Headlines about "Technology"
Gathered from the web by the editors at BenefitsLink.com.
[Guidance Overview] CMS Taking Steps to Implement New Medicare Secondary Payer Reporting Requirements
Excerpt: "The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has set up a Web site to facilitate implementation of new mandatory reporting requirements relating to the Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) rules for group health plans. The CMS Web site can be accessed at www.cms.hhs.gov/MandatoryInsRep. The new reporting requirements will be implemented on January 1, 2009, and the CMS's Web site will be a 'one-stop shop' for all relevant implementation and compliance materials." (Deloitte)
[Guidance Overview] CMS Publishes Summary of Proposed Mandatory Insurer Reporting Requirements
Excerpt: "The MMSEA . . . created new Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) data–reporting requirements. Starting January 1, 2009, the new MSP data–reporting requirements will require insurers, TPAs and a plan administrator or fiduciary of a self–insured/self–administered group health plan to: [i] Collect from the plan sponsor and plan participants information to identify situations where the group health plan is primary to Medicare, and [ii] Submit such information to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a form and manner specified by HHS." (Sibson)
Colorado to Create Largest Telehealth Network Nationwide
Excerpt: "The Colorado Hospital Association will use a Federal Communications Commission grant worth up to $4.6 million over three years to develop a telehealth network throughout Colorado, Healthcare IT News reports. The Colorado telehealth network, which is set to be the largest health care information network in the U.S., aims to curb health care costs, increase consumers' convenience and reduce potential medical errors." (California HealthCare Foundation)
Health Information Technology: Standards Alone Will Not Lead to Adoption, Let Alone Transform Health Care (PDF)
8 pages. Excerpt: "Proponents of health IT must resist 'magical thinking,' such as the notion that technology will transform our broken system, absent integrated work on policy or incentives. The alternative route to transforming the system sets all of its sights on the destination." (Health Affairs)
WellNet Launches Online Social Networking Program for Health Care Coordination
Excerpt: "WellNet Healthcare this month will launch a test version of Point to Point Healthcare, a social network linking users' physicians, pharmacists and insurance benefit managers, the Washington Post reports. The online tool will allow employees of companies who use the program to connect their health care providers to facilitate treatments." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Online Avators Enhance Benefits Communication
Excerpt: "No longer just for video games, avatars -- computer-generated characters -- now can be integrated into employers' benefits communications programs to ensure consistent, user-friendly messaging 24/7. Sound like an alternate reality? It is -- virtual reality." (Employee Benefit News; free registration required)
[Guidance Overview] IRS Issues New Guidance on HSAs (Part III of Guidance Overview)
Excerpt: "The IRS recently issued Notice 2008-59 and proposed regulations to address a variety of open questions about health savings accounts, or 'HSAs.' This is the third in a series of articles on aspects of the guidance which are of particular interest to employers. The focus of this article is on permitting HSA account owners to access their funds with debit cards that permit payments only for health care." (Employee Benefits Institute of America (EBIA))
Wired for Health Care Quality Act (S. 1693), Senate Floor Version (PDF)
93 pages. Excerpt: "To enhance the adoption of a nationwide interoperable health information technology system and to improve the quality and reduce the costs of health care in the United States." (U.S. Senate via American Benefits Council)
Minnesota Gov. Discusses Plan to Improve Consumers' Access to Health Information
Excerpt: "Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) on Tuesday unveiled a plan to allow all Minnesotans to access their personal health records and compare prescription and procedure costs online, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports . . . ." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Hearing on Promoting the Adoption and Use of Health Information Technology, Thursday, July 24, 2008
The target page presents the witness list with links to their testimony. (U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Health)
Testimony: Evidence on the Costs and Benefits of Health Information Technology (PDF)
40 pages. CBO July 24, 2008, Testimony before the Subcommittee on Health, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives. This statement reprises the Congressional Budget Office's May 2008 report 'Evidence on the Costs and Benefits of Health Information Technology." (U.S. Congressional Budget Office)
Health Officials Back the Move Away from Handwritten Doctors' Prescriptions
Excerpt: "The widespread adoption of electronic prescribing is expected to save taxpayers as much as $156 million over the next five years and save lives, Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt said Monday." (AP via Chicago Tribune)
Testimony: The Potential Benefits and Costs of Increased Adoption of Health Information Technology (PDF)
