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PAF receives additional funding support for serving patients with multiple myeloma

Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) -- a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability relative to their diagnosis of life threatening or debilitating diseases -- is pleased to announce that it has received additional funding support for serving patients with multiple myeloma through its Co-Pay Relief Program (CPR).

13 Nov 2009

Medicare Part D program exceeds expectations, majority of seniors approve their plan and coverage

Almost four years after the Medicare Part D prescription drug program went into effect, an overwhelming majority (88 percent) of America's seniors approve of their individual plan and coverage. In a national survey released this morning by the nonpartisan Medicare Today Coalition, 95 percent of seniors who used their plan and received prescriptions over the past year also reported that their plan has worked well, while 85 percent continue to find their monthly premium to be affordable.

13 Nov 2009

New survey illustrates confused state of people about how they will pay for long-term care services

Even as the average annual cost of a home health aide now tops more than $40,000 and private nursing home care is approaching an average cost of $75,000 a year, a new survey by the nonprofit LIFE Foundation finds nine out of 10 Americans do not have a realistic plan to pay for these expenses. Nearly one in four say they will rely on family and friends, while others mistakenly believe their health insurance coverage or government programs such as Medicare will help pay their long-term care costs.

13 Nov 2009

Healthcare providers plan to make better use of healthcare information technology

A recent poll of healthcare providers indicates that as the country moves through healthcare reform and defining "meaningful use," providers plan to make better use of healthcare information technology when it comes to their everyday practices.

13 Nov 2009

Idaho's U.S. Representatives oppose HR 3962: AARP disappointed

AARP is disappointed Idaho's U.S. Representatives chose to oppose the legislation, ignoring the worsening health care crisis in their home state.

13 Nov 2009

Reid's option: Individuals earning more than $250,000 a year to pay a modest increase in payroll tax

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reportedly is moving closer toward a progressive way to fund quality, affordable health care for all.

13 Nov 2009

Changes in CMS reimbursement to accelerate demand for cardiac PET imaging

Positron Corporation a molecular imaging solutions company focused on Nuclear Cardiology, expects the evolution from cardiac SPECT to cardiac PET imaging will be greatly accelerated with the recent changes in reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) set for 2010.

13 Nov 2009

Cardiac Science and Cambridge Heart team up to develop MTWA module

Cardiac Science Corporation [NASDAQ: CSCX], a global leader in automated external defibrillator (AED) and diagnostic cardiac monitoring devices, and Cambridge Heart, Inc., [OTCBB-CAMH], a developer of noninvasive diagnostic tests for cardiac disease, with a focus on identifying those at risk for sudden cardiac arrest, today announced a partnership pursuant to a Development, Supply and Distribution Agreement Cambridge Heart previously announced on June 23, 2009.

13 Nov 2009

CMS approves FDG PET for initial staging of cervical cancer

SNM applauds the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services- (CMS) decision to expand coverage of FDG PET for the initial staging of cervical cancer without previously imposed restrictions.

13 Nov 2009

Healthcare Innovative Solutions and MOSS collaborate to build Health Information Exchanges

Healthcare Innovative Solutions, a full-service clinical consulting firm, today announced a partnership with Misys Open Source Solutions (MOSS), a division of Misys plc, to provide the healthcare community with the consultancy services and open source technology necessary to build Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) -- technological infrastructures that enable the exchange of health information across disparate systems.

13 Nov 2009

Kaiser NW to pay $1.83M for settling False Claims Act liability

Kaiser Foundation Hospitals - Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest and Northwest Permanente P.C., Physicians & Surgeons (collectively, Kaiser NW) has agreed to pay the United States $1,830,322.41 to settle False Claims Act liability, the Justice Department announced today.

13 Nov 2009

African-Americans more likely to die from colorectal cancer than Caucasians, says new study

New research published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that African-American patients with colorectal cancer are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease and are less likely to undergo surgical procedures compared with Caucasians, suggesting that improvements in screening and rates of operation may reduce differences in colorectal cancer outcomes for African-Americans.

