MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'aca'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:31:54 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174599&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F1CUaz70JSQk%2F By Ilya ShapiroSCOTUSblog’s symposium on the constitutionality of Obamacare — to which I contributed, as did Bob Levy – provides a glimpse at the astonishing views of the law’s supporters.  It particularly shows how divorced the legal academy’s leading lights are not only from basic constitutional text and structure, but from jurisprudential reality. Most prominently, in responding to the Eleventh Circuit’s decision striking down the individual mandate (and to Richard Epstein’s symposium essay), storied Harvard professor Laurence H. Tribe criticizes the court for “reflecting what appears to be a widely held public sentiment” that Congress cannot “mandate that individuals enter into contracts with private insurance companies for the purchase o... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174599 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:45:41 +0100 5174599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158936&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FzFTVxpvSy4g%2F By Ilya ShapiroMy colleagues and I have covered the substance of the Eleventh Circuit ruling that two weeks ago struck down the individual mandate, but where do we go from here?  Why hasn’t the Supreme Court yet resolved the conflict between that ruling and the Sixth Circuit’s from earlier in the summer?  When will it do so?  A few points: The government is now likely to seek en banc review, meaning that they want the entire 10-judge court to review the 3-judge panel’s ruling.  It’s extremely unlikely that the Eleventh Circuit would grant such a motion because the panel is already 2-1 against and the members of the court not on the panel are a 4-3 Republican-appointed majority.  You need a majority (6 of 10) to get en banc review, which means the dissenting J... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158936 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:50:00 +0100 5158936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096163&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FAOgPxXQoppA%2F By Ilya ShapiroThat’s how I describe the individual mandate in my contribution to SCOTUSblog‘s online symposium on Obamacare, which Trevor Burrus has already highlighted.  Here’s an excerpt: All the Obamacare legal challenges boil down to Congress’s authority – or lack thereof – to require people to buy private insurance.  Although unfortunately not dispositive of modern judicial decisions, the text of the Constitution demands that the Supreme Court strike down the individual mandate as an unconstitutional exercise of Congress’s power to regulate interstate commerce.  Finding the mandate constitutional would be the first interpretation of the Commerce Clause to permit the regulation of inactivity – in effect requiring an individual to engage in an economi... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096163 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:00:47 +0100 5096163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862547&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsupporting-primary-care-has-become-a-partisan-issue%2F2011.05.25 You’d think that ensuring that there will be enough primary care doctors would not become a partisan issue. If you are a Republican congressman from Texas, or a Democratic Senator from California, you’d want your constituents to have access to a primary care doctor, right? Apparently not: in the hyper-polarized and ideological world in which we now live, even modest steps to support primary care have been caught up in the worst kind of partisanship. The Washington Post reported recently that funding for a new expert commission authorized by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which was to examine barriers to careers in primary care, has been blocked by Republicans: “When the government set out to help 32 million more Americans gain health insurance, Congress and the Obama administration... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862547 Wed, 25 May 2011 10:00:00 +0100 4862547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862550&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Forganized-medicine-is-out-of-touch-with-how-practicing-physicians-feel-about-obamacare%2F2011.05.24 There is a widespread discrepancy between the opinions of organized medical group leaders in the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American College of Physicians (ACP), and  practicing physicians.  AMA, AAFP, and ACP are part of organized medicine. These organizations supported the healthcare reform law in 2010 and continue to support the legislation. I believe they have taken this position because they want a seat at the table as implementation of the legislation moves forward. President Obama has not paid attention to them so far and there is little evidence that he will in the future. In March of 2010, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi famously said, “We have to pass the [health care] bill so that you can find out what is i... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862550 Tue, 24 May 2011 16:00:17 +0100 4862550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4600514&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FUnI7NNJDtIs%2F By Michael F. CannonIt has been a while since I generated a Pollster.com chart showing support/opposition to ObamaCare among only likely voters, so here goes. Note that a majority of likely voters oppose ObamaCare, and that opposition exceeds support by nearly 20 percentage points.  That's compared to a 10-point spread among all adults. Likely Voters Oppose ObamaCare by Nearly a 20-Point Margin is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4600514 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:28:56 +0100 4600514 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592363&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FEBillfEbNV0%2F By Michael F. CannonMerrill Goozner read my article in the March 21 National Review, in which I argue that states should refuse all ObamaCare funds and refuse to erect an ObamaCare Exchange that would execute the law's many health-insurance regulations. Since ObamaCare provides that the feds will set up and administer an Exchange in states that don't do so themselves, Goozner concludes that I'm actually advocating a federal takeover of health care. Really? Goozner either completely missed the point of my article, which I sort of doubt, or he's trying to be cute.  