The HHS budget released yesterday calls for $1.5 billion to implement (at least in part) the federal exchange for 33 states. Despite Republican’s ongoing refusal to increase funding, with some creative financing HHS maintains “we’ll be ready. No matter what.” (more…)
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says she underestimated challenges and misinformation created by the slow roll-out of health care reform saying it’s a “state-by-state” political battle of information, especially in states where governors strongly oppose the reforms.
Today, November 9, the Obama administration gave states an extra month to submit plans to set up state-based health insurance exchanges, pushing the deadline back from Nov. 16 to Dec. 14.
Kaiser Health News calls this: (more…)
This afternoon, the Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it has issued the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule for 2013. According to a news release from HHS, this new rule will ensure doctors are paid the same rates for treating Medicare and Medicaid patients, without raising the costs for states.
The rule comes in response to the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that (more…)
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), Alaska’s Medicaid program, has agreed to pay the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) $1.7M to settle alleged violations of the HIPAA security rule. The settlement also includes a corrective action plan to ensure compliance with the HIPAA security rule. (more…)
The Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced in a news release today that health insurance premium increases in nine states have been deemed “unreasonable” under the rate review authority granted by the Affordable Care Act.” Those states are Arizona, Idaho, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. (more…)
In advance of the 2 year anniversary of the federal health reform bill, the Dept. of Health and Human Services has launched a video series called “My Care.” (more…)
The HHS Partnership Center is hosting a series of interactive conference calls discussing the benefits and provisions of the new health care reform law. (more…)
While things continue to look bleak in the Puget Sound economy (thanks for the depressing news, Seattle Times, really needed that), health care continues to be an employment harbor in a difficult storm. (more…)
