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MBHS targets emerging healthcare markets of Russia, CIS

mBeach Software Inc. today announced a strategy of targeting new international market opportunities. In particular, the company has identified the emerging markets of Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States.

31 Jul 2010

Pseudo-reforms of health insurance industry will bar strong regulation of health insurers: Consumer Watchdog

Consumer Watchdog has called on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to withdraw weak pseudo-reforms of the health insurance industry that would bar strong regulation of health insurers. Schwarzenegger sent his proposals this month to lawmakers who are seeking stronger state regulation modeled on the successful market reforms of auto and homeowner insurance under Proposition 103, demanding that they substitute his legislation for their bills.

31 Jul 2010

Speaker Pelosi issues statement to mark 45th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today to mark the 45th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid being signed into law. To mark the anniversary, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a new ad featuring Andy Griffith discussing the Affordable Care Act:

31 Jul 2010

RN layoffs far more extensive than Peterborough Regional Health Centre's announcement

Cuts of registered nurses (RNs) at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) are far more extensive than the hospital has informed the community of and will have a serious impact on patient care.

31 Jul 2010

FDA announces approval of vaccines for 2010-2011 US influenza season

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has approved vaccines for the 2010-2011 influenza season in the United States.

31 Jul 2010

Rep. Chris Smith applauded for introducing legislation to enact government-wide abortion funding ban

D.C. Family Research Council Action today praised U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) for introducing bipartisan legislation to codify federal abortion funding restrictions that have been greatly undermined this year. With passage of a health care law that will fund and subsidize abortion, and with efforts by pro-abortion senators to open up military bases to abortion, Rep. Smith is introducing legislation to enact a government-wide abortion funding ban.

31 Jul 2010

Illinois quickly begins implementing new law to end violence in nursing homes; N.J. reverses cuts in AIDS drug program

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn Thursday signed a law establishing new nursing home safety measures "aimed at ending chronic violence in the facilities. Work already has begun on hiring dozens of additional nursing home inspectors, as well as writing rules that will increase licensing fees and nursing staff levels in the homes. State authorities also say they are tackling one of the thorniest issues: finding ways to fund the law's multifaceted provisions even as Illinois faces a $13 billion budget deficit" (Jackson and Marx, 7/29).

31 Jul 2010

Sanofi Pasteur announces shipping of Fluzone Influenza Virus Vaccine in the U.S.

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, announced today that shipping of the 2010-2011 formulation of its seasonal influenza vaccine Fluzone Influenza Virus Vaccine is underway in the U.S.

31 Jul 2010

Innovative health care effort in Chicago reports successes and disappointments

"An initiative designed to transform health care on Chicago's South Side ... has linked 5,600 people to a 'medical home' since 2005, University of Chicago executives said Thursday," The Chicago Tribune reported.

31 Jul 2010

Health care sector to lead sources of employment in upcoming decade

"In the coming decade, the health care and social assistance sector will be one of the leading sources of employment. It is going to be one of the most vital sectors in the economy and it is going to be a place of job growth," said Ithaca College sociologist Stephen Sweet. Since women make up a whopping 80 percent of the workforce in the health care industry, allowances will have to be made for their lifestyle needs.

31 Jul 2010

As COBRA subsidies run out, thousands of laid off workers feel the pinch of health costs

The Christian Science Monitor: A continuation of the subsidy for health insurance for newly laid-off workers was not included in the six-month extension of unemployment insurance that recently became law. "That means that as of June 1, thousands of workers are either paying out most of their unemployment checks for health coverage under 'COBRA,' or just not getting covered."

31 Jul 2010

Louisiana's Medicaid rate cuts kick in Aug. 1; Other states seek health program assistance, make tough choices to balance budgets

"The rates paid to many of the private health providers in Louisiana's Medicaid program will fall Sunday to trim spending by $168 million in the program that provides care to the poor, elderly and disabled. The latest cuts to private hospitals, home- and community-based care providers, doctors and specialty service providers are the final piece of balancing this year's $6.5 billion Medicaid budget. Department of Health and Hospitals Undersecretary Jerry Phillips said Medicaid funding was cut by $277 million in the 2010-11 fiscal year that began July 1."

