Latest news with #HealthTrust
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
CareView Communications announces three-year business agreement with HealthTrust
US-based virtual care solution provider CareView Communications has entered a three-year business agreement with group purchasing organisation (GPO) HealthTrust Purchasing Group. Based in Tennessee, HealthTrust works with 1,800 health systems and hospitals to help their providers manage expenses and enhance performance. The partnership aims to deliver 'immediate and sustainable' savings for these hospitals and health systems. CareView Communications chief operations officer Sandra McRee said: 'Our GPO relationships are a critical part of our business model and allow us to expand our products and services in a streamlined and cost-effective way. 'Through agreements with GPOs like HealthTrust, we can minimise overhead expenses and partner with those hospitals looking to adopt cutting-edge virtual sitting and virtual nursing solutions.' The agreement with HealthTrust is expected to build on CareView's virtual nursing solution, which involves reallocating tasks to virtual Registered Nurses (vRNs). This approach is designed to reduce workloads for bedside nurses and optimise the use of resources. CareView has been part of HealthTrust's organisation network since 2017. Based in Texas, the company has provided virtual care solutions for more than 200 hospitals across the US to date. CareView Communications Sales vice-president Patrick Conte said: 'Our GPO channels provide important synergies between CareView and current and prospective customers. 'When prospective customers see alignment with their GPO, they know they are working with a supplier that has been vetted and has demonstrated outcomes in their solution area.' Earlier this year, CareView Communications entered a business agreement with Alaska Native Medical Center in an effort to improve patient safety through the use of virtual care solutions. Alaska Native Medical Center provides services to Alaska Natives and American Indians, including a 182-bed hospital and a medical speciality suite. In December last year, CareView partnered with Confluence Health, a network of healthcare providers in Washington, with the aim to improve patient safety. "CareView Communications announces three-year business agreement with HealthTrust" was originally created and published by Hospital Management, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Scanlan opposes risk pool bill rewrite
Secretary of State David Scanlan has come out against legislation that would permit the state's four risk management pools, which provide health, property or casualty insurance for governmental units, to choose their regulator. Scanlan opposes latest rewrite of risk pool bill Secretary of State David Scanlan said he opposed a rewrite of legislation he had sought to give his office more sweeping powers over regulating risk pools that provide insurance coverages for governmental units. The House Commerce Committee earlier this week unanimously approved a rewrite of a Senate-approved bill (SB 297) Scanlan had requested to give his office more sweeping powers to regulate these entities. Scanlan had sought the change after he charged that two of the companies were on the brink of financial insolvency because their executives ignored the advice of actuaries and kept their rates too low to hold onto market share. One of those two risk pools, the New Hampshire Interlocal Trust, has declared bankruptcy, and Scanlan convinced a Superior Court judge to name a receiver to take over its finances. The other risk pool that drew Scanlan's criticism is HealthTrust, the largest in the state, which supports 191 of the state's 234 cities and towns, six of 10 counties, 85 school groups and 74 other units like water, library and fire districts. HealthTrust has denied Scanlan's claims and threatened to pull out of the market if Scanlan's proposal was signed into law. The House committee's proposal would instead give these risk entities the option of coming under the supervision of Scanlan's office or before the Department of Insurance. Chairman and Rep. John Hunt, R-Rindge, came up with the idea and said there is a precedent for this since banks get to choose whether to come under state or federal regulation. 'This was written to also protect their tax-exempt status,' Hunt said. Rep. Julie Miles, R-Merrimack, explained that the risk pools would remain under Scanlan if they were member owned, responsible for their own deficits and had to return all surpluses to governmental unit members. If those conditions did not apply to the risk pool, then they could be regulated by the Insurance Department. 'This bill strengthens the structural boundaries and provides clarity, accountability and long-term stability to these risk pools,' Miles said. Scanlan said the bill has lost its original intent. 'The bill does not address the underlying concerns we have expressed specifically related to HealthTrust and the potential impact their fiscal management practices may have on the taxpayers and public sector employees in this state,' Scanlan said. 'The amendment should be rejected. SB 297 has changed from a bill requiring transparency and accountability with financial guardrails and triggers to a bill that changes who can regulate a pooled risk organization.' Opponents line up against Scanlan's bill Lisa Duquette, executive director of SchoolCare, one of the risk pools that represents 100 school districts, said her group opposes the House change because it could require them to seek the approval of rates by the Insurance Department. "This would be a loss of local control," she said. HealthTrust officials are pleased with the rewrite and if it became law the group would come under insurance regulation. 'HealthTrust's model is non-assessable (meaning we have committed to not sending member groups an assessment for additional revenue mid-year), which was no longer permitted under the original SB 297,' HealthTrust said in a statement. 