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Hoping to head off suggestions in some financially pressed states that Medicaid should abandon managed care and return to a fee-for-service payment mechanism, the Washington, DC-based Association for Health Care Affiliated Health Plans is publicizing a study it funded that it says demonstrates managed care does a better job of caring for Medicaid beneficiaries than traditional fee for service does.
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Imagine if your family car came in separate parts so that you had to decide which parts were needed, find where you could buy them, and then assemble them yourself. With no overall design for the car and no quality management to make sure the parts fit and determine how well the car is working, what kind of a vehicle do you think youd have and how would you determine how cost-effective it was? That analogy impressed a number of people in Maine as they developed their states response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Olmstead case involving state efforts to provide services to the disabled in a coordinated, least-restrictive environment.
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For Penny Black, the director of home and community services with the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, the GAO report, which is raising questions about quality assurance for Medicaid beneficiaries services by home and community service waivers, is worrisome for its potential impact on the programs, especially when political leaders say future waivers should not be approved until the quality issues are addressed.
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According to a General Accounting Office report, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should ensure that state quality assurance efforts adequately protect the health and welfare of Medicaid beneficiaries covered under home and community-based service waivers.
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Because of the worldwide concern regarding the spread of viruses, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) has chosen the prevention of infectious diseases as the focus of its annual Labor Day CheckList.
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As far back as 1911, scientists associated vibration from hand-held tools with the risk of pain, numbing, and blanching of the fingers, known as vibration white finger. Today, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is pursuing studies to reduce risks of hand-vibration disorders for employees who use jackhammers, chipping hammers, power drills, and other vibrating tools.
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Being able to recharge your batteries is the key to being happy in life or on the job, says Bobby Staten, BSN, MPH, CSP, who employs what she calls motivational humor to help employees learn how to deal with stress. Over the years, Staten has honed the recharging process into five key principles.
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The July horror played out in a Meridian, MS, Lockheed Martin plant was a stark reminder of the ever-present threat of workplace violence. The good news is that a growing number of employers have taken important steps to help reduce the likelihood of such events. The even better news is the increased recognition of the critical importance of employee involvement in prevention and that means all your employees.
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AHA, provider groups urge HIPAA action; AONE report highlights nursing best practices
