Archive for February, 2010
Secretary Sebelius Reacts To Outrageous Insurance Premium Rate Increases
Anthem Blue Cross, California’s largest health insurer, announced its plans to raise premiums up to 39%. This news prompted HHS Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius to write a letter in protest:
Says Sebelius, “With so many families already affected by rising costs, I was very disturbed to learn through media accounts that Anthem Blue Cross plans to raise [...]
45 FEHB Providers Made OPM’s High Transparency List
OPM released a list of 45 FEHB providers that meet OPM’s standards for health information technology (HIT), transparency and cost-effectiveness. Now, federal employees participating in the system can refer to this list in order to select their health care providers.
According to OPM, these FEHB providers meet HIT standards, allowing FEHB participants, their health care providers, [...]
DB Disability Law Ledger™ – February 2010
PTSD Diagnostic Test Unveiled
For veterans suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), obtaining disability benefits always has meant overcoming obstacle after obstacle in order to prove they are disabled by this condition. Why? Because until very recently, there were no diagnostic tools available to detect PTSD; no empirical evidence to satisfy the VA. However, researchers at [...]
Sen. Mikulski Urges OPM To Modernize
Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) had some harsh criticism for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Referring to the government’s retirement system, Mikulsi said it was “wasteful and unacceptable,” and in need of modernization.
Said Mikulsi, “this cannot be a casual endeavor for your office . . . Promises made must be promises met.”
To put her comments [...]
Iraq And Afghanistan Deployments Take Toll On Military Families
A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, confirms what many have suspected: the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have taken a tremendous toll on military families, particularly on spouses left waiting at home. The research for this study was conducted by RTI International, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and [...]
HR 4489 To Require Oversight For Federal Employee Prescription Drug Negotiation
Last week, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) introduced a bill that would require OPM oversight of Pharmacy Benefits Managers when they negotiate with drug companies for federal employees. Currently, there is little oversight of this process.
Because of a lack of oversight, OPM cannot determine whether rebates from pharmaceutical companies are being passed on to the government [...]
