CHEST 2012 Conference Recap
The American Journal of Managed Care editorial team attended the American College of Chest Physicians' CHEST 2012 Meeting in Atlanta, GA, this past week. Although a very clinical conference, there were many studies released that will directly impact payers. Here are some of the highlights of our coverage.

Health Insurance Exchanges Spending Surpasses $2 Billion
According to a report by InformationWeek earlier this month, the federal government has exceeded the $2 billion mark in spending to help establish infrastructure for health insurance exchanges.

Medicare Reform Discussion Rages on During VP Debate
Election Day is less than a month away now, and the candidates’ stances on key issues related to healthcare are becoming clearer. One of the most polarizing issues so far has been Medicare. The Obama and Romney administrations have radically different views on how to move forward with the program, and those views were a major topic of conversation during last night’s Vice Presidential Debate.

Accountable Care Organization Model Gains Momentum Despite Risks
Among the many delivery models that have been discussed in the midst of healthcare reform is Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). The general idea behind the ACO model is to provide something that is currently missing from our healthcare system: an incentive in the form of shared savings for organizations to constrain resources while maintaining (or even improving) quality.