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State-specific numbers highlight December enrollment surge

Various news outlets report on the enrollment totals through December -- and some demographic data -- for Alabama, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Georgia, California, Illinois and others.

15 Jan 2014

Research reveals new therapy for preventing production of sphingolipids by lymphoma cells

Christopher Parsons, MD, Director of the HIV Malignancies Program at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, is the senior author of a paper that is the first to report that specialized fat (lipid) molecules, called sphingolipids, play a key role in the survival of aggressive lymphomas caused by viruses.

15 Jan 2014

Insurance sign-ups skew older, spurring cost concerns

Halfway through the six-month enrollment period for private insurance under the health care law, just one in four adult enrollees are between ages 18 and 34, the crucial demographic group whose participation rates are key to keeping monthly premiums affordable.

15 Jan 2014

Medicaid expansion battles resume in state Capitols

Aided in some cases by a new cast of elected officials, groups pushing for Medicaid expansion hope to reopen the debate in state legislative sessions beginning in Maine, Virginia, Louisiana, Kansas and Georgia.

14 Jan 2014

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and herpesvirus saimiri: an interview with Elazar Rabbani, Chief Executive Officer of Enzo

Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition where fibrotic or scarred tissue progressively develops in the lungs. In some cases the particular cause is known but in others it remains unknown and is given the term “idiopathic”.

14 Jan 2014

More GOP governors give Medicaid expansion another look

Politico reports that while Republican governors in Texas and Louisiana remain firmly in the no camp, others in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana and Oklahoma are giving the program a second look. News outlets also offer updates from Florida, Pennsylvania, Kansas and Georgia.

13 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 13, 2014

Today's headlines include news about how the health law's enrollment process is working and about the federal government's decision not to renew the contract for the company that was overseeing the repairs for healthcare.gov.

13 Jan 2014

At-home paper test can help spot early symptoms of cognitive issues

The Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE test), which takes less than 15 minutes to complete, is a reliable tool for evaluating cognitive abilities. Findings by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center confirming the feasibility and efficiency of the tool for community screening large numbers of people are published in the January issue of The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.

13 Jan 2014

Obama administration proposes Medicare drug change

In a move that some fear could compromise care for Medicare recipients, the Obama administration is proposing to remove special protections that guarantee seniors access to a wide selection of three types of drugs.

13 Jan 2014

Coalition publishes new evidence on patient impact of drug shortages in US

According to newly published results from a survey of pharmacy directors, drug shortages remain a serious problem for patient safety. Nearly half of the responding directors reported adverse events at their facilities due to drug shortages, including patient deaths.

13 Jan 2014

FDA approves Farxiga tablets to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus

AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Farxiga™ [far-SEE-ga] (dapagliflozin), a once-daily oral treatment indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

13 Jan 2014

Maryland moves forward with bold hospital spending plan

Some say the deal will eventually change the way hospitals in all the states are paid for delivering health care and could become a national model for controlling health care costs.

13 Jan 2014

UMMS researchers commissioned by Alpha-1 Project to develop PiZ antibody

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) have been commissioned by the Alpha-1 Project (TAP) to develop a PiZ antibody. The antibody will be used to track the presence of mutant alpha-1 PiZ protein in human blood serum, an essential tool in testing potential therapies for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1).

13 Jan 2014

Nonsurgical treatment improves symptoms in women with pelvic floor dysfunction

One in three women suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction, a range of symptoms which include bladder and bowel problems as well as pelvic pain, according to the American Urogynecologic Society. Now, University of Missouri researchers have demonstrated that a comprehensive, nonsurgical treatment significantly improves symptoms in women with PFD.

10 Jan 2014

State highlights: Calif. Governor's budget to include $670M in new Medi-Cal spending; Mass. launches new electronic health records updates

When he unveils his new budget plan Thursday, Gov. Jerry Brown will propose billions of dollars in new spending on schools, health care, social services and environmental programs as California reaps the benefits of an economic turnaround. … The proposed budget includes $670 million more for Medi-Cal, the state's public health care program, which is expanding as part of President Obama's federal overhaul. The program is expected to serve a quarter of California's residents next year.

10 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 10, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about Maryland's plan to reduce hospital spending.

10 Jan 2014

Sequenom signs national agreement to provide coverage for MaterniT21™ PLUS test

Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM), a life sciences company providing innovative testing and genetic analysis solutions, announced today its wholly owned subsidiary, Sequenom Laboratories, has signed a national agreement with a leading benefits provider, to provide coverage for the MaterniT21™ PLUS laboratory-developed test (LDT).

10 Jan 2014

Lung cancer incidence rates decrease more rapidly among U.S. men and women

Tobacco control efforts are having a major impact on Americans' health, a new analysis of lung-cancer data suggests. The rate of new lung cancer cases decreased among men and women in the United States from 2005 to 2009, according to a report in this week's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

10 Jan 2014

Viewpoints: Don't blame insurers for health system problems; Obama's 'management failure;' Texas abortion case heads to court

[The] problem with the Affordable Care Act isn't the insurance industry. In fact, the main benefits of nationalized health care can be achieved in systems with hundreds, even thousands, of for-profit insurers. ...

10 Jan 2014

Sutter Davis Hospital receives Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for excellent performance

Sutter Davis Hospital (SDH) has become the first organization in the greater Sacramento area and the smallest hospital ever to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's only Presidential honor that recognizes performance excellence in education, healthcare and business organizations.

10 Jan 2014