Quoted from Shadow

Obama did say 2 truthful statements: I will fundamentally transform America, and under my administrations policies energy costs will necessarily rise.

Quoted from Box A Rox

Yes... strange... energy costs rise at a time when the US is at record oil production.  Could it be the
Big Business Oil Republicans are screwing us???

Quoted from Box A Rox

Yes... strange... energy costs rise at a time when the US is at record oil production.  Could it be the
Big Business Oil Republicans are screwing us???

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

More likely Obama is the most incompetent executive (tie with Jimmy Carter) ... most blatant liar ... to ever hold our nation's highest office.  The only politician that I distrust more than Obama is our current federal legislator.

Quoted from Box A Rox

“Americans gained jobs at the fastest pace in more than two years last month and the jobless
rate plunged, a sign the economy has rebounded from a winter rut.”

“Nonfarm employment grew a seasonally adjusted 288,000 last month, the Labor Department said.
That marked the best month of job creation since January 2012 and the second-best month since
the economy emerged from recession in mid-2009. The jobless rate fell to 6.3% from 6.7%, hitting
the lowest level since September 2008.”
(Wall Street Journal)

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Members’ Rights and Responsibilities
CDPHP believes that you have the following rights and responsibilities:
Members’ Rights
1. You have the right to receive information about CDPHP, its services, practitioners and
providers, and members’ rights and responsibilities.
2. You have a right to be treated with respect and recognition of your dignity and right to
privacy.
3. You have a right to participate with practitioners in making decisions about your health
care.
4. You have a right to a candid discussion of appropriate or medically necessary treatment
options for your condition(s), regardless of cost or benefit coverage.
5. You have a right to obtain from a practitioner complete, current information concerning
your diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, in terms you can reasonably be expected to  
understand. If appropriate, this information should be made available to another person
acting on your behalf.
6. You have the right to receive from a practitioner the information you need to give
informed consent prior to the start of any procedure or treatment.
7. You have the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed
of the medical consequences of that action.
8. You have the right to formulate advance directives (such as naming a health care proxy
form and living will) about your care.
9. You have a right to voice complaints, grievances, or appeals about CDPHP or the
services it provides.
10. You have a right to make recommendations regarding the CDPHP member rights and
responsibilities policies.

Members’ Responsibilities
1. You have a responsibility to supply information (to the extent possible) that CDPHP and
its practitioners and providers need in order to provide care.
2. You have a responsibility to follow plans and instructions for care that you have agreed
on with your practitioners.
3. You have a responsibility to understand your health problems and participate in
developing mutually agreed-upon treatment goals to the degree possible.

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Ellis Medicine, St. Peter’s Health Partners to Collaborate with Physicians to Create Joint Clinically Integrated Network
Initiative will bring private physicians, health systems, other providers together in innovative organization to create new ways of providing health services that will result in higher quality, better health and greater value for Capital Region residents
6/17/2014

Albany & Schenectady, NY – St. Peter’s Health Partners (SPHP) and Ellis Medicine (Ellis), two of this region’s largest and most respected health care systems, announced today they will form a new regional alliance that will provide the platform for the two systems to explore a variety of collaborative opportunities. This will include the creation and operation of the Capital Region’s first innovative Clinically Integrated Network (CIN) that will focus on access, quality, population health and health costs.

A Clinically Integrated Network (CIN) is a partnership among physicians, hospital(s) and/or health system(s), collectively committed to active, ongoing clinical initiatives designed to control costs and improve the quality of health care services. The new physician-led CIN will allow private physician groups, SPHP and Ellis to work together in coordinating and improving the delivery of health care, as well as participating in new methods of reimbursement. Ellis Medicine and SPHP are creating the initial legal structure and funding the information technology and administrative infrastructure that will help establish this new physician-driven health system partnership.

The new CIN will examine a number of key opportunities for collaboration including creation of an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) that would apply to become part of the federal government’s Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Other key objectives of the new venture are improving the patient experience, improving the health of the population, and creating more affordable health care (the “Triple Aim” as defined by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement). As health care evolves, health care payments are shifting to value-based models of health care delivery. This new venture will prepare participating physician groups, SPHP and Ellis for this changing payment system, including joint contracting and shared incentive-based payments.

It is envisioned and encouraged that private physician groups, other health providers, and other health systems will join Ellis and SPHP in this bold, innovative initiative. Active discussions have begun with other health systems and providers. St. Mary’s Healthcare, Amsterdam is the first health system to express plans to become another critical partner in the regional alliance.

This new venture is not a merger of the two regional health care systems nor of other systems that may join in the future.

Both SPHP and Ellis will continue to maintain independent governance, organizations and assets in other areas of their operations. In developing this partnership, the two organizations are discussing opportunities for greater cooperation from a clinical, business and financial perspective, but not a corporate merger.