9 pages. Testimony presented before the Senate Finance Committee on July 17, 2008. Excerpt: "In this testimony, I will use HIT to include an electronic medical record that replaces the paper medical record and includes such associated functions as clinical decision support for facilitating evidence-based medicine, patient tracking and reminders for preventative services, computerized physician order entry to facilitate prescribing and other physician orders, and electronic connectivity of providers (and, in some cases, among providers and patients)." (RAND Corporation)
CMS Officials Provide Informal Views on HIPAA Security Issues
Excerpt: "The Joint Committee on Employee Benefits (JCEB) of the American Bar Association has reported on its May 5, 2008 Q&A session with officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)." (Employee Benefits Institute of America)
PHR Vendors Begin Marketing to Employers and Insurers, According to Study
Excerpt: "Personal health record vendors have begun marketing their products to employers and insurers, rather than consumers, in the hopes of expanding PHR adoption, according to a recent study by Chilmark Research, an industry analyst, the American Medical News reports." (California HealthCare Foundation)
''Patient-Controlled Health IT Act'' (PDF)
Excerpt: "To establish a demonstration program to provide financial incentives to encourage the adoption and use of interactive personal health records and to encourage health information exchange networks to link clinical data to such personal health records.'''Patient-Controlled (U.S. House of Representatives via American Benefits Council)
Federal Thrift Savings Plan Moves Forward on Spousal Benefits and IT Modernization
Excerpt: "The Thrift Savings Plan is on track to undergo a major technology modernization and is moving forward with efforts to allow spousal beneficiaries to keep funds in the TSP. But changes to the plan's offerings and the enrollment process were the subject of debate at the first joint meeting of the Employee Thrift Advisory Council and the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board on Monday." (GovernmentExecutive.com)
Medication Managers and Drug Stores Merge Networks
Excerpt: "The drug store and pharmacy benefit management industries on Tuesday will announce a combination of their information systems in order to boost electronic prescribing by physicians." (AP via The New York Times; free registration required)
New York Times Letters to the Editor Discuss Editorial Supporting Nationwide Adoption of Electronic Health Records
Excerpt: "The New York Times on Monday published several letters to the editor responding to a June 24 editorial about the need for nationwide adoption of electronic health records." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
New Standards for Digital Medical Record Released
Excerpt: "A coalition of employers, health insurers and health care providers released a set of policy and technical guidelines that they say makes storing personal health records online easier and more secure." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Baltimore Sun Examines Google, Microsoft Personal Health Record Systems
Excerpt: "The Baltimore Sun on Thursday examined 'two of the most-likely-to-be-huge' personal health records services: Google Health and Microsoft's Health Vault. According to the Sun, some experts believe that within four years PHRs 'will be ubiquitous,' and people will be able to 'store information in one digital location, and then share it with whomever [they] choose.'" (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Microsoft, Google and Others Agree to Electronic Health Records Standard
Excerpt: "In a move designed to prompt more people to store their medical records online, Microsoft ( NSDQ: MSFT), Google ( NSDQ: GOOG) and several others have agreed on privacy standards to protect patients' information. The list includes WebMD ( NSDQ: WBMD), MedicAlert, AARP,Consumer Reportspublisher Consumers Union, BlueCross BlueShield, and other insurers." (paidContent.org via The Washington Post; free registration required)
Summary of the Protecting Records, Optimizing Treatment, and Easing Communication through Healthcare Technology Act of 2008 (PDF)
6 pages. Excerpt: "To amend the Public Health Service Act to promote the adoption of health information technology, and for other purposes." (American Benefits Council)
Reps. Barton, Dingell To Introduce Legislation That Aims To Spur Nationwide Adoption of Electronic Health Records
Excerpt: "According to CongressDaily, the lawmakers last month released a draft of the legislation that 'generated a torrent of comments from the health care, high-tech and consumer advocacy communities,' many of which focused on patient privacy concerns. In response to those concerns, the lawmakers clarified the definition of a security 'breach' and increased patient privacy protections in the bill." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
[Opinion] Our Pen-and-Paper Doctors
Excerpt: "With electronic health records seen widely as a way to make medical care better and possibly cheaper, it is disturbing how slowly they are being adopted by American physicians. If this country does not accelerate the conversion from paper to modern technologies, many of the gauzy promises of health care reform made by politicians and health planners will become irrelevant." (The New York Times; free registration required)
