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HDL cholesterol can transform from good to bad actor in heart-disease process

We've all heard about the importance of raising HDL, or the so-called "good" cholesterol, and lowering LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, to improve heart health. While we've come to assume HDL cholesterol is an inherently good thing, a new study shows that for a certain group of patients, this is not always the case. The study is the first to find that a high level of the supposedly good cholesterol places a subgroup of patients at high risk for recurrent coronary events, such as chest pain, heart attack, and death.

26 May 2010

AMRI to reduce US workforce by 10%

AMRI today announced that it is repositioning itself to meet a continued shift in demand from customers for services in Asia and Europe. Overall for 2009 and 2010, the company anticipates investing in excess of $30 million on international facility and capability expansions and estimates its non-US workforce will increase by approximately 180 positions in order to meet known and anticipated customer demand.

26 May 2010

KCI to feature expanded line of NPTP products and services at EWMA congress

Kinetic Concepts, Inc. today announced the company will feature its expanded line of negative pressure technology platform products and services at the annual European Wound Management Association congress in Geneva, Switzerland. Highlighting the company's commitment to innovative therapies, the new product line will improve the portability and adoption of V.A.C. Therapy, while further specializing the clinical application of negative pressure.

26 May 2010

Federal funding to support health IT training; New web tools for patients

A federally-funded health information training program is now underway, Modern Healthcare reports. "Last month, HHS' Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology awarded $112 million of stimulus funds to dozens of universities and community colleges.

26 May 2010

House eyes Wednesday vote on measure that includes COBRA subsidy extension and doc 'pay fix'

Congressional Democrats are scurrying today to advance a $192 billion catch-all legislative package that includes "safety-net benefits for the unemployed, physician reimbursements, tax breaks for businesses and other provisions."

26 May 2010

Trintech first-quarter revenues up 9% to $8.5 million

Trintech Group Plc, a leading provider of integrated financial governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) solutions for commercial, financial and healthcare markets, today announced its first quarter 2011 financial results. Following the sale of its healthcare business to The Advisory Board Company on April 1, 2010, Trintech is required to present its financial results on a continuing and discontinued basis.

26 May 2010

Osteopathic manipulative medicine reduces length of hospital stays for pneumonia patients: Research

Older patients battling pneumonia spent less time in the hospital when treated using osteopathic manipulative medicine - a drug-free form of hands-on medical care focusing on increasing muscle motion - in addition to conventional care, recently published research shows.

26 May 2010

Medicare spending growth varies widely around the country

This Kaiser Health News table lists the top ten regions in the nation regarding growth in Medicare spending, comparing the total Medicare reimbursement per enrollee in 2000 and 2007 (Rau, 5/25).

26 May 2010

Lumizyme receives FDA approval for patients with late-onset Pompe disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Lumizyme (alglucosidase alfa) for patients ages 8 years and older with late-onset (non-infantile) Pompe disease, a rare genetic disorder.

26 May 2010

Penn. doc creates medical home as part of health care transformation

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on Joseph Mambu, a Pennsylvania doctor who created a medical home in 2001. At the beginning "Mambu didn't know where he was headed. Now he's at the vanguard of a movement sweeping America - the patient-centered medical home - in which physicians have more time for complex cases and are much more proactive in promoting the health of all patients, who have same-day access to their medical team."

26 May 2010

Spouses face hurdles when caring for themselves, ill loved ones

Reporting for Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with The Washington Post, Paula Span writes: "They met on a blind date in 1949 and married two years later.

26 May 2010

Health law bodes well for young people's coverage, isn't helping Democrats

The New York Times reports that young people — representing nearly one-third of the 46 million uninsured in America — stand to "reap substantial benefits" from expanded coverage for them in the new health law.

26 May 2010

State Roundup: Oklahoma, S.C. and Ill. facing tough choices on health costs

States around the country are debating how to deal with health costs and tight budgets.

26 May 2010

UnitedHealth shareholders reject plan to weigh in on executive pay

A proposal to allow UnitedHealth Group shareholders to make suggestions about executive pay was voted down by the same shareholders it would have empowered at the firm's annual meeting Monday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. The proposal failed with only forty-six percent of shareholders supporting it.

25 May 2010

Today's OpEds: States must take on public health challenges; Placing blame for high health costs

Britain's 'reform' will do little to improve access to life-extending drugs (5/25).

25 May 2010

Federal lawyers ask judge to dismiss Virginia overhaul lawsuit

Obama administration officials asked a judge to dismiss Virginia's lawsuit challenging the new health reform law because the state does not have standing to sue over the requirement that individuals will be required to buy health insurance, The Washington Post reports. "Federal attorneys argued that individuals, not the state, are affected by the requirement. … Further, they wrote that the mandate causes no injury to the state and will not take effect until 2014, making the legal challenge not yet timely."

25 May 2010

Gentiva purchase of Odyssey would create largest U.S. home health and hospice provider

A plan from Gentiva Health Services to buy Odyssey HealthCare for almost $1 billion would create the largest U.S. provider of home health and hospice care, The Associated Press reports. "The boards of both companies have approved the acquisition, which is expected to close in the third quarter, pending approval by regulators and Odyssey stockholders.

25 May 2010

Federal law to expand coverage to kids is off to slow start

USA Today: "A federal law that President Obama signed early last year to expand health insurance to 4 million more low-income children has gotten off to a slow start because of budget problems in the states. The law makes more than $10 billion in federal aid available each year through 2013 but requires state funds as well."

25 May 2010

Applied Spine Technologies awarded U.S. patents for 'Dynamic Spine Stabilizer' and 'Spring Junction'

Applied Spine Technologies, Inc., a medical device company focused on motion preservation of the lumbar spine, was awarded two new patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on May 11, 2010.

25 May 2010

KHN Consumer column: Insuring your health – College student health plans often get low marks

In this Kaiser Health News column, produced in collaboration with The Washington Post, Michelle Andrews writes: "Aaron Smith is learning the hard way that student health insurance has limits.

25 May 2010