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Threatened shutdown may not officially slow health law's implementation but could trigger technical difficulties

Many aspects of the health law will be mostly untouched by the looming federal government shutdown. But some officials are concerned that it could jam up the exchanges' data hub.

26 Sep 2013

Older women living in poorest areas of Appalachia have higher incidence of later stage breast cancer

Older women living in the poorest areas of Appalachia in the U.S. fail to get regular breast cancer screening and have a higher incidence of later stage breast cancer, reports a new study in Health Services Research.

26 Sep 2013

Majority of qualified patients fail to receive lifesaving treatment for sudden cardiac arrest: Study

A new study of patients who died of sudden cardiac arrest, a usually fatal condition that causes the heart to stop beating, shows the majority who qualified to receive potentially lifesaving treatment did not receive it.

25 Sep 2013

Viewpoints: GOP's 'charge into the fixed bayonets;' Republican health plan is superior to Obama's; Congressional hypocrisy on its health policy

So House Republicans have passed and sent to the Senate a budget that includes no funding for the Affordable Care Act, setting up a political showdown that could result in a government shutdown. We wish the GOP luck, since we support the policy if not the strategy. But however this charge into the fixed bayonets turns out, we hope the folks who planned it will take responsibility for what happens now (9/23).

25 Sep 2013

$Repeating BMD tests after four years provides no clinical benefit of fracture risk in older adults$

Repeating BMD tests after four years provides no clinical benefit of fracture risk in older adults

Repeating bone mineral density (BMD) tests after four years provides little clinical benefit when assessing bone fracture risk in seniors age 75 and older, according to a recent study led by researchers at the Harvard Medical School-affiliated Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife. The study appears in the Sept. 25 online issue of JAMA.

25 Sep 2013

Medicare: Judge dismisses observation care lawsuit; Medicare penalizes every D.C. hospital, 5 in VA. suburbs;

A federal court judge dismissed a lawsuit Monday which was filed against the government by 14 Medicare beneficiaries who were denied nursing home coverage because they had been kept in the hospital under "observation status."

25 Sep 2013

As opening day approaches, confusion continues about health exchanges

With the Oct. 1 launch of the health law's online insurance marketplaces just days away, news outlets examine questions such as who will use them, what will make them a success, how long will it take to judge whether they are working, and other key issues.

25 Sep 2013

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

Medicare News and Research

Threatened shutdown may not officially slow health law's implementation but could trigger technical difficulties

Older women living in poorest areas of Appalachia have higher incidence of later stage breast cancer

Majority of qualified patients fail to receive lifesaving treatment for sudden cardiac arrest: Study

Viewpoints: GOP's 'charge into the fixed bayonets;' Republican health plan is superior to Obama's; Congressional hypocrisy on its health policy

Repeating BMD tests after four years provides no clinical benefit of fracture risk in older adults

Medicare: Judge dismisses observation care lawsuit; Medicare penalizes every D.C. hospital, 5 in VA. suburbs;

As opening day approaches, confusion continues about health exchanges

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

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