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Medicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the states and federal government, and is managed by the states.

States weigh taxes to help fund Medicaid—and raise federal contributions

Reporting for Kaiser Health News, Andy Miller looks at four states -- Georgia, Wisconsin, Iowa and Tennessee -- that are weighing new taxes on hospitals to help finance their beleaguered Medicaid programs.

18 Mar 2010

First Edition: March 18, 2010

Today's headlines indicate that Democrats are inching closer to securing the votes necessary to pass their health bill while the GOP is planning steps to bottle neck the measure's progress.

18 Mar 2010

Competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment: Myths and realities

Medicare has been touting the merits of the "competitive" bidding program for durable, or home medical equipment and services (HME) to convince Congress that the program is good for seniors. Unfortunately, proponents have conveyed misleading information and cherry-picked facts that exaggerate the benefits and ignore the severe shortcomings of the program.

18 Mar 2010

Evaluating all Medicare plan options can reduce healthcare costs

Nearly 8 million former workers have disabilities so severe that they rely on Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, and an estimated 3.3 million more will apply for disability benefits this year. For these people and others suffering from serious conditions and disabilities, taking the right steps quickly to manage costs is essential for their financial and health well-being, according to Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare plan selection services.

18 Mar 2010

NIST and HHS to develop software tools to support health IT testing infrastructure

Fully incorporating modern information technology into the healthcare system promises many benefits, including better quality care, less paperwork and fewer medical errors while reducing unnecessary costs. In any such critical application, however, it's important to ensure that the new technology behaves as expected.

18 Mar 2010

Costs almost double for health care for Pennsylvania poor; New study finds percentage of people taking insurance through work declines

Facing a sharp rise in costs, Pennsylvania has almost doubled the monthly bill for a state health insurance program for poor people who do not qualify for Medicaid and are on a waiting list for a less costly option. On March 1, the cost of the plan rose to about $600 a month, up from $313 a month, for the roughly 2,400 state residents on the waiting list.

18 Mar 2010

Senate parliamentarian wields authority over Democrats' health care efforts

The Associated Press: "When Congress battles over thorny bills, parliamentarian Alan Frumin has been known to sleep in his office — on call 24/7 as the Senate's Solomon, divining the answers. Frumin's ability to review long-standing rules and centuries of precedent to resolve Senate questions makes the mustachioed parliamentarian something of a Washington rock star these days.

18 Mar 2010

SBCA urges Congressional representatives to consider detrimental impact of health care reform bill

The Small Business Council of America urges Members of the House of Representatives to vote against the Senate health care reform bill. The SBCA believes the details of this legislation will not only harm small businesses and their ability to provide health care to their employees, but that it could lead to the ultimate demise of this country's private health care system.

18 Mar 2010

Report calls for Medicaid, Social Security changes for LGBT seniors

The Los Angeles Times: A report released Wednesday at a national meeting on aging asks lawmakers to consider changes to Medicaid and Social Security rules that could help gay and lesbian senior citizens.

18 Mar 2010

Idaho Health Freedom Act does nothing to tackle state's health care crisis, says AARP

The health care crisis hundreds of thousands of Idahoans face every day may have just gone from bad to worse with the stroke of a pen. Today, Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter signed the Idaho Health Freedom Act into law, a bill strongly opposed by AARP.

18 Mar 2010

Dems newly-favored tactic to advance health measure draws GOP rage

The latest strategy House Democratic leaders have considered for passing the health overhaul bill would allow lawmakers to approve a Senate-passed version of the bill without a direct vote, The Washington Post reports. Instead, a so-called "self-executing rule would say that the Senate's version of health-care legislation would be deemed approved if House members adopt a set of changes to that bill."

18 Mar 2010

I-SPY 2: The Biomarkers Consortium launches clinical trial for high risk, fast-growing breast cancers

The Biomarkers Consortium, a unique public-private partnership that includes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and major pharmaceutical companies, led by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), today announced the launch of a highly anticipated clinical trial to help screen promising new drugs being developed for women with high risk, fast-growing breast cancers—women for whom an improvement over standard treatment could dramatically change the odds of survival.

