NJ Businesses Sustain Widespread Health Coverage, Despite Rising Costs
Workers are paying for larger share of medical expenses, through higher contributions and deductibles, reduced benefits. Published in NJ Spotlight by Lilo H. Stainton The vast majority of New Jersey businesses continue to provide health insurance for their workforce, but as the cost of care continues to rise by double digits, employees are paying a…Read More…
As insurance companies bolt from Obamacare, lawmaker prescribes a fix for N.J.
Published on NJ.com by Susan K. Livio TRENTON — With insurance companies in New Jersey fleeing the health exchange created by the Affordable Care Act, a state lawmaker has introduced a bill to create a government-operated plan that he said will stabilize the volatile market. The “New Jersey Public Option Health Care Act” would require the…Read More…
Conversation of a Lifetime campaign spreads in NJ
Published in The Courier-Post by Kim Mulford David Mayer didn’t talk about death or funerals or end-of-life decisions with his mother. Didn’t want to. “Because it’s difficult — you don’t talk about it, ” the Gloucester Township mayor said. “People don’t talk about it. That’s not abnormal.” Instead of having that difficult conversation, the family faced difficult decisions. In her final days,…Read More…
A Story of Empathy and Kindness at the End of a Life
Think medical success stories and you may envision life-saving heroics in a trauma center. Or a brilliant diagnosis of a patient’s rare illness. Or maybe a laboratory researcher who finds a new cancer treatment. All valid successes. But recently I was reminded that success in health care can take more modest forms. Last week the…Read More…
Take Five with Megan Sheppard
The Quality Institute partners with the Cumberland County Department of Health and Inspira Health Network through a three-year partnership grant from the United Health Foundation to improve chronic disease management, health literacy, and access to healthy lifestyle initiatives. Inspira Health Network is a Provider Council member of the Quality Institute. Current Cumberland County Mayors involved…Read More…
Population Health Summit Keeps NJ Residents and Communities Well
NJSpotlight Health Commissioner Cathleen D. Bennett Nutrition, lead poisoning, and fitness were key targets at meeting that brought together state agencies and advocacy groups. A diverse range of programs — promoting breakfast in the classroom, screening for lead poisoning, maintaining state parks and safe streets — are all part of New Jersey’s increasingly broad strategy…Read More…
Linda Schwimmer Explains NJ Health Care Quality Institute’s Role
AJMC.com Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, more and more individuals are gaining access to insurance. Therefore, part of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute’s responsibility is to make the complexities of the healthcare industry more easily understandable for members, according to Linda Schwimmer, JD, president and CEO of the New Jersey…Read More…
New Jersey Left with Just Two Obamacare Health Providers for 2017
NorthJersey.com The options for New Jersey consumers who buy health coverage through the Affordable Care Act will dwindle to two next year, from five in 2016, after state regulators take over Health Republic Insurance of New Jersey. The non-profit company, a start-up established through President Obama’s signature health law, has 35,000 members. The state Department…Read More…
Keeping Competition in the ACA Marketplace
Oscar Health Insurance just announced plans to withdraw from the Affordable Care Act marketplace in New Jersey next year. The company joins UnitedHealthcare, also exiting the marketplace in 2017. Aetna, meanwhile, has scrapped plans to provide coverage here next year. Are the exits a sign the ACA is failing? And what can we do to…Read More…
Take Five with Calvin H. Knowlton
Calvin Knowlton, BScPharm, MDiv, PhD, is the Founder and CEO of Tabula Rasa HealthCare, based in Moorestown. At Tabula Rasa HealthCare, you focus on ways to use technology to improve health care, particularly in the area of medication risk mitigation. How big a problem is this? The elephant in the room in pharmacy is adverse…Read More…