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APHA: Congressional leaders have to move forward on health reform focusing prevention and wellness

As President Obama and congressional leaders meet today for a health reform summit, the American Public Health Association urges them to move forward on comprehensive, affordable health reform with a focus on prevention and wellness.

25 Feb 2010

Lawsuit alleges Medtronic illegally marketed stent device for unapproved use

A complaint filed in federal court last week "alleges Medtronic Inc. illegally marketed a relatively obscure medical device called a biliary stent in ways not approved by federal regulators," The (Minneapolis-St. Paul) Star Tribune reports.

25 Feb 2010

Beyond Blair House: Discussion of public option, 'Cadillac tax' continue

As lawmakers and President Obama discuss health care at the Blair House summit, news reports ply two policy issues in the latest overhaul proposal, the public option and the "Cadillac tax."

25 Feb 2010

Reid upset after Republicans block COBRA benefits extension request

Roll Call: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized Republicans Wednesday after the GOP denied "a unanimous consent request to pass an extension of unemployment insurance and COBRA health care benefits, a move he warned would leave 'out-of-work Americans vulnerable to losing this valuable safety net'" (Brady, 2/24).

25 Feb 2010

WellPoint executive defends premium increases at congressional hearing

In a congressional hearing Wednesday, an insurance company executive justified proposed premium increases and warned "that pending legislation" could make the problem of high medical costs worse. "The executive, Angela F. Braly, president of WellPoint, made the comments in testimony prepared for a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee," The New York Times reports.

25 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 25, 2010

Today's news is all about today's White House health summit -- with highlights of how WellPoint got grilled about proposed premium rate increases during a congressional hearing and how the House voted to repeal insurers' antitrust exemption.

25 Feb 2010

Healthcare industries pay millions to summit invitees, says CREW’s study

On the eve of President Obama’s health care reform summit, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released data showing that since 2005, health care special interests have invested at least $28 million in the campaigns of House and Senate leaders, chairs and ranking members of committees with primary jurisdiction over health care legislation. Additionally, President Obama received over $18.6 million during his presidential campaign.

25 Feb 2010

Translational Regenerative Medicine Forum in Winston-Salem

A spray-on skin product and an injectable cell therapy for heart attack patients are among 17 regenerative medicine technologies that will be showcased during the Translational Regenerative Medicine Forum, set for April 6-8 in Winston-Salem.

25 Feb 2010

Obama’s version of healthcare reform will not reduce Medicare fraud, says IPI expert

Although Republicans will meet with President Obama tomorrow for a health care summit -- supposedly to negotiate a bipartisan agreement for health care reform -- Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) health care expert Dr. Merrill Matthews says the president's plan does nothing to appease the other side of the aisle

25 Feb 2010

Nancy Pelosi speaks in support of Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act

Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor today in support of H.R. 4626, the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, which passed by a overwhelming bipartisan vote of 406 to 19. Below are the Speaker's remarks.

25 Feb 2010

Slow economy forces U.S. employers to take aggressive measures to control rising health care costs

The continuing sluggish economy is forcing a growing number of large U.S. employers to take more aggressive measures to control rising health care costs and motivate workers to take charge of improving their own health, according to a survey conducted by Towers Watson, a global professional services company, and the National Business Group on Health, a non-profit association of large U.S. employers.

25 Feb 2010

Former Connecticut governor urges Senator to amend economic recovery legislation

At a special briefing for Congressional staff today, former Connecticut lieutenant governor Kevin Sullivan testified for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on the need for federal action to address the growing mental health crisis in states.

25 Feb 2010

Health insurance premium discussion: HHS Secretary invites insurance company CEOs

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today invited insurance company chief executive officers to a March 3 meeting at HHS to discuss their companies’ insurance premiums. The CEOs of UnitedHealth Group Inc., WellPoint Inc., Aetna Inc., Health Care Service Corporation and CIGNA HealthCare Inc. along with leaders from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners have been invited.

25 Feb 2010

State legislators decry their exclusion from health reform summit

State sponsors of the nationwide effort to block a government requirement to purchase health insurance today sent a letter to President Obama decrying their exclusion from tomorrow's bipartisan health reform summit.

25 Feb 2010

HealthGrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2010 identified

The HealthGrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2010 were identified in a report issued today by the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. The analysis, which examined objective patient outcomes over three years at all 5,000 of the nation’s nonfederal hospitals, found that the 50 Best Hospitals had mortality rates that were, on average, 27% lower than other hospitals.

25 Feb 2010

BCBSF to be IPG's designated implantable device management vendor for extensive provider network

Implantable Provider Group is pleased to announce a significant agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. to be its designated implantable device management vendor for its extensive provider network. IPG will handle device coordination, billing, replacement, tracking, and other services for BCBSF’s statewide ambulatory surgery center (ASC) network.

25 Feb 2010

Lease of Stevens Hospital by Swedish approved

The Board of Commissioners for Public Hospital District #2 of Snohomish County today approved an agreement for Swedish to lease and assume management of Stevens Hospital. The last phase before transition involves regulatory approvals which could be completed by early fall.

25 Feb 2010

NIH panel proposes multiple management strategies for lactose intolerant individuals

Lactose intolerance is a real and important clinical syndrome, but quantifying its public health burden is challenging. An NIH Consensus Development panel was convened this week to assess the available evidence on lactose intolerance and health across the age spectrum and across racial and ethnic groups.

25 Feb 2010

Study examines how individuals utilize benefits and services under Medicare program

Findings released today and detailed in the analysis Low Consumption and Higher Medicare Cost: Consumption Clusters in a Medicare Fee-for-Service Population, examine how individuals utilize benefits and services under the Medicare program.

25 Feb 2010

Adoption of new technologies can transform healthcare system

According to Julie Klapstein, CEO of leading health information network Availity, LLC, “Technology adoption by health care providers will be a key determinant in the speed with which our nation’s health care system is transformed, and the speed at which patients and providers benefit from better clinical outcomes.”

25 Feb 2010

Health Care News and Research

APHA: Congressional leaders have to move forward on health reform focusing prevention and wellness

Lawsuit alleges Medtronic illegally marketed stent device for unapproved use

Beyond Blair House: Discussion of public option, 'Cadillac tax' continue

Reid upset after Republicans block COBRA benefits extension request

WellPoint executive defends premium increases at congressional hearing

First Edition: February 25, 2010

Healthcare industries pay millions to summit invitees, says CREW’s study

Translational Regenerative Medicine Forum in Winston-Salem

Obama’s version of healthcare reform will not reduce Medicare fraud, says IPI expert

Nancy Pelosi speaks in support of Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act

Slow economy forces U.S. employers to take aggressive measures to control rising health care costs

Former Connecticut governor urges Senator to amend economic recovery legislation

Health insurance premium discussion: HHS Secretary invites insurance company CEOs

State legislators decry their exclusion from health reform summit

HealthGrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2010 identified

BCBSF to be IPG's designated implantable device management vendor for extensive provider network

Lease of Stevens Hospital by Swedish approved

NIH panel proposes multiple management strategies for lactose intolerant individuals

Study examines how individuals utilize benefits and services under Medicare program

Adoption of new technologies can transform healthcare system

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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