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 'cigna'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:20:46 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997647&cid=t_122433_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2F5UZx6zS7roM%2F Ever since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act became law in February 2009, giving birth to the phrase “meaningful use,” I’ve wondered when private insurers would follow the federal government’s lead and start offering financial carrots and sticks for using and not using EHRs. After all, one of the purposes of the Medicare and Medicaid incentive program was to address the fact that payers tend to reap the greatest financial gains from hospitals and physicians adopting EHRs, even though most if not all of the cost of acquiring the technology falls on the provider. Federal officials have made it clear all along that “meaningful use” is just that, the meaningful use of the technology. The government was not simply going to write checks so providers c... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997647 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:02:52 +0100 4997647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4670080&cid=t_122433_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fwendell-potter-on-insurers-cynical.html On his blog, Wendell Potter, former head of public relations for CIGNA, discussed big health insurance/ managed care organizations' attitudes toward paying financial penalties for wrong-doing:Having served as head of PR for two of the country’s largest health insurers — CIGNA and Humana — I know from personal experience that such fines are not widely considered newsworthy.Insurers know this, and so, annoying as being charged with breaking the law might be, they largely shrug off the fines and the threat of a day’s worth of bad publicity that occasionally accompany them. They are perfectly willing to risk being caught because they long ago realized that the fines are never severe enough to make them radically change the way they do business. Such a change would involve dealing more ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4670080 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:33:00 +0100 4670080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4622205&cid=t_122433_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fmillions-to-health-insurance-ceos-but.html The revelations about the huge golden parachute given the outgoing CEO of ostensibly non-profit Massachusetts Blue Cross Blue Shield induced some public discussion about the disconnect between executive compensation and the mission of health care organization (see most recent post here).  Several other recent stories should generate more discussion on these issues.  First, new proxy statements revealed the compensation of executives of two large for-profit health care insurers/ managed care companies.  In alphabetical order,CignaAs reported by the AP, via ABC news, the CEO got a big raise:Cigna Corp. CEO David M. Cordani's total compensation more than doubled in 2010, his first year as leader of the nation's fourth-largest health insurer, and a period in which the company's ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4622205 Tue, 22 Mar 2011 16:32:00 +0100 4622205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159209&cid=t_122433_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FcA9IZ3ouTMQ%2F By Michael F. CannonReuters has helpfully published another article demonstrating that ObamaCare‘s biggest cheerleaders are the insurance and drug industries.  That’s because, barring repeal and despite the Obama administration’s fatuous rhetoric about standing up to the special interests, ObamaCare will shower those industries with massive subsidies.  Excerpts follow. Health Overhaul Should Press Ahead: Industry By Susan Heavey Thu Nov 11, 2010 1:39pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters) – Repeal reform? No thanks, say health insurers, drugmakers and others looking for a clearer picture of the U.S. healthcare market after the bruising passage of the controversial overhaul law… The new healthcare law created “a stable, predictable environment, however painful it ha... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159209 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:45:07 +0100 4159209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151760&cid=t_122433_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FmQSJmRaKWns%2F By Michael F. CannonThis Reuters headline says it all: “Cigna CEO: Don’t repeal U.S. health law.” ObamaCare = A Bailout for Private Insurance Companies 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=4151760 Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:22:46 +0100 4151760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074062&cid=t_122433_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fun-insurance-reform%2F2010.10.15 Who doesn’t need insurance reform? Why, the insurers like Aetna, Cigna, and BCS Insurance, that’s who! From Emergency Physicians Monthly: By threatening to raise health care premiums by 200 percent or threatening to drop coverage altogether, the companies got the Department of Health and Human Services to cave. Now the companies have our government’s blessing to continue offering “insurance” to their employees that is capped at a few thousand dollars per year instead of the $750,000 required in the health care law. Perhaps GruntDoc said it best: “I am not an Obamacare fan, and would like it repealed, with smaller, more focused Bipartisan fixes, but if the government is going to pass something then roll over this easily to special interests… it’s already worse th... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074062 Fri, 15 Oct 2010 19:00:00 +0100 4074062 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3993884&cid=t_122433_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FaPLQbHBbzV8%2F By Michael F. CannonThis is what happens when government price controls limit insurance companies’ ability to set premiums according to risk: Note that this adverse-selection death spiral happened before ObamaCare‘s price controls on child-only coverage even took effect.  (Of course, President Obama never calls them price controls.  He calls them “consumer protections.”  Some protection.) ObamaCare supporters are in full-blown denial: “We’re just days away from a new era when insurance companies must stop denying coverage to kids just because they are sick, and now some of the biggest changed their minds,” Ethan Rome, executive director of Health Care for America Now, an advocacy group, said in a statement. “[It] is immoral, and to blame ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3993884 Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:09:40 +0100 3993884 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671583&cid=t_122433_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fama-insurance-industry-eliminate-purging%2F The American Medical Association is urging health insurers to drop the practice of “policy purging”, a strategy that prices health insurance plans prohibitively high so that holders that have made previous claims can not afford the premiums. Dr. Steven Stack of the AMA and insurance industry whistleblower Wendell Potter, former vice president of Cigna discuss this practice and the need for a health insurer code of conduct. