Emergence of Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase (KPC)-Producing Bacteria

Posted on March 31, 2016 by henrykotula • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged CDC, Clinical Research, Clinical Research Funding, Deadly Infections, Drug Resistant Bacteria, Gram-negative bacilli infections, Health Policy, Infections, Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC), NIH, Public Health, Superbugs • Leave a comment

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3075864/

Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing bacteria are a group of emerging highly drug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli causing infections associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Once confined to outbreaks in the northeastern United States (US), they have spread throughout the US and most of the world. KPCs are an important mechanism of resistance for an increasingly wide range of Gram-negative bacteria and are no longer limited to K pneumoniae.

PBS Frontline: Hunting the Nightmare Bacteria

Posted on March 31, 2016 by henrykotula • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged Antibiotic Resistance, CDC, Clinical Research, Clinical Research Funding, Compromised Immuned Systems, Deadly Infections, Health Policy, Health System, Hospital, Hospital Infection Rates, Infections, New Drug Development, NIH, Patient Safety, Pharmaceuticals, Public Health, Quality of Care, Superbugs • Leave a comment

http://www.pbs.org/video/2365104403/

http://www.pbs.org/video/2365089175/

http://www.pbs.org/video/2365540415/

California Senate Committee Approves End-of-Life Help Line

Posted on March 31, 2016 by henrykotula • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged End of Life Option Act, End of Life Options, Health Policy, Life Ending Drugs, Patient Advocacy • Leave a comment

California Senate Committee Approves End-of-Life Help Line

Zika’s coming and we aren’t ready

Posted on March 31, 2016 by henrykotula • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged CDC, Federal Spending, Health Policy, Mosquito-Borne Virus, Public Health, Zika Outbreak, Zika Virus • Leave a comment

Zika’s coming and we aren’t ready.

Springtime in D.C. Means Mosquitoes — and Zika

A look at resources dedicated to mosquito control shows that major U.S. cities are vastly unprepared to prevent a Zika outbreak. And Congress just made it worse.

Springtime in D.C. Means Mosquitoes — and Zika

What Risk Adjustment Does — The Perspective Of A Health Insurance Actuary Who Relies On It

Posted on March 30, 2016 by henrykotula • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged ACA, Health Insurance Coverage, Health Policy, HHS, Reinsurance, Risk Adjustment, Risk Corridors • Leave a comment

http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2016/03/29/what-risk-adjustment-does-the-perspective-of-a-health-insurance-actuary-who-relies-on-it/

In Annual Baseline Budget Projections, CBO Decreases Marketplace Enrollment Estimates (Update)

Posted on March 29, 2016 by henrykotula • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged ACA, ACA Excise Tax, CBO, Chemical Dependency, CHIP, Employer Based Insurance, GAO, Health Policy, Healthcare Spending, Medicaid, Medicaid Expansion, Mental Health, State Marketplaces, Uninsured • Leave a comment

http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2016/03/25/in-annual-baseline-budget-projections-cbo-decreases-marketplace-enrollment-estimates/

Obamacare Is on the Back Burner in Election

Posted on March 28, 2016 by henrykotula • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged ACA, Health Policy, Presidential Election • Leave a comment

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2016-03-27/obamacare-is-on-the-back-burner-in-election

http://khn.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-obamacare-as-an-election-issue-the-health-industry-as-job-creator/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A+Daily+Health+Policy+Report&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=27735839&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–ASUQPhiLHbaEhZCWSY3lzZzFqn_NbEr27A_UURafHuw0-THg4PZkZnYQjydhLs6ECs5CIbjOspXiVCDEZo82nsUiatg&_hsmi=27735839

States that expanded Medicaid saved revenue, report shows

Posted on March 27, 2016 by henrykotula • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged ACA, Health Policy, Health System, Hospital, Medicaid, Medicaid Expansion, Reform, Research Study, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Uncompensated Care • Leave a comment

http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/states-expanded-medicaid-saved-revenue-report-shows?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonuaXKc%2B%2FhmjTEU5z16ukvX6%2B%2Fh4kz2EFye%2BLIHETpodcMTcZmM7nYDBceEJhqyQJxPr3MLtINwNlqRhPrCg%3D%3D

The 31 states and District of Columbia that expanded Medicaid are saving millions, or tens of millions, report shows.

Men’s Health: A Global Problem Hiding in Plain Sight

Posted on March 24, 2016 by henrykotula • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged Health Policy, Life Expectancy, Men's Health, Primary Care, Public Health, WHO • Leave a comment

http://altarum.org/health-policy-blog/mens-health-a-global-problem-hiding-in-plain-sight

The Widening Gap

Kickbacks, Bribes, and the Horrifying Truth Behind California’s Largest Medical Fraud Scandal

Posted on March 23, 2016 by henrykotula • Posted in Uncategorized • Tagged Adult Entertainers, Bonus Medical Implants, Bribes, Creative Accounting, DOJ, FDA, Federal Employees Compensation Act, Fraud and Abuse, Health Policy, Health System, Hospital, Kickbacks, Mail Fraud, Medi-Cal, Money Laundering, National Healthcare Antifraud Association, Pass-Through Allowance, Political Lobbying, RICO Act, Spinal Fusion Operations, State Compensation Insurance Fund, Tool Fabrication, Unbundled Billing, Unnecessary Surgery, Whistleblower Lawsuit, Workers Comp • Leave a comment

http://www.lamag.com/longform/kickbacks-bribes-and-the-horrifying-truth-behind-californias-largest-medical-fraud-scandal/

Long Beach hospital owner Michael Drobot spent decades bilking the state of millions for unnecessary surgeries with allegedly bogus hardware, and plenty of doctors went along with him – See more at: http://www.lamag.com/longform/kickbacks-bribes-and-the-horrifying-truth-behind-californias-largest-medical-fraud-scandal/#sthash.flf2d3Ck.dpuf