matinae’s blog

Senator Kuehl Sees “Pattern” of California State HMO Watchdog Siding With Industry Against Consumers

⢠Lawmakers question Department of Managed Healthcareâs oversight of health insurers ⢠Inquiry into regulations for timely access, discount plans, rescissions, language access and mental health parity ⢠Laws passed more than five years ago still not implemented

Administrative Professionals Day – Administrative Professionals Week
Administrative Professionals Week is the time for bosses to show their appreciation and for administrative professionals to celebrate their accomplishments.

by hanh kim quach health care policy coordinator fitness access california

At a special hearing of the Senate Health Committee on Thursday, Department of Managed Health Care Director Cindy Ehnes was questioned for over nearly seven hours about her departmentâs handling of five separate regulations and whether it had met its charge as a consumer protection agency in implementing and enforcing laws to help patients.

â?This hearing is meant to provide a level of oversight to ensure that legislation that is passed gets implemented in a way that is consistent with the way it was intended,ââ said Sen. Sheila Kuehl, chair of the Senate Health Committee.

Annie's Secretary's Day Page
Annie's Secretary's Day Page Now known as Administrative Professionals Day …. or a 23rd of April, 2008 – Administrative Professional's Day …

At issue were three laws, passed in the late 1990s and earlier this decade, which still have not been put into practice: Timely access to health care, access to health care that is both culturally and linguistically sensitive and mental health parity. Additionally, Ehnes was interrogated about the Departmentâs rationale for regulations regarding retroactive cancellations of health policies and so-called “discount health cards”. For more detailed information on all these issues, you can visit the Health Access website and blog. As well, the Senator posted a detailed agenda and background papers on her website, at: www.sen.ca.gov/kuehlTIMELY ACCESS TO CARE

Background: First on the list was the issue of timely access to care, which were intended to prescribe specific time-elapsed standards for how long it should take patients to get into to see a physicians. The law was passed in 2002, and after many years of hiccups, regulations were on the path to implementation in 2007. The regulations spelled out exactly how quickly patients should be able to get in to see a doctor in certain situations. (I.E. Urgent primary care needs: 24 hours; Routine primary care needs: 10 days; Urgent specialty care: 72 hours; Routine specialty care: 14 days)But in December, the Department yanked that version, stripped out all specific requirements, and left it up to health plans to determine their own standards, as had been the practice in the years before the law was passed. Health Access California and Western Center for Law and Poverty testified that the law did not meet the legislature’s intent in having the Department set clear, prescriptive standards. Last month, the Office of Administrative Law rejected the regulations, saying the department had not allowed enough time for public comment given the dramatic changes in the regulations. To read Health Access’ writings on this, click here.

The difference between the August and December versions of the regulations was so stark that Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Grass Valley, asked, â?It looks like the department just punted. What was the amazing turnabout?ââDepartmentâs take: Ehnes said she felt that the August regulations â” 26 pages â” were too complicated and would force plans to micromanage physicians they contract with. She said the department focused on the clinical triage via phone, where patients could call in and get a professional to tell them what they needed to do. Health Accessâ Beth Capell later said this telephonic triage was available during limited times — weekdays during work hours.

Holiday Insights : Administrative Professionals Day or Secretary's Day
Secretary's Day, also called Administrative Professionals Day, is part of National Professional Secretaries Week.

Free Administrative Professionals Day® Ecards, Administrative …
Happy Administrative Professionals Day® · Wish your secretary/ admin assistants/ colleagues/ friends a Happy Admin Pro Day with these warm and cute ecards. …

Legislative comment: â?Regulations are supposed to go further than the statute. Sometimes they are going to be very complicated. I would encourage a little more complication,ââ Kuehl said. She urged that the Department set prescriptive, time-elapsed standards when developing new regulations in the new year. Aanestad indicated he thought the Department was “almost there” with previous version of the regulations that had set standards.

Holidays eCards and Free Holidays Greeting Cards: Free …
Send free Administrative Professional's Day ecards and Administrative Professional's … Each Administrative Professional's Day ecard can include a personal …

DISCOUNT HEALTH CARDS

Background: Discount health cards arenât health plans, but cards that consumers pay a monthly premium, for access to a list of physicians that will purportedly provide them discounts. The problem is, often, physicians donât know theyâve been put on a list, and consumers donât know what the base price off which they receive a discount, making the discounts meaningless. These plans are often marketed toward lower-income o

Related posts: Worlds funniest joke, Xna game studio express, Trevor paglen, Dubai tennis championships, Wallpaperstock