Paula Blankenship

Communications professional with two decades of award-winning work in journalism, corporate communications, promotional video, public relations and higher education. Always seeking opportunities to serve the public good.

Author's Posts

Arizona News

AHCCCS Updates ACOM & AMPM

This week, the AHCCCS Contractor Operations Manual (ACOM) and the AHCCCS Medical Policy Manual (AMPM) got a refresh. Click here for the revisions and/or additions to the ACOM and AHCCCS operations reporting guidelines including the Claims Dashboard Reporting Guide, Grievance System Reporting Guide and Provider Affiliation...
Arizona News

Gilbert Hospital & Florence Hospital at Anthem Closing

The hospital's owner, New Vision Health, closes after creditors filed for involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Court documents reveal creditors were owed about $13.1 million in unpaid loans and the hospitals' leases were terminated due to nonpayment. Reports say the bankruptcy receiver tried to secure capital to keep the...
Arizona News

BCBSAZ Value-Based Collaborative Model Readies for National Debut

In his dual role as senior VP at Change Healthcare and president and COO of ACO Partner, John Wallace spoke with HealthLeaders Media about the model, why it works, and how it will grow. Learn more about ACO Partner in our June newsletter, but until then this interview will shed light on the value-based initiative that now includes...
Arizona News

More than 150 Ex-Cardinals Part of NFL Concussion Suit

The Hertel Report is proud to celebrate our intern Veronica Graff, who shared a byline on this front page story in the Arizona Republic on Sunday about the emotional and physical damage suffered by ex-Cardinal players and their struggles with the NFL. The news feature includes interviews from nine former players and explains how a...
Arizona News

AHCCCS' CYE19 Hospital Assessment Model & Rules 

The 2019 assessment at $287 million is $3 million less than the 2018 assessment. For the contracting year October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019 (CYE 2019), select AHCCCS-registered Arizona providers which meet agency established performance criteria will receive Differential Adjusted Payments (DAP). AHCCCS will implement DAP...
Scoring Medicaid & CHIP - A New Approach Arizona News

Scoring Medicaid & CHIP - A New Approach

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed its Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Scorecard. The Scorecard includes measures voluntarily reported by states, as well as federally reported measures in three areas: The Scorecard includes measures voluntarily reported by states, as well as...
Arizona News

The Ensign Group Purchases Sun City SNF

Sun West Choice Healthcare and Rehabilitation is a 140-bed skilled nursing facility with an 87 percent occupancy rate in Sun City West. The acquisition became effective June 1, 2018. Bandera Healthcare, Inc., Ensign's Arizona-based subsidiary, was enthusiastic about the addition of Sun West Choice. "We are ecstatic to welcome to...
National News

Improper Medicare & Medicaid Payments Estimated at $90B - GAO Report

The Government Accountability Office reported that in 2017 HHS made $36.2 billion in improper Medicare FFS payments and $36.7 billion in improper payments to Medicaid; MA received $14.2 billion improperly and Medicare Part D was improperly paid $1.2 billion. The GAO estimated the federal government spent nearly $147 billion on...
National News

Home Health & Hospice Utilization - Arizona in Top 5 For YOY Growth

Excel Health's reported that in 2017 total Medicare beneficiaries grew 2.5 percent as baby boomers continued to age into Medicare, hospice patient admissions grew 6.5 percent driven by increased utilization, and that home health patient admits grew 0.5 percent, due to growth in the last two reported quarters. Data highlights from the...
News

Trump Gives the Terminally Ill the “The Right to Try” Experimental Drugs

Select patients are now able to seek non-FDA approved experimental drugs and treatments. President Trump signed the bill May 30 stating it would provide terminally ill patients with the “hope of finding something.” The “compassionate use” program enacted by the FDA already grants access to experimental drugs after the patient...
Arizona News

Cigna Medical Group Promotes Matthew Bennettt to President and GM

After nearly a decade with Cigna, most recently as the VP of operations and effectiveness for the insurer's Total Health & Network, Bennett will be responsible for leading strategy and operations to the 120 member group practice. Bennett was also a leader in the information technology and service operations departments at Cigna...
National News

Does Blockchain Have the Power to Disrupt the Insurance Market?

Making up almost 20 percent of the nation’s GDP, the United States spends more on healthcare than any other country and consumers are still questioning the costs and quality of care. Nasdaq has called the current health insurance situation “a mess,” but new solutions have yet to prove viability and demonstrate successful reform...
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