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First Edition: April 27, 2010

Today's headlines focus on the details of health reform that continue to emerge -- including states' reactions to high risk pools and questions about the sweeping expansion of Medicaid.

27 Apr 2010

Humana posts first quarter earnings despite health reform 'uncertainty'

Reuters: Humana, a large provider of Medicare plans, projected second-quarter profits ahead of estimates. Reuters reports that pre-market trading reflected gains but shares then fell 2.8 percent in the morning as a result of "uncertainty" stemming from the new health law. "Humana is the second major health insurer to report results since Congress passed an overhaul of the health system.

27 Apr 2010

Schools, systems get more funding to expand electronic medical records

The (Allentown, Penn.) Morning Call: Beginning next year, doctors and hospitals that share computerized medical records "including a list of prescriptions, drug allergies, doctor visits, and test results — will qualify for a share of $1.5 billion in incentives from the federal government. By 2015, those that don't will face Medicare funding cuts."

27 Apr 2010

California Republican lawmakers continue to press for tort reform

The Contra Costa Times: "The effort to overhaul the nation's health care system has so far skirted the issue of tort reform, intensifying debate over the role malpractice lawsuits play in increasing premiums." Critics say the new health reform law does not do enough to address the high costs of medical lawsuits, but other experts say that malpractice suits do not contribute to increasing health costs.

27 Apr 2010

Costs, effects on business questioned as health overhaul analysis continues

The Associated Press: The biggest unanswered question in the health overhaul debate remains what the new law will mean for ordinary Americans. "Many experts believe the law falls short on taming costs, and that will force Congress to revisit health care in a few years.

27 Apr 2010

States struggle to balance budgets with Medicaid changes

Health News Florida: A provision in Florida's state budget bill that would have reformed the state's Medicaid system has been officially dropped by state legislators. "The House proposed a sweeping plan that gradually would have led to almost all Medicaid recipients enrolling in managed-care plans, while the Senate proposed a smaller expansion of a pilot managed-care program.

27 Apr 2010

A first step in the long road to health reform

Australia provides good health care to the majority of its citizens most of the time and compares well with like countries. The capacity for illness to destroy families financially, seen in the US and in many less economically advanced countries where governments make small or no contributions to the cost of health care, is much diminished by Medicare, public hospitals and subsidised pharmaceuticals.

27 Apr 2010

Humana reports first-quarter EPS of $1.52

Humana Inc. today reported diluted earnings per common share (EPS) for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 (1Q10) of $1.52, ahead of management's guidance of $1.10 to $1.20. EPS for 1Q10 included earnings of approximately $0.37 per share from higher-than-anticipated favorable prior-period development of medical claims reserves as well as $0.04 per share in higher-than-projected income tax expense due to recently enacted health reform legislation. Excluding these items, 1Q10 EPS was at the top end of the company's previous guidance range.

26 Apr 2010

WellPoint responds to HHS letter on singling out women with breast cancer for rescission

I was disappointed to read your letter regarding the media report published in Reuters yesterday as well as your assertion that WellPoint "deliberately works to deny coverage for women diagnosed with breast cancer." Both your statement and Mr. Waas' piece are inaccurate and grossly misrepresent WellPoint's efforts to help prevent, detect, and treat the 1 in 8 of our 34 million members nationwide affected by breast cancer.

24 Apr 2010

Officials continue health overhaul sparring, news outlets examine new law's potential improvements for women

Republicans are continuing to pressure officials at the Department of Health and Human Services on health reform as the focus shifts to implementation of the health care overhaul and the first deadlines are approaching, Politico reports.

24 Apr 2010

JET Health Solutions introduces JET InsureFuse V3.0 for healthcare agents, underwriters and insurers

JET Health Solutions, the healthcare product and solutions division of AAJ Technologies, is premiering JET InsureFuse V3.0, an automated medical underwriting process system at LOMA's Health Underwriters Study Group Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

24 Apr 2010

CMS actuary: Health reform will cover more people, cost more than originally projected

"In the first comprehensive look by neutral experts" of the health law, The Associated Press reports that "More Americans will be covered, but costs are also going up. Economic experts at the Health and Human Services Department concluded in a report issued Thursday that the health care remake will achieve Obama's aim of expanding health insurance — adding 34 million to the coverage rolls.

