Congress is now just about half way through its August recess.  This is the time of the year when OPM completes its benefit and rate negotiations with carriers.

The Washington Post had a lengthy front page story today on how medical debt adversely affects rural people and rural hospitals. Much of the debt arises from emergency room use according to the article but the underlying problem is that rural areas don’t have the webs of walk-in clinics and urgett care centers found in urban areas. The federal government is planning to funnel more Medicare money to rural hospitals and as noted here last week, Sen. Check Grassley has introduced a bill to permit rural hospitals to do away with inpatient beds in favor of telehealth.  It’s a serious public health problem that the Affordable Care Act does not address.

Health Payer Intelligence offers an article with examples of how health plans and insurers are moving from reactive to preventive care.  In the same vein, Fierce Healthcare discusses how

As the number of high-cost treatments continues to grow, Anthem is launching a new program in Kentucky that aims to work with providers to protect patients from “shock” bills for these therapies. Anthem has teamed up with St. Elizabeth Healthcare, one of the state’s largest providers, as the first partner in the new program. In the model, the health system will absorb part of the cost of these services, discounting them by as much as 45%. 

And NPR’s Shots provides “pro tips’ on how to stick with healthy habits.