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Medical consultation increases for Medicare patients before cataract surgery

Preoperative consultations before cataract surgery became more common for Medicare patients despite no clear guidelines about when to require such a service, hinting at unnecessary use of health care resources, according to a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication.

24 Dec 2013

Most frequent reasons for readmission often related to patients' underlying chronic medical conditions

Researchers cite identification and monitoring of known underlying chronic medical conditions as opportunities to reduce readmission rates and improve patient safety.

24 Dec 2013

Research roundup: ACA 'can survive' low enrollment; rural/urban differences in O.B. Care; teaching residents cost consciousness

The Health Reform Monitoring Survey (HRMS) was launched in 2013 as a mechanism to obtain timely information on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) ... HRMS data from summer 2013 show that more than 60 percent of those targeted by the health insurance exchanges struggle with understanding key health insurance concepts.

23 Dec 2013

Viewpoints: Health announcement creates 'utter chaos;' a serious chip in the individual mandate; law's benefits aren't free

Last night, in a stunning reversal, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that Americans who have had their plans canceled will be exempt from enrolling in the exchanges, "because some consumers were finding other coverage options to be more expensive than their cancelled plans or policies."

23 Dec 2013

Report: Examine high-billing docs' Medicare billing to root out fraud

A report from the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general to be released Friday will call for closer scrutiny of doctors' total billing. Elsewhere, ProPublica looks at how ineffective federal oversight is in looking for fraud in Medicare prescribing.

23 Dec 2013

Obama's aides stay on despite exhaustion, health law woes

President Obama's aides are largely staying attached to his administration to help bolster the President's approval ratings amid the health law's considerable problems. In the meantime, the law's proponents are pushing new ways of selling the law.

22 Dec 2013

Despite repairs to health website, concerns remain and lagging enrollment could create problems

The Associated Press examines concerns that young people may not sign up for coverage as part of the law, while other news organizations report on a new poll, some of the problems insurers face and security issues.

21 Dec 2013

Observation services in hospitals result in large medical bills, says study

Hospitals are increasingly placing patients too ill to be sent home but not sick enough to be admitted into observation services.

20 Dec 2013

First Edition: December 20, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the action taken by the administration to relax a health law requirement just four days before the deadline.

20 Dec 2013

Viewpoints: Republicans' 'repeal trap;' 'insufferable' pajama boy; ADHD epidemic; ACLU's campaign against Catholic hospitals

The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne, Indiana, reports on a fascinating exchange between GOP Rep. Marlin Stutzman and a local meat market owner, Lee Albright, who likes the Affordable Care Act and quizzed the Congressman about the real world implications of the GOP repeal stance (Greg Sargent, 12/18).

20 Dec 2013

USC's Keck Medicine becomes world's first center to implant responsive brain device to treat epilepsy

On Dec. 18, Keck Medicine of USC became the world's first medical center to implant a responsive brain device newly approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat epilepsy, with potential to help millions of people worldwide.

20 Dec 2013

Most dementia people living at home have multiple unmet health and welfare needs

Most people with dementia who live at home have multiple unmet health and welfare needs, any number of which could jeopardize their ability to remain home for as long as they desire, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.

20 Dec 2013

Congress closes in on permanent fix to Medicare doctor payments

With a bipartisan budget deal behind it, Congress may be on the verge of solving the way it makes Medicare payments to doctors. Meanwhile, national spending on health care is growing at the slowest pace ever recorded, according to The New York Times.

19 Dec 2013

Viewpoints: New healthcare.gov czar knows something about computer bugs; fears about inadequate drug coverage

Seriously, one has to hope the new guy -- Kurt DelBene, former head of the Microsoft Office Division -- brings only a portion of Microsoft's heritage along with him. Aside from the XBox, the software giant isn't known for great consumer experiences. Its products have been maddeningly complex and notoriously buggy, at least in their early versions. Kind of like HealthCare.gov! (Jon Healey, 12/17).

19 Dec 2013

Nearly two-thirds of nation's leading health care executives positive about health care reform

Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of the nation's leading health care executives say they believe the health care system will be somewhat or significantly better by 2020 than it is today as a result of national health care reform. Additionally, 93 percent believe that the quality of care provided by their own hospital or health system will improve during that time period.

19 Dec 2013

Bristol-Myers Squibb signs agreement to sell global diabetes business

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today announced that it has signed an agreement to sell its global diabetes business that was part of its collaboration with AstraZeneca. Under terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will make an upfront payment of $2.7 billion to Bristol-Myers Squibb, with potential regulatory- and sales-based milestone payments of up to $1.4 billion and will make royalty payments based on net sales through 2025.

19 Dec 2013

Obama talks health care technology at meeting with executives

President Barack Obama met privately with executives from several technology companies to discuss the difficulties the administration has had with healthcare.gov.

19 Dec 2013

Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals team up with ACC to enhance clinical research with alirocumab

Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced an innovative collaboration with the American College of Cardiology focused on enhancing clinical research with alirocumab, an investigational monoclonal antibody targeting PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9). PCSK9 is known to contribute to circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Alirocumab is being co-developed by Sanofi and Regeneron.

19 Dec 2013

Bipartisan budget opens door to hope for more cooperation

The Senate is nearing final passage of a bipartisan two-year budget proposal that is giving lawmakers on both sides of the aisle hope that cooperation on other legislation is on the way.

19 Dec 2013

FDA accepts Regeneron's EYLEA Injection sBLA for standard review

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted for standard review the Company's supplemental Biologics License Application for EYLEA (aflibercept) Injection for the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema.

18 Dec 2013

Medicare News and Research

Medical consultation increases for Medicare patients before cataract surgery

Most frequent reasons for readmission often related to patients' underlying chronic medical conditions

Research roundup: ACA 'can survive' low enrollment; rural/urban differences in O.B. Care; teaching residents cost consciousness

Viewpoints: Health announcement creates 'utter chaos;' a serious chip in the individual mandate; law's benefits aren't free

Report: Examine high-billing docs' Medicare billing to root out fraud

Obama's aides stay on despite exhaustion, health law woes

Despite repairs to health website, concerns remain and lagging enrollment could create problems

Observation services in hospitals result in large medical bills, says study

First Edition: December 20, 2013

Viewpoints: Republicans' 'repeal trap;' 'insufferable' pajama boy; ADHD epidemic; ACLU's campaign against Catholic hospitals

USC's Keck Medicine becomes world's first center to implant responsive brain device to treat epilepsy

Most dementia people living at home have multiple unmet health and welfare needs

Congress closes in on permanent fix to Medicare doctor payments

Viewpoints: New healthcare.gov czar knows something about computer bugs; fears about inadequate drug coverage

Nearly two-thirds of nation's leading health care executives positive about health care reform

Bristol-Myers Squibb signs agreement to sell global diabetes business

Obama talks health care technology at meeting with executives

Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals team up with ACC to enhance clinical research with alirocumab

Bipartisan budget opens door to hope for more cooperation

FDA accepts Regeneron's EYLEA Injection sBLA for standard review

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