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Nelson calls for expansion of Nebraska Medicaid deal to all states

"Sen. Ben Nelson said Thursday he has asked Democratic leadership to extend to all states the extra Medicaid funding promised to Nebraska in the health care reform bill," The Associated Press reports. "The Democrat wouldn't say who he has spoken to regarding the so-called 'Cornhusker Kickback' but that he would see to it that Nebraska doesn't get a special deal." Nelson said if he can't get similar treatment for every state, "he wants states to be freed from paying the cost of Medicaid expansion. That could mean eliminating the provision, finding another way to pay for it or allowing states to opt out" (Ross, 1/7).

9 Jan 2010

MinuteClinic re-accredited and earns the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval

MinuteClinic, the retail health care division of CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) and the pioneer and largest provider of retail-based medical clinics in the United States, has become the first retail clinic to be re-accredited and earn the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval(TM) for consecutive evaluation periods by having demonstrated compliance with The Joint Commission's national standards for health care quality and safety.

9 Jan 2010

Tech Roundup: Virtual visits, EMR loans and a new e-prescribing tool

The New York Times: "Telemedicine has the potential to improve quality of care by allowing clinicians in one 'control center' to monitor, consult and even care for and perform procedures on patients in multiple locations," Doctor and Patient columnist Pauline Chen writes. "A rural primary care practitioner who sees a patient with a rare skin lesion, for example, can get expert consultation from a dermatologist at a center hundreds of miles away."

9 Jan 2010

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care wins contract to develop a pilot of FDA's Sentinel System

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has awarded a contract to Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Inc. to develop a pilot of the FDA's Sentinel System, which will use automated health care data to evaluate medical product safety.

9 Jan 2010

Seven new biopharmaceutical companies join PhRMA, Forbes reports

Forbes recently reported that seven new biopharmaceutical companies have now joined the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

From CSL Ltd 9 Jan 2010

Primer: House vs. Senate health bill

"Most of the two bills' provisions are similar, and the cost estimates are in the range Democrats have sought. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the House bill would reduce the federal deficit by $130 billion over the next 10 years, while the Senate would cut it $132 billion. Some difficult controversies remain.

9 Jan 2010

Study: Reform bills could save health care dollars

The Los Angeles Times: "National healthcare legislation in Congress could slow the growth of medical costs, allowing employers to create 250,000 to 400,000 new jobs a year over the next decade, economists from Harvard University and USC are predicting.

9 Jan 2010

Study finds patients more likely to skip diabetes medicine while in the 'doughnut hole'

Consumers experiencing a gap in their Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage were more likely to forgo diabetes medications than those who had supplemental drug benefits.

9 Jan 2010

LehmanMillet honored with four prestigious industry awards

HealthSTAR's LehmanMillet, the leading agency devoted to working with health care companies changing standards of care, today announced it has won four prestigious industry awards: an MM&M (Medical Marketing & Media Magazine) Gold Award for work done on behalf of Abbott Nutrition; a First Place DxMA (Diagnostic Marketing Association) award for work done on behalf of Abbott Diagnostics; a First Place DxMA Award for work done on behalf of BRAHMS USA; and a PM360 Pharma Choice Bronze Award.

9 Jan 2010

Today's opinions and editorials

Californians need to ask themselves why, when other states and the federal government are making children's health a priority, the Golden State may be adding another half-million children … to the ranks of the uninsured next year (1/7).

9 Jan 2010

Economist examines innovative mechanisms for funding global health programs

The Economist examines the "dramatic" change in funding for projects aimed at fighting diseases in the developing world. "In 1990 more than two-thirds of the $5.6 billion spent on global health assistance came from governments.

9 Jan 2010

One million seniors get more generous prescription drug benefits

As of Jan. 1, more than 1 million low-income seniors "are newly eligible for more generous prescription drug benefits under the 'extra help' program" in Medicare, The Associated Press reports.

9 Jan 2010

Misonix signs new distribution agreement with Thimar Al Jazirah Health Care

Misonix, Inc., a developer of minimally invasive ultrasonic medical device technology, which in Europe is used for the ablation of tumors and worldwide for other acute health conditions, has entered into a new, three year distribution agreement with Thimar Al Jazirah Health Care, based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the distribution of the SonaStar(TM) Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator and the BoneScalpel(TM) Ultrasonic Bone Cutter.

9 Jan 2010

VA expected to move soon to cover more effects of Agent Orange

The Department of Veterans Affairs may need to pay heavily to treat veterans who have been adversely affected by Agent Orange. McClatchy/Beaufort (S.C.) Gazette report: "The cost of war -- on veterans' health and taxpayer wallets -- will loom a little larger in the new year when the Department of Veterans Affairs issues a final rule to claim adjudicators to presume three more diseases of Vietnam veterans, including heart disease, were caused by exposure to Agent Orange.

8 Jan 2010

Possible loopholes, insurance costs in Senate health bill

"A critical loophole in the current version of the Senate health-care bill would allow insurers to charge more for those who don't participate in wellness programs, essentially negating the measure's key goal of eliminating higher costs for those with pre-existing conditions, a group of health experts said Thursday," MarketWatch reports.

8 Jan 2010

Hurdles to clear in the Senate's reform endgame, and possible 2010 consequences

President Barack Obama met Thursday with Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn., the chairmen who steered the Senate's version of the health overhaul through the finance and health committees, Roll Call reports. It is one sign of Obama becoming an increasingly active participant as the debate nears its endgame (Drucker and Koffler, 1/7).

8 Jan 2010

Three new retail stores of China Yongxin Pharmaceuticals opened in 2009

China Yongxin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("China Yongxin Pharmaceuticals" or the "Company"), is a leading manufacturer, distributor and retailer of Chinese traditional medicines, pharmaceutical products, natural health products, health food, cosmetics, and medical equipment in Northeastern China. The Company today announced that it had opened three new stores in 2009.

8 Jan 2010

Health policy research roundup: Long-term care, diabetes disparities, health IT

Annals of Internal Medicine: Cultural Competency Training and Performance Reports to Improve Diabetes Care for Black Patients - In this study, researchers measure the effects cultural competency training and performance training for physicians has on the clinical outcomes for black patients with diabetes.

8 Jan 2010

CDC encourages public to receive H1N1 vaccine; PBS examines arrival of vaccine in developing countries

During a media briefing Thursday, Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, warned against complacency over the H1N1 (swine flu), and encouraged Americans who had not yet received the H1N1 vaccine to do so, CNN reports.

8 Jan 2010

White House rallies Democratic governors around health reform

Politico: "One day after California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, delivered a stinging attack on federal health care reform, Obama administration officials huddled with his Democratic counterparts to address their complaints about the legislation — and enlist them in the public campaign to support it.

8 Jan 2010