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A reader responds to an opinion essay from a Medical Economics editorial board member with a defense of government's role in the nation's healthcare system.

Find out when you can-and can't-use the office place of service.

Out-of-pocket expenditures for patients increased while benefits of employer healthcare coverage became “less generous” from 2007 to 2011.

Mental health problems and suicide risks have lawmakers questioning whether new rules surrounding the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) ultimately “interfere with patient care and public safety.”

Although the Congressional Budget Office recently downgraded the 10-year cost of repealing the sustainable growth rate (SGR) to $138 billion, the American College of Physicians (ACP) took to the Hill advocating a phased approach to repealing it and moving to value-based models.

Two out of three patients do not adhere to their care plans. In fact, adherence problems related to prescription medications is so widespread, they are costing the United States $100 billion a year in medication-related hospital admissions.

Although the American Academy of Family Physicians threw support to President Obama’s initiative for Medicaid expansion and Medicare payment reform, across-the-board cuts to graduate medical education (GME) threaten family medicine residency programs.

Republicans sharply criticized U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in trying to jump start fundraising efforts to non-profits to implement the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The action follows repeated congressional budget denials for the healthcare law, now estimated at $1.3 trillion over 10 years, according a recent report in the Washington Post. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) called the effort “absurd” and demanded an inquiry.

Nearly three-fourths of eligible professionals have registered for the government’s electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs, according to a recent report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Store personal health history data on this portable, waterproof memory device.

Examining a new employment contract isn't as difficult as you might think, according to one recruiter. Here's what to include and what to leave out.

The National Society of Certified Healthcare Business Consultants has released information on medical practice overhead percentages, average monthly charges in accounts receivable, full time equivalent staff ratios, and more in its 2012 Joint Statistics Report of Medical and Dental Statistics on Income and Expenses.

A new Web site is designed to help you and other healthcare providers transition to ICD-10.

Patient education materials from 16 major medical societies all suffer from a lack of readability, making them difficult for patients to comprehend and potentially contributing to poor health literacy, according to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine.

From misunderstandings about the role of healthcare inflation to cost controls in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), three economic myths must be addressed for the healthcare system to function properly, says Theodore R. Marmor, PhD, Yale University professor emeritus of public policy and management as well as political science. He recently spoke with Medical Economics Editor-in-Chief Lois A. Bowers, MA.

The Plustek D430 scanner from Plustek Technology Inc. is designed to help practices transition patient registration documents to electronic health record systems.

Healthcare providers have until September 23 to put into place internal policies and procedures needed to comply with sweeping changes coming to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

MGMA–ACMPE has released the DataDive: 2012 Procedural Profile Module.

The Glide HD from Ergotron is a low-profile, height-adjustable display wall mount.

Social media are an excellent way to boost your job search, according to a physician recruiter. Here are his tips.

Readers comment on February 25, 2013 cover article, 'The obesity epidemic.'

Changing Medicare's policy to permit patients to self-administer injectable drugs in their homes could create "substantial savings" without inhibiting patient safety or treatment effectiveness, according to a recent NEJM editorial.

Recovery audit contractors are looking at scenarios in which a physician furnishes services in an outpatient setting of a hospital to ensure that claims are being billed with the appropriate code. Here's how to make sure you're submitting accurate claims.

After provider compensation, costs for support staff are the biggest expense of running a medical practice. Even with good practice management, you and your office manager often may feel as if you never can get staffing levels just right, which is understandable. Here are three steps to determining the appropriate staffing balance for your practice.

Our readers respond to the February 25 cover article, "The Obesity Epidemic."

With a national EHR system, you can seize the opportunity to help establish the appropriate standard of care, one that opens up a new era of patient care while also setting reasonable parameters on what a healthcare provider should be responsible for when an errant entry lurks in the medical file.

Physicians and their practice managers are starting to see that complying with recent laws and mandates will require a greater use of information technology (IT) and are exploring the pros and cons of using a single vendor versus multiple vendors for their IT needs.