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State highlights: Many states moving workers' children to CHIP plans

After a nine-year court battle, a landmark class-action settlement was preliminarily approved this week that would require the state to provide more effective mental health services for the children in or about to enter foster care. Its reach is expected to be significant. California has 61,000 children in the foster care system, and it runs the nation's largest child welfare system at a cost of about $4.7 billion per year.

1 Oct 2011

Viewpoints: Rising health costs and the health law

Even a slow economy can't stop healthcare costs from rising. A new report by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust shows that the cost of employer-provided insurance rose 9% this year -; even as workers and their families were cutting back on trips to the doctor's office -; and has more than doubled over the last decade.

30 Sep 2011

Tips to fall-proof living environments for older adults

In observance of Falls Prevention Awareness Day Sept. 23, UnitedHealthcare is urging people to know the risks associated with falling and is encouraging older Americans to take simple yet essential steps to reduce fall injuries.

22 Sep 2011

For NAIC, some signals suggest broker bill is losing traction

The Hill reports that a spokeswoman for the chairman of the NAIC's Professional Health Insurance Advisors Task Force said no major action on the issue was planned for the group's conference. In other news, MSNBC reports that, as insurance prices rise, options appear to diminish, creating questions about how much relief the health law will provide. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explores health reform's winners and losers.

29 Aug 2011

Bachmann victory, Pawlenty dropout could alter GOP health care tone

Pawlenty "launched his campaign with high hopes, some of the top campaign talent in the Republican Party and perhaps the best organization in Iowa, which will start the nominating process early next year at its caucuses.

16 Aug 2011

PLC Systems second quarter total revenues increase to $398,000

PLC Systems Inc., a company focused on innovative medical device technologies, today reported financial results for the three- and six month periods ended June 30, 2011. These results only include the company's RenalGuard® operations, since PLC completed the sale of its transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) business to Novadaq Corp. during the first quarter of 2011.

12 Aug 2011

Sinovac second quarter sales increase 52.5% to $15.7 million

Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical products in China, announced today its unaudited second quarter financial results for the period ended June 30, 2011.

12 Aug 2011

Accretive Health second quarter net income increases 118% to $8.6 million

Accretive Health, Inc., a leading provider of comprehensive end-to-end healthcare revenue cycle management services and population health management services infrastructure, today announced financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2011.

10 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: Geithner, Bowles, Simpson, Ryan, Vladeck, Wilensky on health spending and the deficit

The agreement sets up a powerful mechanism for agreement on tax reforms to strengthen growth, and entitlement reforms to strengthen programs such as Medicare. A congressional committee with fast-track authority will have a Nov. 23 deadline to recommend a balanced package of long-term reforms to produce $1.5 trillion in additional deficit reduction.

4 Aug 2011

BioClinica second quarter service revenues increase 8.7% to $16.9 million

BioClinica Inc., a global provider of clinical trial management solutions, today announced its financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2011.

From Clario 3 Aug 2011

Tenet second quarter net operating revenues increase 3.1% to $2.374 billion

Tenet Healthcare Corporation today reported adjusted EBITDA of $277 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011, an increase of $9 million, or 3.4 percent, compared to $268 million for the second quarter of 2010. Income from continuing operations, before income taxes, was $66 million in the second quarter of 2011, an increase of $1 million, or 1.5 percent, as compared to $65 million in the second quarter of 2010.

2 Aug 2011

Magellan reports second quarter net revenue of $698.3 million

Magellan Health Services Inc. today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2011, as summarized below. For the quarter ended June 30, 2011, the company reported net revenue of $698.3 million, segment profit of $75.9 million, and net income of $34.2 million or $1.07 per diluted common share.

29 Jul 2011

Safeguard Scientifics reports consolidated net income of $121.8M for second quarter 2011

Safeguard Scientifics, Inc., a holding company that builds value in growth-stage life sciences and technology companies, today announced results of operations for the second quarter of 2011.

27 Jul 2011

Dow second quarter sales increase to $16.0 billion

Dow reported earnings of $0.84 per share. This compares with reported earnings of $0.50 per share in the same period last year.

27 Jul 2011

Teleflex second quarter net revenues increase 9.2% to $391.3 million

Teleflex Incorporated today announced financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 26, 2011.

27 Jul 2011

Superdrug, Orabrush to market tongue cleaner in 500 locations across the UK

Orabrush today announced that Superdrug will begin carrying the Orabrush tongue cleaner in 500 locations across the United Kingdom. Recently awarded UK's Best For Personal Care by Verdict Research, Superdrug is the UK's second-largest beauty and health retailer.

26 Jul 2011

Though slim on specifics, 'Gang of Six' plan seeks savings from health plans

The plan's key health components include an overhaul of the Medicare physician payment system and a repeal of the health law's long-term care insurance program. Kaiser Health News provides the executive summary of the plan.

21 Jul 2011

Married men with heart attack seek help sooner: Study

A new study implies that married men tend to live longer than their unwed counterparts, they're more likely to see their doctor regularly, and they even have a lower risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. The study shows that men who experience chest pains while having a heart attack tend to get to a hospital sooner if they're married or in a common-law relationship. A woman's marital status, by contrast, was not associated with how quickly she sought treatment after experiencing heart-attack-related chest pains, according to the study, which was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

19 Jul 2011

Plan B gaining traction in debt-ceiling strategy

A proposal offered earlier this week by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is emerging as a means to resolve the current stalemate in negotiations to raise the nation's debt limit. But even as this approach continues to gain momentum, it will face considerable political and procedural hurdles.

16 Jul 2011

What do proposed cuts mean for Medicare's future?

The LA Times examines whether recent proposals to raise Medicare's eligibility age might find traction in the future — maybe now, maybe after the 2012 election. Meanwhile, CQ HealthBeat offers an analysis about why cutting Medicare is so difficult.

16 Jul 2011