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First Edition: October 11, 2013

Today's headlines include news about what experts are diagnosing as the trouble spots in the federal online health insurance exchange and how to fix them.

11 Oct 2013

Viewpoints: 'Death throes' of health law opponents; Ryan's plan on entitlements may offer way out of budget crisis

Politically, the biggest challenges facing the ACA are behind us. By my count, the law has already survived three near-death experiences: the Democrats' loss of a filibuster-proof Senate majority with the election of Scott Brown in Jan. 2010, the Supreme Court's June 2012 decision upholding (with one exception) the law's constitutionality, and President Obama's re-election last Nov. Much of what we see going on in Washington now is the death throes of the opposition, especially now that Americans are beginning to sign up for coverage (John McDonough, 10/9).

11 Oct 2013

Obama meets with congressional delegations as GOP mulls change in tactics to end budget crisis

The president is having separate meetings with Democrats and Republicans from the House and Senate as both sides seek a solution to the impasse. Some Republicans are looking at a plan on entitlement changes from Rep. Paul Ryan as a roadmap, but others complain that he is abandoning the fight over the health law.

11 Oct 2013

Health exchange issues? There are many, say experts and consumers

The reviews may not be good, but people are visiting the new health care web sites, according to the new AP-GfK poll. In addition, experts offer possible reasons for the problems that continue to plague the federal health insurance web site. Meanwhile, various news outlets examine how certain states are faring with the federal and state exchanges.

11 Oct 2013

Driver Rehabilitation program evaluates whether patient can safely drive car or not

Loyola University Health System has begun a Driver Rehabilitation program that provides a comprehensive evaluation on whether a patient can safely drive a car.

11 Oct 2013

US health care spending to grow at an average annual rate of 5.8% for 2012-22

New estimates released 9/18/13 from the Office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services project that aggregate health care spending in the United States will grow at an average annual rate of 5.8 percent for 2012-22, or 1.0 percentage point faster than the expected growth in the gross domestic product.

11 Oct 2013

First Edition: October 10, 2013

Today's headlines include a new Associated Press poll that offers the public's early reviews of the first days of the health law's online insurance marketplaces.

10 Oct 2013

BMC finds patients with high degree of skills, confidence less likely to have hospital readmissions

A study by physicians at Boston Medical Center (BMC), has found that patients with a high degree of activation (possessing the knowledge, skills, confidence and inclination to assume responsibility for managing one's health and health-care needs) were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge than those with a low level of activation.

10 Oct 2013

Mayo Clinic study: Baby boomers to witness surge in cataract surgeries

As baby boomers enter their retirement years, health care costs for complex and debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer's disease are expected to soar. Not drawing as much attention is the likelihood of similarly rising expenses for common age-related medical procedures. A Mayo Clinic study looked at one of those -- cataract surgery-- and found that more people are getting the vision-improving procedure, seeking it at younger ages and having both eyes repaired within a few months, rather than only treating one eye.

10 Oct 2013

State health exchanges running more smoothly than federal marketplace

The New York Times reports that, while difficulties continue for consumers in the 30 states that are using the federal government's online health insurance marketplace, those who live in states that have chosen to operate their own are faring better.

10 Oct 2013

Shoppers on fed's insurance website still face problems

News outlets report on the glitches still plaguing the website, healthcare.gov., in its second week of operation. White House officials say fixes are being made, although they have been unable to say how many consumers have enrolled in plans through the website.

10 Oct 2013

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield offers tips for playing safe with prescription drugs

As we age, most of us come to depend on prescription drugs to help us live healthier, longer lives. But the very medications that we count on for better health could also land us in the hospital.

10 Oct 2013

Viewpoints: Rep. Ryan says entitlements hold the key to an agreement; health law's impact on smokers; WSJ on Medicaid expansion

Once those threats are removed, however, there is plenty to discuss: how to replace the sequester cuts, which are already devastating domestic programs and are about to get much worse for defense spending; how to use fiscal policy to stimulate the creation of jobs and fix the nation's infrastructure; how to repair a broken tax system, reduce long-term debt, and ensure that social welfare programs remain healthy (10/8).