13 Nov 2009

Senators won't grow deficit without a cost-cutting commission

Congress may outsource its tough budgetary decisions, if moderate, deficit-anxious lawmakers their way. "Several U.S. senators said on Tuesday they probably could force Congress to cede some control to a bipartisan commission that would tackle the United States' looming budget crisis," Reuters reports.

13 Nov 2009

BMC and Clear One Health Plans team up to offer first Focused Patient Care Model

Bend Memorial Clinic (BMC), the largest provider of quality, comprehensive and convenient physician healthcare in Central Oregon, has joined with Clear One Health Plans to offer the region’s first Focused Patient Care Model, similar to a Medical Home Model, beginning January 1, 2010. BMC’s team of more than 100 physicians and other providers care for approximately 3,800 Clear One Medicare Advantage members all of whom will qualify for the program.

13 Nov 2009

Timeline, vote counting continue to be central To Senate health overhaul

The Associated Press reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is considering higher payroll taxes on "upper-income earners to help finance health care legislation.

13 Nov 2009

Details emerge for possible Medicare payroll tax in Senate health bill

Bloomberg: "White House Budget Director Peter Orszag said a proposal to apply Medicare taxes to capital gains earned by wealthy Americans as part of health-overhaul legislation is 'in play' in order to scale back a proposed levy on high-end insurance plans." Orszag made these comments while speaking at the Bloomberg Washington Summit today.

12 Nov 2009

Humana CEO: No no regrets about sending warning letters to Medicare customers

Humana's CEO says he does not regret sending Medicare customers a letter warning that health care reform could hurt their benefits. The letters caused government officials to probe whether the insurer violated federal regulations in September.

12 Nov 2009

AARP leader provides powerful voice for seniors and health care

John Rother tries to dispel myths and quell fears that seniors may have about health care reform as a leader at the powerful lobby and senior group AARP.

12 Nov 2009

Making end-of-life wishes known is rare; more hospice care could save Medicare money

Because Medicare beneficiaries account "for the vast majority of U.S. deaths" the treatment people receive "in the last year of life accounts for roughly a quarter of Medicare's budget." Dr. Joel Policzer, a medical director for a hospice, says that often "a dying elderly patient may have wanted less invasive care. But it doesn't happen.

12 Nov 2009

Activists worry immigration arguments will hamper hispanic health care

The Washington Post reports that Hispanic lawmakers and groups are "scrambling to develop a strategy to counter what they see as efforts to shortchange immigrants in health bills on Capitol Hill."

12 Nov 2009

Medicare News and Research

PAF receives additional funding support for serving patients with multiple myeloma

Medicare Part D program exceeds expectations, majority of seniors approve their plan and coverage

New survey illustrates confused state of people about how they will pay for long-term care services

Healthcare providers plan to make better use of healthcare information technology

Idaho's U.S. Representatives oppose HR 3962: AARP disappointed

Reid's option: Individuals earning more than $250,000 a year to pay a modest increase in payroll tax

Changes in CMS reimbursement to accelerate demand for cardiac PET imaging

Cardiac Science and Cambridge Heart team up to develop MTWA module

CMS approves FDG PET for initial staging of cervical cancer

Healthcare Innovative Solutions and MOSS collaborate to build Health Information Exchanges

Kaiser NW to pay $1.83M for settling False Claims Act liability

African-Americans more likely to die from colorectal cancer than Caucasians, says new study

Senators won't grow deficit without a cost-cutting commission

BMC and Clear One Health Plans team up to offer first Focused Patient Care Model

Timeline, vote counting continue to be central To Senate health overhaul

Details emerge for possible Medicare payroll tax in Senate health bill

Humana CEO: No no regrets about sending warning letters to Medicare customers

AARP leader provides powerful voice for seniors and health care

Making end-of-life wishes known is rare; more hospice care could save Medicare money

Activists worry immigration arguments will hamper hispanic health care

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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