Health Care News and Research

RSS

Longer looks: mayo's demands; 140 character death watch; posting hospital prices

Every week reporter Ankita Rao selects interesting reading from around the Web.

2 Aug 2013

State highlights: Brooklyn hospital files for bankruptcy plans to close; N.D. abortion law blocked; Texas women's health program serving thousands less

A selection of health policy stories from New York, North Dakota, Texas, Minnesota and California.

2 Aug 2013

Study: Consumers do not understand health insurance, cast doubt on best decisions under ACA

This fall, as part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), Americans will have a greater range of health care insurance options to choose from, including, for many, state-based plans. But will they make the right decisions? That's doubtful, according to a new study led by Carnegie Mellon University's George Loewenstein.

2 Aug 2013

With the weight of the employer mandate temporarily gone, small businesses are eyeing expansion

Many small businesses are eyeing expansion - at least temporarily - now that penalties under the Affordable Care Act's employer mandate have been delayed for a year.

2 Aug 2013

Cancer biomarker tests undervalued by doctors and patients, authors say

There's a major roadblock to creating personalized cancer care. Doctors need a way to target treatments to patients most likely to benefit and avoid treating those who will not. Tumor biomarker tests can help do this.

2 Aug 2013

Lawsuit alleges hospital operators paid kickbacks, defrauded Medicaid

A whistleblower says two hospital operators paid clinics to direct to their hospitals pregnant mothers living in the U.S. illegally.

2 Aug 2013

Children who have first elevated BP not likely to receive recommended follow-up check-up

Children who have a first elevated blood pressure at the doctor's office are not likely to receive the recommended follow-up blood pressure readings within a month, according to a study published today in Pediatrics.

2 Aug 2013

Health law provision regarding Hill staffers' health insurance triggers debate, action

Under the law, members of Congress and some of their aides may have to pay more for their health coverage and buy it from new online health insurance marketplaces -- a reality that is triggering strong reactions on Capitol Hill.

2 Aug 2013

Health care providers are missing opportunities to improve teens' vaccination coverage

Health care providers are missing opportunities to improve teens' vaccination coverage, reports a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

2 Aug 2013

For states working on health law implementation, 'churn' is a matter of concern

California Healthline reports on how life events can cause individuals' incomes to change enough that it will also impact whether they qualify for subsidies to shop for insurance on the state's health exchange, or whether they should apply for Medicaid. It's an issue on which states are beginning to focus.

2 Aug 2013

Obama seeks to calm 'jittery Democrats' on health law rollout

Meanwhile, senior GOP leaders plan more votes to chip away at Obamacare, in part to dissuade their rank and file from demanding a government shutdown this fall unless the health law is defunded.

2 Aug 2013

SGR repeal measure moves to full House consideration

Some medical societies, which support repealing Medicare's Sustainable Growth Rate formula, are expressing concern that a bill won't be signed into law before a scheduled 25 percent reduction in Medicare physician payment takes effect. Meanwhile, members of the Senate Finance Committee are working on their own plan.

2 Aug 2013

Targeting the health law's enrollment message

Though some view it as a difficult sell, new advertising from the 17 states that are setting up health insurance marketplaces tends to be upbeat and positive. First Lady Michelle Obama is also pitching in on efforts to reach very specific populations.

2 Aug 2013

UNICEF: Breastfeeding is the most effective life-saver for children

During World Breastfeeding Week starting today, UNICEF is focusing on breastfeeding as the most effective and inexpensive way of saving a child’s life. But with less than half of all children under six months benefitting from exclusive breastfeeding, strong leadership in promoting the practice is essential.

1 Aug 2013

Viropharma announces financial results for second quarter of 2013

VIROPHARMA INCORPORATED (Nasdaq: VPHM) today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2013. Net sales were $104 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2013 as compared to $95 million in the comparative period of 2012.

1 Aug 2013

First Edition: August 1, 2013

Kaiser Health News consumer columnist Michelle Andrews answers a question from a reader about if the health law requires employer-sponsored insurance to cover maternity benefits for an employee's dependents (8/1).

1 Aug 2013

State highlights: Experts cite 'serious' health care risks at Calif. prison; higher cigarette tax in Mass. prompts smuggling fears; psychiatric care payment plan in N.C.

Medical experts reporting to a federal court monitor say health care at the California state prison at Corcoran poses "an ongoing serious risk of harm to patients" that results in preventable deaths. The report, filed in federal court Monday, finds "serious patient care issues" within the general hospital at the prison, including life-threatening infections caused by unsanitary conditions, nurses who did not check vitals and doctors who repeatedly "cut and paste" the same patient notes (St. John, 7/30).

1 Aug 2013

Health Care News and Research

Longer looks: mayo's demands; 140 character death watch; posting hospital prices

State highlights: Brooklyn hospital files for bankruptcy plans to close; N.D. abortion law blocked; Texas women's health program serving thousands less

Study: Consumers do not understand health insurance, cast doubt on best decisions under ACA

With the weight of the employer mandate temporarily gone, small businesses are eyeing expansion

Cancer biomarker tests undervalued by doctors and patients, authors say

Lawsuit alleges hospital operators paid kickbacks, defrauded Medicaid

Children who have first elevated BP not likely to receive recommended follow-up check-up

Health law provision regarding Hill staffers' health insurance triggers debate, action

Health care providers are missing opportunities to improve teens' vaccination coverage

For states working on health law implementation, 'churn' is a matter of concern

Obama seeks to calm 'jittery Democrats' on health law rollout

SGR repeal measure moves to full House consideration

Targeting the health law's enrollment message

UNICEF: Breastfeeding is the most effective life-saver for children

Viropharma announces financial results for second quarter of 2013

First Edition: August 1, 2013

State highlights: Experts cite 'serious' health care risks at Calif. prison; higher cigarette tax in Mass. prompts smuggling fears; psychiatric care payment plan in N.C.

Medicare premiums hold the line -- increasing $1 in price from the past three years

Using the immune system to control cancer: an interview with Dr. Jedd Wolchok, MD, PhD, Ludwig Center at MSKCC

Georgia seeks 'emergency delay' for approving health exchanges' proposed rates

Event guide: 3rd Measuring Patient Engagement Summit eBook

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

Latest News