Monthly Archives: October 2017

  Today's Top Story HHS releases guidance on information sharing for patients incapacitated by opioids The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has released new guidance on sharing patient health information when a patient may be in crisis and incapacitated, such as during an opioid overdose. The agency states that current Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations allow healthcare providers to share information in certain situations, including: Sharing health information with family and close [...]

  Today's Top Story AMA report finds high commercial insurer market concentration across United States The American Medical Association (AMA) has released its annual report on competition in health insurance. The report presents 2016 data on commercial enrollment in health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), point-of-service (POS) plans, consumer-driven health plans, and public health exchanges and examines market concentration across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 389 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). According to the [...]

  Today's Top Story Study: Transitioning Medicare program to track hospital-wide readmissions could increase penalties for hospitals Findings from a study published in the Oct. 19 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine suggest that transitioning the Medicare Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program from condition-specific readmission measures to a hospital-wide readmission measure would modestly increase the number of hospitals eligible for penalties and substantially increase the penalties for safety-net hospitals. The researchers reviewed Medicare claims from 2011 through [...]

  Today's Top Story Study: XLPE liners linked to increased THA implant survival compared to UHMWPE According to a study published in the Oct. 18, 2017, issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, use of highly cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) liners may be associated with greater implant survival rates compared to conventional bearing surfaces for total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients. The authors conducted a prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of 91 patients who received implants with either [...]

  Today's Top Story 30-day period is now open to preview performance data planned for release on CMS Physician Compare website Through Nov. 17, 2017, physicians can preview their 2016 performance data as it will appear on the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Compare website later this year. Physician Compare is an initiative that allows consumers to search for information on physicians and other healthcare professionals who provide Medicare services. Providers can access the [...]

  Today's Top Story Study: Patients want to be heard by physicians after adverse events occur Findings from an article published online in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine suggest that patients and family members want attending physicians to listen to their feelings about adverse events and to explain what can be done to prevent recurrences. The authors conducted interviews with 40 participants (27 patients, 3 family members, and 10 staff members) at three U.S. hospitals that operate communication-and-resolution [...]

Oct. 13, 2017   Today's Top Story White House to stop ACA subsidy payments   Other News President signs executive order on health care Election period now open to form virtual group for 2018 MIPS Study: Obesity linked to increased risk of THA failure and early revision for aseptic loosening Study: Romosozumab followed by alendronate may reduce risk of fracture compared to alendronate alone for older women with osteoporosis Study: Rapamycin treatment linked to inhibition of HO in [...]