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U.S. physicians spend more time, money for interaction with health plans than Canadian doctors

Physicians in the United States spend nearly four times as much dealing with health insurers and payers compared with doctors in Canada. Most of the difference stems from the fact that Canadian physicians deal with a single payer, in contrast to the multiple payers in the United States.

5 Aug 2011

Deficit deal: Next steps and new developments

News outlets are reporting on how the next phase called for in the deficit plan will likely follow a rocky road, which could include broken promises on entitlements, danger for the health law and leave the health sector hoping for the lesser evil.

5 Aug 2011

Longer looks: Treating Down syndrome?; mentally ill, meds & trials

Politicians want to lower spending, or at least they say they do. But in all the to-and-fro over raising the debt ceiling, little sensible has been said about lowering spending in the long term. Nothing illuminates this more clearly than health care.

5 Aug 2011

Positive relationship with co-workers can increase your lifespan, says TAU researcher

Companies like Google and Zappos.com are famous for their "work hard, play hard" attitudes and friendly work environments, but are their employees healthier too? According to a Tel Aviv University researcher, a positive relationship with your co-workers has long-term health benefits.

5 Aug 2011

CDC: HIV infection rates hold steady except among young black males

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that while the overall number of people who are infected each year is relatively steady, but there was a 48 percent increase in the number of young HIV-infected African American men who have sex with men from 2006 to 2009.

5 Aug 2011

Levels of body chemical PCT influence duration of antibiotic use

Measuring the levels of a natural body chemical may allow doctors to reduce the duration of antibiotic use and improve the health outcomes of critically ill patients.

5 Aug 2011

Speculation about essential benefits package takes spotlight

As the Department of Health and Human Services works toward setting the specifics of an essential health benefits package — the minimum coverage that would be offered by plans participating in the exchanges — stakeholders are offering actuarial models and suggestions of what they think would be the best approach.

5 Aug 2011

State roundup: Windfall for Mass. hospitals

Hospitals in Massachusetts will reap an annual windfall of $275 million due to a loophole enshrined in the new health care law. Hospitals in most other states will get less money as a result.

5 Aug 2011

FDA approves first scorpion antivenom

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Anascorp-, an antivenom produced in Mexico and tested in clinical trials conducted through the University of Arizona, for use in treating patients suffering the effects of scorpion sting.

5 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: 'Real' Medicare cuts?; HIV/AIDS prevention push; contraceptive coverage

Well, not really. A primer on the debt deal's health-care bookkeeping. All politicians—but these days especially Democrats—like to pretend they'll pay providers somewhat less in the future, despite knowing that is unlikely to happen in practice. Medicare's prospective payments are low enough that further reductions may jeopardize access to care and in many cases threaten the viability of hospitals and physician practices.

5 Aug 2011

New doc-fix plan links payment to quality

Republican staff on the Energy and Commerce Committee are considering a proposal to address the problem of looming cuts to Medicare physician payments by implementing a pay-for-performance system, according to lobbying sources.

5 Aug 2011

Daily text messages to health workers improve proper malaria treatment administration, study shows

"Sending daily text message reminders to health workers can mean nearly 25 percent more children are properly treated for malaria, according to the results of a six-month trial conducted in Kenya" published Thursday in the Lancet, Reuters reports.

5 Aug 2011

Canadian physicians spend less on health insurance administrative costs than U.S. doctors

U.S. physicians spend nearly $61,000 more than their Canadian counterparts each year on administrative expenses related to health insurance, according to a new study by researchers at Cornell University and the University of Toronto.

4 Aug 2011

Health Care REIT second quarter normalized FFO up 13% to $0.90 per share

Health Care REIT, Inc. today announced operating results for the company's second quarter ended June 30, 2011.

4 Aug 2011

Hundreds of parents in Nigerian state refusing polio vaccinations for children

Hundreds of parents "are defying threats of jail time by refusing polio vaccines for their children in a high-risk northern Nigerian state," according to Muhammad Abdu Zango, Kano state coordinator of Journalists Against Polio, the Associated Press/Seattle Times reports.

4 Aug 2011

First Edition: August 4, 2011

In today's news, reports about how lawmakers, lobbyists are lining up for the next phase of the deficit deal.

4 Aug 2011

Health Net second quarter total revenues decrease 19.2% to $2.8 billion

Health Net, Inc. today announced 2011 second quarter GAAP net income of $58.3 million, or $0.63 per diluted share, compared with $45.1 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2010.

4 Aug 2011

Scientists say antibiotic-resistant salmonella strain may spread worldwide

"Scientists have identified an emerging 'superbug' strain of salmonella that is highly resistant to the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin, or Cipro, often used for severe salmonella infections, and say they fear it may spread around the world," according to a study published online Tuesday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, Reuters reports.

4 Aug 2011

SXC second quarter revenue increases 153% to $1.2 billion

SXC Health Solutions Corp., a leading provider of technology and pharmacy benefit management services, announces its financial results for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011.

4 Aug 2011

CIGNA consolidated revenues increase 7% for second quarter 2011

CIGNA Corporation today reported second quarter 2011 results, that included strong revenue growth and earnings from each of our ongoing businesses, reflecting continued effective execution of the fundamentals supporting our long-term growth strategy.

4 Aug 2011