Paula Blankenship, Author at The Hertel Report

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

White Papers, E books, Reports and more

Issue Brief: Risk Adjustment, Reinsurance & Risk Corridors

Learn from Kaiser the basics of these ACA provisions designed to promote competition, quality, value and market stability, especially during the early years of the...

National News

Expensive Hospitals: Strong Reputations But Little Evidence Of Better Care, Study Finds

A study of autoworker claims found that hospitals with the highest prices tended to have the strongest reputations and tight holds on their local markets yet showed little evidence of providing better quality care.

Arizona News

AZ Gets Approval to Assess Hospital Fees to Help Fund Medicaid Expansion

Fees on hospitals draw down federal matching funds.

Arizona News

University of Arizona Brings Rural Health Care Program to Phoenix Campus

Two of the program’s main focuses are increasing the number of graduates who practice in a rural setting and developing collaborative relationships with rural communities and faculty.

Arizona News

Cancer Treatment Centers of America Plans to Add Up to 150 employees in Next Year

Matt McGuire, the new president and CEO for Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Western Regional Medical Center, is looking to hire between 100 and 150 people by this time next year. When the Goodyear facility opened five years ago, it had nearly 150 employees. Today that number is approaching 650, with much of that growth...

National News

Most Uninsureds Don’t Plan on Getting Covered

Less than 40 percent of the uninsured population will get health insurance this year, despite the individual mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that says they have to.

Arizona News

Was Phoenix Tissue Banking Center Trafficking Body Parts?

FBI and AG’s office investigate.

National News

Newly Insured Americans Don’t Understand Basic Healthcare Terms

An estimated 14 percent of English-speaking adults in the United States have below-basic literacy, or an inability to perform simple reading tasks. But 35 percent have only basic or below-basic health literacy. That means more than 77 million people have difficulty with common health-related reading tasks.

Arizona Bricks & Mortar

Native Health Center Combines Physical, Behavioral health Services

Native Health Community Health Center, which last October moved into a 26,000-square-foot space at Central Avenue and Indian School Road, has been granted an integrated license allowing it to provide behavioral health and medical services under one roof.

Arizona News

Arizona Hospitals Take Steps to Slow Flu Surge

50% increase in influenza cases across Ariz. in a week

National News

Moody's Outlook Dour on 'Young Invincibles'

Many of the people in the 18-to-24-year-old demographic who've signed up for coverage under health insurance exchanges may be among the least healthy in their cohort, says Moody's Investors Service.

National News

Moody's Outlook Dour on 'Young Invincibles'

Many of the people in the 18-to-24-year-old demographic who've signed up for coverage under health insurance exchanges may be among the least healthy in their cohort, says Moody's Investors Service.

National News

Co-ops The Underdog in Health Insurance Marketplace

Consumer-run health care co-ops face challenges in spreading the word about their existence.

National News

Patients’ Costs Skyrocket; Specialists’ Incomes Soar

The incomes of dermatologists, gastroenterologists and oncologists rose 50 percent or more between 1995 and 2012, even when adjusted for inflation, while those for primary care physicians rose only 10 percent and lag far behind, since insurers pay far less for traditional doctoring tasks like listening for a heart murmur or prescribing...

National News