http://american-health.orlyowl.net FAT BITCH Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:10:05 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Washington -- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Dec. 2 proposed three national coverage determinations that would end Medicare pay for surgeries involving any of three major errors.Physician and hospital organizations generally agree that these errors -- surgery on the wrong patient, surgery on the wrong body ... http://american-health.orlyowl.net/738-cms-proposes-no-pay-rules-for-3-surgical-errors.html A New Jersey federal judge in November tossed out the state's lawsuit challenging limits on federal funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program. But state officials and policy experts said some good still came out of the case, part of a nationwide outcry against the new policy that led ... http://american-health.orlyowl.net/739-federal-court-dismisses-new-jersey-suit-over-schip-limits.html As HIPAA continues to raise hurdles for defendants in medical liability cases, courts in Georgia and Michigan addressed the role of the statute.The courts interpreted to what extent, if any, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act prevents a defendant physician's attorney from informally interviewing a plaintiff's prior or subsequent ... http://american-health.orlyowl.net/734-courts-in-2-states-rule-on-reach-of-hipaa-in-medical-liability-cases.html Washington -- Physicians, hospitals and others in the health care system may never report medical errors exactly the way airline pilots report close calls. Still, health professionals could learn from having their mistakes pooled into confidential databases and analyzed, patient safety experts say.Final regulations implementing the Patient Safety and ... http://american-health.orlyowl.net/735-hhs-sets-rules-for-confidential-medical-error-reporting-system.html Washington -- Physician organizations and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal agree that a medical-home model could help Medicaid provide better value to patients with low incomes or disabilities. But they disagree on whether managed care organizations should be the ones overseeing those homes.On Nov. 14, Jindal released a concept paper ... http://american-health.orlyowl.net/736-medical-homes-get-boost-in-louisiana-medicaid-reform-effort.html