MetroHealth, Medical Mutual of Ohio seek to cut insurance premiums by 15%
The partners are predicting improved quality of care and insurance premium savings of 15 percent.
Health insurer Medical Mutual of Ohio plans big Indiana expansion
The largest health insurance company in Ohio is looking to further its reach in Indiana, planning a 30 percent expansion next year in the Hoosier State. Medical Mutual of Ohio expects to increase its coverage in Indiana to 21,000 members next year from a current 16,000, the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) reported. And then the […]
Physician stress, mental effort doesn’t vary much across specialties
A new study has found that the amount of stress and mental effort felt by physicians doesn’t vary much across specialties, and represents another argument for decreasing the compensation gap between primary care and specialty doctors. University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers used various work-intensity measurement tools to gauge the level of mental effort and stress […]
1 in 5 hospital patients injured during care (Morning Read)
Almost one in five hospital patients was injured by their care, according to a study of 10 U.S. hospitals published in the New England Journal of Medicine that found little improvement from industry and government efforts to improve safety, reports Bloomberg Businessweek.
Medical Mutual’s employee health program gets national award
Medical Mutual of Ohio has received a national award for its employee wellness program that has improved health and lowered costs, according to a nonprofit group affiliated with former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop.
Ohio high-risk health insurance pool begins August 1
Ohioans with pre-existing health conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, can apply for insurance coverage under a new high-risk pool beginning Aug. 1. The insurance pool is a key piece of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. The programs will be in place until 2014 — when health insurance companies will no longer be allowed […]
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Medical Mutual of Ohio to run state’s high-risk insurance pool
The state has tapped Medical Mutual of Ohio to run its so-called “high-risk insurance pool,” a program established under the federal health reform law that’s designed to provide affordable insurance for people with pre-existing conditions. About 5,000 Ohioans would be covered through the pool, according to a statement from the Ohio Department of Insurance. “We […]
Medical Mutual will offer incentives for e-prescribing
One of Ohio’s biggest health insurance companies is trying to convince doctors to forego their old-fashioned prescription pads more often. Cleveland-based Medical Mutual of Ohio is teaming up with its pharmacy benefits manager, Medco Health Solutions, for a pilot program that gives select doctors financial incentives to prescribe medications electronically. Medical Mutual is signing up […]
Ohio proposal would ban employers from refusing to hire smokers
Updated 5:10 p.m. A proposed Ohio law would prohibit employers from refusing to hire people who smoke tobacco. House Bill 470 would fine employers who violate its terms $25,000 on the first offense, $50,000 on the second and $100,000 for each subsequent violation. Rep. Stephen Dyer, a Democrat from Green and former Akron Beacon-Journal reporter, […]
Ohio medical community reacts to health care reform
Whether they’re for the historic health-reform bill or against it, local health-care and business leaders agree big changes likely are coming as a result. Some portions of the legislation could go into effect in as soon as three months, while others will take until 2019 to be fully implemented. While many of the details still […]
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Shopping for elective medical care difficult, but often rewarding
Less than 24 hours before Audrey Nichols was scheduled to undergo a cardiac stress test at a local community hospital, she received a phone message telling her to bring along payment for her portion of the bill. The amount: $2,191.39. Nichols ended up paying $600 after shopping around.
Night Read (Ohio): Christ Hospital settles whistle-blower suit
Christ Hospital and the federal government have reached a settlement agreement on a whistle-blower lawsuit that accused the hospital of defrauding federal health-care programs, reported the Business Courier of Cincinnati.
Night Read (Ohio): MedWish collect supplies; doctors, nurses volunteer for Haiti
MedWish International still is collecting medical supplies for victims of the Haitian earthquake while Ohio doctors, nurses and other medical professionals volunteer to help.
Night Read (Ohio): Biomedical growth boosts Northeast Ohio economy
Northeast Ohio's economy has been more similar to the U.S. economy during the current recession than in the 1981 recession, thanks in part to growth in the region's biomedical industry, according to the most recent edition of Team NEO’s quarterly Cleveland Plus Economic Review.
Medical Mutual, Dayton health system reach last-minute agreement
The agreement means that people who hold insurance from Medical Mutual of Ohio, the state's largest insurer, will be able to continue obtaining service at Premier-owned health centers.