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Genomic Health announces Medicare coverage for Oncotype DX prostate cancer test

Genomic Health, Inc. today announced that Palmetto GBA, a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) that assesses molecular diagnostic technologies, has issued its final local coverage determination (LCD) approving coverage of the Oncotype DX prostate cancer test for qualified Medicare patients throughout the United States.

17 Aug 2015

New study examines how race and gender relate to Medicare Part D's coverage gap

Medicare Part D provides help to beneficiaries struggling with the cost of prescriptions drugs, but the plan's coverage gap hits some populations harder than others, particularly African-Americans age 65 and older. Reaching, or even approaching, the gap affects access to medication and influences whether those medications are taken as prescribed.

15 Aug 2015

Medicare patients in rural settings have lower rates of post-discharge follow-up care

Medicare patients in rural areas have lower rates of follow-up care after leaving the hospital--which may place them at higher risk of emergency department (ED) visits and repeat hospitalizations, according to a study in the September issue of Medical Care.

15 Aug 2015

Meridian Health Plan has second highest rate of HPV vaccinations in U.S. for female adolescents

Meridian Health Plan of Illinois has the second highest rate of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations for female adolescents among all health plans in the country reporting HEDIS data to the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

14 Aug 2015

Psychological disorders in COPD patients predict early hospital readmission

Researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston found that people with a psychological condition such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, or alcohol/drug abuse are more likely to be readmitted early into a hospital for complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

14 Aug 2015

Chances of survival due to chemotherapy significantly lower for older breast cancer patients

Chemotherapy prolongs life for older adults with most types of cancer, but for women over the age of 80 with breast cancer, the chances of survival due to chemotherapy are significantly lower, according to a study led by researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

13 Aug 2015

Cost of radiation therapy varies widely among Medicare patients with cancer

Cost of radiation therapy among Medicare patients varied most widely because of factors unrelated to a patient or that person's cancer, report University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers in the Journal of Oncology Practice.

12 Aug 2015

Livongo Health named AADE-accredited diabetes education program

Livongo Health announced it was named an accredited diabetes education program by the American Association of Diabetes Educators, making it the first company of its kind to achieve this prestigious accreditation status.

4 Aug 2015

NYSNA commemorates Medicare’s 50th anniversary

As part of national events honoring this essential healthcare provision, the New York State Nurses Association kicked off its celebration of the 50th anniversary of the creation of Medicare by releasing its first photo of the day, with nurses and a birthday banner against the backdrop of the Statue of Liberty.

30 Jul 2015

Tissue Regenix strengthens position in post-acute wound care market with Medicare coverage for Dermapure

Tissue Regenix Group, the regenerative medical devices company, announces that it has further strengthened its position within the post-acute wound care market as Tissue Regenix Wound Care Inc. has received further approval for DermaPure under Medicare administrator, First Coast Service Options Inc. whose jurisdiction includes Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

30 Jul 2015

MiMedx Group reports record revenues and earnings for Q2 2015

MiMedx Group, Inc., the leading regenerative medicine company utilizing human amniotic tissue and patent-protected processes to develop and market advanced products and therapies for the Wound Care, Surgical, Orthopedic, Spine, Sports Medicine, Ophthalmic and Dental sectors of healthcare, announced today its record results for the second quarter of 2015.

30 Jul 2015

More work needed to support consumers after enrolling in insurance plan under Affordable Care Act

Enrolling in an insurance plan under the Affordable Care Act is only the first step for consumers to be actively engaged in their health care, according to a new analysis from RAND Corporation researchers.

30 Jul 2015

Study finds marked reduction in death, hospitalizations and costs for Medicare patients

Among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries age 65 years or older, all-cause mortality and hospitalization rates, along with inpatient expenditures per beneficiary, decreased from 1999 to 2013, according to a study in the July 28 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on Medicare and Medicaid at 50.

30 Jul 2015

Hospitals penalized in HAC Reduction program may not reflect poor quality of care, shows study

Hospitals that were penalized more frequently in the Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) Reduction Program offered advanced services, were major teaching institutions and had better performance on other publicly reported process-of-care and outcome measures, according to a study in the July 28 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on Medicare and Medicaid at 50.

30 Jul 2015

National survey finds improvements in self-reported insurance coverage, access to care and health under ACA

Results of a national survey that included more than half a million adults indicates significant improvements in trends for self-reported insurance coverage, access to a personal physician and medications, affordability and health after the Affordable Care Act's first and second open enrollment periods, according to a study in the July 28 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on Medicare and Medicaid at 50.

29 Jul 2015

Yale researchers find improvements in mortality, hospitalizations and outcomes among Medicare patients

In a 15-year study of older Medicare patients, Yale School of Medicine researchers saw an estimated 20% drop in mortality, about 30% fewer hospitalizations, and 40% reduction in deaths after hospitalization.

29 Jul 2015

Centene reports strong financial results for Q2 2015

Centene Corporation today announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2015. The following discussions, with the exception of cash flow information, are in the context of continuing operations.

28 Jul 2015

Study shows link between enrollment in SVRA services and return-to-work outcomes for SSDI beneficiaries

Researchers have published results of a study showing a relationship between enrollment in state vocational rehabilitation agency (SVRA) services and return-to-work outcomes for beneficiaries of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Employment outcomes were better among those who enrolled in SVRA services compared with beneficiaries who did not enroll for these services.

28 Jul 2015

Regeneron, Sanofi to jointly advance new immuno-oncology treatment options for cancer patients

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Sanofi have entered into a new global collaboration to discover, develop and commercialize new antibody cancer treatments in the emerging field of immuno-oncology.

28 Jul 2015

Healthfirst notifies data privacy incident

Healthfirst, 100 Church Street, New York, New York 10007, is notifying approximately 5300 affected members and past members that their personal information may have been compromised in the course of a criminal fraud scheme perpetrated against Healthfirst. Social Security numbers and credit card information were not affected.

25 Jul 2015

Medicare News and Research

Genomic Health announces Medicare coverage for Oncotype DX prostate cancer test

New study examines how race and gender relate to Medicare Part D's coverage gap

Medicare patients in rural settings have lower rates of post-discharge follow-up care

Meridian Health Plan has second highest rate of HPV vaccinations in U.S. for female adolescents

Psychological disorders in COPD patients predict early hospital readmission

Chances of survival due to chemotherapy significantly lower for older breast cancer patients

Cost of radiation therapy varies widely among Medicare patients with cancer

Livongo Health named AADE-accredited diabetes education program

NYSNA commemorates Medicare’s 50th anniversary

Tissue Regenix strengthens position in post-acute wound care market with Medicare coverage for Dermapure

MiMedx Group reports record revenues and earnings for Q2 2015

More work needed to support consumers after enrolling in insurance plan under Affordable Care Act

Study finds marked reduction in death, hospitalizations and costs for Medicare patients

Hospitals penalized in HAC Reduction program may not reflect poor quality of care, shows study

National survey finds improvements in self-reported insurance coverage, access to care and health under ACA

Yale researchers find improvements in mortality, hospitalizations and outcomes among Medicare patients

Centene reports strong financial results for Q2 2015

Study shows link between enrollment in SVRA services and return-to-work outcomes for SSDI beneficiaries

Regeneron, Sanofi to jointly advance new immuno-oncology treatment options for cancer patients

Healthfirst notifies data privacy incident

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How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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