USA Today Examines Online Second-Opinion Services
Excerpt: "'A limiting factor' in the use of online second-opinion services is that most health insurers do not cover such consultations, USA Today reports. However, Cigna Medical Director Lyndon Laminack in April announced that the company will become the first major insurance provider to cover the service. In July, Cigna will begin a two-year trial offering remote second opinions to select patients through e-Cleveland Clinic . . . ." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
CBO Director Says Health IT Holds Promise, But No Panacea for Health Care Costs
Excerpt: "Health information technology could improve health care quality, but it is not the cure-all solution to reducing U.S. health care costs, Congressional Budget Office Director Peter Orszag said at a forum on Friday, CQ HealthBeat reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
High Costs Keep Doctors from Switching to Electronic Records, According to Survey
Excerpt: "The survey, appearing in Wednesday's online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, found that only 4% of U.S. physicians use comprehensive systems of electronic health records. These include key patient safety features, such as prompts when a medication may react badly with another drug the patient is already taking." (USA TODAY)
[Opinion] 'I Think I See a Few Dollars on That X-Ray: We'll have to Operate'
Excerpt: "As a primary care doctor, I live with one foot in the horse and buggy era and one in the silicon age. I spend most of my time talking to patients and wielding a stethoscope, and I also use the latest high tech gadgets. But the gadgetry is getting out of hand; its overuse threatens patients and is blowing the lid off health care costs." (David Himmelstein via Physicians for a National Health Program)
Insurer Partners With Google on Health Records
Excerpt: "Google and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts are partnering to allow plan members to create online personal health records with Google Health. The Boston-based health insurer's members will be able to download claims data into a personal health record hosted by Google Health." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts To Become First Insurer To Participate in Google Health
Excerpt: "Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts on Thursday announced that it will be the first insurer to participate in Google Health, an online personal health record service, the AP/Boston Herald reports. The insurer said it expects to begin offering the no-cost service to its three million members this fall." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Use of Electronic Personal Health Records Could Increase Substantially
Excerpt: "Many employers have been skeptical about the value of personal health records, saying employees are concerned about privacy and likely won't take the time to maintain the records. But with companies such as Google rolling out its Google Health PHR and Microsoft Corp. launching a similar product, which so far is limited to its business partners, experts say the concept may take off." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Health Care IT Legislation Must Overcome Privacy Concerns
Excerpt: "With the number of days remaining in the congressional session dwindling, supporters are urging faster action. They tout health IT as a way to improve care and reduce costs." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Helping Patients Plug In: Lessons in the Adoption of Online Consumer Tools
Excerpt: "Surveys suggest that three out of four patients would like to have some sort of electronic connection with their medical provider, such as the ability to make an appointment via the Web, view lab test results, or email their doctor. However, a significant disparity remains between what patients want to do online and what they are able or allowed to do. To better understand the role of patient-centered health information technology (PCHIT) in clinical care, the authors of this report examined five types of medical practice settings in California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and the District of Columbia; interviewed physicians, patients, and others; and reviewed the relevant literature. They also looked at PCHIT from a regional perspective to learn about recent developments." (California HealthCare Foundation)
Kaiser Permanente Signs Up Employees for Microsoft's Online Health Record Service
Excerpt: "Nonprofit health insurer Kaiser Permanente announced this week that its 159,000 employees would be the first employees to participate in Microsoft's online health record, Healthvault." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Personal Health Data on the Net: States Address Privacy Concerns
Excerpt: "'A major concern is that PHRs are generally not subject to any privacy act,' explained Robert Gellman, a privacy consultant and author of a recent report on PHR privacy. 'This is a surprise to almost everybody. People expect that their health records are subject to [privacy] laws… and for the most part they are -- when those records are held by doctors and insurers. When you agree to give your records to a third party there may be no privacy protections that apply at all.' To protect patient confidentiality, states are beginning to act. To date, Alabama and California have enacted privacy protections." (National Conference of State Legislatures)
