United Healthcare Workers West, a California healthcare workers’ union, is collecting signatures to get two measures onto the ballot that it says would lower healthcare costs. One initiative would cap what hospitals can charge to 25% above the actual cost of services. On average, hospitals...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 15, Issue 10
When he releases his budget next week, President Obama will propose boosting the National Health Services Corps from 8,900 a year to 15,000 a year over the next five years, as well as spending $5.23 billion to train 13,000 primary care residents over the next 10 years, administration officials...
Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano will not accept a prestigious national award for quality after multiple lawsuits filed by former patients allege that the hospital allowed a neurosurgeon to repeatedly botch surgeries, sometimes while under the influence of alcohol and/or cocaine. Baylor...
Quality measures have been added to Physician Compare, a website that helps patients search for information about physicians and other healthcare professionals, CMS announced last week. Sixty-six group practices and 141 accountable care organizations (ACO) now have quality data publicly...
More than 88% of aesthetic physicians are concerned about how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will affect the practice of plastic surgery, and up to one-third may retire early as a result of these changes, according to an online poll conducted by Plastic Surgery Practice. There was also...
CMS’ Physician Compare website is intended to assist patients in finding the "best" providers based on reported performance measures. Will the addition of quality measures to the Physician Compare website be useful in the credentialing/privileging process—if not now, then perhaps down the line?...
The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed legislation earlier this week that allows physical therapists to treat ailments without a prior referral from a physician or other medical professional. The House voted 68-21 for the legislation and sent it to the state Senate, where similar...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 15, Issue 9
The medical home model has been held up as a good way to improve patient care while reducing costs and encouraging teams of stakeholders to collaborate. So where is the evidence? A study published this week found little improvement in quality of care and no reductions in cost. Although the study...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 15, Issue 9
Families may decide to use a retail-based health clinic because they believe it is convenient and less expensive, but according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), these clinics do not provide children with the high-quality, regular preventive healthcare children need. In an updated...
Credentialing Resource Center Digest - Volume 15, Issue 9
CMS last week extended to March 31 the comment period for its proposed Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers rule. “We believe that it is important to allow ample time for all sections of the public to comment on this proposed rule....
