Ohio Health Policy Review

OSU study: Three simple steps could reduce childhood obesity

A study authored by an Ohio State researchers has found that preschoolers who eat dinner with their families, got adequate sleep and limited television viewer were significantly less likely to be obese (Source: “Study: Family routines cut the risk of childhood obesity,” Columbus Dispatch, Feb. 8, 2010).

The study, “Household Routines and Obesity in US Preschool-Aged Children,” was published on the Web site for the journal Pediatrics.

The research found that, independent of diet and exercise, 4-year-olds were 40 percent less likely to be obese if their parents limited TV viewing to no more than two hours a day, if the family ate dinner together at least six nights a week, and if the preschooler slept at least 10 1/2 hours on weekdays. And even if families were able to do one or two of those things, they would still help, according to Sarah Anderson, the study's lead author and an assistant professor of epidemiology at Ohio State University's College of Public Health.

The findings are particularly noteworthy because such routines are free and relatively easy to accomplish.

The research looked at 8,550 children whose parents were asked about various behaviors in 2005 for the national Early Childhood Longitudinal Study.

 

Advocates sue state for treatment of mentally ill prisoners

Advocates for prisoners and the mentally ill filed a federal lawsuit asking a judge to order the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and the Ohio Department of Mental Health to provide care for released inmates (Source: “Mentally ill inmates sue Ohio prisons,” Cincinnati Enquirer, Feb. 10, 2010).

The groups filing the suit say the move would make fiscal sense for the state, pointing out that the cost of providing treatment for a mentally ill person is, on average, $7,400 a year, compared to the $25,000 annual cost of incarceration, according to the lawsuit.

Lagging provider reporting leaves ODH unclear of H1N1 vaccination rate

A lag in H1N1 vaccine providers reporting data has meant that the state has an inaccurate, low count of how many Ohioans have been vaccinated for the virus (Source: “H1N1 vaccination rates don't show full picture,” Columbus Dispatch, Feb. 10, 2010).

Although providers are required to report data within 24 hours to the Ohio Department of Health, there are no penalties spelled our for delayed reporting.

According to ODH, 17 percent of Ohioans in all priority groups for the vaccine had been vaccinated and about 33 percent of children younger than 10 who received a first dose have received a second dose.
The state has ordered nearly 5 million doses of vaccine, and fewer than 1.4 million doses had been administered, according to the data from last week.

"I'm not really drawing any conclusions based on the data," said Amy Bashforth, the state's immunization program chief, adding that national polls, including one from Harvard University, have found much higher rates.

City, county health department merger moves forward in Akron

A merger feasibility study committee unanimously approved a report this week that recommends the merging of the Akron Health Department and the Summit County Health District (Source: “Group recommends merging Akron, Summit County health agencies,” Akron Beacon-Journal, Feb. 9, 2010).

The last step in the planned merger is for the Akron City Council to authorize the mayor to sign a contract with the Summit County Health District to provide public health services to the city, effective Jan. 1.

''A consolidation would strengthen the community's public health system and is feasible,'' the merger feasibility report concluded. Among the advantages of the merger cited in the report are the ability to secure more funding, reduce costs and better plan for the future.

With the move now appearing inevitable, both agencies are expected to start working toward the merger over the next 10 months, with Akron Health Department employees moving to jobs within the expanded Summit County Health District.

Study: Public health care spending to top private spending by 2012

A new study from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services projects that, for the first time ever,  government spending is poised to eclipse private health care spending (Source: “Government moving into central role in health care, with or without Obama plan,” Associated Press via Cleveland Plain Dealer, Feb. 4, 2010).

The study, “Health Spending Projections Through 2019: The Recession’s Impact Continues,” was published in the latest edition of the journal Health Affairs.

Analysis from the CMS Office of the Actuary predicts that federal and state programs will account for slightly more than half of all U.S. health spending by 2012. The shift, which has been anticipated for some time, was accelerated by aging Baby Boomers becoming Medicare eligible and more Americans enrolling in Medicaid because of the economic recession.

