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Health companies criticized for deceptive marketing while Anthem rate hikes continue to draw attention

"Minnesota's attorney general on Wednesday sued two Texas companies she said falsely represented their discounted health care plans as medical insurance to thousands of customers," The Associated Press/Washington Post report.

11 Feb 2010

WellPoint defends 39% premium hike in letter to Sebelius

The Associated Press/Washington Post: WellPoint, the parent company of Anthem Blue Cross "is blaming the Great Recession and rising medical costs for its planned 39 percent rate increase for some California customers of its Anthem Blue Cross plan. But Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius isn't buying the explanation proffered in a letter delivered to her" today.

11 Feb 2010

Coalition group calls for bigger FDA budget

The Los Angeles Times reports that when the president's budget was announced, calling for an increase in the FDA's budget, "a coalition of public interest advocates, patient groups and healthcare industry interests regulated by the FDA had a swift response: It's not enough. 'We are disappointed in the president's budget request and ... will seek to increase' the budget, said Steven Grossman, deputy executive director of Alliance for a Stronger FDA.

11 Feb 2010

Calif. budget cuts will hit adult day care centers, prison health care; Texas and Kansas weigh Medicaid cuts

Under the most recent cost-saving budget proposals, 327 adult day healthcare centers throughout California would be eliminated. Cuts could save the state $135 million in fiscal 2011, state projections show.

11 Feb 2010

Alcon reports 2009 fourth quarter results

Alcon, Inc. reported that global sales rose 14.5 percent to $1.72 billion for the fourth quarter of 2009, or an 8.5 percent increase excluding the impact of foreign exchange fluctuations. Reported net earnings for the fourth quarter of 2009 grew 8.0 percent to $458 million, or $1.51 per diluted share.

11 Feb 2010

AMA unhappy with Senate plan for Medicare 'doc fix'

The American Medical Association is criticizing "a Senate plan for avoiding a proposed 21 percent cut in government payments to physicians who treat the elderly, calling the proposal a 'Band-Aid' measure," Bloomberg/BusinessWeek reports.

11 Feb 2010

Boston Scientific combines Cardiovascular Group and Cardiac Rhythm Management Group

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced a series of management changes and restructuring initiatives designed to strengthen the Company and position it for long-term success.

11 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 11, 2010

Today's headlines raise interesting questions for health reform, including whether Sen. Judd Gregg can play an important role in finding bipartisanship.

11 Feb 2010

Akron Institute of Herzing University introduces bachelor's degree programs on health care and health information management

The Akron Institute of Herzing University announced today that it is launching its first bachelor's degree programs in its 40-year history.

11 Feb 2010

Toshiba America Medical Systems' cardiovascular X-ray service receives top ranking

As health care facilities today seek the best value in imaging and customer service, Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.’s Service organization strives to deliver top-tier service and customer satisfaction. The result of this dedication was once again confirmed by IMV, Ltd., which provides independent analysis of service trends in the imaging industry. In IMV’s 2009 ServiceTrak™ Imaging report on cardiovascular X-ray system service, Toshiba received more top rankings than any other imaging vendor.

11 Feb 2010

MHQP: Massachusetts primary care physicians achieve measurable improvements in health care quality

Massachusetts primary care physicians continue to achieve measurable improvements in important aspects of health care quality as reported by Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP). Today, the organization released its sixth annual Quality Insights: Clinical Quality in Primary Care report, comparing the performance of more than 150 medical groups across the state.

11 Feb 2010

$NovaShunt initiates study to evaluate AFS for refractory ascites patients$

NovaShunt initiates study to evaluate AFS for refractory ascites patients

NovaShunt today announced the initiation of its pivotal multi- center clinical study named PIONEER, a Prospective, multi-center, open label, non-randomized study to Investigate the safety and perfOrmance of the Automated Fluid ShuNt in patiEnts with ascitEs and diuretic Resistance.

11 Feb 2010

Nontraditional companies to help reshape healthcare marketplace

Information technology (IT) companies, large retailers, and telecommunication firms are strategically poised to capitalize on rapid changes taking place in health care, and pharmaceutical companies are increasingly looking for innovative ways to collaborate with these new players to reach and improve outcomes for patients.

