Health Care Delivery

Encouraging Value-Based Insurance Designs in State Health Insurance Exchanges

Under healthcare overhaul, federal payments to hospitals are tied to patient satisfaction. Customer service efforts are underway.

Ratcheting up the campaign to sell the health law, President Barack Obama delivered a speech Thursday touting how millions of individuals are already benefiting from its insurance rebates, and others who buy coverage online in states such as California, New York and Oregon will pay lower-than-projected premiums next year because of increased competition.

Debate recently surfaced following controversial news that the employer mandate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would be delayed. However, welcome relief for employers has had little effect on individuals, who must still abide to the ACA's individual mandate or face tax penalties.

Most primary care doctors are still waiting for that Medicaid pay raise that was scheduled to begin in January under the Affordable Care Act, but a federal official says the government has now approved applications from 48 states to begin paying the higher rates.

The cost rates of insurance in the New York healthcare exchange are expected to be drastically reduced for most consumers in the state.

In a push for value-based care, UnitedHealth is pledging to double its provider payment in relation to quality and cost efficiency by up to $50 billion within the next 5 years.

A new bill, Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2013 (HR 1416), is aiming to restore Medicare reimbursements for anti-cancer drugs and biologicals to pre-sequester levels