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Roughly 100,000 people are dropped from Tennessee's Medicaid program

Kaiser Health News: "About 100,000 people -- mostly elderly or disabled residents -- have been dropped [from Tennessee's Medicaid program] since January 2009, including approximately 37,000 who had relied on the state program for all their health care needs. Coverage for 8,000 children was also reassessed, but a TennCare spokeswoman said the number of children ultimately cut from the program could not be verified.

9 Apr 2010

Much debate over Brumby health plan

Victorian Premier John Brumby on Thursday proposed an alternative plan to the Prime Minister’s idea of gaining 30% of the GST revenues and give funding control to local hospital networks. According to the alternative 31-page health manifesto put forth by Brumby States should retain control of their hospitals. The Commonwealth proposed to cover the entire bill for primary health care and pick up 60 per cent of the tab for public hospitals. It will retain one-third of GST revenue to help pay for the reforms. Mr Brumby is holding out for extra money from the Commonwealth and a 50-50 funding model for public hospitals.

9 Apr 2010

New CMS web site shines light on Medicare spending

A new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Web site is making more claims data available to the public, Modern Healthcare reports. The so-called "CMS Dashboard" reveals Medicare spending for the top 25 conditions in hospitals, and allows users to compare spending by state, conditions by spending and to review the top-10-spending states for each condition. Medicare Advantage patients are not included in the data set (Evans, 4/7).

9 Apr 2010

More states join lawsuits against federal health reforms

Business Week: Eighteen states are now challenging the new health law. "Indiana, North Dakota, Mississippi, Nevada and Arizona will be added to the suit filed March 23 by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, he said today in a statement."

9 Apr 2010

Connectyx Technologies Holdings Group, Consult A Doctor sign joint venture

Connectyx Technologies Holdings Group Inc. is pleased to announce that the Company has signed a joint marketing agreement with Consult A Doctor to provide MedFlash® Personal Health Manager (PHM) to the more than 36 million Americans who are currently being treated via Telemedicine.

9 Apr 2010

Miami Medicare case spotlights federal probes into HIV therapy fraud

A new Miami Medicare fraud case spotlights federal investigations of massive scams using HIV therapies.

9 Apr 2010

Democrats, Republicans using health reform votes to plot November strategies

The Associated Press: Vulnerable Democrats around the country are "tiptoeing" during the recess as they prepare for midterm elections. "Tough votes for Obama's health care plan have further complicated the re-election prospects of dozens of already vulnerable freshman and second-term Democrats. There's even a chance the party could lose control of one or both houses in the midterm elections."

9 Apr 2010

Mass. Judge says he will decide by Monday whether state erred in rejecting premium increases

A Suffolk Superior Court judge today "promised to make a decision by Monday afternoon in a high-stakes showdown between the [Gov. Deval] Patrick administration and the state's top health insurers" over proposed premium increases rejected by the state's Division of Insurance, the Boston Herald reports (McConville, 4/8).

9 Apr 2010

Linda Douglass leaving Obama's staff

The Hill reports that the "White House's top spokeswoman" on the health care issue is leaving.

9 Apr 2010

Abortion coverage debate moves to the states

The debate over insurance coverage for abortion is moving to the state level, with "lawmakers in at least six states" pushing for a ban on the coverage that goes beyond provisions in the new health law, The Wall Street Journal reports.

9 Apr 2010

Bernanke warns: Trouble ahead for Medicare and Social Security

"Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke warned Wednesday that Americans may have to accept higher taxes or changes in cherished entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security if the nation is to avoid staggering budget deficits that threaten to choke off economic growth," The Washington Post reports. "'These choices are difficult, and it always seems easier to put them off -- until the day they cannot be put off anymore,' Bernanke said..."

9 Apr 2010

Tennessee removes about 100,000 people from Medicaid rolls

Anita Wadhwani reports for Kaiser Health News: "After losing the use of her arms and legs in a car accident five years ago, Jessica Pipkin received around-the-clock nursing care through Tennessee's Medicaid program.

9 Apr 2010

Political controversies surrounding healthcare reform law may continue

A comprehensive review of national opinion polls taken before and after Congressional voting and when President Obama signed into law a major healthcare reform bill last month has found that the law's signing did not lead the country to come together in support of this landmark legislation. Partisan differences are stark, according to researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) who analyzed 33 independent opinion polls in an effort to gauge public support for healthcare change.

8 Apr 2010

NHeLP launches the Campaign for Better Care

To ensure health reform works for those with the most at stake, the National Partnership for Women & Families, Community Catalyst and the National Health Law Program today launched the Campaign for Better Care, a multi-year initiative that will focus on improving health care quality, coordination and communication for older patients with multiple health problems and their family caregivers.

8 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 8, 2010

Today's health policy news coverage explores the political and policy implications of the new health reform law.

8 Apr 2010

Obese patients may receive higher rate of recommended care than normal-weight patients, but not lower

Despite a concern that obese or overweight patients may receive lower quality of health care, an analysis of eight common outpatient quality measures from a sample of nearly 70,000 patients finds no evidence that obese or overweight patients receive inferior care when compared with normal-weight patients, and in fact may receive a higher rate of recommended care on several measures, according to a study in the April 7 issue of JAMA.

8 Apr 2010

Pittsburgh managing diabetes more cost effectively than other states

Pittsburgh is treating diabetes more cost effectively than the rest of the state and nation, and its efforts to help people better manage their disease are paying dividends. Still, a gap exists between the region and the nation's top performers, according to the third annual Pittsburgh Business Group on Health Type 2 Diabetes Report.

8 Apr 2010

Bayard Advertising Agency selected as Recruitment Advertising Agency of Record by CTCA

Bayard Advertising Agency, Inc., an integrated branding and communications agency serving B2B and B2C clients in a broad array of industries, announces its selection as Recruitment Advertising Agency of Record by Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

8 Apr 2010

Health Affairs report shows value of patient-centered IT at Group Health

Hopes are high that health information technology will support care between office visits, boost efficiency and convenience, and help patients lead healthier lives. An evaluation in the April Health Affairs suggests how to make the most of this new approach: Routinely ask patients how they like it and what they want.

8 Apr 2010

USAID: World Health Day 2010 focuses on world's growing urban population

This year the focus of World Health Day is on the world's growing urban population. The theme, "1000 cities, 1000 lives" provides an opportunity to highlight the work that is being done to improve health in urban settings. The unprecedented rate of urban growth has far outstripped the ability of these cities to provide infrastructure for new residents.

8 Apr 2010