The Washington Health Benefit Exchange recovered from errors on its first day of operations this year, only to have another setback earlier this week. On Tuesday, the exchange identified an error that resulted in the accidental cancellation of both enrollment and payment for 6,000 customer accounts that were enrolled in qualified health plans. Early analysis indicates the exchange's system integrator, Deloitte, accidentally ran the automated cancellation of these accounts, according to a statement from exchange CEO Richard Onizuka. This isn't the first problem the system has had this year.
Pricewaterhouse Coopers' Health Research Institute (HRI) published a report on top trends for the health industry in 2015, which was based on findings from a survey of 1,000 consumers in the US and additional interviews with healthcare executives. "With consumers leading the way, bearing more costs and making more decisions, change is erupting throughout the health industry," Kelly Barnes, PwC's US health industries leader said in a statement. "Established healthcare companies and new entrants are rapidly developing cost-efficient products and services tailored directly to consumers." The survey found that 68 percent of consumers said they were concerned about the security of their smartphone health app data, while 78 percent were concerned about medical data security.
Though 2015 will begin to show the U.S. health industry as a "true market" a new report indicates consumers remain concerned about medical technology and the security of their health information and data. A new report released today at the Forbes Healthcare Summit by PwC's Health Research Institute shows U.S. patients concerned about the digital age, according to a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers who were interviewed. The report comes as millions more Americans are gaining health coverage under the Affordable Care Act and the $2.8 trillion U.S. health care sector undergoes major transformation.
An Oregon hospital is acknowledging that it administered the wrong medication to a patient, causing her death. Loretta Macpherson died Wednesday, two days after she was given a paralyzing agent typically used during surgeries instead of an anti-seizure medication, said Michel Boileau, chief clinical officer for St. Charles Health System. The error occurred at the organization's hospital in Bend. "Tragically, there was a medication error made," Boileau said. Macpherson, 65, stopped breathing and suffered cardiac arrest and brain damage after the drug was administered Monday in the hospital's emergency room, Boileau said. She had come into the ER with medication dosage questions after a recent brain surgery.
Public health experts urge most Americans to protect their health — and shield those around them — by getting a flu shot every year. That's particularly vital for people like nurses, who care for elderly and ill people. That's why the Cook County Health and Hospitals System requires all of its workers to be vaccinated against the flu. There are patients to protect. But some of the Cook County system's nurses seek a pass. The union that represents most of the system's nurses, the National Nurses Organizing Committee, has appealed to the Illinois Labor Relations Board to stop Cook County health officials from forcing nurses to get a flu shot.
The second week of open enrollment in 2015 health insurance plans offered under President Barack Obama's healthcare reform almost matched the pace of the first week, federal health officials said on Wednesday. Last week, which included the Thanksgiving holiday, 303,010 people chose Obamacare plans from Healthcare.gov. Almost half, 49 percent, were new customers, while the others renewed 2014 policies. From Nov. 15-21, 462,125 people chose health plans; 48 percent were new customers. The federal website, which serves people in the 35 states that are not operating their own Obamacare exchange, has operated essentially without a hitch since it opened on Nov. 15, in dramatic contrast to the disastrous roll-out a year ago.