'In a non-assessable plan, member groups are only responsible for their monthly contribution costs and do not bear the risk of mid-year assessments due to adverse claims experience, which allows for the predictability that is critical for public sector budgets.' Roughly 100 municipal officials who were members of HealthTrust signed up online in opposition to Scanlan's bill and many cited the provision that could require them to raise their rates in the middle of the year. HealthTrust officials had also maintained Scanlan's bill set too low an acceptable standard for minimum reserves that these risk pools should have to cover their losses. 'While the amendment contains more rigorous oversight requirements, HealthTrust welcomes effective regulation, particularly with recent volatility in the market,' HealthTrust said. 'Risk pools fulfill an essential function for New Hampshire's public sector and member groups, covered individuals, and taxpayers deserve financially sound systems.' What's Next: The full House will vote on this proposal when it next meets on June 5. Prospects: This issue appears likely headed to a conference committee to try and work out differences between House and Senate plans. Senate President Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry, authored Scanlan's original proposal and is likely to take Scanlan's side about it. klandrigan@
Business Wire
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
CareView Communications Signs New Business Agreement with HealthTrust Purchasing Group
LEWISVILLE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CareView Communications, a leading provider of integrated virtual care solutions for the healthcare industry ('CareView' or the 'Company') (OTCQB: CRVW), today announced a new business agreement with HealthTrust Purchasing Group. HealthTrust is a group purchasing organization (GPO) that partners with 1,800 hospitals and health systems to help providers manage expenses and improve performance. HealthTrust's model partners these hospitals and health systems with suppliers like CareView Communications to create immediate and sustainable savings for all parties. 'Our GPO relationships are a critical part of our business model and allow us to expand our products and services in a streamlined and cost-effective way,' explained Sandra McRee, Chief Operations Officer for CareView Communications. 'Through agreements with GPO's like HealthTrust, we can minimize overhead expenses and partner with those hospitals looking to adopt cutting-edge virtual sitting and virtual nursing solutions.' CareView's new agreement with HealthTrust is a three-year agreement. CareView has been a HealthTrust member since 2017. 'Our GPO channels provide important synergies between CareView and current and prospective customers,' said Patrick Conte, VP of Sales at CareView Communications. 'When prospective customers see alignment with their GPO, they know they are working with a supplier that has been vetted and has demonstrated outcomes in their solution area.' CareView's agreement with HealthTrust will build upon its virtual nursing solution, which reallocates professional nursing and administrative tasks to virtual Registered Nurses (vRNs). This alleviates the burden on bedside nurses and optimizes resource utilization. About CareView Communications Inc. CareView has been dedicated to supporting hospital care teams for over a decade with its innovative virtual care solutions. The Company has established successful partnerships with over 200 hospitals nationwide, implementing effective inpatient virtual care strategies that greatly enhance patient safety and overcome critical staffing challenges. The CareView platform, fueled by industry-leading predictive technology and supported by its purpose-built hardware, specifically addresses the unique requirements of virtual nursing and virtual sitting use cases. The CareView team works closely with their hospital partners to understand their evolving needs and deliver tailored virtual care strategies that align with their objectives. By providing healthcare professionals with the tools they need to deliver exceptional care, CareView contributes to improved patient outcomes and a more sustainable healthcare ecosystem. Learn more at or follow CareView on LinkedIn.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scanlan vows 'unprecedented transparency' with pooled risk receiver
Secretary of State David Scanlan pledged his office would provide 'unprecedented transparency' after a court-named receiver took over one of the state's four pooled risk programs that managed insurance benefit programs for member city, town, school and county governmental units. At Scanlan's urging, Merrimack County Superior Court Judge Martin Honigberg last month named Lance Turgeon, a financial executive with Wipfli LLP, as receiver, to make all decisions regarding New Hampshire Interlocal Trust (NHIT) finances. 'It's a borderline situation right now,' Turgeon told reporters at a news conference Scanlan called in his office Tuesday. 'Look at the cash position of the trust, it's a negative number and the known claims, that is a negative number too.' Christina Ferrari, a Manchester lawyer representing the state, said Scanlan went into court seeking the protection upon learning NHIT trustees adopted a resolution on April 11 to dissolve the trust. 'We are unpacking all the issues as this has come together so quickly in the last 30 days,' Ferrari said. NHIT is the smallest of four firms that manage health insurance and/or property and casualty insurance coverage for government entities. Affected communities include the cities of Berlin, Laconia and Franklin, along with the towns of Amherst, Milford, Wilton and many communities in the Great North Woods region. The state's risk management law exempts these firms from having to file any reports with the Internal Revenue Service or to be subject to regulation of the Department of Insurance. Scanlan's bureau was the only government entity charged with ensuring that the pooled risk management companies are financially solvent. Probe of NHIT goes back 4 years The state Bureau of Securities Regulation going back to 2021 opened a financial probe into NHIT operations. The bureau claimed NHIT and two affiliate groups, Albert C. Jones Employee Benefits Inc. and Albert C. Jones2, violated state laws through misuse of public funds and the diversion of surplus owed to the government members of the trust. Lawyers for NHIT have denied the charges. An administrative proceeding against NHIT is pending with a hearing on the merits set for December. Two months ago, Scanlan asked the Legislature to pass legislation (SB 297) to adopt more restrictive 'guardrails' for all pooled risk management programs to ensure they are financially sound. At that time, Scanlan warned both New Hampshire Interlocal Trust and HealthTrust, the largest pooled risk management program, were in danger of becoming financially insolvent. 