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Health insurer lobby releases plan to reduce U.S. health care costs by $145 billion

Officials from America's Health Insurance Plans have proposed a plan they estimate could reduce U.S. health care spending by $145 billion by 2015, The Politico reports. The group plans to present its findings to congressional committee chairs and ranking members and to hold a policy briefing.

3 Jun 2008

New approach to treating vision loss caused by type 1 Usher syndrome

A new approach to treating vision loss caused by type 1 Usher syndrome (USH1), the most common condition affecting both sight and hearing, will be unveiled by a scientist at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics tomorrow (Tuesday 3 June).

2 Jun 2008

New studies provide insight into oral cancer, chronic pediatric ear infections, and hearing health

Three new studies published in the June 2008 edition of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery focus on what role gender plays in the prognosis of oral tongue cancer, chronic ear infections in children, and the success rates of hearing aid implants in the elderly.

1 Jun 2008

Bilateral cochlear implants: A case when two are definitely superior to one

A study of cochlear implant patients seen by Indiana University School of Medicine physicians is the first research to show evidence that cochlear implants in both ears significantly improves quality of life in patients with profound hearing loss and that the cost of the second implant is offset by its benefits.

30 May 2008

House Committee leaders warn pharmaceutical companies to end use of 'misleading' advertisements

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) in a recent letter warned four pharmaceutical companies to end the use of "misleading and deceptive" direct-to-consumer advertisements for medications, CQ HealthBeat reports.

21 May 2008

Veteran group to present proposals for advance funds for health care in department of Veterans Affairs budget

Disabled American Veterans on Wednesday at a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing plans to present a proposal under which lawmakers would approve funds for health care in the Department of Veterans Affairs budget one year in advance, The Hill reports.

21 May 2008

Old age is the new middle age - Health Secretary Alan Johnson says

Health Secretary Alan Johnson today called on the NHS to rise to the challenge of providing more and better preventative care for older people.

21 May 2008

Senate leaders agree on privacy protections amendment to health care information technology bill

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Wednesday announced that sponsors of a bill (HR 1693) that would promote the use of health care information technology have agreed to include an amendment Leahy proposed to help protect patient privacy, CQ HealthBeat reports. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and ranking member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) introduced the legislation last October.

19 May 2008

House Committee holds hearing on concerns about nursing home ownership, inspections

The House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Thursday held a hearing to examine the effects that the "increasingly veiled nature" of nursing home ownership and problems with inspections have had on the quality of care for elderly and disabled residents, CQ HealthBeat reports (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 5/15).

19 May 2008

Hearing to focus on direct-to-consumer ads for prescription drugs

Officials for Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Schering-Plough on Thursday will testify at a House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing that Democrats hope will "lay the groundwork for future legislation to tighten controls on drug marketing," the Wall Street Journal reports.

8 May 2008

Medicare fee cuts could devastate rehabilitation services

Pending cuts to the Medicare physician fee schedule could severely hamper the ability of physical therapists to serve the rehabilitation needs of seniors and people with disabilities -- driving up overall costs while decreasing quality of care, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and its Private Practice Section.

8 May 2008

Lawmakers, industry reps, officials discuss Medicare competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment

During a House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing Tuesday, lawmakers, officials and representatives of the durable medical equipment industry discussed a Medicare competitive bidding program, including the application process and possible alternatives to the program, CQ HealthBeat reports (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 5/6).

7 May 2008

New study shows how sounds are amplified in the inner ear

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators have found that an electrically powered amplification mechanism in the cochlea of the ear is critical to the acute hearing of humans and other mammals. The findings will enable better understanding of how hearing loss can result from malfunction of this amplification machinery due to genetic mutation or overdose of drugs such as aspirin.

7 May 2008

Corticosteroids provide no survival benefit for children with bacterial meningitis

Corticosteroids given to children who are hospitalized for bacterial meningitis do not provide a benefit in survival or in reduced hospital stays, according to a large multicenter study by pediatric researchers. This finding stands in contrast to previous studies in hospitalized adults, for which corticosteroids dramatically reduced mortality.

6 May 2008

House hearing to address concerns over Medicare durable medical equipment competitive bidding program

The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee on Tuesday plans to hold a hearing on a Medicare competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment, CQ HealthBeat reports (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 5/5).

6 May 2008

New discoveries in hearing health

Three studies published in the May 2008 edition of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery reveal substantial new findings in several areas of hearing health, including research that indicates that patients with profound hearing loss benefit substantially from having cochlear implants placed in both ears, rather than one, as is the common practice.

1 May 2008

FDA needs additional $225 million, new authority to inspect foreign facilities to protect U.S. residents from unsafe prescription drug imports, agency officials say

FDA officials on Tuesday said the agency would need at least $225 million in additional funding annually, along with other authoritative powers, to adequately inspect the safety of imported drug products, the Baltimore Sun reports.

30 Apr 2008

Factors affecting survival, disability of extremely premature infants identified

Gestational age has long been the factor most commonly used to predict whether an extremely low-birth-weight infant survives and thrives, but four additional factors that can help predict a preemie's outcome have been identified by the National Institutes of Health Neonatal Research Network, of which Yale is a member.

29 Apr 2008

Latest health crisis threatens South Australia

The threat of the resignation of hundreds of public sector doctors in South Australia over a pay dispute with the State Government has prompted SA Industrial Relations Minister Michael Wright to intervene and urge them to withdraw the threat in an effort to break the stalemate.

29 Apr 2008

Laser eye surgery comes under close scrutiny

More and more people are having laser vision corrective surgery (LASIK surgery) in the hope that their vision will be restored to such an extent that glasses will no longer be needed.

28 Apr 2008

Hearing News and Research

Health insurer lobby releases plan to reduce U.S. health care costs by $145 billion

New approach to treating vision loss caused by type 1 Usher syndrome

New studies provide insight into oral cancer, chronic pediatric ear infections, and hearing health

Bilateral cochlear implants: A case when two are definitely superior to one

House Committee leaders warn pharmaceutical companies to end use of 'misleading' advertisements

Veteran group to present proposals for advance funds for health care in department of Veterans Affairs budget

Old age is the new middle age - Health Secretary Alan Johnson says

Senate leaders agree on privacy protections amendment to health care information technology bill

House Committee holds hearing on concerns about nursing home ownership, inspections

Hearing to focus on direct-to-consumer ads for prescription drugs

Medicare fee cuts could devastate rehabilitation services

Lawmakers, industry reps, officials discuss Medicare competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment

New study shows how sounds are amplified in the inner ear

Corticosteroids provide no survival benefit for children with bacterial meningitis

House hearing to address concerns over Medicare durable medical equipment competitive bidding program

New discoveries in hearing health

FDA needs additional $225 million, new authority to inspect foreign facilities to protect U.S. residents from unsafe prescription drug imports, agency officials say

Factors affecting survival, disability of extremely premature infants identified

Latest health crisis threatens South Australia

Laser eye surgery comes under close scrutiny

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

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