Recently added articles from Managed Healthcare Executive:

CDHP savings modest, enrollment low

May 01, 2008; Walker, Tracey ... Savings from consumer plans not as dramatic as hoped; leaders should continue to educate, empower consumers NATIONAL REPORTS - Consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) do not currently produce dramatic savings compared with what would be expected from high-deductible plans, according to ...

Demand grows for transparent quality measures

May 01, 2008; Wechsler, Jill ... Medicare wants more performance information from MA plans to help beneficiaries select coverage The health-quality measurement bandwagon is picking up steam these days as both public and private payers struggle to deal with rising costs and the need to ensure quality care. Medicare has ...

Report card standards developed

May 01, 2008; Wechsler, Jill ... Collaborative effort aims to stress quality care over costs WASHINGTON, D.C. - Health insurers and medical groups have agreed to work together to develop national standards for rating physician performance. Medical societies have long objected, saying rating the quality of care provided ...

Vermont

May 01, 2008; Anonymous ... COMMONWEALTH FUND STATE PERFORMANCE RANKING (2007): 3 IN MAY 2006, VERMONT became one of a handful of states to pass comprehensive health reform legislation intended to increase access to affordable healthcare while reducing cost through quality improvement measures. The plan requires ...

Captive insurance arrangements more common

May 01, 2008; Senterfitt, Barry ... IRS ruling provides guide with regard to tax issues pertaining to the now-popular protected cell companies Many Healthcare entities have explored certain alternative risk transfer arrangements as a means for insuring, or perhaps self-insuring, various exposures. The use of captive ...

Merger activity

May 01, 2008; Skernivitz, Stephanie ... Jon Cohen, MD, addresses the state of hospital systems after the merger dust settles Jon R. Cohen, MD Managing director, Health industries advisory services PricewaterhouseCoopers WHEN JON R. COHEN, MD, was recently appointed managing director of health ...

Early Retirees

May 01, 2008; Edlin, Mari ... Consumer-driven options the plans of choice for young retirees RETIRING EARLY CAN be a rude awakening when it comes to finding health insurance," says Renee Guariglia, executive vice president of Falcone Associates, an independent insurance broker in Syracuse, N.Y. "Most early retirees ...

Plan, PBM programs help identify prescription drug abusers

May 01, 2008; Edlin, Mari ... Programs track prescribing patterns, match claims against certain criteria, alert physicians to potential problems ABUSE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS has been depicted in movies and played out on the streets of America, but how much attention is being paid to abuse of prescription drugs? As more ...

Welcome Back

May 01, 2008; Miller, Julie ... Network Health has been tracking the number of disenrolled members who churn bakc into public plans Higher-than-expected enrollment has challenged the budget and the administration of public health coverage in Massachusetts ever since its universal health plan took effect in April 2006 ....

Enrollment process offers key opportunities

May 01, 2008; Walker, Tracey ... THE ENROLLMENT process offers opportunities to engage employees, but the tools themselves are not enough, according to one industry expert. "The data behind the tool, as well as a well-orchestrated campaign that supports the messages and behaviors is needed for success," says Jeri ...

Management systems keep hospitals from meeting goals

May 01, 2008; Hirst, Robert; Weimer, Denise ... Applying Lean and Six-Sigma can help eliminate wasted time and effort in treating heart attack patients WHEN IT COMES TO TREATING heart attacks, time is a crucial component. Each minute between the onset of a heart attack and proper treatment can mean the difference between life and ...

Expect protection laws to follow federal parity laws

May 01, 2008; Miller, Julie ... In mental-health parity debates, look for families of patients to ask for more opportunity to intervene Long debates in Congress over mentalhealth parity laws position the most human of health needs up against stretched budgets and market disagreements on treatment value. At the moment, ...