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Big support for insurance rate regulation measure in California

A proposal to randomly drug test doctors and increase the limit on medical malpractice lawsuit awards also has a strong show of support in the poll.

21 Aug 2014

Internet security is growing concern at health care sites

The recent hacker attack against Community Health Systems highlights concerns about patient privacy as hospitals, doctors and other providers move to use more electronic records.

21 Aug 2014

Survey of veterans receiving mental health services finds general satisfaction

A survey of U.S. veterans receiving mental health services from the Veterans Health Administration finds general satisfaction, but also significant room for improvement among all areas studied.

21 Aug 2014

Advocates decry closing of mental health clinics in Chicago

But officials say the closings, which planned to shutter six of the city's 12 mental health clinics, actually expanded care for those with mental illnesses.

21 Aug 2014

Study: Patients with 2 or more ED visits in one year account for disproportionate costs

Almost one-third of acute heart failure syndrome patients seen in hospital emergency departments (EDs) in Florida and California during 2010 had ED visits during the following year, findings that suggest a lack of appropriate outpatient care.

21 Aug 2014

Iowa telemedicine abortion ban stands after ruling

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland had claimed the ban was meant to limit abortions for women who live in rural areas.

21 Aug 2014

Deep sequencing technique opens up new possibilities for finding genetic causes for brain disorder

Not every cell in the body is the same genetically, and disease-causing mutations don't necessarily affect every cell—making these mutations easy to miss even with next-generation genomic sequencing.

21 Aug 2014

Cigna HealthCare, NCH team up to deliver quality care related to cancer

New Century Health (NCH) and Cigna HealthCare of Arizona today announced an alliance focused on delivering quality care related to cancer. Cigna customers covered under Arizona Medicare Advantage plans who receive care through the Cigna Medical Group (CMG) are included in this new program with NCH.

20 Aug 2014

Hartford/VA Scholars Program selects three geriatric social work researchers

The prestigious Hartford/VA Scholars Program has selected three geriatric social work researchers for a two-year award that provides career development and mentorship for projects that will improve health outcomes not only for older veterans, but for all older adults.

20 Aug 2014

First Edition: August 20, 2014

Today's headlines include a report from California that Anthem Blue Cross is being sued again regarding its narrow-network health plans as well as a prediction from Maryland officials regarding the state's online insurance marketplace.

20 Aug 2014

Self-reported health measures can predict Medicaid adults who need intensive health services

Just three types of simple self-reported health measures can predict which Medicaid-eligible adults are more likely to access intensive and costly health services over the next year, a new study in Health Services Research suggests. The findings could provide a new way to save a substantial amount of money while also providing better care for Medicaid's neediest patients.

20 Aug 2014

Study helps explain why sleep becomes more fragmented with age

As people grow older, they often have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, and tend to awaken too early in the morning.

20 Aug 2014

Death rate increases with hospitals shift from inpatient procedures to outpatient for urological surgeries

As hospitals have shifted an array of common urological surgeries from inpatient procedures to outpatient, potentially preventable deaths have increased following complications.

20 Aug 2014

Illinois took federal Medicaid money it couldn't repay, audit says

Elsewhere, an auditor in Louisiana questions data the governor's office has provided on the outlook of the state's Medicaid privatization efforts, and Florida pediatricians could soon see higher Medicaid payments.

20 Aug 2014

Lincor announces agreement to provide patient experience technology with CarePoint Health

Lincor Inc. today announced an agreement to provide its patient experience technology to New Jersey-based healthcare system CarePoint Health.

20 Aug 2014

Amid tumult and turmoil, health care sector expected to show revenue growth

Seismic shifts in the technology and health-care sectors highlight why executives are divided or undecided about taking financial and strategic risks.

20 Aug 2014

Perampanel does not offer added benefit for patients with Epilepsy

The drug perampanel (trade name Fycompa) has been approved since July 2012 as adjunctive ("add-on") therapy for adults and children aged 12 years and older with epileptic fits (seizures).

20 Aug 2014

Nurses who are motivated primarily by desire to help others are more likely to burn out on job

Nurses who are motivated primarily by the desire to help others, rather than by enjoyment of the work itself or the lifestyle it makes possible, are more likely to burn out on the job, University of Akron researchers say.

20 Aug 2014

Chinese cyberattack steals 4.5 million patients' data from hospital records

Tennessee-based Community Health Systems, which runs 206 hospitals in 29 states, says no medical information was exposed, however.

20 Aug 2014

GOP ad strategy on health law shifts in Senate races

Some Republican strategists say the health overhaul is losing its punch, Bloomberg reports. In other political news, the American Hospital Association reports that it gave $3.3 million to state affiliates to lobby local officials on Medicaid expansion.

20 Aug 2014