18 Mar 2010

Aetna, SBUH announce new agreement for hospital’s participation in Aetna network

Aetna and Stony Brook University Hospital are pleased to announce today a new agreement for the hospital’s participation in the Aetna network. The agreement is effective through April 30, 2011, and will enable Stony Brook physicians currently participating with Aetna to continue their participation uninterrupted.

18 Mar 2010

First Edition: March 17, 2010

Today's news continues to focus on Democratic leaders' efforts to finalize their health reform package and gather the votes necessary to gain House passage.

17 Mar 2010

Systemic underfunding of CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis puts millions of Americans' health at risk

Warning that "systemic underfunding of the Centers for Disease Control's Division of Viral Hepatitis puts millions of Americans' health and well-being at risk," the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable today called on the Administration to work with Congress to take decisive action this year to fix the funding failure for viral hepatitis screening, surveillance, and early intervention programs.

17 Mar 2010

Pimple Clinic program donates acne products to low-income families

The Pimple Clinic, a safe, effective non-prescription line of acne products developed by the dermatologist who founded Skinstore.com, is being provided to low-income teens that otherwise cannot afford acne treatments.

17 Mar 2010

HCRS selected to provide IT support services for three states

HealthCare Resolution Services, Inc. (HCRS), a leading provider of program integrity support, health information technology (IT) services and professional medical and technical staffing, announced today that it has been accepted as a subcontractor for three contract vehicles serving the states of Maryland, Texas, and Florida.

17 Mar 2010

MedSolutions launches oncology management program for cancer patients

MedSolutions (www.medsolutions.com), a leading provider of medical cost management services, today announced the launch of its oncology management program, which uses evidence-based guidelines to ensure appropriate use of diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy and drugs for cancer patients.

17 Mar 2010

Governors riled by lack of input in health bill; States request more federal funding for budget, Medicaid shortfalls

"Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas kicked off a National Governors Association summit on health care Monday with an ominous word about the date" and the need to beware the ides of March. "The governors feel like they've gotten the Brutus treatment, too."

17 Mar 2010

False Claims Act allegations over marketing of morphine-based drug Kadian: Alpharma to pay $42.5M

American pharmaceutical manufacturer Alpharma Inc. has agreed to pay $42.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations in connection with the marketing of the morphine-based drug, Kadian, the Justice Department announced today. The settlement resolves allegations that, between January 1, 2000 and December 29, 2008, Alpharma paid health care providers to induce them to promote or prescribe Kadian, and made misrepresentations about the safety and efficacy of the drug, which is used to treat chronic moderate to severe pain.

17 Mar 2010

Medicaid News and Research

States weigh taxes to help fund Medicaid—and raise federal contributions

First Edition: March 18, 2010

Competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment: Myths and realities

Evaluating all Medicare plan options can reduce healthcare costs

NIST and HHS to develop software tools to support health IT testing infrastructure

Costs almost double for health care for Pennsylvania poor; New study finds percentage of people taking insurance through work declines

Senate parliamentarian wields authority over Democrats' health care efforts

SBCA urges Congressional representatives to consider detrimental impact of health care reform bill

Report calls for Medicaid, Social Security changes for LGBT seniors

Idaho Health Freedom Act does nothing to tackle state's health care crisis, says AARP

Dems newly-favored tactic to advance health measure draws GOP rage

I-SPY 2: The Biomarkers Consortium launches clinical trial for high risk, fast-growing breast cancers

Aetna, SBUH announce new agreement for hospital’s participation in Aetna network

First Edition: March 17, 2010

Systemic underfunding of CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis puts millions of Americans' health at risk

Pimple Clinic program donates acne products to low-income families

HCRS selected to provide IT support services for three states

MedSolutions launches oncology management program for cancer patients

Governors riled by lack of input in health bill; States request more federal funding for budget, Medicaid shortfalls

False Claims Act allegations over marketing of morphine-based drug Kadian: Alpharma to pay $42.5M

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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