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Positive reviews of health overhaul implementation so far but potential stumbling blocks lie ahead

The New York Times notes an uptick in support for the health overhaul in polls as parts of the law begin to take effect, as well as some positive reviews - even from conservatives - about the administration's performance in implementing the measures. Stuart Butler, a vice president of the Heritage Foundation, for instance, said, "I give them an A for effort. But there are land mines down the road because the law is fundamentally flawed." The latest poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows 48 percent hold a favorable view of the new law, while 41 percent oppose it.

3 Jul 2010

Consumers examine government's new health care website, health insurers critical

News outlets continue to report on the federal government's new health care website, healthcare.gov, launched Thursday.

3 Jul 2010

Medical biller develops special ranking system for insurers

Jonathan Bush recognized that getting paid in health care is a problem, NPR's Planet Money blog reports: "Say the patient is covered by Blue Cross. Which Blue Cross? Did she need a referral? What's the right billing code?" So he left the birthing center business to get "into a different part of the health-care business: He launched athenahealth, a company that handles billing for doctors' offices."

3 Jul 2010

Insurer stocks drop; Drugmakers shed 35,000 jobs

News outlets report on a drop in health insurance stocks and the elimination of 35,000 jobs in the drug industry this year.

3 Jul 2010

States anxiously hoping for extra Medicaid funds extension

Kaiser Health News: "Democrats are leaving Washington for their July 4th recess without passing key parts of their health agenda. Among the provisions being left for when Congress returns from a week-long break: enhanced Medicaid aid for states and a subsidy to help the laid off afford to keep their former employer's health insurance.

3 Jul 2010

Nissay Information Technology and IBM Japan to build cloud development and test environment

Nissay Information Technology and IBM Japan today announced they will jointly build a cloud-based development and test environment to create mission critical Web systems for Nippon Life Insurance (NISSAY). The project launched in May 2010, with the test and development environment expected to go live in September 2010.

3 Jul 2010

High-risk pools begin taking applications in some states

The Dallas Morning News: The federal government began accepting applications Thursday for coverage through high-risk insurance pools from people who have been unable to obtain insurance on the commercial market due to pre-existing conditions. "To be eligible, people must be uninsured for at least six months and have been turned down for coverage by a private insurer because of a medical problem. Applications for the insurance are available online at www.HealthCare.gov. Coverage starts Aug. 1" (Boderson, 7/2).

3 Jul 2010

Hospitals in Iowa, Kentucky and Massachusetts face new challenges, opportunities

Quad-City Times: "A proposed change in Medicare reimbursement could increase payments to Iowa hospitals by more than $12.5 million next year. At the same time, a rule change on reimbursement to doctors could boost their Medicare payments by 5 percent beginning next year. 'This will mean a great deal to Iowa hospitals that have been struggling for many years,' said U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa.

3 Jul 2010

Virginia challenge to health overhaul goes to court

Justice Department and the state of Virginia lawyers faced off Thursday in the first challenge of the federal government's authority to require people purchase health insurance.

3 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Insurance premium caps; Doc shortage; High-risk pool

The insurer's proposed premium hikes are staggering, but the problem is that medical costs have been growing considerably faster than inflation. AB 2578 would help put a check on unjustified hikes ... The Assembly passed the bill last month, and we urge the Senate to follow suit (7/2).

3 Jul 2010

Exposure to carbon monoxide, air pollution does not increase preterm delivery risk

While pregnant women may worry about the effects of air pollution on their health and that of their developing child, exposure to carbon monoxide and fine particles in the air during pregnancy does not appear to increase the risk of preterm delivery or preeclampsia -- a serious condition that arises only during pregnancy -- according to results of a study headed by a University at Buffalo epidemiologist.

2 Jul 2010

Studies demonstrate analgesic properties of synthetic cannabinoid

A new compound similar to the active component of marijuana (cannabis) might provide effective pain relief without the mental and physical side effects of cannabis, according to a study in the July issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

2 Jul 2010

Study: ONGLYZA and metformin improve HbA1c levels for adult patients with type 2 diabetes at 76-weeks

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and AstraZeneca today announced results up to 76-weeks from a Phase 3 study of ONGLYZA(TM) (saxagliptin) as initial combination therapy with metformin, which produced long-term glycemic improvement (as measured by glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c)) in treatment-naive adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled on diet and exercise compared to treatment with an investigational 10 mg dose of saxagliptin or metformin alone.

