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Patient Protection and Affordability Act requirement goes into affect in September 2010: BCBSM

A diploma won't be the only thing carried away from high school and college commencement ceremonies in Michigan this spring. Young adults also will be carrying their parents' Blue Cross health insurance card.

22 Apr 2010

World Bank report shows some MDG progress, country-level advancement 'uneven'

The world is on track to meet the poverty reduction target of the Millennium Development Goals, but sub-Saharan Africa still lags behind, according to the World Bank's World Development Indicators 2010 report, released Tuesday, VOA News reports (Hennessey, 4/20).

22 Apr 2010

Young adults to remain on parents' plan, states Aetna

Aetna today released the following statement regarding its decision to work with customers to extend dependent coverage to young adults.

22 Apr 2010

Senate Subcommittee hearing looks at USAID budget request, potential for reform

A Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs hearing on Tuesday about USAID's FY 2011 budget addressed the potential for "broad changes in the culture and operations of" USAID, CQ reports.

22 Apr 2010

Hospice Advocates encourage policy makers to protect access to end-of-life care for all Americans

Today 450 Hospice Advocates from across the country took part in the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's Capitol Hill Day 2010 by meeting with their U.S. Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill and encouraging policy makers to preserve and protect access to compassionate, high-quality end-of-life care for all Americans.

22 Apr 2010

MRSA infections on the rise in hospitals and health care settings: AHRQ report

Despite activities to identify and reduce the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other health care-associated infections in hospitals and health care settings nationwide, new reports released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality show that MRSA is on the rise and continues to pose an alarming threat.

22 Apr 2010

Retired public employee's benefits in budget trimmers' sights

Miami Herald: "The [Florida] House dropped its plan to save $224 million by eliminating a monthly health insurance subsidy for about 300,000 retired public employees, many of them politically influential former teachers, police officers and firefighters. Axing the health subsidy for retirees had enraged public employee unions and Democrats, who accused Republicans of breaking a pact with public workers.

22 Apr 2010

Report highlights 11 key categories of diseases, health consequences that occur due to climate change

A report released today by a federal working group highlights 11 key categories of diseases and other health consequences that are occurring or will occur due to climate change. The report, A Human Health Perspective on Climate Change, provides a starting point for coordination of federal research to better understand climate's impact on human health.

22 Apr 2010

Colorado Governor moves forward with implementing reforms; Nevada community health centers feel financial pinch

In Colorado, "Gov. Bill Ritter signed four bills he promised will rein in skyrocketing health care costs on Tuesday and appointed a director who will oversee 10 state agencies to implement the Obama administration's new health care plan.

22 Apr 2010

H1N1 flu epidemic has lessons to offer health care providers: Anesthesia Progress

The H1N1 flu epidemic has lessons to offer health care providers. The limited amount of vaccine available initially left pregnant women, small children with medical conditions, and other high-risk populations waiting in long lines. The problems encountered in reaching certain segments of the population apply to the provision of dental care as well as other disciplines.

22 Apr 2010

Study links maternal height to children's health outcomes

Malnutrition suffered during a woman's childhood "can adversely affect the health of her children, Harvard researchers said Tuesday," following the release of their study in developing countries, which "found that the shortest women were substantially more likely to have children who died at an early age, who were underweight or who failed to thrive, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical [Association]", the Los Angeles Times' blog "Shots" reports.

22 Apr 2010

Miller-McCune: 'Existing beliefs' can stand in the way of medical research

After a scientist found that runners' widespread habit of using ibuprofen before long races didn't help them, and may even cause more inflammation than doing nothing, a group of runners presented with the evidence still said they would continue using the drug, reports Miller-McCune, a Santa Barbara-based public policy magazine. The researcher who conducted the study said, "They really, really think it's helping. … Even in the face of data showing that it doesn't help, they still use it."

22 Apr 2010

Patient-physician compatibility affects adherence to doctor's orders, patient's health status: Study

Doctors and patients have varying opinions on how much control a person has over their own health outcomes. A new study by University of Iowa researchers suggests that when doctor and patient attitudes on the issue match up, patients do a better job of taking their medications.

22 Apr 2010

Medical technology innovation strives for personal focus, cost-efficiency

Medtronic CEO Bill Hawkins says the products made by his company, like pacemakers, insulin pumps and neurostimulators are the "ultimate personal technologies," according to CNNMoney. He said a shift in his industry is moving towards health information technology that people will depend on and use with their cell phones and laptops.

22 Apr 2010

Mail-order drug provider identifies $163B in potential prescription drug savings

A study by Express Scripts, a mail-order prescription drug provider, said Tuesday that an "estimated $163 billion in health care spending could be saved each year if patients took their medicines as prescribed, chose generic drugs and other low-cost alternatives, and had their prescriptions delivered by mail," the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Express Scripts released its report at a two-day conference for clients in St. Louis.

22 Apr 2010

As more reform specifics emerge, so do questions, answers and impacts

As details of health reform policies shake out, questions, answers and consequences are emerging.

22 Apr 2010

States reach compromise on financial healthcare reforms

After all the posturing and grand standing the states have finally reached a compromise on the financial healthcare reforms suggested by the Federal Government. Prime Misnter Kevin Rudd may be happy about the outcome, but he still has more to do. The work is only just beginning for the long haul.

22 Apr 2010

Proposed Medicare payment changes for hospitals would lower reimbursements slightly

The Wall Street Journal: "Hospital stocks moved higher Tuesday after the agency that runs Medicare proposed new inpatient services rates for the next fiscal year that were somewhat better than many had expected. Monday evening the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it would like to cut Medicare operating payments to acute care hospitals for inpatient services occurring in the next fiscal year by $142 million, or 0.1%. These figures don't include the impact of the new health-care reform law, which analysts said would cut the rate by another 0.25%".

22 Apr 2010

AFP reflects on WHO's response to H1N1

Agence France-Presse examines the WHO's response to H1N1 (swine flu) one year since the virus was first reported in Mexico and the U.S. "A year on, questions linger as to whether a decision by the World Health Organization to declare swine flu a pandemic, thereby unleashing the slew of health measures, was over-dramatic or even tainted by commercial interests," the news service writes.

22 Apr 2010

New Department of Neurosurgery for UNC School of Medicine

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine is establishing a new Department of Neurosurgery, effective July 1, 2010.

22 Apr 2010

Health Care News and Research

Patient Protection and Affordability Act requirement goes into affect in September 2010: BCBSM

World Bank report shows some MDG progress, country-level advancement 'uneven'

Young adults to remain on parents' plan, states Aetna

Senate Subcommittee hearing looks at USAID budget request, potential for reform

Hospice Advocates encourage policy makers to protect access to end-of-life care for all Americans

MRSA infections on the rise in hospitals and health care settings: AHRQ report

Retired public employee's benefits in budget trimmers' sights

Report highlights 11 key categories of diseases, health consequences that occur due to climate change

Colorado Governor moves forward with implementing reforms; Nevada community health centers feel financial pinch

H1N1 flu epidemic has lessons to offer health care providers: Anesthesia Progress

Study links maternal height to children's health outcomes

Miller-McCune: 'Existing beliefs' can stand in the way of medical research

Patient-physician compatibility affects adherence to doctor's orders, patient's health status: Study

Medical technology innovation strives for personal focus, cost-efficiency

Mail-order drug provider identifies $163B in potential prescription drug savings

As more reform specifics emerge, so do questions, answers and impacts

States reach compromise on financial healthcare reforms

Proposed Medicare payment changes for hospitals would lower reimbursements slightly

AFP reflects on WHO's response to H1N1

New Department of Neurosurgery for UNC School of Medicine

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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