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Life-sustaining interventions: Hospitals 'moving toward the middle'

Patients admitted to hospitals with higher-intensity end-of-life care live longer than those admitted to hospitals with low-intensity approaches, according to a University of Pittsburgh study available online and published in the February issue of the journal Medical Care. Higher-intensity care refers to greater use of life-sustaining measures such as ICU admission, intubation or mechanical ventilation, kidney dialysis and feeding tubes.

12 Feb 2010

Cuts to Texas Medicaid payment rates will hurt nursing home care providers

In testimony at a Health and Human Service Commission (HHSC) hearing on possible budget reduction options, the President of the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) warned that any cuts now to Texas Medicaid payment rates for nursing home care will confront the nursing home profession with dire financial consequences.

12 Feb 2010

Kaiser Permanente approves 500 grants and donations totaling $90M in fourth-quarter of 2009

Kaiser Permanente, one of America's leading health care providers and nonprofit health plans, announced today it approved 500 grants and donations nationwide totaling $90 million in the fourth quarter of 2009. In total, Kaiser Permanente approved $170 million in grants and donations to support efforts to keep people healthy during these tough economic times.

12 Feb 2010

Calif. budget cuts will hit adult day care centers, prison health care; Texas and Kansas weigh Medicaid cuts

Under the most recent cost-saving budget proposals, 327 adult day healthcare centers throughout California would be eliminated. Cuts could save the state $135 million in fiscal 2011, state projections show.

11 Feb 2010

Medicare payment cuts may impact patients’ access to quality neurosurgical care

As lawmakers continue to wrestle with how best to reform the Medicare physician payment system, the results of a new survey by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), and the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies (CSNS) paint a troubling picture for patients if drastic Medicare physician payment cuts continue.

11 Feb 2010

Governor Rendell proposes fiscal year 2010-11 General Fund budget

With Pennsylvania finances still suffering the effects of the most stubbornly challenging national economy since the Great Depression, Governor Edward G. Rendell today proposed a fiscal year 2010-11 General Fund budget that spends $26.3 billion in state money, augmented by more than $2.7 billion in federal stimulus funds.

10 Feb 2010

Enrollment for SCAN Health Plan Arizona exceeds projections in Maricopa County

More than 6,300 Maricopa County residents selected SCAN Health Plan Arizona as their Medicare Advantage Plan (MAPD) for 2010, far exceeding SCAN's enrollment projections. Eligible individuals may continue to join SCAN until March 31, 2010.

10 Feb 2010

Valentines Party for disabled community at VHAV, California

Valentines Party planned for the blind and the disabled on Tuesday, February 16, 2010. Event will be held at the Visually Handicapped Adults of the Valley (VHAV), 15520 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91406.

10 Feb 2010

Report shows 3.4% of adult Minnesotans suffer from COPD

The nation's fourth leading cause of death, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is now being measured by the Minnesota Department of Health's Environmental Public Health Tracking Program. The program focuses on three major causes of hospitalizations in Minnesota that can be triggered or made worse by environmental factors such as secondhand smoke or outdoor air pollution — asthma, heart attacks and COPD.

10 Feb 2010

Kansas to downsize hospitals for disabled; Nevada may cut enrollment in programs for mentally ill and seniors

Kansas Health Institute reports on downsizing at hospitals for the developmentally disabled: "Admissions to Kansas Neurological Institute will be halted this summer and restricted at Parsons State Hospital, the state's top welfare agency official said today.

10 Feb 2010

Nursing home provides non-medical care for individuals faced with health or mobility challenges

Alan Revell of Milford worked for one day as a supervisor in a nursing home before he quit. What he witnessed was the inspiration for the newly formed Caring Rose Home Care of Annandale.

9 Feb 2010

Broad coalition supports inclusion of new bill in the Minnesota legislature

A measure to make roads safer and more accessible for all Minnesotans – regardless of age or ability or whether traveling by car, bus, bike or on foot – was introduced into the Minnesota legislature today. The "Complete Streets" bills, SF 2461 and HF 2801, are supported by a broad coalition of health, family, environment, senior, and transportation advocates who attended an afternoon press conference.