Let's assume it's the former. As I explain in that article, under ObamaCare the feds will write all the rules governing health insurance, so who administers the Exchanges is well-nigh irrelevant. ObamaCare is a federal takeove... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592363 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:58:46 +0100 4592363 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592371&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FJAVZY3Aq0cM%2F By Michael F. CannonIn a March 4 article for National Review Online titled, “Mitch Daniels’s Obamacare Problem,” I explain how Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) is undermining the effort to repeal ObamaCare, and how he might do even more damage to that movement as the Republican nominee for president.  My article came under fire from Daniels' policy director Lawren Mills (in the comments section of my article), Grace-Marie Turner of the Galen Institute, and Bob Goldberg of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. Today, NRO runs my response.  An excerpt: In brief, the trio believes that Daniels’s expansion of government-run health care is a conservative triumph. I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation... Daniels has an ObamaCare problem that could hurt the ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592371 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:40:37 +0100 4592371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560239&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fv6c52HjzVwM%2F By Michael F. CannonThe Washington Post's Ezra Klein writes: It's put-up-or-shut-up time for Republicans. They managed to make it through the health-care debate without offering serious solutions of their own, and - perhaps more impressive - through the election by promising to tell us their solutions after they'd won. But the jig is up. They need a health-care plan - and quickly. The GOP knew this day would come. Say what?  Exactly what political factors are forcing the GOP to put up or shut up?  Their base is happy; it wants an all-out assault on ObamaCare, and congressional Republicans are giving it to them.  Republicans are even winning the ObamaCare debate among the broader public: So why should Republicans all of a sudden stop attacking ObamaCare and start talking about their own... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560239 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 15:06:02 +0100 4560239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560250&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fk_9bm4uY9ic%2F By Michael F. CannonThat's the title of my latest Kaiser Health News column, which addresses President Obama's offer to accelerate the waiver process that would allow states to replace many of ObamaCare's most offensive provisions: If you think that means the president was himself exhibiting flexibility, you would be wrong. Despite the rhetoric about compromise, what the president actually did was offer states the option of replacing his law with a single-payer health care system three years earlier than his law allows... HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has written that ObamaCare gives states "incredible freedom" to implement the law. We now know what she meant: states are free to coerce their residents even more than ObamaCare requires. What's incredible is that she calls that freedom. A... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560250 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:44:45 +0100 4560250 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4549754&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedicaid-will-the-cost-of-expanding-eligibility-be-overwhelming%2F2011.03.04 Medicaid has been front and center this week as President Obama addressed the National Governors Association, and several governors testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Obama told the governors that he supports the Wyden-Brown bill, which would accelerate the availability of waivers under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), so that states would not have to first create health insurance exchanges under the law, and then have the right to dismantle them and replace them with other mechanisms to achieve coverage goals of the law without additional cost to the federales. (See Wyden-Brown fact sheet.) The sponsors’ home states, Oregon and Massachusetts would otherwise have to dismantle parts of their own health reform efforts in order to align with the federal mandates... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549754 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:00:45 +0100 4549754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4544945&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F7DYMODlxezk%2F By Michael F. CannonJudge Roger Vinson of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida has just responded to the Obama administration's "motion to clarify" his prior ruling, which declared ObamaCare unconstitutional and void.  That "motion to clarify" essentially asked Vinson, "Didn't you really mean that we can keep implementing ObamaCare while we appeal your ruling?"  Today, Vinson answered, "No." The attorneys representing the plaintiffs, who include Florida and 25 other states, argued that the administration's "motion to clarify" was actually a veiled request to have Vinson stay (i.e., set aside) his original order blocking implementation.  Vinson agreed, and therefore treated the Obama administration's "motion to clarify" as a motion to stay, which he granted.  Vin... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4544945 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:32:21 +0100 4544945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512393&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-doctor-considering-primary-care-show-me-the-money%2F2011.02.23 There are plenty of reasons why medical students aren’t choosing primary care as careers. Lack of role models. Perception of professional dissatisfaction. High burnout rate among generalist doctors. Long, uncontrollable hours. But what about salary? Until now, the wage disparity between primary care doctors and specialists has only been an assumed reason; the evidence was largely circumstantial. After all, the average medical school debt exceeds $160,000, so why not go into a specialty that pays several times more, with better hours? Thanks to Robert Centor, there’s a study published in Medscape that shows how money affects career choice among medical students. Here’s what they found: Sixty-six percent of students did not apply for a primary care residency. Of these, 30 percent woul... