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Research roundup: New medical coding system; choosing a hospice; revamping Medicare

On October 1, 2014, all health plans, health data clearinghouses, and health care providers that transmit health information electronically must use a new, significantly broader, coding system, called ICD-10, for diagnoses and inpatient procedures.

21 Mar 2014

Across races, Republican candidates use health law issues in their ads

The health law, however, is part of an ongoing debate among some GOP strategists on the best paths going forward.

21 Mar 2014

First Edition: March 20, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about how the GOP is challenging the Obama administration's authority regarding the health law on various fronts, including the employer mandate delay and the birth control coverage mandate.

20 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: Supreme Court on religion and health; a GOP Senate's effect on health law; where are the young adults?

Should corporations have the right to get out of obeying federal law and refuse services and deny health care coverage to some people because of the corporate owners' religious beliefs? That's the question the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing this month – and the answer could affect millions of Americans' everyday lives (Cecile Richards and Chad Griffin, 3/18).

20 Mar 2014

State highlights: Electronic health record adoption lags; Maine's health problems; Minn. insurance costs

A selection of health policy stories from Maine, Minnesota, Maryland, Missouri, Massachusetts, Georgia and Florida.

19 Mar 2014

Renal mass biopsy rates increasing in kidney cancer

Rates of renal mass biopsy have been historically low in patients with kidney cancer, but are steadily rising, shows an analysis of Medicare data.

19 Mar 2014

First Edition: March 19, 2014

Today's headlines include various stories about health law politics in the run up to the midterm elections.

19 Mar 2014

Study finds that online ratings don't help patients to distinguish between hospitals

Despite having access to online ratings, patients can't distinguish the quality or performance of one hospital from another, finds a new study in Health Services Research.

19 Mar 2014

Sign-up surge brings health law's enrollment tally to 5 million

In the past two weeks, an estimated 800,000 people have used the health law's online marketplaces to select health insurance. But doubts persist as to whether the number of enrollees will come close to the Obama administration's latest target, and questions continue about how many of these shoppers have actually paid their premiums.

19 Mar 2014

Mass. cutting ties with insurance exchange website vendor after problems

The contractor, CGI Group, is also the lead contractor on the federal marketplace website.

18 Mar 2014

State highlights: States urge some retailers to end tobacco sales; abortion in N.D., Ark.; Conn. assisted suicide

A selection of health policy stories from North Dakota, Arkansas, Connecticut, New York, California, Missouri, Arizona and Minnesota.

18 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: The lesson from Florida's special election; hospital deaths; costs of treating hep C

But in recent months, the political landscape has grown bleaker [for Democrats] .... The question, of course, is why so many Republicans turned out [in the Florida special election last week] and why so few Democrats did. The answer among strategists on both sides was: Obamacare. But not in the sense that the healthcare law is so unpopular that Democrats are doomed; in fact, as more people sign up for health coverage, polls suggest that Obamacare is a little less toxic now than it was last fall. Instead, the problem is that a high-decibel debate over Obamacare has the effect of prompting conservatives to come out and vote, but not liberals (Doyle McManus, 3/16).

18 Mar 2014

First Edition: March 18, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about the Obama administration announcement that more than 5 million people have enrolled in coverage under the health law -- an increase of about 800,000 in the last two weeks.

18 Mar 2014

House ties 'doc fix' to a delay in the individual mandate

The Senate is expected to refuse to accept the Republican plan to fix the way Medicare pays doctors and that could fray a bipartisan effort to find a long-term solution to the problem.

18 Mar 2014

Colon cancer rates plunge after screenings increase, study reports

As use of colonoscopy has increased, the number of colon cancer diagnoses dropped 30 percent in the past decade in Americans over the age of 50.

18 Mar 2014

Improving coordination of care for elderly patients trims costs and complications

Improving the coordination of care for elderly patients with chronic diseases trims costs, reduces use of health services and cuts complications, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

18 Mar 2014

Incidence of colon cancer in the US is decreasing with increased use of colonoscopy

Colorectal cancer, commonly called colon cancer, is the third most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Research, published today, by the American Cancer Society shows that the incidence of colorectal cancer among adults aged 50 years or more has fallen by 30% in the US over the last 10 years. This is thought to be primarily due to the widespread uptake of colonoscopy screening, which has almost tripled among adults aged 50 to 75 years (19% in 2000; 55% in 2010).

17 Mar 2014

Medicare News and Research

Research roundup: New medical coding system; choosing a hospice; revamping Medicare

Across races, Republican candidates use health law issues in their ads

First Edition: March 20, 2014

Viewpoints: Supreme Court on religion and health; a GOP Senate's effect on health law; where are the young adults?

State highlights: Electronic health record adoption lags; Maine's health problems; Minn. insurance costs

Renal mass biopsy rates increasing in kidney cancer

First Edition: March 19, 2014

Study finds that online ratings don't help patients to distinguish between hospitals

Sign-up surge brings health law's enrollment tally to 5 million

Mass. cutting ties with insurance exchange website vendor after problems

State highlights: States urge some retailers to end tobacco sales; abortion in N.D., Ark.; Conn. assisted suicide

Viewpoints: The lesson from Florida's special election; hospital deaths; costs of treating hep C

First Edition: March 18, 2014

House ties 'doc fix' to a delay in the individual mandate

Colon cancer rates plunge after screenings increase, study reports

Improving coordination of care for elderly patients trims costs and complications

Incidence of colon cancer in the US is decreasing with increased use of colonoscopy

Viewpoints: Cancer's deadly toll in minority communities; GOP candidates need to go on offense against health law

First Edition: March 17, 2014

Research roundup: Medicaid eligibility; tracking discontinued randomized trials; decline in work-based insurance

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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