9 Feb 2010

Moody’s Investors Service raises Ventas' senior unsecured debt from Ba1 to Baa3

Ventas, Inc. today announced that Moody’s Investors Service has raised the rating on the Company’s senior unsecured debt to Baa3 from Ba1, with a stable outlook. This action by Moody’s follows similar ratings upgrades from Fitch Ratings in July 2009 (unsecured debt raised to BBB from BBB-, with a stable outlook) and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services in February 2008 (unsecured debt raised to BBB- from BB+, with a stable outlook). The Company’s senior unsecured debt now carries an investment grade rating from all three major ratings agencies.

6 Feb 2010

Nearly 50% of essential services provided for cancer treatment not reimbursed by Medicare

A comprehensive study of the components of the delivery of modern-day cancer care in community oncology practices revealed that Medicare covers only 56% of the actual costs of administering chemotherapy and providing related infusion room services to seniors with cancer. The remaining costs -- for essential services provided such as treatment planning, care coordination, and follow-up care planning -- are not reimbursed by Medicare, causing many oncology practices to struggle to continue to provide care under the Medicare program.

5 Feb 2010

New report finds low adult vaccination rates in U.S.

A new report, Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives, released today by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) found that more than 30 percent of adults ages 65 and older had not been immunized against pneumonia in 36 states as of 2008.

5 Feb 2010

Report shows more Americans are buying prescription drugs to treat digestive conditions

The number of Americans buying prescription drugs to treat digestive conditions climbed over 50 percent, rising from 18.1 million to 29 million people between 1997 and 2007, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

5 Feb 2010

$AAOS issues new clinical practice guidelines for treating distal radius fractures$

AAOS issues new clinical practice guidelines for treating distal radius fractures

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) recently approved and released an evidence-based clinical practice guideline on the Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures.

5 Feb 2010

Care levels in Ontario's homes will continue to decline without additional staff: OANHSS

Without funding for additional staff promised by the McGuinty government in its 2008-2009 Provincial Budget, care levels in homes will continue to decline and the sector will not have the capacity to ensure the success of the seniors' elements of the province's Emergency Room - Alternative Levels of Care Strategy (ER-ALC).

3 Feb 2010

Medpage Today provides clinical perspective on most read medical stories

Which medical news stories are physicians reading to stay informed about key developments? MedPage Today publishes the Most Read Stories for the Past Week.

3 Feb 2010

CPS supports NACI recommendations for new shingles vaccine

The Canadian Pain Society (CPS) supports the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendations for the use of a vaccine to significantly reduce the risk of developing herpes zoster (shingles) and post herpetic neuralgia in adults over the age of 60 without contraindications.

3 Feb 2010

Seniors News and Research

Life-sustaining interventions: Hospitals 'moving toward the middle'

Cuts to Texas Medicaid payment rates will hurt nursing home care providers

Kaiser Permanente approves 500 grants and donations totaling $90M in fourth-quarter of 2009

Calif. budget cuts will hit adult day care centers, prison health care; Texas and Kansas weigh Medicaid cuts

Medicare payment cuts may impact patients’ access to quality neurosurgical care

Governor Rendell proposes fiscal year 2010-11 General Fund budget

Enrollment for SCAN Health Plan Arizona exceeds projections in Maricopa County

Valentines Party for disabled community at VHAV, California

Report shows 3.4% of adult Minnesotans suffer from COPD

Kansas to downsize hospitals for disabled; Nevada may cut enrollment in programs for mentally ill and seniors

Nursing home provides non-medical care for individuals faced with health or mobility challenges

Broad coalition supports inclusion of new bill in the Minnesota legislature

Moody’s Investors Service raises Ventas' senior unsecured debt from Ba1 to Baa3

Nearly 50% of essential services provided for cancer treatment not reimbursed by Medicare

New report finds low adult vaccination rates in U.S.

Report shows more Americans are buying prescription drugs to treat digestive conditions

AAOS issues new clinical practice guidelines for treating distal radius fractures

Care levels in Ontario's homes will continue to decline without additional staff: OANHSS

Medpage Today provides clinical perspective on most read medical stories

CPS supports NACI recommendations for new shingles vaccine

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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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