The announcement was made at a press conference held today at Ellis Hospital, Nott Street in Schenectady. Press conference participants included James W. Connolly, president & CEO of Ellis Medicine, and James Reed, president & CEO, St. Peter’s Health Partners.

“To further meet the challenges of health reform, the boards and senior leadership of both Ellis Medicine and St. Peter’s Health Partners have been in discussions to explore how the two systems might further collaborate,” said Connolly. "Our two respective systems aim to be leaders in transforming health care and reining in uncontrolled health care costs."

“St. Peter’s Health Partners and Ellis Medicine both have legacies of leadership and innovation in developing and implementing collaborations that improve access to, and the delivery of, quality health care,” said Dr. Reed, president & CEO of St. Peter’s Health Partners. “This is an exciting initiative that carries a tremendous amount of potential for the future of health care in our region.”

To oversee the new venture, in January 2014 the governing boards of SPHP and Ellis approved creation of a new limited liability company (LLC), to be called Innovative Health Alliance of New York.

Innovative Health Alliance of New York will provide the legal structure for Ellis and SPHP to support creation and implementation of the comprehensive clinical integration program, and participation in risk-based reimbursement contracts. Innovative Health Alliance of New York will facilitate and support the management of services, quality and risk assumption for population health. This venture would seek and respect the delivery of services in a manner consistent with the missions, traditions and ethical standards of the providers, both now and in the future.
Together, SPHP, Ellis and partnering physicians will form a CIN that will work with payers to create payments based on quality metrics. The incentive-based payments will then be distributed to the physicians based these specialty-specific quality metrics.
The Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) was created under the Affordable Care Act to help health care providers better coordinate care for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries through accountable care organizations, or ACOs. The MSSP is not a Medicare Advantage plan or an HMO. Beneficiaries with fee-for-service Medicare will still have the right to use any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, at any time.

An accountable care organization (ACO) is a network of physicians and other health care providers who are willing to work together and accept responsibility to improve quality and reduce the costs of health care services for a defined population. It is believed that greater clinical integration, collaboration and shared accountability among a network of independent physicians, employed physicians, hospitals, and regional partners will create better health outcomes.

Innovative Health Alliance of New York, LLC will be governed by a board of directors, which will be predominantly comprised of physicians. The new organization is designed to control health care costs and ensure patient care quality by enabling private physicians, Ellis Medicine, St. Peter’s Health Partners and other providers to work together in joint contracting and share incentive-based payments.

Ellis Medicine is a 438-bed community and teaching health care system serving New York’s Capital Region. With more than 3,300 employees, more than 600 affiliated physicians, four campuses (Ellis Hospital, Ellis Health Center, Bellevue Woman’s Center and Medical Center of Clifton Park), seven additional service locations, a nursing school and two residency programs, Ellis Medicine provides a lifetime of care for patients. Follow Ellis Medicine on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. Learn more at http://www.ellismedicine.org.     

St. Peter’s Health Partners, the region’s largest private-sector employer, has more than 12,500 employees in more than 165 locations across seven counties. The system has an annual budget of nearly $1.3 billion. St. Peter’s Health Partners was created on October 1, 2011 by the merger of Northeast Health, St. Peter’s Health Care Services and Seton Health. The merger created the region’s largest and most comprehensive not-for-profit network of high-quality, advanced medical care, primary care, rehabilitation and senior services. These state-of-the-art services and programs are provided through Albany Memorial Hospital and St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany; Samaritan Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy; Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital in Schenectady; as well as The Eddy system of continuing care and The Community Hospice. It also includes St. Peter’s Health Partners Medical Associates, one of the region’s largest multi-disciplinary physician group practices with more than 350 physicians and other advanced providers. http://www.sphp.com

Ellis Medicine Media Inquiries
Media inquiries should be directed to the Communications Department at Ellis Medicine. The Communications Department is open and staffed Monday through Friday, from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm. The department can be reached by phone at 518.813.4869. If you leave a message your call will typically be returned within 24 hours.

All official communications regarding Ellis Medicine are arranged through the Communications Department. We look forward to working with members of the public and media organizations to provide accurate, up-to-date information about Ellis Medicine.

Contact:
Communications
Ellis Medicine
1101 Nott Street
Schenectady, NY 12308
518.813.4869

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The new physician-led CIN will allow private physician groups, SPHP and Ellis to work together in coordinating and improving the delivery of health care, as well as participating in new methods of reimbursement. Ellis Medicine and SPHP are creating the initial legal structure and funding the information technology and administrative infrastructure that will help establish this new physician-driven health system partnership.

