Latest Morning Briefing Stories
California Voters Will Have Their Say On Drug Prices
Heated battle expected over November ballot proposal to curb state’s prescription drug costs, as pharmaceutical industry opens its pocketbook to defeat the measure.
Despite Kvetching, Most Consumers Satisfied With Health Plans: Poll
The survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that 71 percent of people with insurance believe their services are excellent or good.
Medical Advocates Can Help Guide Patients On Difficult Care Choices
Hired advocates help patients develop treatment plans, meet with doctors and explain options, among other services.
For Hospitals, Treating Violence Beyond The ER Is Good Medicine And Good Business
Hospitals increasingly view violence as a health concern and are developing initiatives designed to improve long-term community health.
Fueled By Health Law, ‘Concierge Medicine’ Reaches New Markets
Doctors, insurers and others are kick-starting experiments to broaden access to direct primary care, a service long associated with only wealthy Americans.
Heavy Use Of CT Scans Raises Concerns About Patients’ Exposure To Radiation
CT scans, which are administered more than 85 million times a year, are an important diagnostic tool, but just one can be equivalent to 200 X-rays. Some doctors warn that health providers are not considering possible consequences when ordering the tests.
Hospitals Required To Keep Caregivers In The Loop
California is one of several states to pass laws intended to involve caregivers in discussions when patients are hospitalized or discharged.
More Employers Offer Plans That Provide Lump Sums For Critical Illnesses
The plans can help workers cover their high deductibles, but the policies also have limitations.
Obamacare Insurers Sweeten Plans With Free Doctor Visits
Some insurers are betting that lowering the barrier to seeing a doctor will encourage people to get needed care sooner. If it works, the health plans could save more than they spend on the benefit.
Report: Home Care Workers Need Better Job Protections
Stricter oversight is required to ensure employers comply with labor standards, says worker advocacy group.
New Kaiser Permanente Med School Part Of A Growing Trend
Twenty new schools opened in the past decade; but some doubt whether so many new doctors are needed.
Kaiser Permanente To Open Medical School In Southern California
Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard Tyson says the new school is part of the HMO’s effort to transform the “health care ecosystem” in the 21st century.
Connecticut Governor Targets Hospital Funds To Close Budget Gap
When Gov. Dannel Malloy pushed to tax Connecticut hospitals in 2012, he said the money would come back to the institutions through state funding. Now the hospital association says he is reneging, and they are threatening a lawsuit.
Many Hospitals Neglect Practices To Combat ER Overcrowding, Study Finds
Overcrowding in the emergency department can lead to worse outcomes for patients but too few hospitals implement successful programs.
Medicare Penalizes 758 Hospitals For Safety Incidents
More than half of these hospitals were also punished last year as the government tries to leverage taxpayer money to improve the quality of care.
758 Hospitals Penalized For Patient Safety In 2016: Data Table
Medicare is lowering its 2016 payments by 1 percent for 758 hospitals with high rates of potentially avoidable infections and complications such as blood clots, bed sores and falls. This is the second year of the Hospital-Acquired Conditions Reduction Program, which was mandated by the federal health law to reduce patient injuries. Below are the […]
Medical Training So Dark Many Students Depict Supervisors As Monsters – Literally
Studies find many medical students and residents often are so traumatized by training experiences they test positive for depression.
Cigna CEO David Cordani: ACA Marketplace Is Still In ‘Version 1.0’
In a recent interview, Cordani discussed the evolution of exchange health plans as well the proposed merger between Cigna and Anthem.
Jobs For Medical Scribes Are Rising Rapidly But Standards Lag
More scribes are joining doctors in exam rooms with patients to assist with electronic health records, but not everyone is sold on the practice.
After 3 Years Of Decline, Hospital Injury Rates Plateau, Report Finds
The federal report estimates that 12 of every 100 hospital stays included an infection or other avoidable complication in 2014, about the same rate as 2013. Still, that was 17 lower than 2010.
