What we're reading, November 2, 2015: third open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act kicks off; common medical tests are being done inaccurately; and hospitals and the government settle over cardiac device implants.
Open Enrollment Goes Off Without a Hitch
Over the weekend, the third open enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act opened without a hitch. The Washington Post reported that 40,000 applications were submitted through HealthCare.gov during the first 6 hours of operation. But it wasn’t all good news for the president’s healthcare reform: while HealthCare.gov and the state sites opened shop without incident, just days before open enrollment kicked off, yet another co-op—nonprofit, consumer-focused health plans—closed up shop.
Common Medical Tests Sometimes Inaccurate
A growing number of medical tests are being waived from oversight because they are considered so simple and accurate, but they are often being done incorrectly, reports Journal Sentinel. A spot check of facilities doing these tests found less than half were in compliance with policies in place to ensure safe, quality care.
Hospitals, Government Reach $250 Million Settlement Over Cardiac Device
The Justice Department has reached settlements totaling more than $250 million with 457 hospitals that implanted cardioverter defibrillators in violation of Medicare coverage requirements, according to Chicago Tribune. Medicare sets a waiting period up to 90 days before implanting the cardiac device, which costs $25,000, because trials have shown the heart often recovers its own rhythm without the intervention of the pricey device. The hospitals in question all implanted the device too soon.
Myasthenia Gravis Care Overlooks Speech and Swallowing Dysfunction
March 9th 2025Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular junction disorder with a hallmark of progressive muscle weakness and frequent manifestation of otolaryngologic dysfunction, such as difficulty swallowing and speech disorder.
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