses.

By the way, these aren't the only tax implications of the bill. Starting in 2013 there's a new "unearned income" tax, an increase in our Medicare tax rate and a decrease in the amount of itemized deductions we're allowed to take against income. This is all to help fund the legislation. Who here thinks, with the government's current deficit problems, that these taxes will be changed or removed regardless of the Supreme Court's decision? Anyone? Bueller?

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Supreme Court? Health Care Reform? Whatever

-- One of the biggest misconceptions about President Obama's health care overhaul isn't who the law will cover, but rather who it won't.

If it survives Supreme court scrutiny, the landmark overhaul will expand coverage to about 30 million uninsured people, according to government figures. But an estimated 26 million U.S. residents will remain without coverage a population that's roughly the size of Texas and includes illegal immigrants and those who can't afford to pay out-of-pocket for health insurance.

"Many people think that this health care law is going to cover everyone, and it's not," says Nicole Lamoureux, executive director of the Alexandria, Va.-based National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics, which represents about 1,200 clinics nationally.

To be sure, it's estimated that the Affordable Care Act would greatly increase the number of insured Americans. The law has a provision that requires most Americans to be insured or face a tax penalty. It also calls for an expansion of Medicaid, a government-funded program that covers the health care costs of low-income and disabled Americans. Additionally, starting in 2014, there will be tax credits to help middle-class Americans buy coverage.

The Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision this month on whether to uphold the law completely or strike down parts or all of it. If it survives, about 93 percent of all non-elderly, legal U.S. residents will be covered by 2016. That's up from 82 percent this year.

Still, millions of illegal immigrants won't qualify for coverage. This population will account for roughly 26 percent of those who will remain uninsured, according to Urban Institute, a nonpartisan think tank.

And many legal U.S. residents will go without insurance, too. About 36 percent of the population that remains uninsured will qualify for Medicaid but won't sign up for various reasons. Others likely will make too much money to qualify for assistance but be unable to afford coverage.

Here's a look at some of the groups that will likely remain uninsured if the law survives:

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

More than 11 million unauthorized immigrants live in the United States, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research center. That amounts to nearly 4 percent of the total population. But there are no provisions that address illegal immigrants in the health care law.

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Health Care Overhaul Would Leave 26 Million Without Coverage

Washington California has put a lot of work into preparing for President Barack Obama's health care reform law to take full effect in 2014.

And because it has the highest population of any state, it would see billions in new federal dollars flowing its way if that happens, especially to its Medicaid program, health care analysts say.

But some analysts, as well as conservatives in the state's congressional delegation, contend California and the nation would be better off in the long run if it doesn't take full effect.

And they may get their wish.

Any time now, the Supreme Court will rule on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, a law designed to expand health insurance to more Americans and contain costs throughout the health care system.

The court's 2011-2012 term ends this month.

Because of the tone of Supreme Court justices' questions during oral arguments in March, innumerable pundits and court watchers are expecting the law to be struck down either in part or in full.

There is a lot riding on the decision of the court, both (fiscally) and in terms of human impact, said Marian Mulkey of the California HealthCare Foundation, a research organization.

There are 8.2 million uninsured Californians in a given year and as a result, Californians live sicker, die younger, and are one emergency away from financial ruin, the advocacy group California Health Access wrote in a recent report.

More than one in five Californians lack coverage sometime during the year.

Originally posted here:

California awaits key health care ruling

In a matter of days, the U.S. Supreme Court will likely issue a decision affecting nearly one-fifth of the nation's economy. Here's what you need to know.

Flickr/Juan_Carlos_Cruz

Medical care accounts for 18 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product--and it is taking up at least as much of the mindshare of plenty of American entrepreneurs and business owners.

At this very moment, the economic basis of the entire health-care system is up in the air, as a result ofthe imminent U.S. Supreme Court opinion in the health care reform law cases. Court observers expect the decision any day now--perhaps as early as Thursday morning--and most likely before the end of June.

"This is going to be one of the biggest decisions to come down in our lifetime," said Robert Litan, vice president for research and policy at the Kauffman Foundation. "The economic impact could be tremendous."

For American entrepreneurs and employees so far, the waiting has been the hardest part. That's because the decision is likely to have so many ramifications and third-order effects that it's nearly impossible for business owners to forecast all the possible outcomes.

