Labor News and Research

RSS

Health Mason software to streamline health care claim payment process

With health care reform taking the national spotlight, the sole point of agreement by all parties is that some form of change is necessary. Many health care industry experts believe that now is the worst time for government-mandated change because innovation has already begun to occur organically from within the industry. One Franklin Tennessee-based software company is defining that innovation and garnering attention in the industry.

17 Nov 2009

HELP Committee chairman: Senate will work weekends on health bill

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said Monday that the Senate will work weekends in December to try to pass a health care reform bill, The Hill reports.

16 Nov 2009

Health lobbying ranges from below the radar to high profile

A Charlotte, N.C., law firm is operating a secretive group called Americans for Quality and Affordable Healthcare to attempt to shape lawmakers' and the public's opinions on health reform, the Associated Press reports.

16 Nov 2009

China Medicine reports total revenues of $19.2M for the third quarter of 2009

China Medicine Corporation, a developer and a leading distributor of prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, traditional Chinese medicines (TCM), nutritional and dietary supplements, and medical devices and medical formulations, today announced its third quarter 2009 results.

16 Nov 2009

Platelet function tests predict heart attacks in patients pre-treated with two anti-clotting medications before coronary stenting

Three platelet function tests all identified heart patients who will have blood cells that remain sticky, increasing heart attack risk, despite being pre-treated with two anti-clotting medications before coronary stenting, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009.

16 Nov 2009

First Edition: November 13, 2009

On this Friday the 13th, the headlines offer an array of health policy views -- from the possibility of including a Medicare payroll tax in health reform legislation to continuing analysis of the overhaul's winners and losers as well as the CDC's new estimate of the far-reach of the swine flu.

13 Nov 2009

Immanuel Senior Living implements Avantas' Smart Square web-based scheduling software

Already utilizing Avantas Pools to provide health professionals for their Assisted Living Communities in Omaha and Lincoln, Immanuel Senior Living and Avantas have expanded their relationship to include Avantas' web-based scheduling software, Smart Square and the Staffing Resource Center.

13 Nov 2009

Gallup-Healthways monthly U.S. well-being report released

Please be advised that Gallup and Healthways, Inc. today released the Gallup-Healthways Monthly U.S. Well-Being Report for October 2009.

12 Nov 2009

Pioneering cardiologist and inventor in heart medicine passed away

William Ganz, M.D., an internationally-recognized leader and inventor in heart medicine, died Tuesday night of natural causes. He was 90.

12 Nov 2009

UMass Memorial Health Care renews its supply chain relationship with Broadlane

Broadlane, the leading cost-management company for healthcare providers, announced today that UMass Memorial Health Care, the largest healthcare system in Central and Western Massachusetts, has renewed its supply chain relationship with Broadlane for another three years.

12 Nov 2009

Congress urged to consider alternative approaches to workplace leave policies

In testimony today before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Children and Families, Elissa O'Brien, SPHR, vice president of human resources for Wingate Healthcare, urged Congress to consider alternative approaches to policies governing workplace leave that reflect the needs of today's workforce.

11 Nov 2009

World's poorest countries fail to address HIV despite low cost and effective preventive health efforts

A proven and cost-effective strategy for turning the tide on global AIDS still remains significantly underutilized, World Vision warned in advance of World AIDS Day. Efforts to prevent mother-to-baby transmission of HIV must be urgently scaled up in high-prevalence countries to avoid needless infection of children, the Christian humanitarian organization said.

11 Nov 2009

Immigrant and refugee violence: Experts recommend preventive and intervention strategies

Last year, the United States provided asylum and resettlement assistance for nearly 80,700 people from other countries, an increase from 71,300 individuals in 2007, according to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. University of Missouri health experts say the increase has made issues of immigrant and refugee violence and the need for effective intervention strategies more apparent.

11 Nov 2009

State News: State budgets and Medicaid continue to draw headlines

The Associated Press/The Houston Chronicle reports that Texas lawmakers will add $5 million to expand mental health services — specifically veteran-to-veteran peer support groups — in the state. "Gov. Rick Perry on Monday announced the plan that calls for directing money from the state Health and Human Services Commission budget toward mental health treatment programs for veterans and their families" (11/9).

10 Nov 2009

Assisted Living Concepts reports financial results for third-quarter 2009

Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. ("ALC") reported net income from continuing operations and net income of $4.2 million and $3.4 million, respectively, in the third quarter of 2009 compared to net income from continuing operations and net income of $3.1 million and $3.0 million, respectively in the third quarter of 2008.

9 Nov 2009

First-quarter fiscal 2010 results announced by Rural/Metro

Rural/Metro Corporation, a leading provider of ambulance and private fire protection services, announced results today for its fiscal 2010 first quarter, reporting continued growth in net revenue, strong cash flows, and further improvements in key operating statistics.

9 Nov 2009

U.S. hospitals' profit margin increases to 8% in the second quarter of 2009

The median profit margin of U.S. hospitals increased from near zero in the third quarter of 2008 to more than 8 percent in the second quarter of 2009, according to an analysis of hospital financial performance published today by Thomson Reuters.

9 Nov 2009

Pelosi's speech on the House floor supporting H.R. 3962

Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor today in support of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The House will vote on the legislation later tonight.

9 Nov 2009

eHealth CEO commends passage of health reform bill

I commend Speaker Pelosi, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rangel, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Waxman, Education and Labor Committee Chairman Miller, lead author Rep. John Dingell and their House colleagues for advancing legislation with the goal of connecting all Americans to coverage. House passage of this legislation is an important step towards reform and achieving the goal of covering the uninsured, an objective that has been a priority for our company from its inception.

9 Nov 2009

States struggle with immigrants' care and funding mental hospitals

News outlets report on a variety of health issues at the state level including immigrants' challenges when trying to access new care in Massachusetts and a proposal by employees to cut some services but keep open a mental hospital in Maryland.

6 Nov 2009