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Senior U.N. officials express concern over military provision of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan

The New York Times examines the recent criticisms made by senior U.N. officials in Afghanistan that NATO forces are contributing to "the militarization of humanitarian aid" and the Wednesday announcement that the U.N. will not participate in the military's reconstruction effort in Marja, Afghanistan.

18 Feb 2010

Medication therapy management programs for Aetna Medicare members

Aetna today announced that members who enroll in its 2010 Medicare plans will have access to enhanced services called medication therapy management (MTM) aimed at helping them safely and effectively take medications prescribed by their physician. MTM, which will be delivered by Mirixa Corporation, brings together pharmacists, patients, physicians and other health care professionals to help patients with their medications.

18 Feb 2010

Hill-Rom launches new improved ES bed for healthcare facilities

Hill-Rom today announced the introduction of its enhanced CareAssist® ES bed, now with connectivity features, for use in medical–surgical areas of hospitals and care facilities.

18 Feb 2010

NIA develops CardiacConnections program to drive better patient outcomes

Cardiovascular-related examinations account for more than one in three noninvasive diagnostic imaging procedures in the United States. In response to this growing trend and concerns about clinical appropriateness and affordability, National Imaging Associates, a subsidiary of Magellan Health Services, Inc., developed CardiacConnections™, a cardiac management program designed for the benefit of patients, providers, payers, and the health care industry.

18 Feb 2010

Some heart care costs stay outside insurance coverage, Lowe's does national comparison shopping for employees' heart surgery

MarketWatch reports that though many tout prevention in relation to heart disease, "chances are your insurance won't cover a trip to a dietician, a gym membership or other services that could help you reduce your risk factors."

18 Feb 2010

Congressional Republicans remain skeptical of health summit, but Pawlenty asks for governor inclusion

Although Congressional Republicans continue their dismissal of President Obama's health care summit slated for next week, they are still planning to attend, Roll Call reports. "On Wednesday, the GOP responded contemptuously to Sebelius' declaration" that the already-passed Senate and House bills would be the starting point for the summit negotiations. An aide to House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) "referred to a television interview in which his boss made clear the GOP planned to participate in the event" (Drucker, 2/17).

18 Feb 2010

AMGA commends Senator for ensuring EMR incentive payments for medical groups

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) applauds Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) for her efforts to assure fairness in payment of electronic medical record (EMR) incentive payments under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

18 Feb 2010

New database answers question: How healthy is your county?

A new database compares the health of the more than 3,000 counties in the U.S.

18 Feb 2010

Dental insurance fraud: Solutions for benefit cost containment

When Dianne Rose, D.D.S., and her partner, Anthony Paciello, D.M.D., inaugurated P&R Dental Strategies, Inc. over 20 years ago to provide third-party claim review services for national insurance companies, trade unions, self-administered corporations and other dental claims payers, they could not have imagined how far they would eventually be able to take the art of insurance claim review.

18 Feb 2010

Nationwide Better Health awarded full Comprehensive Wellness accreditation from URAC

Nationwide Better HealthSM, a leading provider of health and productivity management solutions, has been awarded full Comprehensive Wellness accreditation from URAC, a Washington, DC-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry.

18 Feb 2010

Review: Giving employees more flexibility over their work schedules likely to boost their health

A new evidence review suggests that giving employees more flexibility over their work schedules is likely to boost their health as judged by measures like blood pressure and stress. But interventions that are motivated or dictated by the needs of the employer, such as cutting hours, either have no effect on employee health or make it worse.

18 Feb 2010

AGHE to hold conference to discuss on gerontological and geriatric education and training

The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education - the educational branch of The Gerontological Society of America - will hold its 36th Annual Meeting and Educational Leadership Conference from March 4 to 7, 2010, at The Peppermill in Reno, NV. This conference provides a forum for professionals in the field of aging to present their work and share ideas about gerontological and geriatric education and training.

