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McBrayer Blogs
The Kentucky Office of Health Policy Wants Your Comments
On October 1, 2013, the Kentucky Office of Health Policy issued a Special Notice stating that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services is accepting written comments in preparation of the filing of the 2014 update to the 2013-2015 State Health Plan. According to the Special Notice, the Cabinet is particularly interested in comments regarding revisions to the State Health Plan in order for it to comply with the Affordable Care Act. Although the State Health Plan is only prepared triennially, it is updated and signed by the Governor annually. More >
An Unlikely Consequence, cont.
On Tuesday, I discussed the recent trend of hospital layoffs of staff, administrative and professional alike, in order to reduce costs despite expectations of an unprecedented number of individuals seeking health care services under the ACA. More >
An Unlikely Consequence
The Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) took a big leap forward this month with the opening of the federally-facilitated and state-operated Exchanges. Here in Kentucky, 70,467 people reportedly participated in pre-screenings to determine qualifications for subsidies, discounts, or programs like Medicaid on the Health Insurance Exchange’s first enrollment day, October 1, 2013. The ACA is eventually expected to provide health coverage to as many as 30 million additional Americans. So, why are hospitals across the nation slashing jobs? More >
Guidance on Mobile Medical Apps
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) issued its much-anticipated final guidance for developers of mobile medical applications (“apps”). Apps run on mobile communication devices and can present unique problems not only to consumers, but also to providers who must walk a fine line between meaningful use requirements and HIPAA regulations regarding personal health information (“PHI”). More >
Does the Shutdown “Shut Down” Health Care?
The ongoing partial federal government shutdown that began on October 1, 2013, was initiated in an effort to defund the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”). Now, it seems that the shutdown is affecting everything but the ACA. More >
One Week In – Are Kentuckians Kynect-ing?
Everyone, especially those in the health care industry, waited with bated breath to see the nationwide launch of the online health insurance marketplaces on October 1st. The launch was plagued with website malfunctions and connectivity problems in some states, including Kentucky, but programs across the country welcomed people clamoring for a look at America’s new health care options. Proponents of the exchanges say that the glitches and initial setbacks are a good sign – the overwhelming traffic to the websites show that people are actively seeking health care. Health reform opponents see the initial problems as a sign that the exchanges, and health reform generally, are too cumbersome and complicated to implement effectively. More >
The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure Adopts the Model Policy, cont.
Earlier this week, I began the discussion about the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure adopting the Model Policy. While the Model Policy serves as a cautionary reminder of the hazards of social media, it also emphasizes the “enormous potential” social media has for both physicians and their patients. As telecommuting grows, electronic health records are implemented, and smart phones find their way into more and more physicians’ hands, it is obvious that shying away from technology is no longer an option. Nor should it be, as the use of social media really does have its benefits: reduced costs, improved physician-to-physician sharing and learning opportunities, the crossing of geographic boundaries, and a way to provide important information to the public. More >
The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure Adopts the Model Policy
Over the summer, the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure adopted the Model Policy for the Appropriate Use of Social Media and Social Networking in Medical Practice (“Model Policy”) that was issued by the Federation of State Medical Boards (“FSMB”). FSMB created their policy in 2012 to help medical boards provide guidance and education about issues related to social media. The FSMB Model Policy followed the American Medical Association’s (“AMA”) 2010 “Professionalism in the Use of Social Media” policy. Both incorporate the same principles, but the FSMB offers more concrete examples of conduct that should be avoided in social media activity. More >
UPS Denies Insurance Coverage of Spouses and Cites ACA as Reason
The United Parcel Service (“UPS”) recently made a big statement when they decided to drop 15,000 working spouses eligible for health coverage through their own employers from the UPS plan in 2014. The shipping conglomerate explained the change in a memo to its workers and repeatedly cited the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) as the reason for the new policy. Rising medical costs “combined with the costs associated with the Affordable Care Act, have made it increasingly difficult to continue providing the same level of health care benefits to our employees at an affordable cost,” the memo stated. The new policy will not affect union workers, as their health benefits are already spelled out in labor contracts, but will apply to about a quarter of the UPS U.S. workforce. More >
The ACA Loophole Of Which Providers Should Be Aware, Part II
Earlier this week, we discussed the three-month grace period afforded to enrollees of qualified health plans (“QHPs”). To recap that article, the ACA requires that QHPs pay claims for the first thirty days of the grace period during which premium payment remains unpaid, but issuers may pend claims for the final sixty days of the grace period. If the balance remains unpaid, the issuer may deny any claims submitted within the final sixty days. More >
