Latest California Healthline Stories
Study: Most Physicians Lose Money After Adopting EHRs
The average physician lost $43,743 in the first five years after implementing an electronic health record system, according to a study published Monday in the journal Health Affairs. According to the study, only 27% of physicians had a positive return on investment during that time period, but that figure increased to 41% if doctors received $44,000 in incentive payments for the meaningful use of an EHR system. Bloomberg et al.
GOP Sources Discuss Effect of Ryan’s Budget on Medicare Benefits
GOP sources say that House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan’s fiscal year 2014 budget proposal will not alter Medicare benefits for individuals age 55 and older, despite previous reports that the plan might include coverage changes for people who currently are as old as 59. Politico.
Opinion: State Must Maintain Low-Income Health Programs
In a Sacramento Bee opinion piece, Daniel Zingale — senior vice president of the California Endowment — argues that keeping county low-income health programs open “will ensure that access to care is consistent across California” for residents who remain uninsured after the Affordable Care Act takes full effect. Zingale adds that the state “should maintain its support to California counties that operate these invaluable programs and find other ways to fund safety-net health providers in the few counties that don’t.” Sacramento Bee.
Assembly Budget Panel To Probe Gov. Brown’s Medi-Cal Expansion Plans
Today, an Assembly budget subcommittee plans to examine Gov. Brown’s Medi-Cal expansion proposals. A report developed for the hearing urges lawmakers to ask if counties should have to share expansion costs when the state will receive federal subsidies. Los Angeles Times.
Tavenner Unveils CMS’ Implementation Timeline for Health Exchanges
Acting CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner has laid out a timeline for implementing health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. She says that insurers will submit plan data to CMS by April and that the agency will begin public outreach efforts in July. Modern Healthcare et al.
Official: Sequestration To Affect Medicare EHR Incentive Payments
A federal official says that the 2% cut to Medicare payments under sequestration will result in reduced payments to health care providers under the Medicare portion of the meaningful use electronic health record incentive program. Modern Healthcare et al.
GAO: CMS Overpaid MA Plans by at Least $3.2 Billion
Between 2010 and 2012, Medicare Advantage plans received at least $3.2 billion in overpayments from CMS because the agency inadequately adjusted “risk scores” for beneficiaries in the private plans, according to a Government Accountability Office report. Democrats said the report supports proposed spending reductions in the Medicare Advantage program. The Hill‘s “Healthwatch,” Modern Healthcare.
‘Functional Cure’ of Infant With HIV Raises Questions
Physicians, researchers and advocacy groups worldwide are questioning the authenticity and the implications of the case of a Mississippi infant who was “functionally cured” of HIV. On Sunday, physicians announced that the infant — born to an untreated, HIV-positive mother — was given an aggressive regimen of three antiretroviral drugs for several months and later showed no evidence of the virus. Some HIV/AIDS experts say that the case is largely irrelevant for adult HIV cases. Washington Post et al.
Riverside County Concerned About Health Care Funding
Riverside County officials have expressed concern about the county’s ability to fund its health care services as the state prepares for the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Officials said they have a plan to offset a $30 million deficit in the county’s safety-net health programs for this fiscal year but are unsure about their ability to cover such shortfalls in future years. U-T San Diego.
GOP Bill Aims To Avoid Government Shutdown, Maintain Spending Cuts
House Republicans have introduced a continuing resolution extension bill that would keep the federal government funded through September and maintain the $85 billion in spending cuts, including a 2% reduction to Medicare payment rates, under sequestration. Washington Post et al.