Health Plan & Provider Report Index Summary

TAXATION

– Conversion of BCBS from nonprofit status, plan may be entitled to partial tax refund (M.D. La.), 862
– Employee benefits

– – Cap on employer tax exclusions opposed, hearing, 528
– – Employer exclusions for health benefits

– – – Exclusions, proposals could have negative economic consequences, CRS reports, 888
– – – Obama opposes taxing insurance value to fund reform, 792
– – – Senate Finance Comm., alternatives to tax considered as polling data show opposition, 820

– – Health plan options and requirements explored, ABA meeting, 587
– – Impact of proposed tax changes should be reevaluated, report, 97
– – Warnings about changes, ABA white paper, 537
– – Wellness programs

– – – Companies seek tax breaks, survey report, 901
– – – Tax credits bill

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 1897

– Excise taxes on HSAs employer comparable contributions, IRS releases final rule, 1057
– Gross premiums tax on Medi-Cal managed care plans, Cal. governor signs bill, 1132
– Health care reform, federal

– – Cafeteria plans, Code Section 125 discussed, CRS report, 947
– – Exclusions for employers, Obama opposes taxing insurance value to fund, 792
– – Financing alternatives, Senate Finance Comm. considers elimination of medical deductions and flexible spending curb, 618; proposal defended, report, 643; panel considering options outside health sector to fund reform, 765; CBO financing options outlined, MedPAC report, 769; options analyzed, CRS reports, 773; markup delayed beyond August recess, 914; Schumer (D-NY) says reconciliation is possible, 915; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities supports tax on high-end plans, report, 949
– – Raising taxes on higher-income households, Durbin (D-Ill) says alternatives are sought, 819
– – Senate Finance Comm. roundtables set to explore proposed changes, background paper, 556
– – Tax credits and state-level insurance exchanges, Republican lawmakers propose, 613

– Hospitals

– – Charity care funding, new N.J. law raises health insurance premium tax rates for one year, 828
– – Wis. plans laud agency assessment proposal to allow state to capture more federal Medicaid funds, 104; new law, 267

– HSAs

See generally HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS (HSAs)

– Long-term care insurance tax benefit

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, S 702

– Me., assessments revised to fund state-subsidized Dirigo health plan, 715
– Mass. health insurance coverage mandate, tax penalties schedule for noncompliance issued, 294
– N.Y. health plan assessments increase, bills signed, 160
– Or. provider tax to fund health coverage expansion, no consensus for hospitals and governor, 193; legislative panels approve bills, 681
– Small businesses, health insurance

– – Cooperatives with tax credits

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 850

– – Incentives for state reform

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, S 979

– Tenn. HMO premiums, proposed budget includes tax increase, 388
– Windfall profits tax on insurers, House Democrats consider to pay for health care reform bill, 1178

TECHNOLOGY

– Information networks

See INFORMATION NETWORKS AND TECHNOLOGY

– Medical technology, ICD-10 coding conversion

See generally CODING

TELEMEDICINE

– Md. hospital links to Wilmington, Del., tertiary care facility, 682
– Or., bill passed requiring services coverage, 680; new law, 746
– Regional networks, federal funding approval for 6, 507
– Wash. Medicaid, new law allows home care reimbursement, 594

TENNESSEE

– Chiropractic services, exclusion of providers from network upheld (Tenn. Ct. App.), 383
– Disclosure

– – Insurance, new law, 717
– – PPOs, new law, 801

– Dual eligibles, pharmacy reimbursement change under new law, 896
– Health care facilities, new laws, 717
– HMOs, proposed budget includes premium tax increase, 388
– Prescription drugs

– – Prices, bill passed allowing pharmacists to give patients actual cost information, 654
– – 2-state BCBS/CVS pilot on giving instant access to prior authorizations, 570

– Recovery of payments made in error to health care providers by insurance entities, attorney general says changes to law constitutional, 1104
– Small businesses, income limit raised for health insurance coverage, 162
– TennCare

– – Enrollee eligibility verification process begins, 567
– – Long-term care integration, waiver approved, 929

TERMINAL ILLNESS

See CHRONIC AND TERMINAL ILLNESS

TESTS AND SCREENING

– Autism, mandated under new N.J. law, 1033
– Cervical cancer, Cal. passes health insurance coverage mandate bill, 1102
– Coronary disease screening coverage, new Tex. law requires, 744
– Developmental screenings for infants and toddlers, Del. governor signs mandated benefits bill, 1073
– GINA implementation, EEOC releases proposed rules, 256; final rules expected May 21, 589
– RICO, certification denied in class action alleging fraudulent Quest Diagnostics billing (D.N.J.), 186
– Virtual colonoscopy, bipartisan House members urge Medicare to cover, 340

TEXAS

– Autism, bill passed mandating coverage, 716; new law, 744
– Coronary disease screening, new law requires coverage, 744
– Data breach notification, new law extends requirements to health information, 801
– Dependents, college student health coverage bills passed, 716; vetoed, 744
– Emergency services

– – Free-standing clinics, new law regulates, 744
– – Physicians lack standing to challenge contracts (Tex. Ct. App.), 162

– Hospitals, Houston system settles antitrust suit with state attorney general (Tex. Dist. Ct.), 128
– Medicaid, UnitedHealth Group's Evercare contract terminated, 349
– OB/GYN group reimbursement, ERISA does not preempt state law claims challenging pay rate (5th Cir.), 1002
– Out-of-network care, Aetna pays to settle state probe of provider underpayment (Tex. Dist. Ct.), 191
– Physician ratings, BCBS to stop using cost-based system, 435
– Uninsured persons, state proposal to expand coverage includes increasing rates for insured, 105

THERAPY SERVICES

– Speech for dependent, administrator violated ERISA by failing to provide internal coverage guidelines (7th Cir.), 287; (U.S., rev den), 1186

TRANSLATORS AND INTERPRETERS

– Health insurance, Cal. rules require translation from English as necessary, 415

TRANSPARENCY

– CalPERS, HMO to share financial risks and offering greater transparency sought, 160
– FEHBP prescription drug benefits, program management criticized, hearing, 796
– Health insurance, policy purchasing

See LEGISLATION, FEDERAL, HR 2427, S 1050

TRANSPLANTS

See ORGAN TRANSPLANTS

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

– Ambulances

See AMBULANCE SERVICES

TRAUMA CARE

See EMERGENCY SERVICES