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512393 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:00:09 +0100 4512393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433102&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Faccountable-care-act-unconstitutional-the-fate-of-americans-health%2F2011.02.03 A Florida’s judge’s ruling that the Accountable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional doesn’t resolve the underlying constitutional issue (which will ultimately have to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court) but it has introduced new uncertainty for the $2.3 trillion health care industry, and emboldened the law’s critics to push even harder for repeal (not that they weren’t trying already). The Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) health blog reports that “states and companies that are supposed to be implementing the law trying to figure out what to do next. The WSJ reports that the 26 states that are parties to the suit are considering whether to ask the Supreme Court to take up the case now, before it has fully wended its way through the legal system. The New York Times (NYT) quotes the... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433102 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4433102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382752&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FFVYrMmB5sPk%2F By Michael F. CannonNow that a bipartisan coalition in the House has voted to repeal ObamaCare, an even larger bipartisan coalition has approved a Republican resolution directing four House committees to “replace” that ill-fated law.  House Resolution 9 instructs the committees to “propos[e] changes to existing law” with the following goals: Foster economic growth and private sector job creation by eliminating job-killing policies and regulations. Lower health care premiums through increased competition and choice. Preserve a patient’s ability to keep his or her health plan if he or she likes it. Provide people with pre-existing conditions access to affordable health coverage. Reform the medical liability system to reduce unnecessary and wasteful health care... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382752 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:42:32 +0100 4382752 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337939&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-repeal-how-would-it-affect-coverage-and-cost%2F2011.01.11 [Soon] the new GOP-controlled House of Representatives will be voting on and is expected to pass a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – lock, stock, and barrel. There is virtually no chance the repeal bill will get through the Senate, though, which maintains a narrow Democratic majority, and President Obama would veto it if it did. But let’s say that the seemingly impossible happened, and the ACA was repealed. What would the impact be on healthcare coverage, costs, and the federal deficit? In a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its preliminary estimates of the impact of repeal on the deficit, uninsured, and costs of care, and found that it would make the deficit worse, result in more uninsured persons, and higher premiu... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337939 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:00:00 +0100 4337939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258840&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FbxB70oLyB4g%2F By Michael F. CannonDuring the initial legislative debate over ObamaCare, a reporter asked (now-outgoing) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) whether the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to compel Americans to purchase health insurance. Pelosi responded, “Are you serious? Are you serious?” Today, a federal court answered Ms. Pelosi’s question when it declared ObamaCare’s individual mandate unconstitutional. Here is Pelosi’s statement responding to today’s court ruling in Cuccinelli v. Sebelius: Pelosi Statement on Affordable Care Act Ruling in Virginia District Court WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today after a District Court judge in Virginia ruled one provision of ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258840 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:49:51 +0100 4258840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225178&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2010%2F12%2Fthe-ryanrivlin-plan.html By JOHN GOODMAN Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Alice Rivlin, former director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), have proposed an entitlement spending reform plan that is striking both for its boldness and its left-right-coming-together origins. There are a number... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225178 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4225178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4142732&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2010%2F11%2Fmoney-and-healthcare-reform-sources-sinks-and-the-bottom-line.html By JANE ORIENT, MD Congress handed the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) some assumptions, the computers came up with the mix of adjustments needed to give a magic number under $1 trillion in 10 years, and the “Affordable Care Act” (ACA)... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4142732 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4142732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4139192&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2010%2F11%2Fmoney-and-healthcare-reform-sources-sinks-and-the-bottom-line.html By JANE ORIENT, MD Congress handed the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) some assumptions, the computers came up with the mix of adjustments needed to give a magic number under $1 trillion in 10 years, and the “Affordable Care Act” (ACA)... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4139192 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4139192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118806&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2010%2F10%2Fcrossing-the-road-to-real-reform-or-how-american-medical-education-can-or-cant-meet-the-acas-call-to.html By ALI KHAN, MD, MPP “So, why didn’t I take the ROAD again?” It’s a question that I regularly hear from many of my co-residents in internal medicine – and no, we’re not questioning our travel routes to the hospital.... