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Abbott receives CE Mark for ARCHITECT HbA1c test

Abbott today announced CE Marking (Conformité Européenne) for the ARCHITECT clinical chemistry Hemoglobin A1c test, which may aid physicians in diagnosing and monitoring diabetes as well as identifying patients at risk for developing diabetes.

9 May 2013

Products from The Compounding Shop lack sterility assurance, FDA warns

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting health care providers, hospital supply managers, and pharmacists that the FDA's preliminary findings of practices at The Compounding Shop of St. Petersburg, Fla., raise concerns about a lack of sterility assurance for sterile drugs produced at and distributed from this site.

9 May 2013

State roundup: Ala. lawmakers OK shift to Medicaid managed care

A bill that restructures the way Medicaid is administered passed the Alabama Legislature Tuesday and now awaits the governor's signature. The State Medicaid Agency now pays doctors directly for services provided to Medicaid patients. Under the new policy, there will be several regions managed by privately owned, for-profit Regional Care Organizations that will contract with doctors and other providers (Wingard, 5/7).

9 May 2013

Hospital Safety Score: Hospitals make only incremental progress in patient safety

When it comes to patient safety, all hospitals and U.S. states aren't created equal, according to the newly updated Hospital Safety Score. The Spring 2013 update to the Hospital Safety Score that assigns "A," "B," "C," "D" or "F" grades to more than 2,500 general hospitals in the United States showed hospitals have made only incremental progress in addressing errors, accidents, injuries and infections that kill or hurt their patients.

8 May 2013

First Edition: May 8, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about government data showing the wide variation in what hospitals charge Medicare patients for common inpatient procedures.

8 May 2013

Viewpoints: Medicaid's effect on health debated; Young adults central to lowering anxiety about online marketplaces

A study comparing low-income people in Oregon who received access to Medicaid over the past two years with those who did not, found that those on Medicaid visited doctors and hospitals more often, suffered less from depression and were more financially secure.

8 May 2013

Premium hikes or not? That is the question

An analysis by the New York Health Benefits Exchange projects that in New York, unlike in many other states, the health law will likely lead to lower health premiums next year.

8 May 2013

PAMF provides support to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection and control

The American Medical Group Association announced today that the Palo Alto Medical Foundation donated $20,000 to support Measure Up/Pressure Down, a national campaign to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection, and control, spearheaded by the American Medical Group Foundation, AMGA's nonprofit education and research arm.

8 May 2013

HHS takes first steps in outreach effort to enroll consumers in health exchanges

CQ HealthBeat reports that the Department of Health and Human Services is now collecting contact information for consumers so the agency can provide updates. Meanwhile, Illinois opened a competitive grant process to award funds to community groups to help with the state's consumer education effort.

8 May 2013

Harkin lifts hold on Tavenner nomination

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said Tuesday that he would allow the nomination of Marilyn Tavenner to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to go forward.

8 May 2013

For health law backers, part of challenge is managing expectations

Some Democrats worry they will face political repercussions if there are snags that can be exploited by Republicans.

8 May 2013

State roundup: Medicaid contractor sues La. over canceled deal

A Maryland-based company whose nearly $200 million Medicaid contract was canceled amid an ongoing federal investigation sued Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration Monday for terminating the deal (5/6).

8 May 2013

FDA: Migraine prevention medicines taken during pregnancy can impact children’s IQ

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting health care providers and patients that medications including and related to valproate sodium can cause decreased IQ scores in children whose mothers took the medication during pregnancy.

7 May 2013

FDA warns over the use of sunlamp products that cause skin cancer

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a proposed order that, if finalized, would reclassify sunlamp products and require labeling to include a recommendation designed to warn young people not to use these devices.

7 May 2013

First Edition: May 7, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about two new studies exploring whether the slowdown in the nation's health spending growth rates is, in fact, due more to structural changes in the health ystem than to the economy.

7 May 2013

Fla. legislature adjourns without Medicaid expansion deal

It seemed like a watershed moment for the Affordable Care Act when Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), a staunch Obamacare opponent, embraced the Medicaid expansion in February. ... Scott wouldn't be the one to "deny Floridians" a part of the health care law - but the Florida legislature had other plans.

7 May 2013

Experts gather to lay out agenda to end childhood poverty

Pediatricians, economists, social scientists and policy experts will come together on Saturday, May 4, to address one of the greatest threats to child health - poverty.

4 May 2013

Reid adds to Capitol Hill Democrats' concerns about health law implementation

Senate majority leader becomes the latest prominent Democrat to express concerns about the roll-out of the law, placing blame on Obama administration and on Republicans for resisting adequate funding.

4 May 2013

Obama 'comfortable' with morning-after pill sales at 15

President Barack Obama said he is "very comfortable" with the Food and Drug Administration rule announced this week to make the so-called morning after pill available without a prescription to women and girls who are at least 15 -- younger than the current limit of 17.

4 May 2013

First Edition: May 3, 2013

Today's headlines include a variety of stories about the health law's implementation, including reports about the Medicaid expansion's red state prospects.

3 May 2013