Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Protest Over Audit Spurs Insurer To Define Standards
Article in the February Psychiatric Times - "Professional organizations from the New York State area protested an audit of clinical records by a managed care company, claiming unspecified standards had led to demands for large repayments. While the company stated it ended the audit only until standards could be defined, the organizations touted the power of presenting a unified front."  
  

Taking Spin Out of Report That Made Bad Into Good Health
February 22 New York Times feature - "The Bush administration says it improperly altered a report documenting large racial and ethnic disparities in health care, but it will soon publish the full, unexpurgated document. 'There was a mistake made,' Tommy G. Thompson, the secretary of health and human services, told Congress last week. 'It's going to be rectified.' Advertisement Mr. Thompson said that "some individuals took it upon themselves" to make the report sound more positive than was justified by the data. The reversal comes in response to concerns of Democrats and the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, Republican of Tennessee. They are pushing separate bills to improve care for members of minorities." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free]. See also realted postings that appeared here on January 28 and January 14.  
  

Bush to Revisit Changes in Medicaid Rules
New York Times story - "After strenuous protests from governors of both parties, the Bush administration said Sunday that it would reconsider tough new rules on the financing of Medicaid that could limit the states' ability to provide health care for millions of poor people. Tommy G. Thompson, the secretary of health and human services, conveyed the administration's decision to governors here for the winter meeting of the National Governors Association. Though formal sessions of the association focused on issues that cut across party lines, like Medicaid, education and highway construction, presidential politics dominated many conversations among governors..." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].