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First Edition: July 25, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about WellPoint's second-quarter profits and the Insitute of Medicine's findings about geographic varitions in Medicare spending.

25 Jul 2013

Teva, Lonza decide to discontinue biosimilars collaboration

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Lonza Group today announced that following a strategic review of the Teva-Lonza Joint Venture (TL-JV), the companies have decided to discontinue their collaboration for the development, manufacturing and marketing of biosimilars.

25 Jul 2013

Medicare spending variation across geographic areas driven by differences in use of post-acute care

A "geographic value index" that would tie Medicare payment rates to the health benefits and costs of health services in particular regions of the country should not be adopted by Congress, says a new congressionally mandated report from the Institute of Medicine.

25 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: Indian health service takes big cuts; labor 'mutiny' over health law; Gov. Jindal says Medicaid expansion would have moved privately insured to Medicaid

It's an old American story: malign policies hatched in Washington leading to pain and death in Indian country. It was true in the 19th century. It is true now, at a time when Congress, heedless of its solemn treaty obligations to Indian tribes, is allowing the across-the-board budget cuts known as the sequester to threaten the health, safety and education of Indians across the nation.

25 Jul 2013

Study: Docs place 'major responsibility' for health care costs on others

In a survey of doctors by Mayo Clinic researchers, most respondents pointed to lawyers, health insurers, hospitals, drug companies and patients as having a large stake in cutting costs.

25 Jul 2013

Bipartisan proposal would change the way U.S. values medical procedures

Some members of Congress believe it is time to "redo the RUC" and strengthen oversight of the American Medical Association committee that helps to set payment levels.

25 Jul 2013

Study reveals that black women with breast cancer continue to have lower survival rate

In an analysis of 5-year survival rates among black and white women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1991 and 2005, black women continued to have a lower rate of survival, with most of the difference related to factors including poorer health of black patients at diagnosis and more advanced disease, rather than treatment differences, according to a study in the July 24/31 issue of JAMA.

25 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 24, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about efforts to both advance and undo the health law's implementation.

24 Jul 2013

Academic hospitals have higher mammography recall rates than community radiology centers

A new study at Rhode Island Hospital has found that academic medical centers have higher rates of recall following mammography than community radiology centers. The recall rate is the frequency at which a radiologist interprets an examination as positive and the patient is instructed to return for more testing.

24 Jul 2013

Medical groups oppose efforts to loosen regs for medical imaging and radiation therapy equipment

The organizations, which have sent letters to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, are concerned that this step would lead to lax standards.

24 Jul 2013

AANS, CNS commend House committee efforts to repeal Medicare's flawed SGR payment formula

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons joined 11 other medical societies in commending the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee for its bipartisan efforts to repeal and replace Medicare's flawed sustainable growth rate payment formula.

24 Jul 2013

Study: Fluctuations in unemployment rate affect people's health care choices

Fluctuations in the unemployment rate affect people's health care choices, finds a new study in Health Services Research. Specifically, a one percent increase in state unemployment corresponded to a 1.58 percent reduction in the use of preventive health care services such as mammograms, pap tests, and annual check-ups.

24 Jul 2013

MAXIMUS signs new contract to provide support services for California's health insurance exchange

MAXIMUS, a leading provider of government services worldwide, announced that it has signed a new contract with the California Health Benefit Exchange to provide support services for the state's health insurance exchange, known as Covered California.

23 Jul 2013

Investigating one of the 'fundamental flaws' in the pricing of health care

The Washington Post investigates how the use of data plays into what some view as a distortion in physician pay.

23 Jul 2013

New life for 'Death Panel' bill, but same fights loom

One lawmaker has reintroduced his bill that would pay Medicare doctors for having "end-of-life" conversations with patients -- an idea that has bitterly divided Congress in the past. In the meantime, another lawmaker wants to change -- and simplify -- Medicare's reimbursement coding system.

23 Jul 2013

Complications of preventable conditions more likely to land former prisoners in hospital

Complications of diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and other preventable conditions are more likely to land former prisoners in the hospital, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the July 22 online issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

23 Jul 2013

MedImpact Healthcare Systems joins AHIP Select Program

MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc., the nation's largest privately held pharmacy benefits manager, has joined America's Health Insurance Plans Select Program representing pharmacy benefit management.

23 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 22, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the continuing efforts in opposition to the health law as well as a Washington Post investigation into a "flaw" in U.S. health care pricing.

22 Jul 2013

Washington University School of Medicine physicians join Coventry's Medicare networks

Coventry Health Care of Missouri, Inc. has signed an agreement with Washington University School of Medicine adding the school's physicians to two of Coventry's Medicare networks. Under the agreement, effective July 1, members of Coventry's Gold Advantage and Advantra Medicare Advantage plans can receive covered services, at in-network rates, from The School of Medicine physicians.

20 Jul 2013

Research roundup: Eye care disparities; more complications for Medicaid patients after spine surgery; the cost to states opting against Medicaid expansion

After analyzing 2003-2004 data of patients who underwent spinal surgery at two medical institutions, they found that Medicaid beneficiaries were at much higher risk of experiencing any type of complication than patients who are privately insured. "The results of our study further support the growing body of literature that Medicaid patients have higher rates of complications," the authors write. When evaluating patients and considering the likelihood of complications, "Medicaid status should be considered as well," they concluded (Hacquebord et al., 7/15).

20 Jul 2013

Medicare News and Research

First Edition: July 25, 2013

Teva, Lonza decide to discontinue biosimilars collaboration

Medicare spending variation across geographic areas driven by differences in use of post-acute care

Viewpoints: Indian health service takes big cuts; labor 'mutiny' over health law; Gov. Jindal says Medicaid expansion would have moved privately insured to Medicaid

Study: Docs place 'major responsibility' for health care costs on others

Bipartisan proposal would change the way U.S. values medical procedures

Study reveals that black women with breast cancer continue to have lower survival rate

First Edition: July 24, 2013

Academic hospitals have higher mammography recall rates than community radiology centers

Medical groups oppose efforts to loosen regs for medical imaging and radiation therapy equipment

AANS, CNS commend House committee efforts to repeal Medicare's flawed SGR payment formula

Study: Fluctuations in unemployment rate affect people's health care choices

MAXIMUS signs new contract to provide support services for California's health insurance exchange

Investigating one of the 'fundamental flaws' in the pricing of health care

New life for 'Death Panel' bill, but same fights loom

Complications of preventable conditions more likely to land former prisoners in hospital

MedImpact Healthcare Systems joins AHIP Select Program

First Edition: July 22, 2013

Washington University School of Medicine physicians join Coventry's Medicare networks

Research roundup: Eye care disparities; more complications for Medicaid patients after spine surgery; the cost to states opting against Medicaid expansion

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