Consensus Reached on ACO Key Principals

The four principals are:

• access
• care coordination
• health information technology
• payment reform

To find out more:

http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2011/03/31/acos-medical-homes-and-reform-a-crucial-consensus/

Defining Essential Benefits: Cost is Critical

As IOM prepares its definition of essential benefits (due September) industry experts debate what should be covered. One thing is that everyone agrees that cost be kept in mind:

http://aishealth.com/archive/nhpw031411-04

What Decisions Are Ahead for Employers

An excellent summary from the Commonwealth Fund on the decisions employers will have to make because of the ACA. Among them are should I "grandfather" my plan or should I drop coverage all together and pay a $2,000 penalty?

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Newsletters/Purchasing-High-Performance/2011/March-29-2011/Perspectives-on-Policy/As-Health-Reform-Moves-Ahead.aspx

Health Risk Assessments: Just a First Step

Sixty percent of large employers offer HRAs to their employees. But to be truly effective, identified health issues must be treated:

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Newsletters/Purchasing-High-Performance/2011/March-29-2011/Featured-Articles/Health-Risk-Assessments.aspx

How One Republican Solves Health Care

For all their criticism of "Obama" care, Reps really do not offer a viable alternative. However, Mitch Daniels, former Republican governor of Indiana, reformed his state's Medicaid program to try to make recipients more financially responsible. Here is a link to explain aspects of "healthy Indiana".

http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-cohn/85908/mitch-daniels-healthy-indiana-medicaid

LA Joins FL in Health Exchange Opt-Out

How many more will there be? The Feds will then have to step in.

http://aishealth.com/archive/nref032811-21

So Are Providers Consolidating and Raising Their Fees to HIs?

The HIs say providers are doing so while providers say HIs still have all the power. A study in MA blamed the providers for the increasing cost of care.

http://aishealth.com/archive/nhpw030711-02