Month: September 2011
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Some worry that patient care will get shortchanged as Kentucky Medicaid moves to managed care
While moving Kentucky’s Medicaid patients to managed care for will likely reduce costs to the taxpayers, patient care shouldn’t be shortchaged in the effort to save a buck, Deb McGrath...
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Medicaid’s move to managed care delayed until Nov. 1; hospitals need more time to sign contracts
The move to managed care, which the state has touted as the answer to improve the quality of its Medicaid system and solve a budget deficit, has been delayed by...
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Funding available to help communities fight cervical cancer
For the second year, agencies, coalitions and community groups are invited to apply for funding to improve cervical cancer screening rates and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations in their areas. Cervical...
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Bullitt judge strikes down health board’s smoking ban; could lead to decision with statewide impact, if appealed
A Bullitt County judge has extinguished a countywide smoking ban that was supposed to go into effect Monday, saying the county health board overstepped its authority. The ruling could lead...
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Last year, 17.4 percent of Kentuckians lived in poverty and 17.5 percent did not have health insurance
More than one in six Kentuckians lived in poverty last year and almost exactly the same number didn’t have health insurance, preliminary U.S. Census numbers show. The state’s poverty rate was 17.4...
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Regulations allowing optometrists to use lasers pass; opponents may sue for violation of Open Meetings Act
Though ophthalmologists and the Kentucky Medical Association strongly objected, a legislative committee passed regulations Tuesday that will allow optometrists to perform some eye surgeries using lasers. In answer, opponents says...
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Work locally for health care solutions, experts say at annual policy forum; contrasting Medicaid approaches seen
By Tara Kaprowy Kentucky Health News After hearing experts say communities should take the lead in improving the quality of health care and lowering its cost — especially because there...
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Feds OK managed-care Medicaid; firms advertise for enrollees
The move to managed care for Kentucky’s Medicaid patients is one step further to being implemented. The federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services have approved the state’s plan to...
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Is University Hospital public? Attorney general will decide; merger proposal raises question of church-state separation
Attorney General Jack Conway has been asked to decide “whether University Hospital is a public institution — an issue in the controversial plan to merge the University of Louisville’s main...