24 Apr 2010

Pelosi responds to reports of WellPoint dropping coverage for breast cancer patients

"WellPoint's practice of dropping anyone's coverage when they get sick – whether a woman with breast cancer or any other patient – is exactly the kind of insurance company abuse our new health care law prohibits.

23 Apr 2010

Healthcare reform will have negative financial impact on executives' facilities: AMN survey

Nearly three-quarters of healthcare executives surveyed earlier this month say healthcare reform will have a negative financial impact on their facilities, while more than 60 percent note that reform will have a somewhat or very detrimental effect on the quality of care their facilities are able to provide.

23 Apr 2010

Minorities, seniors see positives in health law; Worries persist about insurance costs

African Americans are hoping new health will improve their lives, but there's "a debate about whether the coming changes will actually ease the health disparities that black Americans face," NPR reports.

23 Apr 2010

Miss. lawmakers want voters to have say on health coverage mandate

Two Republican lawmakers in Mississippi want voters there to have the final say on whether purchasing health insurance should be required as mandated by the new federal health reform law. State Reps. Alex Monsour and Steven Palazzo are proposing a ballot initiative to ask voters the question.

23 Apr 2010

Democrats, GOP continue to trade barbs over health reform, plan next moves

Politico: Democrats are following a call from President Barack Obama in daring Republicans to try to repeal the health care reform law. "And they started with what Democrats hope will become one of the most popular features of the overhaul plan, a provision that allow young adults to stay on their parents' insurance plans until age 26.

23 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 22, 2010

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz, working in collaboration with USA Today, writes about the Money Follows The Person program: "Richard Hasselbach and Deborah Kadlec met in a nursing home and dreamed of a life together outside its walls. Their health conditions made living on their own a challenge: Hasselbach, 63, is disabled from a stroke and lost a leg to a blocked artery. Kadlec, 52, has multiple sclerosis. They both use wheelchairs and need help with chores such as bathing, cooking and remembering to take their medicines.

22 Apr 2010

Helen F. Graham Cancer Center at Christiana Care receives $2.8M to extend cancer research

The Helen F. Graham Cancer Center at Christiana Care is the recipient of $2.8 million from the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, to expand cancer research.

22 Apr 2010

Americans struggling to understand effect of health reform law

The first Kaiser Health Tracking Poll fielded since the passage of health reform last month finds that 8 in 10 Americans know that President Obama signed the legislation into law. But 55 percent say they are confused about the law and more than half (56%) say they don't yet have enough information to understand how it will affect them personally.

22 Apr 2010

Health Reform News and Research

First Edition: April 27, 2010

Humana posts first quarter earnings despite health reform 'uncertainty'

Schools, systems get more funding to expand electronic medical records

California Republican lawmakers continue to press for tort reform

Costs, effects on business questioned as health overhaul analysis continues

States struggle to balance budgets with Medicaid changes

A first step in the long road to health reform

Humana reports first-quarter EPS of $1.52

WellPoint responds to HHS letter on singling out women with breast cancer for rescission

Officials continue health overhaul sparring, news outlets examine new law's potential improvements for women

JET Health Solutions introduces JET InsureFuse V3.0 for healthcare agents, underwriters and insurers

CMS actuary: Health reform will cover more people, cost more than originally projected

Pelosi responds to reports of WellPoint dropping coverage for breast cancer patients

Healthcare reform will have negative financial impact on executives' facilities: AMN survey

Minorities, seniors see positives in health law; Worries persist about insurance costs

Miss. lawmakers want voters to have say on health coverage mandate

Democrats, GOP continue to trade barbs over health reform, plan next moves

First Edition: April 22, 2010

Helen F. Graham Cancer Center at Christiana Care receives $2.8M to extend cancer research

Americans struggling to understand effect of health reform law

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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