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Study examines association between IV products and anaphylaxis risk

Cunlin Wang, M.D., Ph.D., of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Md., and colleagues studied recipients of intravenous (IV) iron (n = 688,183) enrolled in the fee-for-service Medicare program from January 2003 to December 2013.

18 Nov 2015

Nearly 50% of Medicaid patients infected with hepatitis C denied coverage for life-saving antiviral drugs

Nearly 50 percent of Medicaid patients infected with chronic hepatitis C whose doctors had prescribed newer, life-saving antiviral drugs were denied coverage to the therapies because they weren't considered "a medical necessity" or because the patients tested positive for alcohol/drugs, among other reasons, according to new Penn Medicine research.

17 Nov 2015

Advances in nanofilter technology may lead to surgically implantable, artificial kidney

Research that could lead to the development of a surgically implantable, artificial kidney, was presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3-8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

11 Nov 2015

Members of Dallas/Fort Worth community receive quality health care through UT Southwestern health fairs

Thanks to UT Southwestern Accountable Care Network, some 68,000 members of the Dallas/Fort Worth community are receiving much-needed access to quality health care, including flu shots, screenings, education, and more through a series of 22 health fairs across the Metroplex running now through Nov. 20.

11 Nov 2015

People with high fitness levels in midlife have lower annual health care costs after age 65

People with high fitness levels in midlife have significantly lower annual health care costs after age 65 than people with low fitness in midlife, after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

10 Nov 2015

Obesity groups take aim at states that deny coverage of obesity treatment under affordable care act

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and groups including The Obesity Society (TOS) and Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), filed a complaint this month with U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) claiming the 27 states that deny coverage for bariatric surgery are in non-compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and that their failure to comply is discriminatory against women and people with disabilities, and violates the ban against denying coverage based on health status or a pre-existing condition.

10 Nov 2015

Major US healthcare database has missing pieces

A major source of American health information data contains a handful of glaring flaws related to health risks, say Johns Hopkins researchers in a study published online Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE.

9 Nov 2015

Circulating protein predicts risk of chronic kidney disease

Make room, cholesterol. A new disease marker is entering the medical lexicon: suPAR, or soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor.

6 Nov 2015

Most states do not cover bariatric surgery under ACA despite minimal impact on monthly insurance premiums

Most states do not cover bariatric surgery under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) despite the need for effective treatments for obesity and the minimal impact it has on monthly premiums, according to new research presented here at ObesityWeek 2015, the largest international event focused on the basic science, clinical application and prevention and treatment of obesity.

5 Nov 2015

Three out of four consumers not covered for evidence-based obesity treatment services

In one of the largest studies ever conducted to better understand insurance coverage of obesity treatments, researchers found that three out of four consumers report that they are not covered for necessary, evidence-based obesity treatment services, including access to a registered dietician (72% not covered), medical weight management (77% not covered), bariatric surgery (76% not covered) or FDA-approved obesity drugs (84% not covered).

5 Nov 2015

EndoGastric Solutions announces assignment of relative value units for new CPT code covering TIF procedure

EndoGastric Solutions® (EGS), a leader in incisionless procedural therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), today announced the Federal Register has posted coding and payment information specific to the new Current Procedural Terminology (CPT)® code covering the Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF®) procedure.

4 Nov 2015

Voluntary Advance Care Planning to become recognized, reimbursable benefit for Medicare recipients

Reflecting recommendations from the American Geriatrics Society and 65 other partner organizations, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that voluntary Advance Care Planning (ACP)--a comprehensive, ongoing, person-centered approach to communication about future healthcare choices--will for the first time become a recognized, reimbursable benefit for Medicare recipients.

4 Nov 2015

Medigus announces CMS’ publication of fee schedules for endoscopic fundoplication procedures under CPT code 43210 effective January 2016

Medigus Ltd., a medical device company developing minimally invasive endosurgical tools and a leader in direct visualization technology, today announced that following the American Medical Association’s (AMA) decision earlier this year to create a new Category I Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) code for esophagogastric fundoplast...