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CAPITAL REGION : Health groups to join forces
Ellis, St. Peter’s to announce major initiative Tuesday
BY BETHANY BUMP GAZETTE REPORTER
Ellis Medicine and St. Peter’s Health Partners will collaborate on a major initiative to bring private physicians, health systems and providers together in an innovative organization, spokesmen for the hospitals confirmed Friday.
   The organization would create new ways of providing health services and be the first of its kind in the region. They declined to provide specific details about the initiative, deferring questions until a news conference scheduled for Tuesday morning at Ellis Hospital. Officials from both organizations, including Ellis Medicine President and CEO Jim Connolly and St. Peter’s Health Partners President and CEO James Reed, will be there to formally announce the partnership.
   “There have been discussions to look at how the two organizations might collaborate in the future,” said Ellis spokesman Jon Pierce. “The talks are not about a possible merger. They’re just looking for ways they can cooperate from a clinical, business or financial perspective.”
   Discussions have been ongoing for several months, he said.
   Ellis, based in Schenectady, and St. Peter’s, based in Albany, are both large players in the Capital Region health care market, taking on even larger roles whenever and wherever they can. In the past several years, Ellis Medicine has taken on the services and responsibilities of three hospitals while St. Peter’s ballooned through the merger of Seton Health, Northeast Health and St. Peter’s Health Care Services, the parent company of St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany.
   Both organizations have competed for pieces of the Saratoga County market in recent years. St. Peter’s Health Partners boasts 40 percent of the market share in the fast-growing county and recently won approval for a $7.5 million expansion of its urgent care center in Clifton Park. The center is less than a mile from Ellis Medicine’s new 24-hour urgent care center, which opened near Northway Exit 9 in 2012.
   “These are two health systems that have already done a fair amount of collaboration and worked on a number of different partnerships with others in a lot of different ways,” said St. Peter’s spokesman Elmer Streeter. “With all the things happening in health care and with health reform, the boards and senior leadership have really been exploring how their systems might further collaborate.”
   They are the latest in a string of health care organizations announcing efforts to collaborate, a result of the changing health care landscape under President Obama’s signature Affordable Care Act. The ACA has forced hospitals to look differently at how they achieve their bottom line. Hospital care is some of the costliest care around, so as health care shifts toward preventative care and keeping people out of the emergency room, hospitals have had to rethink their balance sheets.
   Last month, Glens Falls and Saratoga hospitals announced they would begin exploring opportunities for collaboration. A week later, Albany insurer CDPHP and Buffalo insurer Independent Health announced they were forming a strategic alliance to share best practices and expertise, partner with physicians, invest in new technology and develop new products.
   Before that, Albany Medical Center and Saratoga Hospital teamed up to launch a $17.5 million urgent care center in Malta, which opened last summer. Both hospitals had been vying for that market share, and teaming up allowed them to share resources and save capital.

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"It is of compelling public importance that the State conduct a fundamental restructuring of its Medicaid program to achieve measurable improvement in health outcomes, sustainable cost control and a more efficient administrative structure."

- Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, January 5, 2011

DSRIP and MRT Waiver Amendment Information

On April 14, 2014, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that New York has finalized terms and conditions with the federal government for a groundbreaking waiver that will allow the state to reinvest $8 billion in federal savings generated by Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) reforms. The MRT waiver amendment will transform the state's health care system, bend the Medicaid cost curve, and ensure access to quality care for all Medicaid members.

The Medicaid 1115 waiver amendment will enable New York to fully implement the MRT action plan, facilitate innovation, lower health care costs over the long term, and save scores of essential safety net providers from financial ruin. The waiver allows the state to reinvest over a five-year period $8 billion of the $17.1 billion in federal savings generated by MRT reforms.

The waiver amendment dollars will address critical issues throughout the state and allow for comprehensive reform through a Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program. The DSRIP program will promote community-level collaborations and focus on system reform, specifically a goal to achieve a 25 percent reduction in avoidable hospital use over five years. Safety net providers will be required to collaborate to implement innovative projects focusing on system transformation, clinical improvement and population health improvement. Single providers will be ineligible to apply. All DSRIP funds will be based on performance linked to achievement of project milestones.

Public comment on the MRT waiver amendment will be solicited through the MRT website, webinars and public hearings to take place over the next several weeks. Additional information, including the waiver special terms and conditions, list of eligible safety net providers, descriptions of eligible projects, and other overview documents are available at the DSRIP link below.

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About that Wall Street Journal poll: Is the public saying Obama's presidency is over?

President Obama's approval rating has dropped to 41 percent, a majority of Americans disapprove of his handling of foreign policy issues, he has lost support from the Hispanic community and Americans actually think his administration is less competent than the Bush White House post-Hurricane Katrina,according to a new survey from the Wall Street Journal and NBC News.