Health and Community Services

Medicaid Fraud: Is it Worth States’ Time to Fight it?

May 20, 2013 - As health care for the poor expands, so does the potential for Medicaid abuse. Three states’ experiences with fraud prevention give insight into its value.

Colorado Experiments with Telemedicine for Inmates

May 17, 2013 - The Colorado Department of Corrections has partnered with the Denver Health Medical Center to conduct inmate medical consultations using video conferencing.

First Dual-Model Health Exchange to Debut in Utah

May 14, 2013 - The federal government has granted approval to Utah for a first-of-its-kind health exchange system in which two separate exchanges will operate independently.

Hospitals Charge Medicare 'Wildly Different Amounts'

May 10, 2013 - Newly released government data shows wide variations in hospital charges for the same procedures, both regionally and locally.

San Francisco Startup Buses Showers to Homeless

May 9, 2013 - Following a federal grant to the city, old buses will be donated to a new startup offering mobile shower and toilet services to the homeless.

What's the Back-Up Plan for Health Insurance Exchanges?

April 25, 2013 - As critical deadlines approach, nobody knows for sure.

Arrest of HIX Chief Doesn't Slow 'Covered California' Development

April 18, 2013 - Despite searching for a replacement for its IT chief, the California health insurance exchange is slated for an on-time launch.

Biometrics Improves Homeless Services in New Jersey

April 16, 2013 - New Jersey is expanding a local program that helps agencies track homeless services more accurately and in less time, increasing their chances of getting the federal funding they need.

Oregon Explores Treadmill Desks for State Workers

April 2, 2013 - The legislature is exploring the use of the desks to decrease the health risks associated with sitting at a desk too long.

5 Trends Driving the Future of Human Services

April 1, 2013 - Whatever the future of human services innovation looks like, the key for organizations is in making the most of the forces of change in alignment with their unique circumstances.

Illinois DHS Digitizes Forms, Leverages Mainframe Technology

March 15, 2013 - The DHS plans to digitize all benefit eligibility form types and phase out paper file storage.

NYC Targets Teen Pregnancy with Mobile Phone Game

March 11, 2013 - New campaign features interactive text game to warn teens about the challenges of unplanned pregnancies.

Connecticut Awards HIX Contract

February 25, 2013 - The state has selected MAXIMUS to handle Access Health CT's customer contact center operations.

50-State Update: Health-Care Exchanges (Infographic)

February 25, 2013 - With the Feb. 15 deadline passed, 17 states and D.C., will operate their own exchanges, seven will join in a partnership with the feds, and 26 states have defaulted to a federally-run operation.

Will Changes to HIPAA Help Secure Health Data?

February 19, 2013 - In an online presentation, two experts on health-care security explained how upcoming changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act will affect health-care IT.

Abuse Hotline Revamp Reduces Response Times

February 5, 2013 - Florida Department of Children and Families’ abuse hotline tech overhaul improves response times from child protective service investigators handling reported cases.

Online Exchange Meets Flu Vaccine Needs in Minnesota

January 30, 2013 - State Health Department responds to flu outbreak by creating an online bulletin board to match vaccine supplies with clinics in need.

Opinion: Can Google Analytics Replace Public Health Workers?

January 28, 2013 - With the development of data analytics tools like Google Flu Trends, some experts wonder what the role of such technologies play in the future of predicting and monitoring public health.

Comparing Hospital Infection Rates via Interactive Map

January 24, 2013 - The California Department of Public Health's interactive map displays more than 300 hospitals in the state with symbols representing surgical infection rates for about a dozen procedures.