Anthony Brino
With almost two million Americans falling victim to medical identity theft annually, California's Attorney General thinks prevention should be integrated into reform efforts, and she's offering a roadmap.
A number of vendors have had to go through several certification trials to meet the meaningful use requirements. And after a sharp drop in vendors attempting to certify their EHRs or modules earlier this year, the certification bodies are now starting to see more activity.
Even amid the government shutdown, the new online insurance marketplaces -- known as health insurance exchanges -- were up and running today. There were early reports of computer glitches across several states. Some states, with large numbers of uninsured are dealing with problems of a different sort.
In states with large uninsured populations, marketplace enrollment (or lack of it) could impact doctors, hospitals and insurers for years to come.
As two top leaders prepare to leave health IT's highest government posts, another ONC official -- a family physician, who also spent some time working at an EHR company -- prepares to take the reins.
Both the ONC's national coordinator and principal deputy national coordinator are leaving the agency in October, closing one era and opening another under a new acting ONC chief.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued final guidance for mobile medical application developers, promising limited regulation for most health and wellness apps while applying risk-based standards to diagnostic and quasi-medical device apps.
As mobile medical apps become more and more like medical devices, the FDA is finalizing plans to regulate them similarly.
Covered California is hoping a combination of accessibility (applications and assistance in one of 12 languages) and simplicity will ensure a smooth financial experience for consumers.
Contractors hired by Medicare to audit the payment records of healthcare providers have a good track record spotting improper billing, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General concluded in a recent report, but legitimate concerns exist.