A new Johns Hopkins University study has found that most Americans with dementia who live at home have health, safety and care needs that aren’t being met. Regular evaluation of patient and caregiver needs and […]
Empowering Health Care With Teamwork, Knowledge & Common Sense
Category: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
PBGC Benefit Recipients Health Coverage Tax Credit Eligibility Expires 12/31/13
Individuals receiving pension benefit payments from the Pension Benefit GUarantee Corporation who receiving the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC) will not qualify for the HCTC credit after December 31, 2013. HCTC is a federal tax credit for health care […]
HHS Announces $50M In Affordable Care Act Community Health Center Mental Health Services Funding
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced December 12 plans to issue a $50 million funding opportunity announcement to help Community Health Centers establish or expand behavioral health services for people living with mental illness, […]
Insist President & Congress Get Real About Health Care Reform
While disability, illness or death eventually come to all families, Mr. Obama and other Presidents, Congress members, and to a lesser extent, their staffs use billions of dollars of Americans’ tax dollars to get special benefits, perks and privileges that help insulate them and their families from these challenges even as they adopt and enforce an epidemic of rules administered by thousands of newly hired bureaucrats who also enjoy many of those same special benefits, perks and privileges denied to taxpaying Americans they wont apply to themselves. Americans should not allow or trust any President or member of Congress to make important decisions about health care, jobs or war when the leader passes laws or supports silly rules.
Logon & Password Creation For Personal Accounts Lend Significance To Consumer Security Concerns About Using HHS Health Insurance Exchange Portal
Report Raises Questions About Security Of Sensitive Personal Information Americans Will Share With HHS Exchange Portal The reported finding that the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has yet to complete the necessary security […]
OIG Questions Security For American’s Personal Information On HHS Health Insurance Exchange-Data Services Hub
A report released today by the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) raises serious questions about whether Americans should accept the opportunity made available by HHS for the first time today to establish a personal account and begin entering their data into HHS data banks in preparation to apply for health care coverage through health insurance exchanges to be created under the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act when enrollment begins on October 1, 2013. In light of the OIG findings, Americans concerned about protecting their personal information may want to hold off entering information on the Healthcare.gov website and to share their concerns with HHS and Congress.
Will Health Care Reform Be Ready Jan.1? HHS Says Yes; GAO Skeptical
Despite growing concerns expressed by the General Accounting Office (GAO) and others about arrangements and the need for added funding to prepare for the massive conversion in the U.S. health care system slated to take effect January 1, 2014 under the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (“ACA), Obama Administration officials are continuing to claim readiness to begin enrollment of Americans In federal health care marketplace on schedule on October 1, 2013 and to meet other crucial deadlines necessary to effectively implement the next wave of ACA’s health care reforms in the Department of Health & Human Service’s rollout of new consumer health care education and decision-making tools on its newly designed healthcare.gov website.
Economic Downturn, Not Health System Reform, Responsible For Decrease In Health Care Cost Trend
Bad economic times, and not health care reform, account for the record slowdown in U.S. health care spending, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation study, Assessing the Effects of the Economy on the Recent Slowdown in Health Spending (Study).
According to Kaiser Foundation, government statistics show that the period from 2009-2011 had the slowest growth (3.9%) in health care expenditures since the government began tracking health expenditure data in 1960.
CMS Adds “Physician Compare” Feature To Healthcare Provider Directory
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) added a new “Physician Compare” feature to the CMS Healthcare Provider Directory on December 30, 2010. Regulators hope the new feature will help Medicare and non-Medicare patients and their families identify and assess the quality of providers.
Getting Your Health Care Reform Message Heard By Key Congressional Leaders
With Congressional Health Care Reform at a critical point this week, many are asking which members of Congress to talk to, how to reach them and what to tell them. The following are some pointers on contacting the key decision-makers and structuring your message.