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State's Medicaid funds tapped for federal health overhaul

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver writes: "The new health care law could shift billions of dollars from cash-strapped states to the federal government by changing the way Medicaid prescription drug rebates are treated, according to state and industry officials and an examination of Medicaid spending data" (Weaver, 4/20).

22 Apr 2010

Alaska is 20th state to join health reform lawsuit; Okla. and La. consider signing on

Alaska Republican Gov. Sean Parnell has said he will make Alaska the 20th state to join a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new health reform law, The Anchorage Daily News/McClatchy report.

21 Apr 2010

Abbott's first-quarter worldwide pharmaceutical sales increases by 12.9%

Abbott today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

21 Apr 2010

Identity Force releases Spring 2010 National Survey of Hospital Compliance Executives

Identity Force today released its Spring 2010 National Survey of Hospital Compliance Executives. More than 200 compliance executives from AHA member hospitals in 43 states indicated data breaches and medical identity theft continue to grow despite new regulations like the Red Flag Rules and the HITECH Act, designed to protect against the theft and loss of personal information.

21 Apr 2010

Early tracheotomy does not reduce risk of VAP in mechanically ventilated adult ICU patients

Adult ICU patients who received tracheotomy 6 to 8 days vs. 13 to 15 days after mechanical ventilation did not have a significant reduction in the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia, according to a study in the April 21 issue of JAMA.

21 Apr 2010

Drugmakers raised prices last year in anticipation of new health law, Eli Lilly reports financial hit

"Drug companies sharply raised prices last year, ahead of increased rebates they must pay to Medicaid and other expenses tied to the federal health overhaul passed last month. Prices for brand-name pharmaceuticals rose 9.1% last year, the biggest increase in at least a decade, according to pharmacy-benefit manager Express Scripts Inc."

21 Apr 2010

MMRC Multiple Myeloma Genomics Initiative presented at AACR 2010

An analysis of 38 myeloma tumor genomes surveyed through extensive next-generation sequencing by the Broad Institute has revealed intriguing recurrent mutations that point to important cellular pathways which contribute to multiple myeloma. These data were revealed during an oral presentation entitled "First Impressions of the Multiple Myeloma Genome" by Todd R. Golub, MD, Director of the Cancer Program at the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute.

21 Apr 2010

Hospital mortality rates make poor diagnostic tests for quality of care

Mortality rates are a poor measure of the quality of hospital care and should not be a trigger for public inquiries such as the investigation at the Mid Staffordshire hospital, argue experts in a paper published on bmj.com today.

21 Apr 2010

Physicians, patients sign online petition to stop Medicare Meltdown

Medicare, the foundation of America's health system, is crumbling and needs permanent repair. Yet Congress just passed major health system reform legislation without solving the Medicare problem.

21 Apr 2010

New survey shows 82% of patients select OTC products recommended by their pharmacist

According to the most recent Pharmacy Today Over-the-Counter Product Survey conducted by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), pharmacists believe that 82 percent of consumers purchase over-the-counter products that were recommended by their pharmacist.

21 Apr 2010

Gene test predicts statins' effectiveness in reducing risk of colorectal cancer

A genetic test can help determine in which patients cholesterol-lowering statin drugs might have the most benefit in also reducing the risk of colorectal cancer, a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center finds.

21 Apr 2010

U.S. military will end formal operations in Haiti by June, official says

The U.S. military will end its formal earthquake relief mission in Haiti on June 1, but some assistance will continue after that, Lieutenant General Ken Keen said on Monday, Reuters reports.

21 Apr 2010

Henry Ford Health System President to discuss practical strategies for success at educational symposium

A two-day educational symposium, "Going Radical: Creating the Hospital of the Future," may hold the key to revitalization. It will be held May 25 - 27.

