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Wellpoint cancels 39-percent rate hikes in California

Anthem Blue Cross, a California-based unit of WellPoint withdrew its request to hike rates by up to 39 percent for some policyholders after state regulators concluded its plan included "all kinds of methodological mistakes," the Los Angeles Times reports.

3 May 2010

Studies prompt attention to streamlining medical billing

The Wall Street Journal reports on two different studies published recently that focus on the billing practices of doctors. One, in the New England Journal of Medicine quantifies the work done in billing at a small primary care practice.

3 May 2010

Today's opinions: Ending rescissions, exploring issues of doctor payments and the Oklahoma abortion law

In all the recent discussions about health care reform, what had heretofore played out only beyond earshot of the exam room suddenly was very public: the tangled, uneasy and often antagonistic relationship between practicing doctors and the insurance companies who pay for the services they deliver (Dr. Pauline Chen, 4/29).

30 Apr 2010

States struggle to maintain Medicaid programs before health law expansions kick in

"The Tennessee Senate on Thursday approved a bill to allow state hospitals to pay a fee to avoid $659 million in TennCare cuts. Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen had originally proposed cutting $201 million from the state's expanded Medicaid program to help balance the states [sic] budget. Those cuts would be averted through the hospital assessment" (4/29).

30 Apr 2010

Officials face challenges in writing new health law regulations

Obama administration officials face a "monumental task" in writing new regulations to the health care law while keeping one eye on public perception ahead of November's midterm elections.

30 Apr 2010

Florida Senate approves new abortion restrictions

A controversial bill that would require women to undergo ultrasounds before they can have abortions received final approval in the Senate late Thursday, setting up an epic struggle in the House today, the last day of the session. The bill also affects Florida women's coverage in the new federal health exchanges to go into effect in 2014.

30 Apr 2010

Florida Congress members introduce bill to stiffen Medicare fraud laws

Two members of Congress from Florida, emphasizing that "criminal penalties for Medicare fraud must be updated," have introduced legislation that would "double fines, increase background checks and even study how biometric technology could help ensure the appropriate use of program services." Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., and Ron Klein, D-Fla., said the bill "will help crack down on Medicare fraud, protecting seniors and taxpayers alike.

30 Apr 2010

ViaSmart introduces PowerCaddy and TechTote for patient safety

ViaSmart announces its latest products, the PowerCaddy and the TechTote. Designed specifically to assist health care professionals in positively identifying both the patient and the specimen collected, the PowerCaddy carries and protects a PDA (hand-held computer) and a mobile printer in a lightweight, durable tote.

30 Apr 2010

New health law will penalize hospitals for poor quality

The new health law puts the nation's hospitals on strict notice. Either they improve the safety and quality of care for patients or the government will hit them where it hurts the most -- their revenue.

30 Apr 2010

Kaiser Permanente to invest $4.4M to open two new medical offices in Cherokee and Cobb Counties

Kaiser Permanente announced today it will invest $4.4 million to open two new medical offices in Cherokee and Cobb Counties.

30 Apr 2010

Stanford University's Herzenberg Lab wins 2010 Laureate in Computerworld Honors Program

Stanford University's Herzenberg Laboratory is a 2010 Laureate in the prestigious Computerworld Honors Program. SAS, the leader in business analytics software and services, announced the award today.

30 Apr 2010

Endo Pharmaceuticals reports 9% increase in first-quarter 2010 revenues

Endo Pharmaceuticals today reported financial results for the first quarter 2010.

30 Apr 2010

Gaps in delivering publicly-funded physiotherapy across Canada

From Prince Edward Island, to Ontario, to British Columbia; it is getting harder for many Canadians to access publicly funded physiotherapy services. Health care reform initiatives have shifted outpatient physiotherapy into the community, decreasing or eliminating public funding.

30 Apr 2010

BCHC questions government's commitment to defend public health care

The BC Health Coalition is calling into question the provincial government's commitment to defend public health care in the courts in the wake of the recent appointment of Kip Woodward as chair of Vancouver Coastal Health - the province's second largest health authority.

30 Apr 2010

Researchers use healthy person's complete genome sequence to predict risk for dozens of diseases

For the first time, researchers have used a healthy person's complete genome sequence to predict his risk for dozens of diseases and how he will respond to several common medications. The risk analysis, from the Stanford University School of Medicine, also incorporates more-traditional information such as a patient's age and gender and other clinical measurements.

30 Apr 2010

Federal, state and local governments will need to invest more than $5 billion in health IT: INPUT

The recently passed health care reform legislation will require significant investment in IT solutions and system upgrades throughout its implementation. A new report, IT Implications of Health Care Reform, released by INPUT, predicts federal, state and local governments will need to invest more than $5 billion in health IT and traditional IT solutions in order to implement requirements of the new law.

30 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 30, 2010

Today's headlines focus on state decisions regarding new health insurance pools; insurers' plans regarding the early adoption of some reform law provisions; and, of course, the politics that continue to surround health reform.

30 Apr 2010

MEDSEEK to enhance online experience for UNC Health Care patients

MEDSEEK, the industry's only provider of the eHealth ecoSystem, today announced its engagement to enhance the online experience for UNC Health Care patients.

30 Apr 2010

Opinions: Sanitation and women, child health; GM in Global Food Security bill; U.S. malaria strategy; GHI on NTDs; Haiti recovery

"If Stephen Harper is serious about maternal health and child health [as suggested by his plans for the upcoming G8 and G20 summits], he needs to recognize that healthy mothers come from healthy communities," Maude Barlow and Meera Karunananthan of the Council of Canadians write in a Chronicle Herald opinion piece that examines the connections between the health of women and children and access to drinking water and sanitation.

30 Apr 2010

Whole-genome analysis may play future role in clinical medicine: Study

Scientists at Stanford and Harvard Universities collaborated to assess the clinical usefulness of analyzing a patient's full genome for disease risks and unusual drug responses. The work brings closer to reality the concept that whole-genome sequencing might one day play a clinical role.

30 Apr 2010

Health Care News and Research

Wellpoint cancels 39-percent rate hikes in California

Studies prompt attention to streamlining medical billing

Today's opinions: Ending rescissions, exploring issues of doctor payments and the Oklahoma abortion law

States struggle to maintain Medicaid programs before health law expansions kick in

Officials face challenges in writing new health law regulations

Florida Senate approves new abortion restrictions

Florida Congress members introduce bill to stiffen Medicare fraud laws

ViaSmart introduces PowerCaddy and TechTote for patient safety

New health law will penalize hospitals for poor quality

Kaiser Permanente to invest $4.4M to open two new medical offices in Cherokee and Cobb Counties

Stanford University's Herzenberg Lab wins 2010 Laureate in Computerworld Honors Program

Endo Pharmaceuticals reports 9% increase in first-quarter 2010 revenues

Gaps in delivering publicly-funded physiotherapy across Canada

BCHC questions government's commitment to defend public health care

Researchers use healthy person's complete genome sequence to predict risk for dozens of diseases

Federal, state and local governments will need to invest more than $5 billion in health IT: INPUT

First Edition: April 30, 2010

MEDSEEK to enhance online experience for UNC Health Care patients

Opinions: Sanitation and women, child health; GM in Global Food Security bill; U.S. malaria strategy; GHI on NTDs; Haiti recovery

Whole-genome analysis may play future role in clinical medicine: Study

Event guide: 3rd Measuring Patient Engagement Summit eBook

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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