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Aflibercept drug used for AMD shows no added benefit over current standard therapy

The drug aflibercept (trade name: Eylea) has been approved in Germany since November 2012 for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products (AMNOG) the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether this new drug offers an added benefit over the current standard therapy.

7 Jun 2013

Small businesses continue to mull health law's implications

NPR reports that some say the health law is having a chilling effect on hiring by small businesses. In Virginia, the Governor's Small Business Summit is focusing on what might happen once the overhaul is in full force.

7 Jun 2013

Wis., Pa., Ariz. lawmakers seek further abortion regulation

Add lawmakers in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Arizona to the long list of states seeking to further restrict and regulate the availability of abortions.

7 Jun 2013

Medicaid fraud settlement becomes part of Virginia gubernatorial campaign

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli says he is taking on the IRS over a Medicaid fraud settlement payment from which the state is owed $125 million.

7 Jun 2013

Longer looks: Obamacare explained; the dark side of medical school; tatoos removed

Whether you love it, hate it or are just plain confused, the ACA is the law of the land. The thousand-page law covers a lot of ground and figuring out what part of it has to do with you can be a challenge.

7 Jun 2013

Judge orders Sebelius to put girl who needs lung on transplant list

A federal judge intervened in the case of a 10-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis who needs a lung transplant, ordering HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to provide an exception and place the girl on the adult lung transplant list.

7 Jun 2013

Feds step up Medicare anti-fraud efforts

The government has revoked the ability of 14,663 providers and suppliers to bill Medicare over the past two years.

7 Jun 2013

Health law provisions spur business partnerships, new opportunities

The New York Times reports that the Betty Ford Center and the Hazeldon Foundation are pursuing an alliance while Kaiser Health News reports on how hospitals are sometimes caught in the middle of competing incentives.

7 Jun 2013

Democrats' efforts to revamp Senate filibuster rules tempered by fears on abortion votes

Some supporters of abortion rights fear that any current changes could be used sometime in the future to restrict the option for women. Meanwhile, an appeal court rules that some morning-after pills should be available over the counter immediately.

7 Jun 2013

Reports highlight impacts of proposed entitlement changes, reduced health care spending

The Washington Post highlights a new report that finds elderly Americans are "economically vulnerable" to even modest changes in Medicare and other entitlement programs. Meanwhile, Modern Healthcare notes another report analyzing "the great debate" over health spending.

6 Jun 2013

GOP eyes Medicare 'doc fix' bill for summer, Obamacare replacement

House Republicans move forward on replacing Medicare's payment system for doctors with an eye on moving the measure this summer. In the meantime, a Republican readies an Obamacare replacement bill.

6 Jun 2013

Wis. GOP-controlled budget committee sides with Gov. Walker in rejecting Medicaid expansion

News outlets also offer related coverage from New Hampshire, Arizona and Missouri. The Associated Press: Committee Rejects Expansion Of BadgerCare The Republican-controlled budget committee on Tuesday sided with Gov. Scott Walker in voting to reject a federally funded expansion of Wisconsin's BadgerCare Medicaid program even though accepting the money would lead to more people receiving insurance at a cheaper cost to the state. Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee said they agreed with Walker that there was no certainty the federal government would follow through with its commitment to pay for the expanded coverage in future years (Bauer, 6/4).

6 Jun 2013

Bringing classroom ventilation may reduce student absences due to illness, say researchers

If you suspect that opening windows to let in fresh air might be good for you, a new study by scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has confirmed your hunch.

6 Jun 2013

Lawmakers 'beg' Sebelius for child's lung transplant

A 10-year-old girl in urgent need of a transplant was brought up by some GOP lawmakers during Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' appearance at a House hearing.

6 Jun 2013

Employers sometimes consider costs of hiring smokers

NPR: That Employee Who Smokes Costs The Boss $5,800 A Year Smoking is expensive, and not just for the person buying the cigs. Employers are taking hard looks at the cost of employing smokers as they try to cut health insurance costs, with some refusing to hire people who say they smoke.

6 Jun 2013

Beacon Health Partners, Empire BlueCross BlueShield sign Patient Centered Primary Care agreement

Beacon Health Partners, an independent physician network and Accountable Care Organization consisting of almost 300 healthcare practitioners, announced that it has signed a Patient Centered Primary Care agreement with Empire BlueCross BlueShield.

6 Jun 2013

Henry Schein Cares expands access to quality oral health care for underserved and at-risk populations

Henry Schein Cares, the global corporate social responsibility program of Henry Schein, Inc., the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, medical and animal health practitioners, is once again helping expand access to quality oral health care for underserved and at-risk populations through the Calendar of Caring Community Wellness Program.

6 Jun 2013

First Edition: June 6, 2013

Today's headlines include a report about a new poll showing public uneasiness is increasing in regard to the health law. At the same time, the White House is stepping up its efforts encourage people to enroll in the health coverage the will be available as a result of the overhaul.

6 Jun 2013

State highlights: Conn. bill would maintain coverage for low-income parents; Wis. may pay hospitals for uninsured care; Is hospital data sale a risk to patient privacy?

The House of Representatives adopted an omnibus bill Tuesday to implement numerous social service policy changes in the next state budget, including the end of a health coverage program launched by former Gov. M. Jodi Rell to help the uninsured. One thing it doesn't change: Medicaid eligibility for low-income parents. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy had proposed restricting eligibility for the program, a move that would have caused an estimated 37,500 parents to lose Medicaid coverage (Phaneuf and Becker, 6/4).

6 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Kasich on what would Reagan do about Medicaid; The need for more doctors

Leaders in the states that have decided against expanding (Medicaid) have often invoked Reagan conservatism as the reason to oppose extending Medicaid health care coverage to more people. After all, doesn't (Ronald) Reagan embody modern conservatism? He cut taxes, cut government red tape and fought the growth of entitlements. Yes, he did all those things. However, he also expanded Medicaid, not just once but several times (Ohio Gov. John Kasich, 6/2).

6 Jun 2013

Health Care News and Research

Aflibercept drug used for AMD shows no added benefit over current standard therapy

Small businesses continue to mull health law's implications

Wis., Pa., Ariz. lawmakers seek further abortion regulation

Medicaid fraud settlement becomes part of Virginia gubernatorial campaign

Longer looks: Obamacare explained; the dark side of medical school; tatoos removed

Judge orders Sebelius to put girl who needs lung on transplant list

Feds step up Medicare anti-fraud efforts

Health law provisions spur business partnerships, new opportunities

Democrats' efforts to revamp Senate filibuster rules tempered by fears on abortion votes

Reports highlight impacts of proposed entitlement changes, reduced health care spending

GOP eyes Medicare 'doc fix' bill for summer, Obamacare replacement

Wis. GOP-controlled budget committee sides with Gov. Walker in rejecting Medicaid expansion

Bringing classroom ventilation may reduce student absences due to illness, say researchers

Lawmakers 'beg' Sebelius for child's lung transplant

Employers sometimes consider costs of hiring smokers

Beacon Health Partners, Empire BlueCross BlueShield sign Patient Centered Primary Care agreement

Henry Schein Cares expands access to quality oral health care for underserved and at-risk populations

First Edition: June 6, 2013

State highlights: Conn. bill would maintain coverage for low-income parents; Wis. may pay hospitals for uninsured care; Is hospital data sale a risk to patient privacy?

Viewpoints: Kasich on what would Reagan do about Medicaid; The need for more doctors

Event guide: 3rd Measuring Patient Engagement Summit eBook

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Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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