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Congress acts to stop the flood of forms mailed to millions

Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Paso Robles, in a 2021 file photo. He is sponsoring the Paperwork Reduction Act, intended to stop unnecessary federal health insurance mailings to millions of people. Washington Tired of getting some form in the mail from Washington about health insurance and wonder what it is? [–The “Paperwork Burden Reduction Act” is aimed at stopping unnecessary mailings, which now go to an estimated 154 million people. [–The measure, passed easily by the House, would make the health care form available only to those who request it. The Senate will now consider the legislation. [–Not only…
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The high cost of giving birth even with insurance

Qthe burden of high health care costs and medical debt in the US is no secret. Medical debt affects one in five adults in the US, with an average burden of more than $20,000 for each medical debtor. As primary care physicians, we frequently witness the effects of these financial burdens, particularly for our older or sicker patients with expensive medical conditions. However, new research we published recently in the Journal of General Internal Medicine shows that medical debt is also common in a younger and healthier population: women who have just had a baby. In a sample of more…
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How Do I Update My Compliance Risk Assessment?

Compliance Risk Assessments are critically important in healthcare practices. When used correctly, they can save entities from fines, problems and consequences. We can help you stay on top of the latest news that affects your everyday life. Subscribe to stay up to date. (To subscribe to our blog click here). While almost everyone is familiar with a HIPAA Risk Assessment, many practices have not completed a full Compliance Risk Assessment. A Compliance Risk Assessment is a process for healthcare entities to determine what risks exist, evaluate potential risks and focus resources to address the most significant risks. Compliance Risk Assessments…
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French state to reduce the amount it contributes to your dental bills

France’s social security fund Assurance Maladie will directly refund less dental treatment in a bid to cut €500 million a year from its budget. Its share of dental bills will drop from the standard 70% to 60% from October 1. For people with top-up health insurance, that means their insurer will now cover 40% of treatment, up from 30%. Those providing this insurance, however, will likely pass on this extra cost to customers in the form of higher premiums, said Marie-Laure Dreyfuss, General Delegate of the Center Technique des Institutions de Prévoyance (CTIP). They are already set to invest half…
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It’s Not Just You: Many People Confront Health Insurance Obstacles on Care and Bills

TheNews A majority of Americans with health insurance said they had encountered obstacles to coverage, including denied medical care, higher bills and a dearth of doctors in their plans, according to a new survey from KFF, a nonprofit health research group. As a result, some people are delayed or skipped treatment. Those who were most likely to need medical care — people who described themselves as in fair or poor health — reported more trouble; three-fourths of those receiving mental health treatment experienced problems. “The consequences of care are delayed and missed altogether because of the sheer complexity of the…