31 Jul 2010

Poll: Many Americans not sure of provisions of new healthcare legislation

Not sure what's in—and not in—the new healthcare legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama in March? You're not alone. More than 2,100 adults were given a list of 18 reform items and asked to identify what's included and what's not included in the law. Only four items were correctly identified by the majority of those polled.

31 Jul 2010

Consumers who have MMS should stop using it immediately, FDA warns

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to take Miracle Mineral Solution, an oral liquid solution also known as "Miracle Mineral Supplement" or "MMS." The product, when used as directed, produces an industrial bleach that can cause serious harm to health.

31 Jul 2010

Florida judge blocks state constitutional amendment on federal health law

A Leon County circuit judge today blocked a proposed [state] constitutional amendment that targets the federal health-reform law, saying Florida Republican lawmakers included wording in the proposal that would mislead voters. Judge James O. Shelfer said the proposal --- dubbed by lawmakers as the 'Health Care Freedom' amendment --- should not go on the November ballot. He described wording in a ballot summary as 'manifestly misleading.'

31 Jul 2010

Circuit Court Judge removes Amendment 9 from November ballot

Today, Circuit Court Judge James Shelfer removed Amendment 9—modeled after the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act now proposed in 42 states—from the November ballot. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is expected to appeal to Florida's Supreme Court.

31 Jul 2010

Blumenthal defends hew health IT rules to Utah leaders

David Blumenthal, the national coordinator for health information technology for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "defended the administration's new plans against critics who say the watered-down rules miss an opportunity to lower costs and improve patient care," The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

31 Jul 2010

Abortion rights supporters, children's groups, GOP pushing back on various health law provisions

"Elective abortions will be prohibited and people with pre-existing conditions will be able to get comprehensive benefits without paying any more than healthy people, under new federal regulations for high-risk health insurance pools released ... by the Obama administration," according to Kaiser Health News.

31 Jul 2010

Water Street Healthcare Partners acquires Medical Specialties Distributors

Water Street Healthcare Partners, a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on health care, announced today that it has acquired Medical Specialties Distributors, LLC (MSD). Headquartered in Stoughton, Massachusetts, MSD is the nation's leading provider of infusion products, supplies, biomedical services and technology solutions to the growing home infusion therapy market. The acquisition expands Water Street's current group of health care companies to 12.

From Baxter International Inc. 31 Jul 2010

AMP conducts survey on Genetic Test Registry

Today, the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) submitted written comments in response to the Request for Information made by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for its Genetic Test Registry (GTR). AMP conducted a survey of its membership to formulate a comprehensive response to the RFI. "With the vast majority of respondents working in a clinical laboratory setting, AMP is able to inform the NIH on the general reaction to the GTR, including insight to the community's concerns and guidance to ensure the GTR is a valued resource," said Dr. Karen Mann, President of AMP.

31 Jul 2010

Health Care News and Research

MBHS targets emerging healthcare markets of Russia, CIS

Pseudo-reforms of health insurance industry will bar strong regulation of health insurers: Consumer Watchdog

Speaker Pelosi issues statement to mark 45th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid

RN layoffs far more extensive than Peterborough Regional Health Centre's announcement

FDA announces approval of vaccines for 2010-2011 US influenza season

Rep. Chris Smith applauded for introducing legislation to enact government-wide abortion funding ban

Illinois quickly begins implementing new law to end violence in nursing homes; N.J. reverses cuts in AIDS drug program

Sanofi Pasteur announces shipping of Fluzone Influenza Virus Vaccine in the U.S.

Innovative health care effort in Chicago reports successes and disappointments

Health care sector to lead sources of employment in upcoming decade

As COBRA subsidies run out, thousands of laid off workers feel the pinch of health costs

Louisiana's Medicaid rate cuts kick in Aug. 1; Other states seek health program assistance, make tough choices to balance budgets

Poll: Many Americans not sure of provisions of new healthcare legislation

Consumers who have MMS should stop using it immediately, FDA warns

Florida judge blocks state constitutional amendment on federal health law

Circuit Court Judge removes Amendment 9 from November ballot

Blumenthal defends hew health IT rules to Utah leaders

Abortion rights supporters, children's groups, GOP pushing back on various health law provisions

Water Street Healthcare Partners acquires Medical Specialties Distributors

AMP conducts survey on Genetic Test Registry

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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