2 Jul 2010

PhenotypeIT launches integrated Corporate Health and Wellness Management Platform

PhenotypeIT, Inc. announced today the launch of its PhIT™ platform, the first truly integrated Corporate Health and Wellness Management Platform that predicts disease and chronic health conditions before their onset and provides critical aggregated data to employers to reduce costs. The PhIT platform accurately assesses the impact of current and future health conditions, and assesses the cost implications of these conditions and related loss of productivity for the employer.

2 Jul 2010

Over 28,000 patients access myMDAnderson web-based portal for personal health information in one year

Just one year after The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center launched its secured, Web-based portal for personal health information, more than 28,000 patients (57 percent) who logged into myMDAnderson - a personalized, online connection to the center - have accessed their personal medical information, test results and records.

2 Jul 2010

Fluidigm's IFC platform products help perform digital-PCR measurements on single gene

Utilizing Fluidigm Corporation's Dynamic Array™ and Digital Array™ integrated fluidic circuits (IFCs), Stanford University researchers to have discovered a much larger spectrum of differences between individual cells than has previously been demonstrated. Among these differences are the communication capabilities that emerge from the interactions of genetic circuitry that mediates cell-to-cell communication.

2 Jul 2010

Modified Citrus Pectin holds promise against prostate cancer

Researchers at Columbia University recently analyzed the positive effects of Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) on human and mouse prostate cancer cell lines. The results, as reported by lead researcher Dr. Aaron Katz in the most recent publication of Integrative Cancer Therapies, show that MCP inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent cancer cells in a time and dose-dependent manner.

2 Jul 2010

HMS acquires AMG-SIU for $26.2 million

HMS today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Allied Management Group (AMG-SIU), a leading provider of fraud, waste, and abuse prevention and detection solutions for healthcare payors, in an all-cash transaction. AMG-SIU is based in Santa Ana, California.

2 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 2, 2010

Today's health policy headlines include the latest developments regarding Virginia's legal challenge to the federal health care overhaul.

2 Jul 2010

EU requirement for HIV, hepatitis screening of ART couples at each donation unnecessary, distressing

European legislation that requires all couples undergoing assisted reproduction treatment (ART) to be screened for HIV and hepatitis at the time of every sperm or egg donation is unnecessary, expensive, and potentially distressing for patients, the 26th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology heard Monday.

2 Jul 2010

Research News and Research

Positive reviews of health overhaul implementation so far but potential stumbling blocks lie ahead

Consumers examine government's new health care website, health insurers critical

Medical biller develops special ranking system for insurers

Insurer stocks drop; Drugmakers shed 35,000 jobs

States anxiously hoping for extra Medicaid funds extension

Nissay Information Technology and IBM Japan to build cloud development and test environment

High-risk pools begin taking applications in some states

Hospitals in Iowa, Kentucky and Massachusetts face new challenges, opportunities

Virginia challenge to health overhaul goes to court

Today's OpEds: Insurance premium caps; Doc shortage; High-risk pool

Exposure to carbon monoxide, air pollution does not increase preterm delivery risk

Studies demonstrate analgesic properties of synthetic cannabinoid

Study: ONGLYZA and metformin improve HbA1c levels for adult patients with type 2 diabetes at 76-weeks

PhenotypeIT launches integrated Corporate Health and Wellness Management Platform

Over 28,000 patients access myMDAnderson web-based portal for personal health information in one year

Fluidigm's IFC platform products help perform digital-PCR measurements on single gene

Modified Citrus Pectin holds promise against prostate cancer

HMS acquires AMG-SIU for $26.2 million

First Edition: July 2, 2010

EU requirement for HIV, hepatitis screening of ART couples at each donation unnecessary, distressing

New Approach Methodologies, the 3Rs and Multimodal Imaging in Preclinical Research - eBook eBook

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