"As the person responsible for setting up health care for our 70-employee company, what I want most is some certainty," said Josh King, vice president of business development and general counsel at Avvo.com, a company for which health care is the second-largest expense after salaries.

"While the [law] has its issues, at least it's a step toward more predictability in health care,"King said. "If the court starts tearing it apart, I fear we'll have to spend more time thinking about health care and less trying to run and grow our business."

Here's how most observers expect the decision to play out--and what that means for this country's small and fast-growing companies.

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Inside the Supreme Court Health-Care Decision

By Heidi Przybyla - 2012-06-21T00:00:00Z

Republicans have pledged to repeal and replace President Barack Obamas health-care overhaul. If the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the law, they may struggle to deliver on the second part of their vow.

A plurality of Americans, 43 percent, say they want to retain the 2010 law with only small modifications, while 15 percent say the measure should be left alone, a Bloomberg National Poll shows. One-third say it should be repealed.

The court will rule in the next week on the constitutionality of the law, the centerpiece of which is the mandate that most Americans buy insurance or pay a fine.

A rejection of all or part of the Affordable Care Act would be a setback for Obama, undercutting his biggest legislative victory. It would also present a challenge to Republicans. With elections approaching, House Republicans are signaling they have no immediate replacement to offer.

If youre out to get more votes in six months, coming forward with a detailed program is not the optimal strategy, said Henry Aaron, a health-policy scholar at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Republicans have little to gain in proposing a comprehensive plan since it may draw criticism from health-care providers or consumers, he said.

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, said on June 19 the House would take a step-by-step approach to revamping health care.

A number of the laws features are popular. Laetitia Adam, a 33-year-old independent voter from Miami, said she supports the insurance mandate as well as the provision allowing children up to age 26 to stay on their parents health plans.

For the most part, I agree with the law as it is, Adam, a respondent to the June 15-18 poll, said in a follow-up interview. You cant afford to get sick without insurance, said the graphic artist. The law just needs to be made more simple.

In a nod to public support for aspects of the law, insurers UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH), Aetna Inc. (AET) and Humana Inc. (HUM) said this month they would retain some benefits even if the court strikes down the law, including allowing young adults to stay on their parents plans and offering free preventive care.

The rest is here:

Americans Want Health-Law Revisions Rather Than Repeal

18-06-2012 14:57 Carolinas Healthcare System (CHS) gave a total of $4.5 million last year, but our giving was not limited to dollars. CHS built and repaired houses, donated food, mentored children, donated school supplies and helped those who need it most in our society. (1:53)

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2012 Community Benefit: We Give - Carolinas HealthCare System - Video

18-06-2012 15:27 (Highlights) HHS Secretary Sebelius gathers with women in Cleveland, Ohio, to hear their stories as the economic decision-makers for their families and discuss changes in health care made available by the Affordable Care Act. Learn more about Women and the Affordable Care Act: Covered Preventive Services for Women: Sign up to receive email updates from HealthCare.gov: -- Take health care into your own hands. US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) http We accept comments in the spirit of our comment policy: HHS Privacy Policy

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Women's Living Room Discussion (Cleveland, OH) - Video

18-06-2012 18:23 When the Supreme Court rules on health care some time in the next two weeks, the waves it sets off will be tricky for both parties to navigate. Jerry Seib has details on The News Hub. Photo: AP. Subscribe to WSJ Live HERE: WSJ Live brings you original programming from The Wall Street Journal. Get news directly from The Wall Street Journal's 2000 reporters across the globe. With exclusive video and daily live programming, you can stay on top of the latest in news, elections, markets, tech, opinion and lifestyle.

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Democrats, GOP Look to Court's Health-Care Ruling - Video

19-06-2012 15:45 This Innovation Exchange focuses on Nashville-based innovative technology solutions developed and implemented to improve the delivery of health care. The event featured five Nashville-based health care organizations that have demonstrated innovative approaches to health care delivery, enabled by health IT. Presenters: Melinda Raymond, Healthways, Inc. Jason Dinger, MissionPoint Health Partners Bo Bartholomew, III, PharmMD Solutions, LLC Ray Pinkston, MD, Sumner Regional Medical Center Jack Starmer, MD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Visit link:

A Forum on Transformation Through Innovation

WASHINGTON - Americans overwhelmingly want the president and Congress to get to work on a new bill to change the health care system if the Supreme Court strikes down President Barack Obama's 2010 overhaul as unconstitutional, a new poll finds.

