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Eye drops may prevent the onset of glaucoma in African Americans

Eye drops that reduce elevated pressure inside the eye can delay or possibly prevent the onset of glaucoma in African Americans at higher risk for developing the disease, researchers have found.

14 Jun 2004

Plan to get more kids enrolled in the State Children's Health Insurance Program

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today approved a plan by California to raise the income level for eligibility for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to include more children.

11 Jun 2004

Accurately estimating the life expectancy of persons with advanced dementia

A model has been created that can help determine the risk of death within six months for nursing home patients with advanced dementia, according to a study in the June 9 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

10 Jun 2004

AMA urges government to scrap Parental Access To Information Bill

The Bill would allow parents and guardians access to HIC information about children under 16 years of age [currently access is allowed for children under 14] – even if the children have their own Medicare cards.

10 Jun 2004

Significant progress in the enrollment of beneficiaries in the Medicare drug discount card program

America's health insurance plans today reported significant progress in the enrollment of beneficiaries in the Medicare-endorsed prescription drug discount card program.

10 Jun 2004

HHS identifies States for Medicare demonstration of new, less restrictive homebound definition

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced the three states where Medicare will conduct a demonstration project involving a new definition for homebound that would allow Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health benefits to leave their home more frequently and for longer periods without risking the loss of those benefits.

7 Jun 2004

Australian Government's new mechanism for implementing the new Medicare allied health initiative

The Australian Government has announced that a mechanism for implementing the new Medicare allied health initiative from 1 July 2004 has been finalised following consultations with GP and allied health professional groups.

7 Jun 2004

Five major prescription drug manufacturers make drugs available to Medicare discount cardholders

The Pharmacy Care Alliance (PCA) today announced that AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Merck and Novartis will make many prescription drugs available to qualifying PCA Medicare discount cardholders free of charges from the manufacturer plus a nominal amount to cover dispensing, processing and other costs.

5 Jun 2004

Democrats air their views on Medicare prescription drugs discount cards

On Tuesday the new Medicare prescription drugs discount cards went into effect. The enrollment process is so confusing, most seniors are not signing up for the cards. Those that have will quickly discover the cards don’t deliver the savings they were promised.

3 Jun 2004

Pharmacy Care Alliance gives out first prescription discounts

Early yesterday morning, two Medicare beneficiaries visited Kroger pharmacies in the Cincinnati area and received the first prescription discounts delivered by the Pharmacy Care Alliance under the Medicare prescription discount card program.

2 Jun 2004

HHS urges people to sign up for Medicare-approved drug discount cards

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today urged people with Medicare to take advantage of real savings on their prescription medicines by signing up for Medicare-approved drug discount cards.

2 Jun 2004

Seniors take up Medicare-approved drug discount card in mass

Walgreen Co. has announced that tens of thousands of seniors across the country have applied for the company's Walgreens Health Initiatives Medicare-approved drug discount card.

2 Jun 2004

Prescribing ACE inhibitors to in-patients is important, but outpatients need ongoing support

Use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors by heart failure patients drops sharply within a month after they go home from the hospital and then continues to decline, according to a new study in the June 2, 2004 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

2 Jun 2004