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Related Media Coverage on Alexander-Murray Bill Alexander, Murray strike bipartisan Obamacare deal providing subsidies, state flexibility   Politico- Jennifer Haberkorn Sens. Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray say they have reached an agreement on a bipartisan Obamacare deal to fund a key insurance subsidy program and provide states flexibility to skirt some requirements of the health care law. Full Article   Another last-ditch effort to tackle Obamacare stalls within hours of its release   Washington Post- Juliet Eilperin, Amy Goldstein, and Sean Sullivan Yet another last-ditch effort to tackle the nation’s health-care system stalled within hours of its release by a bipartisan pair of senators Tuesday, with President Trump sending mixed signals and Republicans either declining to endorse the proposal or outright opposing it. Full Article   Bipartisan Deal to Stabilize ACA Insurance [...]

Related Media Coverage on LVC Study Low-Cost, High-Volume Services Make Up Big Portion of Spending on Unneeded Health Care   UCLA Health - Enrique Rivero Low-cost, high-volume health services account for a high percentage of unnecessary health spending, adding strain to the health care system, new UCLA-led research suggests. Full Article   Emergency Departments, Behavioral Health and More   Health Affairs Blog In the United States, a substantial proportion of health care costs is allocated to low-value care: patient care providing no net health benefit, such as early diagnostic imaging for uncomplicated low-back pain. Full Article   High-Volume, Low-Cost Services Reflect Most Unnecessary Medical Spending, Study Suggests Becker's Healthcare - Morgan Haefner Healthcare services costing $538 or less were administered much more frequently than services exceeding that cost. For the [...]

2017 V-BID Summit Sponsorship Opportunities The 2017 V-BID Summit: V-BID at the 'Big House’ will be held as a two-day event at the University of Michigan on March 13/14. The Summit invites stakeholders to engage in a highly interactive all-day discussion to address the opportunities and challenges that arise from the conceptual design to the implementation of clinically nuanced payment reform and benefit design strategies across some of today’s most relevant and challenging health care topics. A draft agenda will soon be available for dissemination. All donations/sponsorships will be gratefully accepted, including amounts lower and higher than those listed below.  Special consideration will be given to non-profit organizations.  For more information, please contact Susan Lynne Oesterle at 734-615-9635 or vbidcenter@umich.edu.   Platinum sponsorship includes six invitations to the following: V-BID Summit evening reception Evening welcome dinner Networking breakfast Summit discussions Networking lunch [...]

In late June, a draft of an executive order, entitled "Reducing the Cost of Medical Products and Enhancing American Biomedical Innovation", emerged that would update IRS Section 223 (c)(2)(C).  Section 6 of the order states: "The Internal Revenue Service shall update the preventive care safe harbor under Section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code to include services or benefits, including medications, intended to prevent chronic disease progression or complications, for the purpose of helping patients adhere to clinical regimens and thereby reducing costs of healthcare." This amendment to the IRS code would provide health savings account eligible high-deductible health plans (HSA-HDHPs) the flexibility to cover services and drugs used to treat chronic diseases before meeting the plan deductible. What does this mean, and why is it important? This executive order would allow for the development and implementation [...]

Related Media Coverage on Executive Order Conduent:  Administration Eyes Expanding HDHP Pre-Deductible Coverage to Chronic Disease Managment   Julia Zuckerman & Richard Stover A recent draft executive order would direct the IRS to expand the list of preventive care services that an HDHP plan can cover before the participant or beneficiary has met the plan's deductible.  Specifically, it would update the preventive care rules for HDHPs to include services or benefits, including medications, relating to care for chronic disease management. Full Article   Kaiser Health News:  Trump Plan Might Cut Expenses For Some Insured Patients With Chronic Needs   Michelle Andrews Out-of pocket expenses could shrink under a Trump administration draft executive order that would change the Internal Revenue Service rules about what care can be covered before the deductible is met in plans linked [...]