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Poll: Political leaders should work on new bill if Supreme Court throws out Obama health law

SALT LAKE CITY Utah is taking action on federal health care reform regardless of an upcoming decision expected from the U.S. Supreme Court.

"The timeline is marching on, but we don't have all the rules of the game yet," said Rep. Jim Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville.

A federal directive requires states to select a single essential health benefits package, or guidelines for a minimum coverage plan, by this fall or one will be selected for them. Dunnigan said the deadlines loom even without a final decision on health care reform.

As chairman of the state's Health System Reform Task Force, Dunnigan led a statewide public hearing Tuesday to gather opinions on health insurance coverage under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, which will take effect Jan. 1, 2014.

Defining a baseline for coverage is an important step toward compliance for the state's Health Exchange, which began enrolling employees of small businesses in Utah during a test phase in 2009. It currently provides more than 140 health care coverage options to more than 7,000 individuals and their dependents.

Exchange director Patty Conner said the state will move ahead with its exchange with or without federal health reform, as it has served as "a good value to the state." She said 30 percent of the population benefiting from the exchange did not previously have coverage from an employer.

An extensive marketing campaign to increase awareness of the exchange and draw in additional small businesses will begin next month. The service may also be expanded to include individuals and larger employers who have up to 100 employees, Conner said.

As part of compliance, the state must choose from 10 potential benchmark plans designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They include top performers in the private and public sectors, as well as plans offered to federal and state employees.

"Affordability is the key to allowing access," said Kelly Atkinson, executive director of the Utah Health Insurance Association, who spoke at the hearing. "The more expensive insurance is, the less people will avail themselves to be insured."

Dr. Ray Ward, a local family physician, said he can easily learn what is covered within one system, but dealing with the intricacies of 200 is difficult, requiring higher overhead costs at his practice.

Originally posted here:

Utah moves ahead with federal health reform mandates

By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans overwhelmingly want the president and Congress to get to work on a new bill to change the health care system if the Supreme Court strikes down President Barack Obama's 2010 overhaul as unconstitutional, a new poll finds.

A new health care bill doesn't seem to be in either party's plans on the verge of the high court's verdict on the law aimed at extending health insurance to more than 30 million Americans who now lack coverage. Republicans say they will try to repeal whatever's left of the law after the high court rules and then wait at least until after the November elections to push replacement measures. Democrats say Obama will push to put in place whatever survives.

But an Associated Press-GfK poll shows that more than three-fourths of Americans do not want their political leaders to leave the health care system alone in the event the court throws out the health care law.

Large majorities of both opponents and backers of the law share the view that Congress and the president should undertake a new effort. The lowest level of support for new health care legislation comes from people who identify themselves as strong supporters of the tea party. Even in that group, though, nearly 60 percent favor work on a new bill.

Gary Hess, a Republican from Discovery Bay, Calif., wants the high court to throw out the entire law.

But Hess, 77, said he favors the provision requiring insurance companies to cover people regardless of their medical condition. "There needs to be compromise on both sides," the retired school administrator said.

Garrett Chase, 51, said he hopes the court leaves the law in place but agreed with Hess that the politicians should get back to work if this law is struck down. "I live in the ghetto, and I see people dying every day," said Chase, an unemployed car salesman from Baltimore. "They can't get help because they can't afford it."

The call for new legislation comes even as just a third of Americans support the landmark health care law. The overall level of support for the law is relatively unchanged in recent months, with 47 percent opposing it. But among independents, only 21 percent approve of the law, a new low in AP-GfK polling.

Most of the law's major changes have yet to take effect, including the requirement that most people have health insurance or pay a penalty. The insurance mandate has been among the least popular aspects of the law. Provisions that have gone into effect include extended coverage for young adults on their parents' insurance and relief for seniors with high prescription drug costs.

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Poll: Vast support for new health care effort

In this Wednesday, May 30, 2012, photo, Angela Laws poses for a photo in Leesburg, Va. Laws, 58, runs a small business that cleans and maintains commercial buildings and figures that she'll remain uninsured if she can't find an affordable coverage option that fits a monthly budget already crammed with payments of $1,203 for rent $530 toward her car.

