Medicare News and Research

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Smoking may increase risk of complications, death after colorectal procedures

Infection, pneumonia, blood clots and kidney failure are all possible complications after any major surgery. A new study shows that smoking boosts the risk of such complications following some of the most common colorectal procedures, including surgery for colon cancer, diverticulitis or inflammatory bowel disease.

25 Sep 2013

Cerebral imaging in patients with early symptoms of AD may have better clinical outcomes

Patients suffering from early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease who were diagnosed sooner than usual using a brain imaging test received Alzheimer-specific medications earlier than those who did not have the brain imaging results available to their doctors or themselves.

25 Sep 2013

Quartette tablets now available in U.S. for prevention of pregnancy

Teva Women's Health, a U.S. subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., today announced that the recently approved Quartette (levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol and ethinyl estradiol) tablets are now available via prescription in the U.S. for the prevention of pregnancy.

24 Sep 2013

AHCA intents to award contract for MMA program to Centene's Florida subsidiary

Centene Corporation announced today that the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration posted its notice of intent to award a contract for the Managed Medical Assistance program to Centene's Florida subsidiary Sunshine State Health Plan.

24 Sep 2013

First Edition: September 24, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about Senate action on the effort to defund the health law as well as a scheduled appearance by former President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama to kick off the roll out of a key part of the overhaul.

24 Sep 2013

Primary care services may result in less costly care for residents with advanced dementia: Study

Nursing home residents with advanced dementia commonly experience burdensome, costly interventions that do not improve their quality of life or extend their survival. Now a new study suggests that providing intensive primary care services may result in less burdensome and less costly care for these terminally ill residents.

24 Sep 2013

Proton radiotherapy proves to be cost-effective in treating pediatric brain tumors

Proton therapy, an external beam radiotherapy in which protons deliver precise radiation doses to a tumor and spare healthy organs and tissues, is cost-effective in treating medulloblastomas, fast-growing brain tumors that mainly affect children, when compared to standard photon radiation therapy, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 55th Annual Meeting.

24 Sep 2013

New study finds the tally for medical mistakes much higher than previous estimates

It seems that every time researchers estimate how often a medical mistake contributes to a hospital patient's death, the numbers come out worse. In 1999, the Institute of Medicine published the famous "To Err Is Human" report, which dropped a bombshell on the medical community by reporting that up to 98,000 people a year die because of mistakes in hospitals.

24 Sep 2013

Exchange dynamics will dictate consumers' experiences, costs

Health law advocates frequently say health insurance will cost less as a result of the health law, but news outlets report that a downside could be less choice.

24 Sep 2013

Plenary sessions at AdvaMed 2013 conference to explore new Medicare payment initiatives

The second day of AdvaMed 2013: The MedTech Conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., will feature plenary sessions honoring two of the industry's congressional champions and exploring the impact of new Medicare payment initiatives on patient access to medical innovations.

23 Sep 2013

HTA acquires 6 on-campus medical office buildings in South Florida

Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. "HTA") today announced it had acquired 6 on-campus medical office buildings ("MOB") located in South Florida for approximately $63 million.

23 Sep 2013

HP launches new CDC-recognized Diabetes Prevention Program for Bronx residents

Health People (HP) announced today the launch of its new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recognized Diabetes Prevention Program for Bronx residents to help the borough combat its high diabetes-related death rate - the highest in the city.

23 Sep 2013

First Edition: September 23, 2013

Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey reports: "Nearly 50 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare, the federal health insurance program for the elderly and disabled. The 2010 health care law, known as the Affordable Care Act, will make some changes to the program.

23 Sep 2013

Veracyte files registration statement relating to proposed initial public offering of common stock

Veracyte, Inc. today announced that it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a proposed initial public offering of its common stock. All of the shares to be sold in the proposed offering will be offered by Veracyte, Inc.

21 Sep 2013

New Hampshire seniors favor Medicare home health services, oppose Medicare payment cuts

New Hampshire's home health leaders today released new polling data on New Hampshire seniors' opinions on the value of skilled home healthcare services in the Medicare program and proposed cuts that threaten to reduce Medicare payments by an unprecedented 14 percent. The survey polled 549 New Hampshire registered voters aged 65 and older.

21 Sep 2013

State highlights: 850K Texas kids lack health coverage; Calif. counties brace for health department cuts; autism coverage change hailed in Calif.

Texas continued to have the highest rate of people without health insurance in 2012 at 24.6 percent, or more than 6 million residents, according to the Current Population Survey estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau this week.

21 Sep 2013

HHS warns Texas gov. against adding 'cumbersome requirements' for navigators

The federal letter comes in response to an effort by Gov. Perry to tighten rules to protect consumers' confidential information. Also in news about the efforts to get the online marketplaces running, federal and some state officials again pledge that exchanges will be ready for operation on Oct. 1, but the Wall Street Journal reports on some new glitches.

21 Sep 2013

Phase III EINSTEIN trial program: XARELTO reduces risk of DVT and PE

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today a newly published, pooled analysis of the Phase III EINSTEIN trial program, showing XARELTO (rivaroxaban) is as effective as the standard of care in reducing the risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in people with symptomatic DVT or PE, while reducing the incidence of major bleeding by 46 percent.

21 Sep 2013

CeltiCare Health Plan awarded contract to participate in MassHealth CarePlus program

Centene Corporation announced today that CeltiCare Health Plan, its Massachusetts subsidiary, was notified by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services that it has been awarded a contract to participate in the MassHealth CarePlus program in all five regions, with a contract effective date of October 15, 2013 and commencement of coverage on January 1, 2014.

21 Sep 2013

Personality traits can be correlated to health care consumption, study finds

Psychiatrists and psychologists have long understood that an individual's personality can define how he or she views the world around them, reacts to situations, and interacts with others. It now appears that personality traits can be linked to the frequency with which older adults use expensive health care services.

21 Sep 2013

Medicare News and Research

Smoking may increase risk of complications, death after colorectal procedures

Cerebral imaging in patients with early symptoms of AD may have better clinical outcomes

Quartette tablets now available in U.S. for prevention of pregnancy

AHCA intents to award contract for MMA program to Centene's Florida subsidiary

First Edition: September 24, 2013

Primary care services may result in less costly care for residents with advanced dementia: Study

Proton radiotherapy proves to be cost-effective in treating pediatric brain tumors

New study finds the tally for medical mistakes much higher than previous estimates

Exchange dynamics will dictate consumers' experiences, costs

Plenary sessions at AdvaMed 2013 conference to explore new Medicare payment initiatives

HTA acquires 6 on-campus medical office buildings in South Florida

HP launches new CDC-recognized Diabetes Prevention Program for Bronx residents

First Edition: September 23, 2013

Veracyte files registration statement relating to proposed initial public offering of common stock

New Hampshire seniors favor Medicare home health services, oppose Medicare payment cuts

State highlights: 850K Texas kids lack health coverage; Calif. counties brace for health department cuts; autism coverage change hailed in Calif.

HHS warns Texas gov. against adding 'cumbersome requirements' for navigators

Phase III EINSTEIN trial program: XARELTO reduces risk of DVT and PE

CeltiCare Health Plan awarded contract to participate in MassHealth CarePlus program

Personality traits can be correlated to health care consumption, study finds

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