Features include Find Insurance Options, Get Prevention Tips, Compare Care Quality and Understand the Law.

Announcing the new site, HHS Chief Technology Officer Todd Parks said, “It’s a website designed to help you take control of your health care – by putting the power of information at your fingertips. It’s the first website to collect both public and private health insurance options across the nation in a single place. Even better, our insurance options finder automatically sorts through this huge catalog of options to help you identify the ones that may be right for you. Other highlights of the site include extensive information about your rights as a consumer, how to navigate the health insurance marketplace, and how the Affordable Care Act can help you – all tailored to you.”

Video tour:

Visit Healthcare.gov:

As part of the economic stimulus package, the purpose of the HITECH Act is to organize health data nationally. The federal government has established the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to oversee this process. The committee is charged with the difficult task of developing secure health data exchanges within and across state lines. The project will require a set of standards, services, and policies that enable the secure exchange of health information.

This is how the program will work. For the next six years, through 2016, health care providers may qualify for up to $29 billion in HITECH Act subsidies. To qualify, they must meet twenty-five criteria to be considered “meaningful users” of health IT. It is not entirely clear what “meaningful use” means at this point in time. The topic has been the subject of recent debate on social networking sites in the health care sector.

At the same time this new plan is being implemented, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules were amended to enhance notice requirements and fines for security breaches. HIPAA requires a formal notice be sent to patients for a breach when their private Protected Health Information (PHI) data is revealed to the public. The DHHS has started recently to post these breach notices on their website. Software systems, like paper systems, come with a set of liabilities. As software applications proliferate there is a legitimate concern about privacy and security.

The consensus among observers and officials is the new HITECH Act plan will take many years to implement. Insiders believe all the money in the world will not make an inefficient health care delivery system more efficient unless underlying changes are made in how care is paid for. Most participants agree that physician input is a key factor but as we all know some health care providers have more readily adapted to technology than others.

As the Public Sector moves in to medical care, there is still great uncertainty. Former public officials believe that hospitals and businesses that benefit from the status quo are less likely to change. Some have suggested reevaluating the twenty-five HITECH Act criteria to make it less difficult to participate in the program.

The administration has attempted to jump start the process organizing a pilot program including the Department of Defense, Social Security Administration, Veterans Health Administration, Kaiser Permanente and MedVirginia. Here are some good ideas the committee recommends:

1. Balance the need for a consistent level of interoperability and security with the reality that not all users are at the same point on the path to comprehensive interoperability
2. Consider consumers who may have simpler needs for information exchange, or less technically sophisticated capabilities
3. Broaden the systems’ use to include a wider variety of providers
4. Identify standards and services for direct electronic communication among providers

Unfortunately, the cost of health care and insurance can be as much as a family annual income depending on the type of work you do. So why do some wait until a health problem requires the most expensive emergency room care to treat it? One reason is the federal law. In 1996, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) sought to reduce federal spending. This law has had the opposite effect.

Some who are uncertain of their immigration status do not apply for benefits because they are afraid.

Under this legislation, undocumented immigrants became ineligible for Medicaid and other federally-funded social services, and only eligible for emergency medical assistance. The Act also requires that all state and federal welfare agencies report any illegal immigrants who apply for benefits to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (now the Department of Homeland Security) unless it’s health care delivered in the emergency room.

Emergency Medicaid is predominantly a program for childbirth coverage, although use and spending are shifting toward non-pregnant adults, particularly those who are elderly and disabled. Whether or not a person is eligible for Medicaid will depend on the State where he or she lives. Medicaid spending for emergency care, of recent and undocumented immigrants (although a small proportion of the total Medicaid budget) is increasing in some states. While states are not required to identify or report their Medicaid expenditures specific to undocumented aliens, some states do provide data suggesting that most of their emergency Medicaid expenditures were for services provided to undocumented aliens.

According an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, treatment of unauthorized immigrants contributes to uncompensated care costs, but the main reason such costs are increasing is the rise in the number of people who lack health insurance. Immigrants represent only about 20% of the uninsured.

We now have a growing, uninsured, aging population. We need a better alternative to our current system because in the end, we are all paying for this expensive emergency room care. Here are a few suggestions.

• Reduce costly healthcare expense by creating legislation that does not direct people to the emergency room
• Encourage the sharing of aggregate, non-confidential provider data to track expense trends
• Consider alternatives to voluntary, ad hoc state reports in guiding national health policy
• Focus on reducing government expense and not enforcement in the healthcare setting

Advertising Age video highlights CDC’s social media efforts with Twitter, e-Health cards and dealing with related culture and leadership issues.

Advertising Age description:

The Centers for Disease Control recently created a new unit called the National Center for Health Marketing. Like all marketing organizations, its mandate is to change consumer behavior and it has organized an incredibly savvy social media department to do just that. Its first comprhensive national campaign is for the H1N1 Swine Flu outbreak and tightly coordinates its message across virually every kind of social media. The effort is one that many other marketers might do well to study.