By TOM MURPHY

AP Business Writer

One of the biggest misconceptions about President Obamas health care overhaul isnt who the law will cover, but rather who it wont.

If it survives Supreme court scrutiny, the landmark overhaul will expand coverage to about 30 million uninsured people, according to government figures. But an estimated 26 million U.S. residents will remain without coverage a population thats roughly the size of Texas and includes illegal immigrants and those who cant afford to pay out-of-pocket for health insurance.

Many people think that this health care law is going to cover everyone, and its not, says Nicole Lamoureux, executive director of the Alexandria, Va.-based National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics, which represents about 1,200 clinics nationally.

To be sure, its estimated that the Affordable Care Act would greatly increase the number of insured Americans. The law has a provision that requires most Americans to be insured or face a tax penalty. It also calls for an expansion of Medicaid, a government-funded program that covers the health care costs of low-income and disabled Americans. Additionally, starting in 2014, there will be tax credits to help middle-class Americans buy coverage.

The Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision this month on whether to uphold the law completely or strike down parts or all of it. If it survives, about 93 percent of all non-elderly, legal U.S. residents will be covered by 2016. Thats up from 82 percent this year.

Still, millions of illegal immigrants wont qualify for coverage. This population will account for roughly 26 percent of those who will remain uninsured, according to Urban Institute, a nonpartisan think tank.

And many legal U.S. residents will go without insurance, too. About 36 percent of the population that remains uninsured will qualify for Medicaid but wont sign up for various reasons. Others likely will make too much money to qualify for assistance but be unable to afford coverage.

Read more:

Millions still go without insurance if law ruled OK

Parija Kavilanz

POSTED: 11:54 am MDT June 19, 2012

UPDATED: 2:33 am MDT June 20, 2012

Copyright CNN 2012

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Young Adults Gain Health Care Under New Law

About 30 percent of Americans are enrolled in Medicaid or have no health insurance.

In addressing this problem, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 follows a path that is very indirect, expensive and possibly unconstitutional.

The law provides low-income individuals with nearly cost-free access to traditional health insurance, balancing the books by raising the premiums for other patients and requiring that all Americans have qualifying insurance.

A decision on the constitutionality of this law is expected any day by the Supreme Court.

A far better approach would be to create a system of free health clinics, operated under contract to the federal government. Such a system could be called the Public Access Health Service.

As I picture it, this service would operate under guidelines set by a medical board of governors.

Treatment guidelines The cost of health care in other industrialized countries is only 40 to 50 percent of U.S. costs with outcomes that are as good as ours.

Accordingly, the board of governors would be required by law to set treatment guidelines so as to limit the cost per patient to 50 percent of the cost of mainstream medical treatment.

Such savings are possible. First, the Public Access Health Service would not be an insurance program and would avoid the 20 to 30 percent overhead costs of insurance companies.

Also, the large scale of operations would facilitate cost-saving innovations such as centralized electronic record keeping and remote diagnosis.

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A fresh start for health care reform

Americans overwhelmingly want the president and Congress to get to work on a new bill to change the health care system if the Supreme Court strikes down President Barack Obama's 2010 overhaul as unconstitutional, a new poll finds.

Originally posted here:

Health care system: Vast support for new effort, poll shows

18-06-2012 10:53 On Sunday morning's Q&A, Christopher Buser from the VA Maryland Health Care System discusses the care that returning vets need, how they can enroll to get their benefits and how they can prepare to pay for bills they can't afford. To enroll for benefits, vets can visit or call 877-222-VETS.

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Md. VA talks veteran health care for Sunday Q

18-06-2012 14:35 (Highlights) HHS Secretary Sebelius gathers with women in Madison, Wisconsin, to hear their stories as the economic decision-makers for their families and discuss changes in health care made available by the Affordable Care Act. Learn more about Women and the Affordable Care Act: Covered Preventive Services for Women: Sign up to receive email updates from HealthCare.gov: -- Take health care into your own hands. US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) http We accept comments in the spirit of our comment policy: HHS Privacy Policy

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Women's Health Living Room Discussions (Madison, WI) - Video

18-06-2012 14:53

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2012 Community Benefit: Exceptional Patient Care - Carolinas HealthCare System - Video