Snooping Into Health Records Often Unnoticed
Excerpt: "Snooping into celebrity health records by workers at UCLA Medical Center sheds light on a largely hidden ailment facing employers: their own people peeking at confidential data." (Workforce Management; free registration required)
Microsoft, Kaiser in Health Data Swap Pilot
Excerpt: "Microsoft and Kaiser Permanente, the biggest U.S. health maintenance organization, are working on a patient information exchange pilot program to help give patients more control over their health records." (Thomson Reuters via eWEEK.com)
Text of H.R. 6179, ''Promoting Health Information Technology Act of 2008'' (PDF)
35 pages. Excerpt: "To encourage and enhance the adoption of interoperable health information technology to improve health care quality, reduce medical errors, and increase the efficiency of care." (U.S. House of Representatives via American Benefits Council)
Federal Health IT Strategic Plan: 2008-2012 (PDF)
115 pages. Excerpt: "The Plan has two goals, Patient-focused Health Care and Population Health, with four objectives under each goal. The themes of privacy and security, interoperability, IT adoption, and collaborative governance recur across the goals, but they apply in very different ways to health care and population health." (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)
[Opinion] Online Health Records - Difference Between the Terms 'on the Internet' and 'Accessible Through the Internet'
Excerpt: "As both a writer and a former software developer, I see a huge difference between the terms 'on the Internet' and 'accessible through the Internet.'" (eWEEK.com)
Federal Health IT Office Unveils Five-Year Strategic Plan
Excerpt: "HHS' Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT on Tuesday released a five-year strategic plan to serve as a guide to coordinate the federal government's health IT efforts, Digital Healthcare & Productivity reports." (California HealthCare Foundation)
ERIC Writes to Congress about Benefits of e-Prescribing
Excerpt: "ERIC was one of 20 organizations that signed an educational letter to key House and Senate committee leaders about the benefits of e-prescribing in terms of safety and efficiency for physicians, pharmacists, and patients. The letter sought to dispel the notion that the U.S. healthcare system lacks uniform or complete e-prescribing standards, or that those standards have yet to be adopted broadly by physician technology vendors." (The ERISA Industry Committee)
HHS Releases Comprehensive Plan To Encourage Nationwide Adoption of Health IT
Excerpt: "The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at HHS on Tuesday released a cross-agency directive to speed up the adoption of a nationwide health information technology system that would improve health care quality, increase efficiency, reduce medical errors and address concerns of patient privacy and data security, CQ HealthBeat reports." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Health Information Technology Legislation Stalled by Privacy Concerns
Excerpt: "'[P]rivacy concerns have loomed over the health IT initiative since early efforts' in 2005, according to CQ Today. Consumer privacy advocates have expressed concerns that electronic health records would be easier to steal or disclose accidentally and that employers could use the information to discriminate against potential employees with certain health conditions." (Kaiser Family Foundation)
[Opinion] American Benefits Council/ICI Comment Letter to DOL on Electronic Delivery of ERISA Disclosures (PDF)
5 pages. (American Benefits Council)
OPM Suspends Contract for Electronic Retirement System
Excerpt: "The Office of Personnel Management has suspended a 10-year, $290 million contract awarded to Hewitt Associates to create a new electronic retirement system. Two federal sources who requested anonymity said on Thursday that OPM Director Linda Springer decided late Wednesday to suspend the contract with Hewitt, a human resources consulting company based in Lincolnshire, Ill. Under the contract, Hewitt would create a database that would allow employees to view their work history and salary, calculate different annuity scenarios, and process their retirement online." (GovernmentExecutive.com)
[Guidance Overview] President Bush Signs the New Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act into Law (PDF)
Excerpt: "In terms of a practical response to GINA, employers need to make adjustments to their policies and practices. Employers should . . . " (Dechert)
[Opinion] BCBSA Commends Administration and Congress on Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
Excerpt: "Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies do not deny coverage to members based on their confidential genetic profiles, and we support protections on the use of such data. We are very pleased GINA encourages patients to obtain appropriate genetic testing to take advantage of prevention and effective treatment - rather than delay potentially life-saving care." (Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association)
[Guidance Overview] Genetic Antidiscrimination Law Creates New Compliance Challenges for Employers
Excerpt: "GINA's practical implications are likely to be broad if GINA achieves the intended objective of encouraging more individuals to take genetic tests and to seek out genetic counseling. While these implications are difficult to foresee, the Act itself suggests the following actions that employers should consider taking by the effective date:" (Littler)