(HT @HKotadia)

This platform allows staff, patients and visitors the ability to submit, comment and rate ideas to improve Kings Hospital. It’s amazing how powerful open innovation is, and how one person can truly make a difference using technology as a tool.

Here’s his hospital bed video:

Great video of how the Salt Lake Valley Health Department uses social media tools like Twitter and Facebook to communicate H1N1 information to citizens and media.

Connect with SLVHD:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Flickr

(HT Steve Lunceford)

Episode

David Hale: Health 2.0 and “Coopetition”: Adriel Hampton in conversation with David Hale about the Pillbox project and brainstorming the future of gov. More Gov 2.0 Radio »

One of the aspects of Gov 2.0 that I think is making excellent progress is in the area of healthcare and social media. Not only are private healthcare organizations beginning to embrace this technology, but government agencies are also beginning to make use of these powerful tools.

Efforts to distribute accurate information about the dangers of swine flu and the importance of vaccination are hampered by the sheer complexity of the message. Social media tools are being utilized to assist in this effort. Using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogs, the government is actively engaged in social media to harness the power of this platform to reach a new audience and provide real time information. Social media is a powerful new method of healthy communication.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have been working together to provide consumers and partners with social media tools that provide information about the ongoing 2009 novel influenza A (H1N1) outbreak. Widgets, mobile information, online videos and other tools reinforce and personalize messages, reach new audiences, and build a communication infrastructure based on open information exchange.

The primary portals for information about H1N1 are at Flu.Gov, the Public Health Matters blog, the CDC Facebook Fan page, and the HHS YouTube page.

This widget can be added to any web page. You can copy this code below to add the Flu.gov widget to your page:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://transparency.cit.nih.gov/widgets/flugovlinks.cfm?javascript"></script> <noscript> <iframe src="http://transparency.cit.nih.gov/widgets/flugovlinks.cfm" name="flugovframe" frameborder="0" id="flugovframe" scrolling="no" height="160" width="198" marginheight="0" title="Flu.gov widget" marginwidth="0">Flu.gov</iframe> </noscript> </p> <p>

CDC is also encouraging the strategic use of Twitter to effectively and inexpensively reach individuals and partners with timely health and safety information. You can follow updates from CDC on Twitter at:

Flu.Gov on Twitter for H1N1 updates – For real time updates on the latest information

CDC’s Twitter profile for social media updates – For health professionals interested in staying up-to-date with CDC’s social media activities

CDC’s Twitter profile for emergency information – Emergency preparedness and response information from CDC and partner agencies.

CDC’s Twitter profile for flu updates – Updated information related to novel H1N1 flu, seasonal flu, and general influenza information.

CDC is actually using social media to inform on a variety of subjects besides flu. CDC is also home to a number of blogs on topics ranging from occupational health to HIV prevention and control. CDC blogs allow programs to share information in a way that encourages readers to comment and engage with the content:

• “Health Marketing Musings” — by Jay Bernhardt, Director, National Center for Health Marketing
• Public Health Matters — by Dr. Ali Khan, Director, National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases
• NIOSH Science Blog — from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• NCIPC “Director’s View” — by Ileana Arias, Director, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
• Health Protection Perspectives — by Dr. Kevin Fenton, Director, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
• Heightened National Response Web Community Blog — discussion of strategies, best practices and outreach initiatives as they relate to the Heightened National Response to the HIV/AIDS Crisis among African Americans

The HHS Center for New Media promotes and supports strategic, mission-oriented implementation of new and social media. Their mission is to provide new media trainings, guidance, coordination, and evaluation across HHS, and to encourage and participate in the utilization and facilitation of new media communications throughout the federal government. Their work is under continuous development as the site grows with the expanding HHS new media activities. Follow Andrew Wilson of the HHS social media team on Twitter to keep updated on all the happenings.

Here are 50 #Health20 heroes to follow on Twitter (alpha by Twittername:

@1samadams: Cat Herder Extraordinairre

@2healthguru: recovering X-managed care executive, converted health system reformer, student of SM apps

@AbbieCitron: Legal nurse consultant working with attorneys on medically related cases. Delicious food and wine, family, friends, and my dogs

@Anthony_Guerra: Professionally trained journalist who loves C-suite level healthcare IT issues.

@brown2020: Co-founder & CEO of 3banana, mobile semantic data capture startup. Former founder and CEO of Health Hero Network (now Robert Bosch Healthcare).

@Carrie_Vaughan: Technology editor with HealthLeaders Media print and online. Interests: technology, leadership, strategy

@Cascadia: Community eHealth Advocate creating the space where participatory health care, collective intelligence, and community converge.

