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By: Cheryl Clark, for HealthLeaders Media, May 12, 2009
The difficult economic times have "further deteriorated” the Medicare Trust Fund and the program that pays for Part A hospital services will be exhausted by 2017 unless there is "prompt action" to safeguard the program, according to a report released today by the Medicare Board of Trustees.
By: Janice Simmons, for HealthLeaders Media, May 13, 2009
In its third and final roundtable addressing healthcare reform issues, the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday discussed how to pay for it—a decidedly difficult task. Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) noted that the first place to look for savings is within the healthcare system itself. One area the panel examined is whether tax breaks should continue to be offered to hospitals if universal coverage is approved. Federal tax breaks for charitable hospitals amount to billions of dollars each year for those organizations, said Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), the committee's ranking minority member.
By: Janice Simmons, for HealthLeaders Media, May 13, 2009
The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday will meet behind closed doors and "walk through" policy options on expanding healthcare coverage. These options are found in the second of three papers on healthcare reform released this week by the Finance Committee; the panel is looking to mark up healthcare reform legislation by June.
By: Matt Phillion, for HealthLeaders Media, May 12, 2009
Constructing a tracer process from scratch for a 645-bed hospital is no simple matter, but that was precisely the task before the facility's survey readiness committee, says a Medical City Dallas (TX) Hospital official.
By: Cheryl Clark, for HealthLeaders Media, May 12, 2009
Some California physicians are already calling a Medical Board of California plan to enroll practicing physicians and medical school students into wellness programs "naïve," "worthless," and "another unfunded mandate."
By: Keri Mucci, for HealthLeaders Media, May 13, 2009
President Barack Obama's proposed healthcare workforce development funding for fiscal year 2010 would bring incentives to nurses both in the field and in the classroom. Of $1 billion in the budget devoted toward strengthening healthcare professions, $125 million is allocated to the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program—an $88 million increase from the 2009 budget. Funds for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program would increase by 40%.
By: Ben Cole, for HealthLeaders Media, May 12, 2009
General Electric announced last week that it will spend $3 billion over the next six years on healthcare technology in an effort to lower healthcare costs and improve health quality around the globe.
By: Carrie Vaughan, for HealthLeaders Media, May 12, 2009
Hospital executives want to ensure their organizations are at the cutting edge of technology and investing their scarce dollars wisely. So which technologies are hot for 2009 and beyond?