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Poor access to safe and nutritious foods can pose serious health challenges for diabetes patients

Preparing a healthy meal loaded with fresh vegetables seems like an easy thing to do. But for some people living with diabetes, having access to nutritious food can be difficult --- and may have a detrimental effect on their health and well-being, according to a new study led by Ryerson University.

15 Dec 2009

Medicare actuary: Health costs would rise after overhaul

The Senate's health overhaul plan would cover 33 million more people but fail to curb rising health costs, could threaten some Medicare patients' access to care, and may sink profits for one-fifth of hospitals and nursing homes, according to news accounts of an HHS report released Friday afternoon.

15 Dec 2009

SBi secures $30mm credit facility to fund business expansion

Small Bone Innovations, Inc. (SBi), a leading, privately held orthopedics company focused exclusively on technologies and treatments for the small bones & joints, has closed on a $30mm credit facility to fund accelerated business expansion and refinance existing indebtedness.

15 Dec 2009

Manchester Pharmaceuticals' Chenodal now available for patients suffering from gallstones

Manchester Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(TM) announced today the availability of Chenodal(TM) 250 mg (chenodiol tablets). On October 22, 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Chenodal, an important therapy for patients suffering from gallstones in whom surgery poses an unacceptable health risk due to disease or advanced age.

15 Dec 2009

Long-term care proposal raises cost, sustainability concerns

"Embedded in sweeping health legislation passed by the House and being debated on the Senate floor is a major new federal insurance program," called the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, or Class Act, The New York Times reports.

15 Dec 2009

Demystifying Psychiatry: A resource for patients and families

Psychiatric disorders are underdiagnosed, poorly treated and highly stigmatized, according to psychiatrists Charles F. Zorumski, M.D., and Eugene H. Rubin, M.D., Ph.D. So these Washington University physicians have written a book to address those problems.

15 Dec 2009

New reports highlight health care costs

Several new studies on health care costs reveal interesting findings.

15 Dec 2009

Women's health becomes political issue in health care debate

"The heated Capitol Hill debate over health care coverage for mammograms has exploded onto the political scene, shaping the 2010 electoral landscape and recalibrating the battle for a crucial constituency: the women's vote," Politico reports.

15 Dec 2009

Primary care shortage affecting communities as hospitals struggle to keep up

CNN reports that five years ago "roughly half the doctors leaving medical school entered the work force as primary-care physicians; just 20 percent of current medical students are planning to work in primary care."

15 Dec 2009

Medicare buy-in plan's cost may deter centrist lawmakers, potential customers

Some Democrats' idea to open Medicare to certain people aged 55 and older raises the question of whether premiums would be affordable enough.

15 Dec 2009

White House: Health reform would curb cost growth

The White House's Council of Economic Advisers has released a report that finds health reform would slow the growth of health costs in the United States and buttress the economy.

14 Dec 2009

Fine print raises alarms over health bill

News reports forecast that some provisions in the Senate health-overhaul legislation could create distractions for Democrats seeking to pass a bill by the year's end.

14 Dec 2009

DeParle gets GOP cold shoulder on health reform

Politico: "Senate Republicans say they want to 'smoke out' Democratic senators who could help them bring down the health care bill, and so far, they think they've found one in Sen. Jim Webb. With all the attention focused on four other fence-sitting moderates, Webb has voted with Republicans six times on the first series of amendments on the Senate floor — giving GOP leaders some hope that the unpredictable Virginian could buck his party in the end and block the bill" (Raju, 12/14).

14 Dec 2009

Companies shed more light on health bill lobbying

USA Today: "Sweeping ethics rules passed by Congress in 2007 require corporate interests that lobby Washington to reveal more information than ever, such as how much they donate to politicians' favorite charities.

14 Dec 2009

Language Line Services honored with ‘Raquel Cashman Language Access Award’

The International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) recently awarded Language Line Services, a leading interpretation and translation provider, with the Raquel Cashman Language Access Award at the organization's 2009 conference.

14 Dec 2009

Musical greeting cards can pose danger for children

While musical holiday cards are a lot of fun, Their batteries pose a danger to little ones. Kids swallow them and stick them in their ears and nose, A health problem this does pose. The Montreal Children's Hospital doesn't mean to preach But please keep these batteries out of reach.

14 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 14, 2009

Today's headlines reflect the mounting pressure in the Senate regarding the pending health overhaul bill -- especially as the clock ticks closer to the Christmas holiday.

14 Dec 2009

Recipients of ‘2009 Putting Patients First grant’ program announced

Recognizing the need for programs that improve patient safety and quality care, AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. announced the six recipients of the second annual Putting Patients First grant program.

14 Dec 2009

Detroit-area residents plead guilty in connection with health care fraud schemes

Detroit-area residents Baskaran Thangarasan, Sandeep Aggarwal and Wayne Smith pleaded guilty this week for their roles in connection with several Detroit-area health care fraud schemes, Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Terrence I. Berg, Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena of the FBI's Detroit Field Office and Daniel Levinson, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today.

14 Dec 2009

Psychopharmacology expert calls for more mental health staffing at army bases

The recent shootings at the Ft. Hood, Texas army base, allegedly by an army psychiatrist, have placed much-needed focus on mental health care in the army. In an article published in the December issue of the journal CNS Spectrum, renowned psychopharmacology expert Stephen M. Stahl, MD, PhD, calls for increased mental health staffing at Fort Hood and other army bases.

14 Dec 2009