What we're reading, September 30, 2016: HHS prioritized payments to Obamacare insurers over the Treasury; the CDC is concerned flu vaccinations may be down; and UnitedHealth Group and University of California come together for new partnership.
The Obama administration has prioritized payments to Obamacare insurers over the Treasury department. According to The Wall Street Journal, HHS collected fees from unions, employers, and insurance companies and favored paying those funds to insurers instead of giving the Treasury its full portion of fees. The Affordable Care Act required HHS to collect set amounts of money, but when there were shortfalls, the agency didn’t make the required payments to the Treasury.
The CDC is worried a recommendation it made earlier this year could reduce the number of people who get the flu vaccine. The flu shot is recommended for everyone 6 months or older, but the recommendation to avoid using the nasal spray version of the vaccine could prevent people from getting protected, reported The Washington Post. The nasal spray had failed to protect children for 3 years in a row. The CDC director is concerned that not having the spray could mean lower vaccination rates.
UnitedHealth Group and the University of California Health System are creating a new health plan option. Through a 10-year partnership, the 2 will form an accountable care organization for large, self-funded employers, according to California Healthline. Plus, UnitedHealth will open a research lab in San Francisco, offering researchers and physicians with university access to a national database of patient records, including claims on more than 150 million people going back 20 years.
Oncology Onward: A Conversation With Thyme Care CEO and Cofounder Robin Shah
October 2nd 2023Robin Shah, CEO of Thyme Care, which he founded in 2020 with Bobby Green, MD, president and chief medical officer, joins hosts Emeline Aviki, MD, MBA, and Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, to discuss his evolution as an entrepreneur in oncology care innovation and his goal of positively changing how patients experience the cancer system.
Listen
Insufficient Data, Disparities Plague Lung Cancer Risk Factor Documentation
September 24th 2023On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the senior author of a study published in the September 2023 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® on the importance of adequate and effective lung cancer risk factor documentation to determine a patient's eligibility for screening.
Listen
Contributor: More Informed Management of Preeclampsia Is Necessary
November 29th 2023At present, it is difficult for clinicians to identify patients at greatest risk for developing preeclampsia with severe features and tailor treatment plans for them; this difficulty increases costs significantly.
Read More
Study Validates Smartphone Analysis for Predicting Obstructive Sleep Apnea
November 29th 2023Findings show breathing sounds recorded by smartphones during sleep at home can reliably identify obstructive sleep apnea, presenting an innovative and accessible alternative to traditional in-laboratory polysomnography.
Read More