11 Feb 2010

Altarum Institute re-vamps Health Policy Forum “blog” for 2010

Altarum Institute, a nonprofit health systems research and consulting organization, has re-vamped its Health Policy Forum “blog” for 2010. With a fresh look and new content, the blog is now tailored to the interests of journalists and health policy experts looking for thought-provoking commentary and analysis of the most pressing issues in health care today.

11 Feb 2010

MEDNET to display NHIN and health care information technologies at HIMSS annual conference

MEDNETWorld.com (MEDNET) will be featured at the March 1-4, 2010 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) annual conference in Atlanta, Ga. with a special demonstration at the “Interoperability Booth” by MEDNET Chief Architect Seonho Kim and a special presentation on March 4 in Session 246 by MEDNET CEO John Fraser on Identity Management in a Federated Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN).

11 Feb 2010

UCLA and Health Net to develop health literacy training intervention for adolescents

With the average teen spending approximately nine hours a week on social networking sites, the UCLA School of Public Health has partnered with Health Net of California to develop a health literacy training intervention using social media to encourage adolescents ages 13 to 17 to utilize their health care more effectively.

11 Feb 2010

'CARES by GSK' introduces oncology co-pay assistance program

GlaxoSmithKline today announced the launch of CARES by GSK, a comprehensive program that provides a single point of contact to GSK services and programs designed to improve access to GSK oncology and specialty medications. In addition to the comprehensive offerings that include specialty reimbursement services and free medicine, CARES by GSK now offers its first oncology co-pay assistance program to further help eligible patients with limited insurance coverage to have better access to GSK oral oncology and specialty medicines.

11 Feb 2010

Role of evidence-based pathways in providing high quality, cost effective oncology care

Although health care reform is taking a back seat to the economy on Capitol Hill, discussions continue in the health care industry on how best to lower the cost of care while maintaining or improving patient outcomes.

11 Feb 2010

Medica Foundation awards grants totaling $604,940 in second cycle of funding

The Medica Foundation wrapped up its 2009 giving with 17 program grants totaling $473,690 in its second cycle of funding in 2009. The Medica Foundation also awarded 19 General Health Improvement Grants totaling $131,250. Funding by the Medica Foundation totaled $604,940 in its second cycle; for all of 2009, its total funding was $1,353,000.

11 Feb 2010

Sears Hearing Centres joins Hearing Mission to Toluca, Mexico

Sears Hearing Centres founder, Rhonda Martin, announced today that she will be volunteering on an eight-day Hearing Mission to Toluca, Mexico from February 21st to the 28th. The Mission, which is preparing to fit more than 2,000 adults and children with over 4,000 hearing devices, has been organized by the Starkey Hearing Foundation, as part of its commitment to "Help the World Hear."

11 Feb 2010

Health Care News and Research

Health companies criticized for deceptive marketing while Anthem rate hikes continue to draw attention

WellPoint defends 39% premium hike in letter to Sebelius

Coalition group calls for bigger FDA budget

Calif. budget cuts will hit adult day care centers, prison health care; Texas and Kansas weigh Medicaid cuts

Alcon reports 2009 fourth quarter results

AMA unhappy with Senate plan for Medicare 'doc fix'

Boston Scientific combines Cardiovascular Group and Cardiac Rhythm Management Group

First Edition: February 11, 2010

Akron Institute of Herzing University introduces bachelor's degree programs on health care and health information management

Toshiba America Medical Systems' cardiovascular X-ray service receives top ranking

MHQP: Massachusetts primary care physicians achieve measurable improvements in health care quality

NovaShunt initiates study to evaluate AFS for refractory ascites patients

Nontraditional companies to help reshape healthcare marketplace

Altarum Institute re-vamps Health Policy Forum “blog” for 2010

MEDNET to display NHIN and health care information technologies at HIMSS annual conference

UCLA and Health Net to develop health literacy training intervention for adolescents

'CARES by GSK' introduces oncology co-pay assistance program

Role of evidence-based pathways in providing high quality, cost effective oncology care

Medica Foundation awards grants totaling $604,940 in second cycle of funding

Sears Hearing Centres joins Hearing Mission to Toluca, Mexico

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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