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118806 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4118806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105627&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2010%2F10%2Fcrossing-the-road-to-real-reform-or-how-american-medical-education-can-or-cant-meet-the-acas-call-to.html By ALI KHAN, MD, MPP “So, why didn’t I take the ROAD again?” It’s a question that I regularly hear from many of my co-residents in internal medicine – and no, we’re not questioning our travel routes to the hospital.... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105627 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4105627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4086228&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2010%2F10%2Fthe-politics-of-health-reform.html By JOHN GOODMAN There will be two national elections before the new health overhaul is substantially implemented (in 2014) and a third election the year it is supposed to be implemented. Question: Will the voters reward office holders who supported... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4086228 Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4086228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036757&cid=t_170372_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2FO_O0GBSLJWs%2F Kudos to the AMGA (American Medical Group Association) for advancing the cause of physician-led accountable care organizations (ACOs)! A few days ago it “convened leadership teams from 22 leading medical groups and organized systems of care at the inaugural meeting of the AMGA ACO Development Collaborative”. In many communities, hospitals (delivery systems) will be the “natural” organization to lead an ACO. Hospitals bring management expertise, IT, capital, and community relationships to the table as important assets. Questions about Hospital-Led ACOs I’ll try to keep an open mind, but I question whether hospitals are best positioned to lead ACOs: (more…) Article Series - Accountable Care Organizations: Cure-du-Jour or Real Collaborative Care?The Achilles Heel of... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036757 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 19:37:55 +0100 4036757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3929235&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpatient-bill-of-rights-what-ever-happened-to-it%2F2010.09.02 One of the more surprising twists and turns in the continuing debate over healthcare reform is that many physicians who now object to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) were just a few years back advocates for more federal regulation. In fact, in the early 2000s, more than 200 “provider” and consumer groups — including many state medical and national medical specialty societies that now oppose the ACA because of concerns about “excessive regulation” — were among the fiercest champions of federal legislation to mandate that health insurers comply with a Patient Bill of Rights. A bipartisan bill introduced by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and the late Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) would have ensured that patients have the “right” to appeal insurance compa... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3929235 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:00:00 +0100 3929235 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3848870&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-reform-will-keep-medicare-afloat%2F2010.08.09 One of the more effective criticisms of the health reform law (Affordable Care Act, or ACA) is that it hurts Medicare. It also is wrong. Effective, in that it has been widely reported that seniors are more likely to express negative views of the ACA than other age groups. (Although the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Drew Altman, citing the group’s most recent tracking polls, writes that seniors’ opposition to health reform “is at least somewhat over played.”) Effective, but wrong: The ACA actually helps Medicare in three important ways. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at The ACP Advocate Blog by Bob Doherty* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3848870 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3848870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595588&cid=t_170372_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Femergency-cares-ambiguity-in-the-affordable-care-act%2F2010.05.24 There’s just so much hidden and buried in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that it’s like trying the find all the goodies in an Easter egg hunt. ACEP News pointed out one hidden goodie, nicely illustrated in this article from Kaiser Health News: Under the new health law, insurance companies must extend several new protections to patients who receive emergency care. One of the biggest guarantees: Patients who need emergency treatment will have their costs covered at the same rate, regardless of whether they are treated at “in-network” or “out-of-network” hospitals. The law also bars health plans from requiring prior authorization for emergency services. And it mandates that plans follow the “prudent layperson” rule. For example, if a person goes ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595588 Mon, 24 May 2010 18:00:00 +0100 3595588 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1242154&cid=t_170372_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F237597264%2F I can… I lived this also. Many of “us” have. Many of us found that we had several characteristics in common as a result of being brought up in an alcoholic or other dysfunctional households. We had come to feel isolated, and uneasy with other people, especially authority figures. To protect ourselves, we became people pleasers, even though we lost our own identities in the process. All the same we would mistake any personal criticism as a threat. We either became alcoholics ourselves, married them, or both. Failing that, we found other compulsive personalities, such as a workaholic, to fulfill our sick need for abandonment. We lived live from the standpoint of victims. Having an over developed sense of responsibility, we preferred to be concerned with others rather than ... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1242154 Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:40:05 +0100 1242154