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First Edition: March 15, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about the pace of legal challenges to the health law as well as ongoing congressional attempts to reach partisan agreement on a short-term budget bill to avert a government shutdown.

15 Mar 2011

DJO Global signs definitive agreement to purchase Rikco for $254.6 million

DJO Global, Inc., a leading provider of medical device solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health and pain management, today announced that one of its indirect subsidiaries has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Rikco International, LLC, D/B/A Dr. Comfort, for approximately $254.6 million in cash.

15 Mar 2011

Documents show Blue Shield of Calif.'s rate increases could exceed 85%

Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, Blue Cross Blue Shield is under the microscope for its executive pay; and, in Colorado, some insurers are being pressed by consumer groups to offer rebates because of large cash surpluses.

15 Mar 2011

Despite partisan clashes, political climate open to 'adult' budget debate

Media outlets report that no such serious discussion can be held without including entitlement programs such as Medicare, but public opinion continues to be a wildcard that could undermine momentum.

15 Mar 2011

U.S., S. Korea in talks over how to respond to food aid request by N. Korea

The U.S. continues to evaluate whether to resume food aid to North Korea amid reports of food shortages in the country, Agence France-Presse reports.

15 Mar 2011

Budget cuts could damage Obama administration's plans to beef up State Department, USAID

Due to Congress' proposals to cut spending for the State Department, the Obama administration is increasingly looking toward new funding mechanisms, referred to as blended funds, that pull from Defense Department budgets for activities in Iraq and Afghanistan, CQ reports.

15 Mar 2011

WHO reports on risk from radiation exposure, Humanitarian Assistance arrives in Japan following earthquake

The WHO on Saturday said the public health risk of a radiation leak resulting from earthquake damage at a nuclear reactor site in Japan "appeared to be 'quite low' but the WHO network of medical experts was ready to assist if requested," Reuters reports.

15 Mar 2011

Innovative strategies to reduce infections in health-care settings

Can probiotics prevent pneumonia in patients breathing with the help of ventilators? That's just one question researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis hope to answer as part of innovative new studies to reduce infections in health-care settings.

15 Mar 2011

Queen's University launches well being, inclusion study of former prisoners in Northern Ireland

The first major study of the wellbeing and inclusion of former politically motivated prisoners in Northern Ireland will be launched by Queen's University today.

15 Mar 2011

U.N. officials highlight lack of access to humanitarian aid in Libya

Three-quarters of Libya was still unable to access humanitarian aid last week, Catherine Bragg, the U.N.'s deputy emergency relief coordinator, said on Thursday, the Canadian Press reports.

15 Mar 2011

WFP announces plan to boost food aid, U.N. calls for international aid amid escalating crisis in Cote d'Ivoire

Amid growing concerns over the increasing number of people fleeing from escalating violence in Cote d'Ivoire, the U.N. World Food Program on Friday announced plans to boost food aid to tens of thousands of displaced people and the families hosting them in other countries, AlertNet reports.

15 Mar 2011

Five medical centers receive CDC grant to help reduce healthcare-associated infections

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is awarding $10 million for new research to five academic medical centers as part of its Prevention Epicenter grant program, which supports efforts to develop and test innovative approaches to reducing infections in health care settings.

15 Mar 2011

New UCSD center investigates link between Alzheimer's and Down syndrome

A new center combining academic research with the treatment of adults with Down syndrome - one of the first in the country - has opened at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

15 Mar 2011

Older people who receive Guided Care use fewer expensive health services

A new report shows that older people who receive Guided Care, a new form of primary care, use fewer expensive health services compared to older people who receive regular primary care.

15 Mar 2011

Taking health technology to the top

At the Innovations in Health and Community Care Forum at Old Parliament House on Thursday 3 March, leading health academics and professionals presented compelling arguments supporting the need for integrating assistive technology into health and community models of care.

14 Mar 2011

GOP emphasizing need for states to lead on health reform

A leading Senate Republican said Friday that the welfare reforms put in place during the 1990s, which gave states considerable flexibility, should be used as the model for the shape of a health law replacement plan.

14 Mar 2011

Waivers continue to be flashpoints in health overhaul's implementation

More than 1,040 waiver requests have been approved so far by the Department of Health and Human Services regarding so-called "mini-med" plans. But the perplexing question appears to be how HHS will handle the requests in 2012 and 2013, before a major provision of the health law takes effect. In addition, anticipation continues to mount in regard to the upcoming release of ACO regs.

14 Mar 2011

Hospice care often provides benefits for survivors, too

A pair of Chicago Sun-Times stories outline new research findings regarding hospice care. Meanwhile, an Arizona lawmaker pushes to restore hospice care to the category of Medicaid-covered services, arguing that the care is not only better, but more cost-effective.

14 Mar 2011

Public opinion turns political dynamics of health reform

It appears that the public is still not embracing the new federal health law to the extent Democrats had hoped. As a result, Politico reports that Republican candidates for President and Congress may talk about the measure more than some Democrats — except, of course, when Democrats praise former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney for signing his home state's law.

14 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Sebelius, Harkin, Wyden, King, Altman, Butler weigh in on health reform law

Early signs show that, after years of decline, the number of small businesses offering coverage to employees is increasing. Perhaps less widely recognized, but no less significant, has been the way the law is demanding transparency and accountability from the insurance industry to bring down premiums.

14 Mar 2011