Medicare News and Research

RSS

Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline recommends CGMs for Type 1 diabetes patients

The Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice Guideline recommending continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) as the gold standard of care for adults with Type 1 diabetes.

26 Sep 2016

Study suggests babies born to women with hearing loss more likely to be premature and have low birth weight

Hearing loss is a marginalizing and disabling condition, resulting in various adverse social and health outcomes. Babies born to women with hearing loss were significantly more likely to be premature and have low birth weight, according to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

26 Sep 2016

Veracyte announces new data suggesting ability of Afirma GEC in thyroid cancer diagnosis

Veracyte, Inc.today announced new data suggesting the potential to enhance the performance of the Afirma Gene Expression Classifier in thyroid cancer diagnosis by combining the test's proven RNA expression-based capabilities with gene variant and fusion information – all on a single, robust RNA sequencing platform.

24 Sep 2016

Higher proportion of CKD patients receive renal replacement therapy in the U.S. than other countries

A new study indicates that a much higher proportion of patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD)—even those ≥85 years of age—receive renal replacement therapy (RRT) such as maintenance dialysis or kidney transplantation in the United States than in other developed countries.

23 Sep 2016

New mobile health app may help manage hydroxyurea treatments in sickle cell patients

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded a 6-year, $4.4 million grant to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and collaborators to improve the use of prescribed medication by sickle cell patients.

21 Sep 2016

Study looks at how incentives in Medicare Shared Savings Program may influence radiology practices

A new study by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute examines how the incentives in an alternative payment model (APM) - the Accountable Care Organization Shared Savings Program - might influence cost, quality, utilization and technological investment for radiology practices.

20 Sep 2016

U-M study finds increase in health insurance coverage for justice-involved individuals

Every year, millions of people in prison or jail struggle with mental health issues and substance use disorders. And after they get out, those issues can increase their chances of another arrest if they don't receive treatment.

19 Sep 2016

U-M cardiologists reveal impact from shortage of radioactive elements used in cardiac stress testing

Nearly 15 million times a year, Americans with heart trouble climb onto a treadmill to take a stress test that can reveal blockages in their heart's blood vessels. It's a major factor in deciding what doctors should do next for them.

19 Sep 2016

Study shows increasing healthcare costs for infections linked to premise plumbing pathogens

A new analysis of 100 million Medicare records from U.S. adults aged 65 and older reveals rising healthcare costs for infections associated with opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens--disease-causing bacteria, such as Legionella--which can live inside drinking water distribution systems, including household and hospital water pipes.

12 Sep 2016

Researchers identify higher risk of early chemotherapy-related death in older patients with DLBCL

Although diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a curable disease in most patients aged 65 years or older, these patients are also at higher risk of chemotherapy-related death within the first 30 days of treatment.

9 Sep 2016

Strong social support may lead to shorter stay in rehab facility, better recovery of patients

Sometimes the best medicine is the care of family and friends. A recent study from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston showed that patients with strong social support from family and friends spend less time in an inpatient rehabilitation facility.

7 Sep 2016

New study explores why cost of dying higher for African Americans and Hispanics

Dying in America is an expensive process, with about one in four Medicare dollars going to care for people in their last year of life. But for African Americans and Hispanics, the cost of dying is far higher than it is for whites.

2 Sep 2016

Hospitals with high readmission rates more likely to show better mortality scores

A group of Johns Hopkins physicians and researchers today published an article in the Journal of Hospital Medicine suggesting that data on mortality and hospital readmission used by the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid suggest a potentially problematic relationship.

1 Sep 2016

FAU's College of Nursing receives HRSA grant for advanced education program

The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University has received a three-year, $2 million grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for an advanced nursing education program titled, "Caring-based Academic Partnerships to Enhance Nurse Practitioner Readiness and Willingness to Practice in Rural and Underserved Communities."

31 Aug 2016

New NCCN Imaging AUC released for eight new cancers

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-approved provider-led entity for imaging appropriate use criteria, continues to build its library of AUC and has published NCCN Imaging Appropriate Use Criteria for eight new cancer types. Launched in June 2016, NCCN Imaging AUC currently are available for 20 cancer types.

29 Aug 2016

Organogenesis' PuraPly and PuraPly AM wound care products now eligible for Medicare coverage in 10 states

Organogenesis Inc., a global leader in advanced wound care innovations and technologies, today announced that its PuraPly and PuraPly Antimicrobial (AM) wound management products are now eligible for Medicare coverage and reimbursement in 10 states, providing coverage for an additional 7.5 million Medicare beneficiaries, following the decision by National Government Services (NGS) to retire its local coverage determination (LCD) for cellular and tissue-based products (CTPs) effective September 1, 2016.

27 Aug 2016

Liver cancer time-bomb as up to 70% people with Hep C miss out on follow-up testing

Up to 70 per cent of Victorians with suspected hepatitis C may not have received follow-up testing, putting them at risk of chronic liver disease and even cancer, University of Melbourne researchers say.

26 Aug 2016

Higher continuity of care for seniors linked to lower risk of visiting emergency department

Seniors with traditional Medicare coverage who have more continuity of care - defined as consistently seeing the same physician in an outpatient setting - have lower chances of visiting an emergency department, according to the results of a study published online earlier this month in Annals of Emergency Medicine.

25 Aug 2016

ISCT announces reasons for opposing current version of REGROW Act on cell therapies

The International Society for Cellular Therapy, the global society of clinicians, researchers, regulatory specialists, technologists, and industry partners dedicated to the translation of cellular therapy into safe and effective therapies to improve patients’ lives, today announces its reasons for opposition to the current version of the REGROW Act - the US government’s legislative efforts to promote faster patient access to effective new cellular therapies.

24 Aug 2016

$Study looks at ways to reduce prescription drugs linked to fracture risk among older adults$

Study looks at ways to reduce prescription drugs linked to fracture risk among older adults

Fragility fractures -- those that occur at standing height -- are a significant source of sickness and death among the elderly population in the United States. They are also associated with annual direct costs of over $16 billion.

23 Aug 2016