18 Feb 2010

Hot button health reform issues: The individual mandate and selling insurance across state lines

News outlets report on several of the hot button issues in the health care debate, including the individual mandate and selling insurance across state lines.

18 Feb 2010

Insurance rates soar in various states

People who buy their own health insurance are seeing their premiums increases by 15 percent or more in four states, and those in others could be faced with the same, The Associated Press/Seattle Times reports.

18 Feb 2010

Feeding preterm infants in response to hunger and satiation cues may allow earlier hospital discharge

Although many parents and health care providers attempt to schedule a preterm newborn's feeding pattern, a new review of studies reveals that feeding in response to the infant's own hunger cues might result in earlier discharge from the hospital.

18 Feb 2010

Calif. budget cuts would end aid to new legal immigrants; Minn. Dems criticize Pawlenty for relying on federal funds

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's latest proposals to close California's budget shortfall would end public assistance for most new legal immigrants, eliminating emergency cash, food and medical aid for those who don't yet qualify for federal welfare. The proposal would represent an about-face for the state.

17 Feb 2010

ACP urges Congress and Obama to enact comprehensive health care reform

"The unfortunate truth is that by many measures, the State of America's health care is in decline," Joseph W. Stubbs, MD, FACP, president of the American College of Physicians (ACP), reported today at ACP's annual State of the Nation's Health Care briefing. "We have too many uninsured, too few primary care physicians, and the cost of health care is rising faster than we can afford."

17 Feb 2010

Former Senate parliamentarian questions reconciliation, Senators want public option back

A former Senate parliamentarian said Tuesday that using reconciliation to pass health care reform will be difficult because the procedure wasn't meant to make policy, Politico's Live Pulse blog reports. The former parliamentarian, Robert Dove, who now teaches at George Washington University, said there are many things that cannot be put into the reconciliation bill. "Dove would know. In 1974, in the midst of his 36-year Senate career, he helped design the Congressional Budget Act, which first created the rules for reconciliation.

17 Feb 2010

Health on the Hill - February 16, 2010

Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey and Eric Pianin of the Fiscal Times talk with the Kaiser Family Foundation's Jackie Judd about recent events on Capitol Hill. For instance, President Obama has scheduled a bipartisan summit for Feb. 25 to discuss ways to pass health care overhaul legislation this year.

17 Feb 2010

Deficit panel to tackle worries of federal debt, including health spending

The New York Times reports that President Obama's appointment of a special panel to study the nation's debt will come "(a)fter decades of warnings that budgetary profligacy, escalating health care costs and an aging population would lead to a day of fiscal reckoning."

17 Feb 2010

Health Care News and Research

Senior U.N. officials express concern over military provision of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan

Medication therapy management programs for Aetna Medicare members

Hill-Rom launches new improved ES bed for healthcare facilities

NIA develops CardiacConnections program to drive better patient outcomes

Some heart care costs stay outside insurance coverage, Lowe's does national comparison shopping for employees' heart surgery

Congressional Republicans remain skeptical of health summit, but Pawlenty asks for governor inclusion

AMGA commends Senator for ensuring EMR incentive payments for medical groups

New database answers question: How healthy is your county?

Dental insurance fraud: Solutions for benefit cost containment

Nationwide Better Health awarded full Comprehensive Wellness accreditation from URAC

Review: Giving employees more flexibility over their work schedules likely to boost their health

AGHE to hold conference to discuss on gerontological and geriatric education and training

Hot button health reform issues: The individual mandate and selling insurance across state lines

Insurance rates soar in various states

Feeding preterm infants in response to hunger and satiation cues may allow earlier hospital discharge

Calif. budget cuts would end aid to new legal immigrants; Minn. Dems criticize Pawlenty for relying on federal funds

ACP urges Congress and Obama to enact comprehensive health care reform

Former Senate parliamentarian questions reconciliation, Senators want public option back

Health on the Hill - February 16, 2010

Deficit panel to tackle worries of federal debt, including health spending

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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