On Tuesday, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published several studies providing further evidence that a focus on improving transitions of care from the hospital to the next point of care will lead to significant reductions in readmissions.

Today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced 35 additional participants in the Community-based Care Transitions Program (CCTP). Authorized by the Affordable Care Act, the CCTP provides funding to test models for improving care transitions for high risk Medicare patients by using services to manage patients’ transitions effectively.

Happy New Year! After weeks of negotiating, last night the House passed by a vote of 257-167 the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012— the bill to avert the fiscal cliff— that was approved earlier New Year’s Day by the Senate by a vote of 89-8.