Not painting a pretty picture

The city of Fairmont is getting an artistic touch in the interest of promoting healthier lifestyles.

Project Canvas is an initiative to promote walking downtown. It is part of a grant meant to make healthy lifestyles a priority in West Virginia.

Several crosswalks are being painted to achieve this goal. Schools and other organizations are taking part.

2 are completed and at least 6 more will be painted in the coming weeks.

There’s good reason to promote better health in the state. West Virginia is No. 1 in the nation in adult obesity, at 35.1%; diabetes, hypertension, heart attacks and coronary heart disease and No. 2 in arthritis.

Medicare penalizes Fairmont General Hospital

Fairmont General Hospital is among six West Virginia hospitals that will lose 1% of their Medicare reimbursements over infection and injury rates.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found that each had high rates of potentially avoidable “hospital-acquired conditions,” including falls, bed sores and certain infections. 

Nationally, 724 hospitals have had their Medicare funding reduced. It will reduce Medicare spending by $373 million.

Funding can be reinstated for hospitals whose scores improve in upcoming years. 

26,236 West Virginians sign for insurance marketplace

26,236 West Virginians signed up for the health insurance marketplace under the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called Obamacare. 85% are eligible for financial assistance.

Coverage starts Feb. 1.

For those who missed the deadline, an open enrollment period will extend until Feb. 15. If that deadline is missed, the earliest coverage for those seeking coverage would be 2016.