In the News This Week…

Proposal Would Mandate Electronic Billing by 2014, 7-23-12, WorkCompCentral
Reporter Heather Scofield reports on new rules that would mandate electronic billing for workers’ compensation claims between insurance carriers and medical providers in North Carolina. NCMS Associate General Counsel Conor Brockett expressed the Society’s position in moving toward electronic billing for workers’ compensation. Subscription is required to view this article.

NCMS Creates Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership, 7-3-12, Triangle Medical News
Triangle Medical News reprints Bulletin article regarding the Elizabeth P. Kanof, MD, Leadership Development Endowment and the newly created Kanof Institute for Physician Leadership, which was announced in May.

Candidates for NC governor unsure about extra Medicaid recipients, 7-22-12, The News and Observer
Reporter John Frank writes that Republican candidate Pat McCrory’s campaign indicates he opposed taking millions in federal money to cover new Medicaid recipients, expressing concern about the cost.

NC auditor: catching Medicaid cheats falls short, 7-26-12, SFGate/Associated Press
Writer Emery Dalesio reports that companies hired to help find waste, fraud and abuse in North Carolina’s Medicaid program are recovering far less in overpayments than had been projected.

State audit says DHHS efforts to curb fraud falling short, 7-27-12, The News and Observer
Writer Lynn Bonner reports that computer programs that were supposed to expose Medicaid fraud and save the state money have fallen short of expectations, according to a state auditor’s report.

2 million NC adults to benefit from health care law provision, supporters say, 7-26-12, The News and Observer
Reporter Yeshwanth Kandimalla writes that the controversial health care law will benefit more than 2 million North Carolina adults who suffer from pre-existing medical conditions, according to a report by Families USA.

State waited too long to set up health insurance marketplace, 7-15-12, The Charlotte Observer
Writer Craig Jarvis reports that North Carolina legislators have taken so long to set up a mandated marketplace where uninsured people and small businesses can shop for health insurance that the federal government will have to do it for them.

Health insurance costs for NC college students double in two years, 7-17-12, WRAL
Reporter Laura Leslie writes that the University of North Carolina system requires all students to have health insurance coverage, but the cost of a plan the system offers has more than doubled in two years.

In-store health clinic numbers grow in Durham, 7-24-12, equities.com/The Herald-Sun
Writer Laura Oleniacz reports that Target Corp. plans to open health clinics inside two SuperTarget stores in Durham later this month, making it the second publicly traded national retailer to add clinics to its store offerings.

NC Planned Parenthood gets US funds, 7-25-12, Asheville Citizen-Times
Asheville-Citizen Times reports that North Carolina lawmakers refused to provide funding to Planned Parenthood, but the women’s health organization has now obtained a federal grant worth three times the amount of money the state refused to provide.

Health advocates from NC lobby lawmakers on Capitol Hill, 7-24-12, North Carolina News Network
Writers Stephanie Hawco and David Horn report that young North Carolina patients and their parents lobbied in Washington, DC this week, hoping to convince lawmakers not to cut funding for valuable programs, especially pediatric training programs for doctors.

North Carolina Surgeon Adopts Revolutionary ARTAS System, 7-23-12, Market Watch
Globe Newswire announces that Restoration Robotics, Inc. is launching its revolutionary ARTAS® System in North Carolina. Jerry Cooley, MD, founder and operator of the Charlotte-based Carolina Dermatology Hair Center, will use the system.

Physicians at North Carolina’s Leading Infertility Center Recognized as Best Doctors, 7-26-12, The Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Bee reports that physicians at REACH – Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte, were recognized in the Charlotte Business Journal as Best Doctors in the Charlotte area.

NC ranks 34th in child well-being for country, 7-26-12, The Jacksonville Daily News
Reporter Jannette Pippin writes that North Carolina ranks 34th out of 50 states in overall child well-being, 26th in health, 25th in education and 36th in the family and community category.

APNewsBreak: Adult care home plan for NC under way, 7-26-12, SFGate/Associated Press
AP writer Gary Robertson reports that North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) is moving ahead with the first step of a multi-year plan to help move potentially thousands of mentally ill residents from adult care homes to affordable housing and less restrictive living conditions.

Park Ridge Health receives designation as stroke capable hospital, 7-25-12, Mountain Express
Reporter Caitlin Byrd writes that Park Ridge Health has been named a Stroke Capable Hospital in Henderson County by the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Doctors donate free services to Chapel Hill man, 7-19-12 WTVD-TV
News anchor Caitlin Coyner reports that a group of local doctors came together to help a Chapel Hill man who spent years suffering from a rare genetic condition that went undiagnosed and was never properly treated.

Should all kids get cholesterol tests? Doctors can’t agree on widespread screening guidelines, 7-22-12, The Washington Post/Associated Press
The Associated Press reports that doctors are still debating whether or not children should get tested for high cholesterol.

 
 

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