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671583 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:11:52 +0100 3671583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2079027&cid=t_122433_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F495728856%2F This article provides is a very good market overview. The reporter and I also discussed in depth the need for better consumer education and professional development, so people can make informed decisions, and for cognitive assessments to serve as independent baseline, help identify priorities and measure results. Please note that our market estimates do include revenues of computerized cognitive assessments, today mostly used in clinical trials, and wthin the military and sports teams. 2) Navigating the brain fitness landscape: do's and don'ts (McKnight's Long Term Care News) Comment: "Choosing the right cognitive fitness product or program for senior living residents is harder than it sounds. But understanding residents' needs, identifying your objectives and considering the total c... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2079027 Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:03:07 +0100 2079027 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2013835&cid=t_122433_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F474566469%2F Hello, everyone, and welcome to Thursday. First, we would like to apologize for our absence yesterday afternoon, but we had an important meeting that kept us from our laptop. Hard to believe, yes? Now, though, we are back, as you can see, and have gathered some interesting items for you to digest as we shuttle our short people to their schoolhouses. Have a good day… Bristol-Myers Cuts DeWitt Workforce (Central New York Business Journal) Cigna Cuts Lipitor Cost By Half (Bloomberg News) FDA Panel Backs Novartis Malaria Drug (Reuters) Extended Treatment For Hepatitis C Is Challenged (The New York Times) Sepracor Gets Tax Break In Massachusetts (MetroWest Daily) FDA Wants More Data On Roche’s Actemra (PharmaTimes) KV Pharmaceuticals Sued By Shareholders (St. Louis Business Journal)... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2013835 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:10:13 +0100 2013835 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2011547&cid=t_122433_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F474062738%2F Hello, everyone. We apologize for the absence this afternoon, but we had an interesting meeting with an industry type. Every so often, we do try to escape the confines of the Pharmalot corporate campus. Now, though, we are playing catch up and want to leave you with these few items. Have a good night and see you tomorrow. Cheers… Bristol-Myers Cuts DeWitt Workforce (Central New York Business Journal) Cigna Cuts Lipitor Cost By Half (Bloomberg News) FDA Panel Backs Novartis Malaria Drug (Reuters) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2011547 Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:50:13 +0100 2011547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1947960&cid=t_122433_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F447995271%2F My apologies for not writing in a few days...the Global Agenda Summit in Dubai has required all my attention - I will summarize the great experience when I land back in San Francisco tomorrow night. The concepts of night and day do become challenging when working for a few days in a place with a 12-hour time difference with one's home base. Sleep is indeed very important to maintain top cognitive shape...which leads me to a fascinating news announcement: Health insurance firms offering online cognitive therapy for insomnia (Los Angeles Times) - "helping consumers get a good night's sleep has become a priority for most of the top-tier U.S. health insurance companies, including WellPoint, Aetna, Cigna, Kaiser Permanente and several Blue Cross plans. Their new programs don't involve slee... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1947960 Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:52:44 +0100 1947960 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1346249&cid=t_122433_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F262770902%2F The answer may not be known for weeks, even months, but already one big insurer is pulling back and two big pharmacy benefits managers will review their reimbursement policies. In other words, the money machine that was Vytorin may be on the verge of unraveling. For instance, Cigna will no longer recommend Vytorin as an alternative for patients who currently use higher-priced cholesterol drugs that aren’t covered. “That particular step therapy is being suspended,” a Cigna spokeswoman tells The Star-Ledger of New Jersey. The insurer’s pharmacy and therapeutics committee will decide later about any further changes. And UnitedHealth will also conduct a review. “As of now we aren’t making any changes but we’ll clearly review the evidence as it’s ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1346249 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:44:21 +0100 1346249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1225336&cid=t_122433_145_f&fid=35710&url=http%3A%2F%2Fstoryofhealing.com%2F2008%2F02%2F12%2Fmedia-in-medicine-what-of-the-insurance-companies-other-issues%2F The Lost Angeles Times recently reported more of these online consults. Doctor visits in the United States have surged 20% in the last five years to more than 1.2 billion visits annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even as the population ages, the number of doctors is falling across the country, and experts predict that office wait times will increase in the coming years. — “People can wait a long time to get in to see their primary-care doctor and longer for a specialist. . . . To have immediate access is huge,” said Dr. Melissa Welch, Aetna’s Northern California medical director. Insurance companies apparently opened up and expanded coverage to these web-based services, according to the same article. …Aetna Inc., the natio... the story of healing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1225336 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:14:57 +0100 1225336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=650898&cid=t_122433_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F31%2Fvideo-game-for-teens-diagnosed-with-cancer%2F Filed under: Teen Cancers, Video games, Products, ServicesCigna Corp. is offering a free video game for teens called Re-Mission. The video game lets teens and young adults blast cancer while learning how to improve the odds of beating the disease. The creator of the game is Hopelab, a non-profit organization seeking to improve the health of young people with a mix of good science and fun technology. Re-Mission is a teen-rated shooting game featuring a nanobot named Roxxi who roams inside the bodies of fictional cancer patients, destroying cancer cells, battling bacteria infections and managing side effects associated with cancer and cancer treatments. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Cancer Blog) The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=650898 Thu, 31 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 650898