3 Nov 2015

VUMC, UCSF investigators awarded $6 million NIH grant to develop implantable artificial kidney

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a four-year, $6 million grant to investigators at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the University of California at San Francisco to develop an implantable artificial kidney.

3 Nov 2015

Researchers find rise in state-level obesity-related health care costs

Nearly 11 percent or $8 billion of the cost to treat severe obesity was paid for by Medicaid in 2013, ranging from a low of $5 million in Wyoming to $1.3 billion in California. Research led by Y. Claire Wang, ScD, associate professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, predicts these costs will only grow as Medicaid eligibility is extended to more people following the implementation of the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion.

3 Nov 2015

WSU researcher to lead $2.5 million study on impact of Affordable Care Act in people with disabilities

A Washington State University researcher will lead a $2.5 million examination of the federal Affordable Care Act's impact on what may be the largest group in need of its services: people with disabilities.

3 Nov 2015

HealthSouth acquires home health and hospice agency operations of CareSouth Health System

HealthSouth Corporation, a leading provider of post-acute healthcare services, today announced its Encompass Home Health business unit has completed its previously announced acquisition of the home health and hospice agency operations of CareSouth Health System, Inc.

2 Nov 2015

NHPCO calls for increased awareness of hospice and palliative care

In recognition of National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, NHPCO has issued the following proclamation calling for increased awareness and acknowledgement of the many accomplishments of hospice and palliative care.

31 Oct 2015

New across-the-board Medicare cuts may place many patients and providers at risk

The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare – a coalition of home health providers dedicated to improving the integrity, quality, and efficiency of home healthcare for our nation's seniors – today warned that additional across-the-board cuts by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services made in the Final Home Health Prospective Payment System Rule for calendar year 2016 could threaten access to patient preferred, cost effective and clinically advanced care for America's home health patients, whom data show are already at significant risk.

31 Oct 2015

CarePoint Health – Bayonne Medical Center named ACR-designated center for lung cancer screening

CarePoint Health, a fully integrated healthcare system that provides quality, patient-focused healthcare to residents of the Hudson County region, today announced that CarePoint Health – Bayonne Medical Center has been named an American College of Radiology designated center for lung cancer screening, making it the second facility in Hudson County (after CarePoint Health – Christ Hospital) to receive this designation.

31 Oct 2015

Medicare News and Research

Study examines association between IV products and anaphylaxis risk

Nearly 50% of Medicaid patients infected with hepatitis C denied coverage for life-saving antiviral drugs

Advances in nanofilter technology may lead to surgically implantable, artificial kidney

Members of Dallas/Fort Worth community receive quality health care through UT Southwestern health fairs

People with high fitness levels in midlife have lower annual health care costs after age 65

Obesity groups take aim at states that deny coverage of obesity treatment under affordable care act

Major US healthcare database has missing pieces

Circulating protein predicts risk of chronic kidney disease

Most states do not cover bariatric surgery under ACA despite minimal impact on monthly insurance premiums

Three out of four consumers not covered for evidence-based obesity treatment services

EndoGastric Solutions announces assignment of relative value units for new CPT code covering TIF procedure

Voluntary Advance Care Planning to become recognized, reimbursable benefit for Medicare recipients

Medigus announces CMS’ publication of fee schedules for endoscopic fundoplication procedures under CPT code 43210 effective January 2016

VUMC, UCSF investigators awarded $6 million NIH grant to develop implantable artificial kidney

Researchers find rise in state-level obesity-related health care costs

WSU researcher to lead $2.5 million study on impact of Affordable Care Act in people with disabilities

HealthSouth acquires home health and hospice agency operations of CareSouth Health System

NHPCO calls for increased awareness of hospice and palliative care

New across-the-board Medicare cuts may place many patients and providers at risk

CarePoint Health – Bayonne Medical Center named ACR-designated center for lung cancer screening

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