Health Headlines for Wednesday, January 27

Health exchange losses prompt concerns

Albany Times Union/Blog

This is from my colleague Claire Hughes who reports that Standard & Poors is out with a report indicating that the Health Exchange, a key feature of the Affordable Care Act, has decreased the number of uninsured people in New York but it has also brought into question the financial stability of the health insurance firms offering coverage under this program.

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Don’t spin health risks

Albany Times Union/(TU Editorial)

Without question, officials in Hoosick Falls had been doing a less than stellar job communicating the dangers in the village’s water supply to its 3,500 residents. The question now is whether residents should have to pay for officials to do their job right.

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No clarity on when New York hospitals will get state funds for brick-and-mortar and IT needs

Albany Business Review

Health care providers who are waiting on capital funding from New York state to transform their systems will have to keep waiting.

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Warning: Trying To Disrupt Health Insurance May Cause Headaches

Fast Company

Like most of us, Sarah Doody dreaded interacting with her health insurance provider. So the New York-based product designer decided to take a chance in 2014 on a startup called Oscar Health, which bills itself as “revolutionizing health insurance.”

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Panel Calls for Depression Screenings During and After Pregnancy

New York Times

Women should be screened for depression during pregnancy and after giving birth, an influential government-appointed health panel said Tuesday, the first time it has recommended screening for maternal mental illness.

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Health insurance enrollment deadline looms

Buffalo Business First

Health insurers are putting out a final push to enroll members for the 2016 year.

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Organ donation numbers down slightly, though transplants are up in WNY

Buffalo Business First

More individuals received organs during transplant surgeries in the region last year, though the number of donors remained flat and total organs harvested declined. At the national level, total organ transplants completed were up.

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