[Guidance Overview] Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act Becomes Law (PDF)
4 pages. Excerpt: "Under Title I, employer-sponsored group health plans and health insurers providing group health plan coverage are prohibited from restricting enrollment or adjusting premium or contribution amounts for the group on the basis of genetic information. They may not request, require or purchase genetic information prior to an individual's enrollment in the plan or request or require genetic testing of the individual or a family member for underwriting purposes. However, a plan or issuer that obtains such information incidental to the collection of other information prior to enrollment will not be in violation of the law as long as it is not used for underwriting purposes." (Buck Consultants)
[Guidance Overview] HIPAA National Provider Identifier Compliance Date Arrives
Excerpt: "Effective [May 23], covered entities must use National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) to identify health care providers in electronic transactions for which the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued standards per the HIPAA Transactions Rule (i.e., standard transactions)." (Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP)
CBO Questions Savings From Digital Health-Care Records
Excerpt: "Although the CBO found the potential for savings under certain circumstances -- particularly when information technology was combined with broader reforms -- it found that the technology by itself was typically unlikely to generate sizable financial benefits. 'By itself, it's generally not sufficient' to reduce costs, said CBO Director Peter Orszag." (The Wall Street Journal via Physicians for a National Health Program)
Google Health Offers a Great Service But Brings Serious Privacy Risks
Excerpt: "The service holds real promise to help people take control of their health records, as does a similar offering from Microsoft calledHealthVault. They could also help streamline health care and contain costs. But until two major privacy concerns are fixed, I have to suggest holding off on using either one." (PC World via The Washington Post; free registration required)
Evidence on the Costs and Benefits of Health Information Technology (PDF)
48 pages. Excerpt: "Many people believe that health information technology (health IT) has the potential to transform the practice of health care by reducing costs and improving quality. In this paper, prepared at the request of the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) examines the evidence on the costs and benefits of health information technology, possible barriers to a broader distribution and use of it in hospitals and clinicians' offices, and possible options for the federal government to promote use of health IT." (U.S. Congressional Budget Office)
Social Security Administration Adds Retirement Estimator to Web-based Benefits Calculators Suite
Excerpt: "The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced May 12 that it intends to add a new calculator to its suite of online Benefits Calculators. The Retirement Estimator, will allow individuals to estimate potential retirement benefits in real time, based partly on their SSA-maintained records and partly on user-entered information." (Hewitt Associates)
Google Health Launches to Questions About Privacy
Excerpt: "Google has formally launched its Google Health effort to allow patients access their personal health records no matter where they are, from any computing device, through a secure portal hosted by Google." (eWeek)
[Guidance Overview] Prominent Provisions of the Genetic Nondiscrimination Act
Excerpt: "The Secretary of Labor is provided new enforcement authority. It may impose a penalty against the plan sponsor or issuer for failure to meet the requirements of ERISA §§ 701 and 702 regarding genetic information and discrimination. The permissive penalty is $100 per day for each participant or beneficiary to whom the failure applies. If the failure is discovered by the Secretary before it is corrected, however, a minimum penalty of at least $2,500 per person shall apply (or, where the violations have been more than de minimis, at least $15,000 per person shall apply)." (Deloitte)
[Guidance Overview] Congress Passes Legislation Prohibiting Genetic Discrimination by Health Plans and Employers
Excerpt: "The legislation amends the HIPAA portability rules in ERISA, the PHSA, and the Code, adding new provisions regarding genetic information that will apply to group health plans and insurance issuers offering group health insurance coverage, as well as provisions for insurance issuers in the individual market. It also requires amendments to the HIPAA privacy regulations and prohibits discrimination in the workplace on the basis of genetic information." (Employee Benefits Institute of America (EBIA))
Kaiser Completes National Installation of Outpatient Electronic Health Record System
Excerpt: "Kaiser Permanente said Monday that all of its 8.7 million enrollees in nine states and the District of Columbia have access to HealthConnect, an outpatient electronic health record Kaiser says is the world's largest privately funded EHR." (San Francisco Business Times via bizjournals.com; free registration required)
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