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To reach MDGs, citizens must demand more from political leaders, former U.N. Secretary-General tells U.N. Foundation board meeting

At a U.N. Foundation board meeting in Ghana to discuss Millennium Development Goal progress, which concluded on Saturday, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan "called on the citizenry to demand the attainment of these set goals from their political leaders," the Accra Mail reports. "It is only through this that we can put pressure on the politician to work towards achieving these goals," he said, according to the newspaper.

26 Oct 2010

Medicare plan choices attract attention as open enrollment approaches

Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services say they have taken steps to streamline this year's plan options for private Medicare plans, including Part D, the prescription drug plan including eliminating some plans they consider duplicative.

26 Oct 2010

Sprint to Meaningful Use solution helps healthcare organizations to achieve Stage 1 requirements

MEDSEEK, the leading provider of enterprise eHealth solutions that give patients, clinicians and administrative staff an optimal 360-degree online experience, today announced the introduction of its Sprint to Meaningful Use solution, specifically designed to help healthcare organizations quickly achieve the objectives of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act).

26 Oct 2010

PhRMA representatives meet with officials in India to discuss compulsory licensing

During a visit with government officials, industry leaders and NGOs in India last week, representatives from Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a U.S. lobbying group that represents the country's pharmaceutical industry and biotechnology companies, addressed "the Indian government's proposal to allow local drugmakers to make low-cost version of patented drugs so that they can be made available to patients," the Economic Times reports.

26 Oct 2010

Health politics: Obama challenges GOP on health law; insurers backing republicans; Democrat Manchin opposes law

In an interview with President Barack Obama, The National Journal asked about the GOP agenda, including repealing the health law. What is clear to me is that in the abstract, everybody on the Republican side is for repeal, Obama said.

26 Oct 2010

Future geriatric care should focus on systems, not technology, say nurses

The most important advances in geriatric care, say gerontological nurse researchers and practitioners, are not new technologies and procedures but changes in thinking about older patients.

26 Oct 2010

In India, major reduction seen in polio since 2009, WHO says on World Polio Day

There has been a significant reduction in the number of polio cases diagnosed in India this year compared with the same time last year, the WHO said on World Polio Day Sunday, IANS/Sify News reports.

26 Oct 2010

Michigan hospitals focus on ERs for seniors; GA. voters consider funding new trauma centers

Some hospitals in Michigan seek to address the unique needs of senior patients, including the use of specially designed emergency rooms, while voters in Georgia consider new fees to help improve trauma units.

26 Oct 2010

Doctors, nurses and urgent care centers address increasing demand

The (Lynchburg, Va.) News and Advance reports on doctor shortages in Virginia: "Attracting more physicians to the area, and keeping them, is a challenge that has become more urgent. So much so that Centra is in the midst of creating a formal Physician Recruiting Office, where staff will work to convince physicians to consider coming to Lynchburg for their residency or to practice.

26 Oct 2010

Calif. budget comes in the nick of time for health centers; LA. Gov. announces cuts in health care funding

With some California community health centers just weeks or days away from laying off staff or reducing their hours, the state adopted its latest-ever annual budget on Oct. 8.

26 Oct 2010

Confusion over reform may fuel health fraud

CNNMoney: People running health care scams may find new opportunities in consumers' confusion over the health overhaul law. "Most of the schemes are poorly constructed, using the pretext of reform. 'So far there's no major criminal organization behind them,' said James Quiggle, spokesman for non-profit group Coalition Against Insurance Fraud.

26 Oct 2010

Amgen reports $3,816 million for 2010 third quarter revenue

Amgen reported revenue unchanged for the third quarter of 2010 at $3,816 million versus $3,812 million for the third quarter of 2009.

26 Oct 2010

Mergers between hospitals and insurers expected to increase

"Health system reform, in combination with economic factors and trends in play, is expected to speed consolidation of health insurers and hospitals, leaving physicians to figure out how they should adapt," American Medical News reports. "The prospect for mergers and acquisitions throughout the industry is high thanks not only to health system reform, but also more access to financing to buy up other companies.

25 Oct 2010

Online health records gain (a little) popularity

The Wall Street Journal: A crop of websites to help patients store medical information and monitor their health are gaining attention. "With people over 50 increasingly focused on ways to monitor and measure their health, [online personal health records, or PHRs] are drawing more attention. In addition to Microsoft Corp.'s [HealthVault], other well-known PHRs include Google Inc.'s Google Health and WebMD Health Manager from WebMD Health Corp.

25 Oct 2010

Tips for unemployed buying health insurance

The Wall Street Journal, in a personal finance column: "With no job prospects long before they can afford to retire -- and Social Security benefits still years away -- many unemployed workers in their 50s and early 60s are struggling to pay the bills. ... Of the 14.9 million unemployed, more than 2.2 million are 55 or older, according to the U.S. Labor Department."

25 Oct 2010

Dueling letters on Medicare Part D changes

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jessica Marcy reports on reactions to changes in Medicare's Part D program as open enrollment season approaches, and offers - as examples - letters from Republican lawmakers and advocacy groups (Marcy, 10/25).

25 Oct 2010

Today's Op-Eds: Confusion, compromises on health reform law

Here are a few basic facts that Americans need to keep in mind before they go to the polls, and afterward. First, most aspects of the reform do not go into effect until 2014. Second, things are indeed bad out there: The costs of medical care and insurance premiums are (still) rising, and some employers are (still) dropping coverage. But for that, you should blame the long-standing health care crisis and the current bad economy. Health reform is supposed to help with these problems (10/23).

25 Oct 2010

MSSNY names athenahealth as preferred EHR vendor

athenahealth, Inc., a leading provider of web-based practice management, electronic health record (EHR), and patient communication services to medical groups, today announced that it has been named a preferred EHR vendor by the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY).

25 Oct 2010

Health law implementation hitting snags

Despite pledges to leave employer-based health plans intact, benefits consultants say some firms are considering ending or reducing coverage for their workers, The Associated Press reports, adding: "That's just not going to happen, White House officials say." But an executive for the consulting firm Deloitte said, "What we are hearing in our meetings is, 'We don't want to be the first one to drop benefits, but we would be the fast second.' We are hearing that a lot."

25 Oct 2010

KHN column: What if Republicans win?

In his latest Kaiser Health News column, John Goodman writes: "Quite a few Democrats and almost every Republican are running against ObamaCare in this fall's elections. What if they win?" (10/25).

25 Oct 2010