Medicare Has Lower Than Expected Premium Increases
As the November 23 deadline for the Super Committee fast approaches, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease continues to advocate for reforms that strengthen Medicare and Medicaid while pulling costs…
Through the Murky Slog: Part II—A New Light for Cancer Therapies?
Last week, we discussed new drug approvals that reflected a paradigm shift for cancer drug development and for treatment of people living with cancer. Finally, we are starting to see…
Adolescent Pregnancy
Last week the world welcomed its seven billionth child. Whether this child is Maya (the World Bank’s virtual seven billionth child) or Danica (the UN’s symbolic but ‘real life’ seven…
Maybe Walmart Should Open a Hospital Instead
GOOD IDEA! - Kaiser Health News and NPR found a request for information letter from Walmart to prospective partners saying the retailer was seeking help to “dramatically … lower the…
2011-2012 HIPAA Audits Have Begun: Are You Ready to Prove HIPAA Compliance?
Back in August, I blogged about the upcoming 2011 HIPAA Violations and Audits, and news of the government’s $9.2 million contract with auditing firm KPMG. Now that the OCR has…
Diabetes Doubles Risk of Dementia, Alzheimer’s
A study on the relationship between diabetes and dementia reveals that diabetes appears to double a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. A study published in the…
HIPAA Hosting: What’s in a Business Associate Agreement?
You’re a covered entity (your company processes, stores or transfers any type of patient information), and you’re outsourcing your HIPAA hosting services to a third party (an IT vendor, a…
Reasons to Reform Medicaid
Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) have produced ten. Here are my top four: Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) have produced ten. Here are my…
Reasons to Reform Medicaid
Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) have produced ten. Here are my top four: Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) have produced ten. Here are my…
Complex Systems, Part II
In my last Health Alert, I identified some characteristics of complex systems. Among those were: (1) complex systems are too complicated for any single individual to completely comprehend; (2) simplified…
