June 2017 | HealthAxis

HIPAA regulations are something that every healthcare organization should be prepared for, but what does HIPAA have to do with wearable devices?

“Both covered entities and business associates should be well-aware of the OCR HIPAA audit program, especially as Phase 2 has been underway for several months now. However, as technology continues to evolve, there are also several areas that could bring confusion to healthcare organizations.”Â Read the full article.

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In order to reduce medical spending and boost patient outcomes, accountable care organizations may need to integrate social services.

“While government agencies, healthcare payers, and medical organizations put their efforts and hopes in advancing accountable care organizations (ACOs), these healthcare delivery reforms lack significant social service interventions, according to a new report from Health Affairs. Investing in social services tend to add value to the quality of accountable care organizations. However, many ACOs under state Medicaid programs and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) tend to lack payment incentives to integrate social services.”Â Read the full article.

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Counties experiencing economic prosperity are more likely to score highly on population health metrics, according to Blue Cross Blue Shield.

“Population health and economic prosperity are intrinsically linked, according to a new nationwide analysis from the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Association, giving healthcare providers an even greater incentive to deliver holistic, preventive care to their communities. The BCBS Health Index, created in partnership with Moody’s Analytics, uses big data on more than 40 million beneficiaries of the health payer network to generate detailed insights into health trends on a county level, with a specific focus on chronic diseases and socioeconomic determinates of health.”Â Read the full article.

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A new report identifies APMs, health data exchange, patient engagement, and community resources as the top four healthcare reform areas.

“The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) offered policymakers and stakeholders healthcare reform priorities, including alternative payment models (APMs) and health data exchange, that aim to lower overall healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes. The report outlines four priorities that involve designing value-based reimbursement models, improving caregiver and patient engagement, collaborating with communities to build health resources, and advancing healthcare data accessibility and sharing.”Â Read the full article.

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Market dynamics and business goals will change how health insurers structure themselves, PwC says.

“The healthcare industry is in a perpetual state of flux. However, while the progress may seem to move at a glacial pace, that does not discount the need for healthcare organizations from payers and providers to plan for the future.”Â Read the full article.

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When Republicans pulled their Affordable Care Act replacement bill last Friday, Lauren Lake’s primary reaction was relief.

“For many people like the Lakes, the demise of cost-sharing subsidies could mean the end of coverage – whether or not the ACA is fully repealed. If the subsidies are stopped, insurers likely would hike premiums or bolt from Obamacare exchanges and even the broader individual market, experts say.”Â Read the full article.

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