Prompt Credentialing Act Filed in Missouri House
By: Travis H Brown Rep. Jeanne Kirkton (D-St. Louis) filed the Prompt Credentialing Act on Thursday, which requires health carriers a 60 calendar window to credential physicians. This year’s bill is HB 347, and includes bi-partisan support with House Speaker Steven Tilley (R-Perryville) as the primary co-sponsor. The next step is committee referral, which could happen as early as next week. See the full bill text...
Read MoreNew Requirements Proposed for Surgical Technologists in ASCs
New Requirements for Surgical Technologists in ASCs: By: David M Jackson Senator Dan Brown (R-Rolla) introduced Senate Bill 178 this week, which amends RSMo Chapter 334 and adds a new section relating to requirements in surgical technology in a health care facility. Under this proposed legislation, no personnel shall practice as a surgical technologist without completing an accredited educational program for surgical technologists and holds and maintains the Certified Surgical Technologist credential...
Read MoreAccountable Care Organizations, Explained
FROM URL: http://www.npr.org/2011/01/18/132937232/accountable-care-organizations-explained Accountable Care Organizations, Explained by JENNY GOLD text size A A A January 18, 2011 As the House begins debate today on an effort to repeal the health care law, we took a closer look at one of the provisions of the law that health care providers are talking about the most — accountable care organizations. ACOs take up only seven pages of the massive new health law but the idea has providers buzzing. ACOs are a...
Read MoreSenator Schaaf files bill aimed at Most Favored Nation Clauses
By: Travis H. Brown Senator Rob Schaaf, M.D. (R-St. Joseph) filed SB 98 this week, a bill aimed to prohibit specific provisions in agreements between health carriers and health providers. In what are commonly referred to as “Most Favored Nation Clauses,” any of the following provisions would make a contract void and unenforceable under Senator Schaaf’s proposed legislation: (1) Prohibits a provider from contracting with another health carrier to provide health care services at a lower price than the...
Read MoreBefore surgery, ask for the lowdown on all the costs
LINK: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/11/28/2478195/before-surgery-ask-for-the-lowdown.html Why is it that we can shop for a car, but we can’t get a hospital or doctor to provide us the cost of open heart surgery or a hip replacement? Why can’t we determine a doctor’s success ratio in treating our illness prior to seeing him or her? Before enrolling in a high deductible health care plan, I bought three medications each for my two boys with asthma for $50 per child per month. After enrolling in my...
Read MoreA Variety of Providers Best for Most Patients
LINK FROM WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704658204575610542252826502.html?mod=googlenews_wsj In his Nov. 5 letter in response to “Big Insurance, Big Medicine” (Review & Outlook, Oct. 26), American Hospital Association President Richard Umbdenstock states that “Patients get real benefits when providers work together to provide better coordinated care based on patient need. Ask any doctor or nurse.” I have been a registered nurse since 1983 and have spent most of...
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