@ChristineKraft: People, not patients. Fresh air, clean water; Health 2.0 and beyond…

@cindythroop: Social science researcher, data nerd, and policy wonk.

@crgonzalez: Activist, Citizen At Large, Clinical Trial Patient Recruitment Strategist, Proposal Writer, Social Media Maven, proud INTJ, and occasional scamp

@danamlewis: Creator and moderator of #hcsm | health communications | May 2010 @ UofAlabama | lover of life, social media, diet soda, travel, and staying busy!

@DaphneLeigh: Healthcare marketing and communications

@DirkStanley: CMIO and Hospitalist and Father, into Healthcare IT

@donshep: Technology Executive and follower of all things geek! Tweeting about #HIT, Sci-Fi, TV, you name it.

@DrJosephKim, MD, MPH: Physician, MIT engineer, technology advocate, blogger

@Doctor_V: Kids tummy doctor, father, writer and overall good guy

@drval: Physician, blogger, cartoonist, CEO – using both halves of my brain.

@DrVes: Board-certified Internist, Allergy/Immunology Fellow, Former Cleveland Clinic Assistant Professor of Medicine, NEJM Advisory Panel Member.

@drwalker_rph: Pharmacist/consultant, PHR advocate, educator, cochlear implant recipient, volunteer, cyclist, geek learning to twitter

@EdBennett: Manages Web sites for the Univ. of MD Medical System

@ePatientDave: Patient empowerment advocate, blogger

@GraftFinder: Simplifying the process of acquiring tissue grafts and biologics

@healthblawg: Health Care Lawyer, Consultant, Blogger

@irb123: ER doc, Writer, book How To Survive a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit by Wiley-Blackwell to come out late fall.

@lsaldanamd: Emergency Physician in N. TX; Medical Director IT/EHR-Clinical Decision Support– “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” – Einstein

@JOSullivan: Health Care Reform Advocate. Tweeting about HC reform, biobanking & software dev

@janicemccallum: Digital publishing veteran and product strategist; current focus on healthcare info. Tennis player.

@jbselz: Entrepreneur and Innovator in Health Care and Social Media. Co-Founder & CEO of Ozmosis, Inc., The Trusted Physician’s Network.

@jensmccabe: CEO, Contagion Health. Consulting gig(s): Chief Patient Advocate @organizedwisdom. NextHealth cofounder (NL). Science/genetics geek. Stochastic.

@jimmyweeks: CIO @ one of the 100 Most Wired hospitals in the U.S. & the 36th of 5k to be at Stage 6

@john_chilmark: IT analyst focusing on consumer-facing HIT. Fanatic cyclist, skier, happiest outdoors

@_KathleenLeary: Activist, Advocate, League of Women Voters, I may not be the voice, but I will be your megaphone

@KentBottles: Physician at ICSI, reader of books, airplane traveler, speaker/writer/learner

@kevinmd: Primary care doctor Kevin Pho, M.D. provides physician commentary on medicine, health, drugs, Medicare, healthcare reform and patient and hospital issues.

@KristieTweets: Social media mama, healthcare content analyst, Sharepoint designer/trainer, EMR trainer, writer, geek, marathoner, blogger

@lizasisler: Wife, Mother, IT Consulting. Looking for a connected world with collaboration on diagnosis & prescribing where medical records are globally portable. Dreamer?

@LeeAase: Chancellor, SMUG. Day job: Mayo Clinic social media manager. Opinions tweeted are solely my own, not my employer’s.

@lostonroute66: Biomedical informatics, patient safety, social media, user experience/interface design, Flex, Red Sox, music, and food

@MedC2: Looking for answers to questions I don’t know. Tech + People + Med = Hope EHR EMR OSS DoD Mil Learning-I follow back, PMP, CPHIMS, DHIMS

@MeredithGould: Create communication strategies & services to enhance healthcare. Write about faith, Jewish roots of Christian worship. Proud to practice applied Sociology!

@mkmackey: Watching trends in Medical, Healthcare, and technology, niche marketer

@nancyshute: Science and medical writer, blogger for US News & World Report, sometimes gardener.

@nickdawson: From VA and many fine airports. Healthcare administration, foodie, music buff and fan of all things porcine

@norskedoc: Chief Knowledge Officer at ICSI, Interested in almost everything, working on transforming health care.

@PhilBaumann: RN | Pharma | Health Care

@rilescat: Director of Information Technology, hospital and many clinics. Blogger. Dedicated to Health Technologies advancements

@SusannahFox: Pew Internet Project researcher, e-patients.net contributor

@theEHRGuy Healthcare Interoperability Consultant, Enterprise Architect for Healthcare IT, Standards Expert: HL7 DICOM, IHE, HITSP, CCHIT.

@tstitt: Writer | Strategist | Drupal Fan