Health Care News and Research

RSS

WellCare Health Plans reports net income of $39.9M for 2009

WellCare Health Plans, Inc. today reported results for the year and fourth quarter ended December 31, 2009. As determined under generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), the Company reported net income of $39.9 million, or $0.95 per diluted share, for the year 2009, compared with a net loss of $36.8 million, or $0.89 per diluted share, for the year 2008.

18 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 18, 2010

Today's headlines focus on continuing hopes for health reform as well as various health industry developments.

18 Feb 2010

HHS Secretary to address on health disparities at NABJ conference

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius will deliver the keynote address at the National Association of Black Journalists annual conference on Health Disparities, March 4-6, 2010 at the Barbara Jordan Conference Center, Kaiser Family Foundation, 1330 G. Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

18 Feb 2010

UCSF receives $1.15M grant to integrate family planning into HIV treatment and care

UCSF has received a $1.15 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to determine if integrating family planning into HIV treatment and care will increase contraceptive use and decrease unintended pregnancy among HIV-positive women. UCSF will partner with the Kenya Medical Research Institute and Ibis Reproductive Health to conduct the research.

18 Feb 2010

URAC to conduct workshop highlighting multiple aspects of medication adherence

URAC, the nation's leading health care accreditation and education organization, will conduct a workshop on "Medication Adherence and Medication Possession Ratio as a Critical Metric" at the 15th Annual Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute (PBMI) Conference in Phoenix, Ariz.

18 Feb 2010

Training birth attendants in essential newborn-care techniques can reduce perinatal deaths

New findings in a study led by the director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Division of Neonatology show that that training birth attendants in essential newborn-care techniques reduced stillbirths by more than 30 percent - and potentially could save as many as 1 million lives worldwide each year.

18 Feb 2010

Detroit home health agency owner pleads guilty over Medicare fraud

Detroit-area resident Muhammad Shahab pleaded guilty today for his role in organizing a Detroit-area home health care fraud scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara L. McQuade; Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena of the FBI's Detroit Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General's (HHS-OIG), Chicago Regional Office.

18 Feb 2010

Keystone Health increases access to healthcare with ARRA grants: Secretary of Health commends

Secretary of Health Everette James commended Keystone Health for increasing access to healthcare with grants from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act during a groundbreaking ceremony today at the facility's main campus in Chambersburg.

18 Feb 2010

New IPI publication outlines effective healthcare reform plan

President Obama's call during the State of the Union address for a better approach to health care reform is answered today with the release of a new publication from the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) entitled, "Health Care Reform: What Now?"

18 Feb 2010

US health plans adopt unified approach to assist consumers in appropriate medication use

Dozens of US health plans nationwide have adopted a unified approach to assist seniors and other consumers to appropriately use medications. The move follows increased emphasis from the federal government for Medicare plans to offer more robust Medication Therapy Management (“MTM”) programs in 2010.

18 Feb 2010

Senior citizens urge Congress to start over on healthcare reform

With President Obama hosting a bipartisan meeting on health care reform next week, the 60 Plus Association announced today a new advertising campaign featuring seniors who urge Congress to "Start over and get health care right."

18 Feb 2010

Results indicate deficiencies in end-of-life care across U.S.

Approximately 66 percent of respondents to a Maryland telephone survey do not have advance medical directives, according to a new report by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Department of Health Policy and Management.

18 Feb 2010

LAAHU announces annual Health Insurance Awareness Week

Los Angeles Association of Health Underwriters announces its annual Health Insurance Awareness Week. This week is set aside to perform outreach to the community in the form of health awareness and to the importance of the role of the health insurance agent.

18 Feb 2010

Single test is not enough for making accurate diagnosis of disc herniation

While lower back pain ranks as a common cause of disability in the United States, determining what causes a person's back pain is often challenging. A new Cochrane review on diagnosing back pain finds that no single diagnostic test is good at discriminating between patients who have a herniated disc and patients who do not, according to lead author Danielle van der Windt.

18 Feb 2010

Senior U.N. officials express concern over military provision of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan

The New York Times examines the recent criticisms made by senior U.N. officials in Afghanistan that NATO forces are contributing to "the militarization of humanitarian aid" and the Wednesday announcement that the U.N. will not participate in the military's reconstruction effort in Marja, Afghanistan.

18 Feb 2010

Medication therapy management programs for Aetna Medicare members

Aetna today announced that members who enroll in its 2010 Medicare plans will have access to enhanced services called medication therapy management (MTM) aimed at helping them safely and effectively take medications prescribed by their physician. MTM, which will be delivered by Mirixa Corporation, brings together pharmacists, patients, physicians and other health care professionals to help patients with their medications.

18 Feb 2010

Hill-Rom launches new improved ES bed for healthcare facilities

Hill-Rom today announced the introduction of its enhanced CareAssist® ES bed, now with connectivity features, for use in medical–surgical areas of hospitals and care facilities.

18 Feb 2010

NIA develops CardiacConnections program to drive better patient outcomes

Cardiovascular-related examinations account for more than one in three noninvasive diagnostic imaging procedures in the United States. In response to this growing trend and concerns about clinical appropriateness and affordability, National Imaging Associates, a subsidiary of Magellan Health Services, Inc., developed CardiacConnections™, a cardiac management program designed for the benefit of patients, providers, payers, and the health care industry.

18 Feb 2010

Media examine efforts to eradicate Guinea worm

Agence France-Presse reports on efforts to eradicate Guinea worm, a "painful water-borne parasite that can leave people weakened and sick for months every year" (2/17).

18 Feb 2010

Some heart care costs stay outside insurance coverage, Lowe's does national comparison shopping for employees' heart surgery

MarketWatch reports that though many tout prevention in relation to heart disease, "chances are your insurance won't cover a trip to a dietician, a gym membership or other services that could help you reduce your risk factors."

18 Feb 2010