'If that bill was in place, NHIT would not be insolvent,' Scanlan said. The Senate passed it without debate on a voice vote. The House Commerce and Small Business Committee held a public hearing last month and has scheduled a work session on the issue next week. HealthTrust represents 191 of the state's 234 cities and towns, six of 10 counties, 85 school groups and 74 other units like water, library and fire districts. HealthTrust officials said Scanlan's actuary drew false conclusions about the program's finances and maintained that it had more than enough assets to be viable. They maintain Scanlan's bill sets asset levels that are too low to create a healthy climate for the risk pools. Scanlan released an April 11 statement that alleged HealthTrust on numerous occasions ignored the advice of their own actuaries to raise rates from 2020-23. Last month, HealthTrust executives announced that they would exit the market should the Senate-passed bill be signed into law. klandrigan@
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State's largest risk pool threatens to end coverage if Scanlan's reform becomes law
Mar. 24—The largest risk pool that provides insurance coverage to local and county governments in New Hampshire threatens that it will exit the market entirely should a bill tightening regulations on them becomes law. Executives with HealthTrust were clearly upset at learning the state Senate had approved an amended version of the reform Secretary of State David Scanlan sought last Thursday on the consent calendar without debate. A spokesman for HealthTrust said it had received assurances the Senate would publicly debate the matter (SB 297). The HealthTrust board and officers released a scathing news release late Friday afternoon. It revealed that a day earlier, its board had voted that if Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed the bill as written, HealthTrust would end all coverages and services Dec. 31 for January groups and June 30, 2026, for groups that have a starting point of July 1, 2026. "HealthTrust will fulfill all obligations through those dates, in addition to full administration of run-out services. After the full run-out occurs, HealthTrust will distribute remaining surplus funds back to the member groups that we have proudly served," HealthTrust said in its statement. Scanlan defended the bill and said HealthTrust's statement makes no sense. "The statement from HealthTrust is irrational. They fail to explain how SB 297 harms their operations on behalf of the political subdivisions in any way. SB 297 adds a measure of accountability in the interest of cities and towns that does not currently exist and will help the financial stability of these organizations," Scanlan said in a statement. Last month, Scanlan asked that his office be given sweeping new powers to regulate the finances of risk pools after concluding two of the providers were "in danger of insolvency." Executives with those two risk pools, HealthTrust and the New Hampshire Interlocal Trust (NHIT), said Scanlan's solution would set a minimum floor and maximum cap for how much these firms can hold in reserves that were too low and would be financially irresponsible. Scanlan: 'They were not following actuarial advice' In 2010, the Legislature gave Scanlan's office authority to regulate the companies that give local governments a lower-cost option to manage and pay out insurance claims for them rather than a small town or city having to self-fund its own coverage. "Too often we see government failure when some event occurs that is pretty tragic and people are pointing fingers on who is responsible and how," Scanlan testified. "Unfortunately, the reason for this bill is two of the risk pools are in danger of insolvency. It's that simple. They were not following actuarial advice." HealthTrust represents 191 of the state's 234 cities and towns, six of 10 counties, 85 school groups and 74 other units like water, library and fire districts. HealthTrust insisted its contingency reserve of $35.7 million was more than the thresholds contained in the Senate bill. It also rebutted the claim from Scanlan's hired actuary that HealthTrust was projected to lose $2.5 million per month. "This is false. It was then incorrectly stated that HealthTrust was projected to lose $12.5 (million) this fiscal year. This is also false. Our external actuarial projection shows a gain for (Fiscal Year) 2025," HealthTrust said. In the Senate's only public statement, Senate Finance Committee James Gray, R-Rochester, said his panel unanimously agreed with Scanlan's approach. "Recent circumstances have caused the secretary of state to be concerned that some risk pools may be in danger of insolvency without the changes identified in this bill, including mandatory minimums and maximums for retention of assets due to unforeseen circumstances," Gray wrote. HealthTrust also insisted the decision was about the pending bill and not HealthTrust's financial well-being. "To be clear and to be ahead of mischaracterizations, this decision has nothing to do with HealthTrust's finances. We are viable and would otherwise continue to be. This has everything to do with the extraordinarily flawed SB 297 that has been rushed through the legislative process without reasonable and objective scrutiny," HealthTrust said. If cities, towns, counties and school districts have to go to the commercial insurance market to provide health care or property coverage, HealthTrust officials insist, their costs would be higher and could lead to local property tax increases. klandrigan@