21 Apr 2010

State Round Up: Colorado's medical marijuana dispensaries; Insurance discounts for wellness; Florida's pain clinic oversight legislation

Hundreds of new medical marijuana dispensaries have cropped up in Denver, Boulder and other Colorado cities, causing the state to stop accepting walk-up applications from people seeking cards that allow them to buy the plant, CNBC/USA Today reports. Would-be medical-marijuana consumers will now have to mail in their applications. "The changes are necessary due to the explosive growth in the number of medical marijuana applications," said a state health official.

21 Apr 2010

Regence takes action to prevent gap in health care coverage

Regence, the largest insurer in the Northwest/Intermountain Region, announced today that it is taking action to prevent a gap in coverage that could leave many young members uninsured.

21 Apr 2010

Proteus Biomedical's wireless personal health device receives FDA marketing clearance

Proteus Biomedical Inc., a pioneer in intelligent medicine, announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration to market its wireless personal health device, the Raisin Personal Monitor.

21 Apr 2010

Feinstein bill would close 'enormous hole' in health reform but must be amended to cut industry influence: Consumer Watchdog

A health reform fix-it bill by Senator Dianne Feinstein that was debated in a Senate committee this morning aims at closing what Feinstein called an "enormous loophole" in the new federal law, allowing insurers to jack up rates on insurance policies that Americans will soon be required to buy.

21 Apr 2010

Some health insurers move to cover kids up to age 26 even earlier than law requires

Insurers will move even more quickly than required to keep young adults on their parents insurance plan, USA Today reports. "UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Kaiser Permanente and WellPoint said they will put into effect some provisions of the new health care law ahead of schedule to let adult children stay on parents' plans until age 26." The reason for moving earlier than the Sept. 23 deadline? "[T]he companies said they are changing rules now to prevent young adults from falling into a coverage gap" (Young, 4/20).

21 Apr 2010

Lipocine announced receipt of $2M development milestone payment from Abbott

Lipocine Inc. announced today the receipt of a $2 million development milestone payment from Abbott under the terms of its Licensing Agreement to develop and commercialize an oral testosterone product for hypogonadism, also known as low testosterone.

21 Apr 2010

Reuters examines uneven economic growth, welfare programs in India

Reuters reports on the recent efforts by India's government to expand welfare programs throughout the country: "Since helping the Congress party win re-election last year, welfare has fast become the government's knee-jerk answer to policy dilemmas as it tries to ease food inflation, help growth trickle down to the poor, and win hearts and minds in" the country, the news service writes.

21 Apr 2010

Health Care News and Research

State's Medicaid funds tapped for federal health overhaul

Alaska is 20th state to join health reform lawsuit; Okla. and La. consider signing on

Abbott's first-quarter worldwide pharmaceutical sales increases by 12.9%

Identity Force releases Spring 2010 National Survey of Hospital Compliance Executives

Early tracheotomy does not reduce risk of VAP in mechanically ventilated adult ICU patients

Drugmakers raised prices last year in anticipation of new health law, Eli Lilly reports financial hit

MMRC Multiple Myeloma Genomics Initiative presented at AACR 2010

Hospital mortality rates make poor diagnostic tests for quality of care

Physicians, patients sign online petition to stop Medicare Meltdown

New survey shows 82% of patients select OTC products recommended by their pharmacist

Gene test predicts statins' effectiveness in reducing risk of colorectal cancer

U.S. military will end formal operations in Haiti by June, official says

Henry Ford Health System President to discuss practical strategies for success at educational symposium

State Round Up: Colorado's medical marijuana dispensaries; Insurance discounts for wellness; Florida's pain clinic oversight legislation

Regence takes action to prevent gap in health care coverage

Proteus Biomedical's wireless personal health device receives FDA marketing clearance

Feinstein bill would close 'enormous hole' in health reform but must be amended to cut industry influence: Consumer Watchdog

Some health insurers move to cover kids up to age 26 even earlier than law requires

Lipocine announced receipt of $2M development milestone payment from Abbott

Reuters examines uneven economic growth, welfare programs in India

Event guide: 3rd Measuring Patient Engagement Summit eBook

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

How microplastics and bacteria interact to drive antibiotic resistance

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