Health Policy News: Too Good to be Quieted by Election Coverage

With all of the election news blaring (thank goodness the end is soon here), some important health policy issues have been somewhat lost in the milieu.  Below is a quick summary of what has caught my attention as of late (a heads-up for readers). Medicare/SNF Class Action Settlement: This is profound on a number of … Read more

Fables, Tales and Job Reports

Before too much rancor sets in among readers, I’ll admit that my content has strayed just a bit lately from health policy, etc. to politics and economics.  This too shall pass and rather quickly.  This post is for a friend and reader who e-mailed me earlier about the ADP job report and what it means … Read more

One Week

One week from today is the national election for president, every seat in the House of Representatives, and one-third of the Senate.  Additionally, there are numerous gubernatorial elections and local or state-wide races at issue.  No other nation on the face of the earth affords, nay protects, the rights of all of its citizens to … Read more

First Glimpse at ACO Results

A cornerstone of health policy arising from health care reform is the formation of Accountable Care Organizations.  The premise is that an organizational structure focused on improving patient care and satisfaction, in a coordinated fashion, would improve quality and thus, reduce cost. The policy implication is that on a shared incentive basis, organizations at-risk, would … Read more

Presidential Debates and the Core of Health Policy

Tonight marks Round 1 in the three-part series of presidential debates.  Why Round 1 is interesting, aside from the political points and positioning each side craves (in his favor) is that this round is supposedly focused on domestic issues. Deficits, tax policy, education and yes, health policy will no doubt work through each candidate’s comments.  As debates … Read more

What’s Trending: Back on Track….For Now

Finally, my plans and I collide again on a Friday afternoon and I’m somewhat back on schedule … for now.  With forecasted travel next week plus a touch of R&R time, it looks like I’ll be back off-track before long.  We’ll see.  Not a lot different on my dashboard as this week concludes.  I’m pretty much awash … Read more

What’s Trending: Catching Up

Probably the biggest trend as of late is my tardiness in getting these posts out on-time…sorry.  My end of the week (last week) got distorted as I needed to attend a meeting with regard to a Medicaid shift in Kansas from fee-for-service to “managed”.   As I have been through these conversions or switches before, it’s … Read more

What’sTrending: A Tad Late

Travel last week took me off schedule a tad so this post, normally scheduled for last Friday, didn’t make it on-line until Monday.  Below is the list of what I am trending (watching) followed by last week’s Fall Outs (worth noting but not worth watching). Hospice Fraud Redux: This issue is one that I have … Read more

What’s Trending: Last Friday in July

Opening celebration at the Olympics is catching most of the buzz today and the Dog Days of Summer are definitely full-on.  Still too much heat and not enough rain for my pleasure but August is around the corner and hopefully, some cooler weather.  If nothing else, I can rely on the Olympics to alter my … Read more