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Labor leaders term Senate health bill 'inadequate'

CBS News: "Labor leaders from two influential unions today called the Senate health care bill 'inadequate,' but they stopped short of pulling their support for the bill. Instead, they are pressing the White House and Congress to modify the bill more to make it more like the House health reform package. After a meeting yesterday with leaders of the Service Employees International Union and a meeting today with its members, SEIU President Andy Stern said the union does not think the Senate is willing or able to make any more progress on its bill.

18 Dec 2009

White House stung by Liberal health bill backlash

The Wall Street Journal reports on the criticism emanating from the left regarding the Senate health bill. "Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is mounting a campaign of sorts against the initiative in its current form.

18 Dec 2009

PSS World Medical chooses inVNT to produce its annual national meeting for 1,500 employees

PSS World Medical, Inc., a national distributor of medical products to physicians and long-term health care providers, chose the live events agency inVNT to produce its annual national meeting for 1,500 employees. inVNT used creative cost-saving measures to stage a high-energy meeting while supporting PSS’ efforts to reduce spending.

18 Dec 2009

NCD to address disability-related issues at next quarterly meeting

The National Council on Disability (NCD) will conduct its next quarterly meeting at the JW Marriott Houston, 5150 Westheimer, Houston, TX, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 19, 2010, and ending at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 21, 2010. This meeting is open to the public.

18 Dec 2009

Medicare expenditures less for POHs compared to non-POHs, says new study

The cost to Medicare of a patient receiving treatment at a physician owned and operated hospitals is "4.6 to 6.00% lower" than hospitals not run by physicians, according to a new study by Oxford Outcomes, an internationally respected research agency.

18 Dec 2009

Union issues report regarding so-called 'cadillac tax'

The Hill: "Growing increasingly anxious at the direction in which healthcare reform is heading, the labor movement is sending yet another signal of friction with the White House. The Communications Workers of America (CWA) released a new report Thursday that counters analysis by one of President Barack Obama's senior aides that the Senate version of the healthcare reform bill would not be tantamount to a tax hike on those making $250,000 or less."

17 Dec 2009

Obama says government will go bankrupt without health reforms to rein in costs

President Obama said in a Wednesday ABC News interview that if Congress fails to pass health care reform that reins in costs it will "bankrupt" the federal government.

17 Dec 2009

Lieberman's health care move still reverberating

Politico: "Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) is taking a thrashing from his former Democratic colleagues and liberal activists for forcing a Medicare expansion out of the health bill. But in the end, Lieberman may have done President Barack Obama one of the biggest favors in the health care debate. That's because any bill with the Medicare buy-in would have drawn fierce opposition from doctors and hospitals, two groups Obama has worked hard to keep on board.

17 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 17, 2009

Today's big story, according to the headlines, are the delays in the Senate debate.

17 Dec 2009

Pennsylvania's Patient Safety Advisory targets complications during pregnancy and childbirth

The complications of pregnancy and childbirth have been targeted in the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority's 2009 December Supplementary Patient Safety Advisory. The special issue provides gynecologists, obstetricians, midwives and the entire obstetric team, with strategies to help them prevent the complications based upon real Pennsylvania data.

17 Dec 2009

Healthcare sector achieves modest revenue growth in 2008

Health care sector revenue increased by 5.7 percent in 2008 to $1.75 trillion, up from $1.66 trillion in 2007, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This sector is classified under the North American Industry Classification System as NAICS 62.

17 Dec 2009

Abbot announces definitive agreement to acquire STARLIMS Technologies for $123 million

Abbott announced today a definitive agreement to acquire STARLIMS Technologies Ltd., a leading provider of laboratory information management systems, for approximately $123 million in cash.

15 Dec 2009

SNFs in Ohio make major changes in operations and services to deal with Medicaid bed tax

Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) in Ohio are making major changes in operations and services in order to deal with a 92 percent increase in the state-imposed Medicaid bed tax (franchise permit fee) from $6.25 to $12.01 per bed per day, scheduled for December 15.

15 Dec 2009

The United States Senate passes funding for teen pregnancy prevention program

The United States Senate yesterday passed a package of spending bills for FY 2010, which included a historic new investment in efforts to prevent teen pregnancy.

15 Dec 2009

HFA urges American Red Cross to end current labor issues over blood supply

The Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA) expresses its concern regarding the ongoing labor issues involving the Teamsters Local 929 and the American Red Cross of Pennsylvania /New Jersey.

15 Dec 2009

Grantham University adds new Health Sciences degree programs to its existing portfolio

Grantham University, an online university dedicated to providing educational opportunities to working adults for nearly 60 years, announced today that it is adding four new Health Sciences degree programs to its existing degree offerings: an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Coding and Billing, a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Health Systems Management and a Master of Healthcare Administration.

14 Dec 2009

AIS introduces new line of medically certified LCD Monitors for hospitals

American Industrial Systems, Inc. (AIS) introduces a new line of medically certified LCD Monitors for hospitals and personal care industries. The medical LCD displays have passed UL60601-1 Medical Equipment Certifications for approved electronic compatibility and reliability in the medical field.

14 Dec 2009

Teamsters supports Sanders amendment to eliminate tax

The Teamsters on Thursday announced their support for Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) amendment to eliminate the proposed excise tax on insurance plans from the Senate health care reform proposal.

11 Dec 2009

MedPAC home care cuts can harm home health agencies and impact senior Americans, says NAHC

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) once again has used a flawed data analysis to recommend cuts that would severely damage the ability of thousands of home health care agencies to provide valuable services to the most vulnerable of Americans, the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) said today.

11 Dec 2009

Leaders and community activists create strategy to combat HIV/AIDS in African-Americans

African-American political leaders, union members, ministers and community activists are meeting Monday, December 14th to create and implement a strategy to combat the deadly HIV/AIDS virus in the African-American Community.

10 Dec 2009