Friday, January 09, 2004

Latest Data on Health Coverage and Summarize Presidential Candidates' Proposals to Expand Coverage
From the Kaiser Family Foundation - "With policy discussions about covering America's uninsured continuing, the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured is releasing its latest analysis of federal government data and a side-by-side summary of the Presidential candidates’ proposals to expand health coverage." Links are included here to several KFF documents, among them The Uninsured and Their Access to Health Care and a Side-by-Side Summary of Presidential Candidates’ Proposals for Expanding Health Insurance Coverage.  
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Protecting practitioners' autonomy
Article in the latest APA Monitor - "...Last year, Oxford Health Plans--which operates in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut--began retrospective audits of the records of some mental health professionals with whom the company has contracted. For the most part, the audits occurred in New York, where Oxford has most of its providers. ... But APA and the New York State Psychological Association (NYSPA)--on behalf of audited psychologists--stepped in because the company's methods and justification of these audits seemed far from normal. The two organizations penned a letter demanding corrective measures from Oxford in October. Nearly a month later, the company agreed to stop requiring repayments based on alleged deficiencies in recordkeeping."  
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Mixed Federal Action, State Activism Mark Health Policy in 2003
A review of 2003 in Medscape Money & Medicine, including links to many other articles and resources at the Medscape site and other sources - "Healthcare is often, and correctly, described by pundits as an issue that generates tremendous debate -- followed by little action. The year 2003 has been both an exception and confirmation of that statement." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
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