"This does mark a pretty stark jump in the data," said Christopher Truffer of Medicare's Office of the Actuary, which prepared the analysis.

Kaiser Health News has created an interactive graphic (Java plug-in required) that details the historical levels of public and private health care spending.

Budget cuts mean state trauma registry not being analyzed

State officials say that because of budget cuts, Ohio’s trauma registry is so underfunded that staff is unable to analyze the data for people critically injured in car crashes, fires and shootings (Source: “State's trauma registry can't be analyzed,” Columbus Dispatch, Feb. 1, 2010).

The number of state employees working on the 11-year-old registry, which is housed at the state Emergency Medical Services division, has been cut from three to two, at the same time that the number of records has increased from 24,000 a year to 40,000. 

"When the legislation was written they simply didn't imagine the work entailed in getting the data back out and using it appropriately," said Tim Erskine, state trauma coordinator.

Hospitals say observation units can cut costs

Ohio hospitals are joining a national trend of expanded use of observation units, a practice they say can cut billing by a third (Source: “Hospital observation units prove efficient, cost-effective,” Columbus Dispatch, Feb. 3, 2010).

More hospitals are creating units where patients can be observed for up to 23 hours in most cases.

"A lot of patients are on the bubble -- not well enough to go home, but not sick enough for inpatient," said Janet Susi, the OSU Medical Center observation unit's clinical nurse director. "If patients don't get turned around in 23 hours, we admit them."

Added Kelly McGivern, president of insurance industy trade association the Ohio Association of Health Plans, "Being admitted is a higher standard of care than in observation; prices are higher in an admission."

Ohio Medicaid institutes drug co-pay plan

In a move aimed at saving the state about $243 million, about 1.5 million Ohioans enrolled in Medicaid managed care plans saw their prescription drug coverage altered on Feb. 1 (Source: “Ohio Medicaid changes to prescription drug coverage take effect today,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, Feb. 1, 2010).

Although all Ohioans enrolled in a Medicaid managed care plan were sent new cards over the past few weeks, perhaps the biggest change will affect about 400,000 enrollees who will now be responsible for drug co-pays of $3 for drugs that require prior authorization from Ohio Medicaid and $2 for trade-name drugs. There's no cost for generics. In some cases, beneficiaries may also be required to switch to generic drugs.

Prescriptions are expected to continue uninterrupted, according to state officials.

ODI: Liability closed claims down 40 percent since tort reform passed

A new report from the Ohio Department of Insurance has found that the number of medical liability closed claims has dropped 40 percent since tort reform was enacted in 2005 (Source: “Tort reforms cited in Ohio’s medical claims decline,” Dayton Daily News, Feb. 3, 2010).

The annual Ohio Medical Liability Closed Claim Report is mandated as part of the tort reform legislation. Among the provision in the tort reform law is capping noneconomic damages at $350,000 and limitations on claims. According to the Ohio State Medical Association, which was a strong supporter of the legislation, premiums have decreased by an average of 22 percent since the bill was passed.

State reforms to individual insurance market take effect

State reforms to the individual insurance market that cap the cost of policies for people with pre-existing conditions went into effect with the start of the new year(Source: “Ohio caps health-coverage cost,” Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 4, 2010).

The new regulations require insuraners to charge no more than twice the lowest rate the company charges a person of similar age and gender.

The cap will be reduces to 1 ½ times the lowest rate by 2013. According to the Ohio Department of Insurance, the cap should reduce premiums by 50 percent to 70 percent for people who buy individual policies, and should make coverage more affordable for 52,000 uninsured Ohioans.

And in the first week in which the cap has been in place, one insurer has already been suspended for violating the law (Source: “Insurer suspended under new rate cap,” Business First of Columbus, Jan. 6, 2010).

ODI officials announced this week that Texas-based Chesapeake Life Insurance Co. has been suspended from soliciting business or selling new or renewal health or life policies in Ohio. The company was the only one of more than two dozen companies selling individual policies in Ohio that did not meet the Jan. 1 deadline to submit forms to ODI describing the plans offered and their premiums.