10 Oct 2013

Gov't shutdown triggered by Capitol Hill causes damage to public health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls in furloughed scientists after a salmonella outbreak in California sickened people in 18 states.

10 Oct 2013

New agreement gives Health Net's members access to 14 of Prime Healthcare's hospitals

Prime Healthcare Services is pleased to announce that it has contracted with Health Net of California for 14 of its hospitals.

10 Oct 2013

Meridian recognizes 19 Michigan primary care physicians as "Top Docs"

Meridian Health Plan has recognized 19 Michigan primary care physicians as "Top Docs" for their outstanding quality and service.

10 Oct 2013

First Edition: September 9, 2013

Today's headlines include reports on how some state health online insurance marketplaces are working as well as the latest from Capitol Hill on the budget standoff.

9 Oct 2013

Prominent leaders explore new era of healthcare partnerships at MDS' annual conference

Prominent healthcare leaders from around the country were reminded that "You don't have to get big, you just have to play smarter and get better" as healthcare organizations explored strategies for success at MDS Consulting's 8th annual Healthcare Leadership and Executive Conference held recently in Las Vegas.

9 Oct 2013

$Study examines use of single-fraction radiation treatment for prostate cancer, bone metastases$

Study examines use of single-fraction radiation treatment for prostate cancer, bone metastases

Justin E. Bekelman, M.D., of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, and colleagues conducted a study to examine whether single-fraction radiation treatment, shown to be as effective as multiple-fraction treatment with less potential for harm, has been incorporated into routine clinical practice for Medicare beneficiaries with prostate cancer and at what cost savings.

9 Oct 2013

Viewpoints: Whether Americans will like health law is open question; GOP has 'nothing to show' for shutdown; Sebelius says demand derailed marketplace's debut

How absolutely bonkers. And yet how unsurprising. We're awash these days in metaphors as overworked as our political debate is overwrought, and it's impossible not to wonder how much one contributes to the other. When nuance and perspective exit the language, do they exit the conversation as well? When you speak in ludicrous extremes, do you think that way, too? Obamacare has proved to be not just ideologically divisive but linguistically fertile. There's seemingly no event or passage in American history to which it can't be compared (Frank Bruni, 10/7).

9 Oct 2013

Medicare News and Research

First Edition: October 11, 2013

Viewpoints: 'Death throes' of health law opponents; Ryan's plan on entitlements may offer way out of budget crisis

Obama meets with congressional delegations as GOP mulls change in tactics to end budget crisis

Health exchange issues? There are many, say experts and consumers

Driver Rehabilitation program evaluates whether patient can safely drive car or not

US health care spending to grow at an average annual rate of 5.8% for 2012-22

First Edition: October 10, 2013

BMC finds patients with high degree of skills, confidence less likely to have hospital readmissions

Mayo Clinic study: Baby boomers to witness surge in cataract surgeries

State health exchanges running more smoothly than federal marketplace

Shoppers on fed's insurance website still face problems

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield offers tips for playing safe with prescription drugs

Viewpoints: Rep. Ryan says entitlements hold the key to an agreement; health law's impact on smokers; WSJ on Medicaid expansion

Gov't shutdown triggered by Capitol Hill causes damage to public health

New agreement gives Health Net's members access to 14 of Prime Healthcare's hospitals

Meridian recognizes 19 Michigan primary care physicians as "Top Docs"

First Edition: September 9, 2013

Prominent leaders explore new era of healthcare partnerships at MDS' annual conference

Study examines use of single-fraction radiation treatment for prostate cancer, bone metastases

Viewpoints: Whether Americans will like health law is open question; GOP has 'nothing to show' for shutdown; Sebelius says demand derailed marketplace's debut

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