Health Care News and Research

RSS

Statement from David Kears regarding Legislative Bill AB 1422

I would like to thank my fellow commissioners, Executive Director Kris Perry and the First 5 California staff for stepping forward with other like-minded partners to ensure the Healthy Family Program's survival in the coming year.

23 Sep 2009

FDA warns: Personal emergency response buttons are a potential choking hazard

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today cautioned users of personal emergency response buttons worn around the neck of a potential choking hazard associated with this product.

23 Sep 2009

NCPA supports proposal for adopting PBM transparency

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) today praised U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) for authoring an amendment to lower health care costs by adopting common-sense disclosure requirements for any pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) participating in the health insurance exchanges envisioned under a proposal by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT).

23 Sep 2009

Small business leader say affordability is key to health reform

NPR reports: "Under various health care overhaul bills on Capitol Hill, small-business owners would be required to insure themselves. Amanda Austin, director of federal public policy for the National Federation of Independent Business, says affordability is the key if the government mandates health coverage."

23 Sep 2009

MMI to provide sign language interpreters for deaf or hard-of-hearing patients

Under a voluntary resolution agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), deaf or hard-of-hearing patients at the Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute (MMI) of Frederick, Md., will be screened and provided with sign language interpreters whenever interpreter services are necessary for effective communication. MMI is an 11-physician orthopedic practice with offices in Frederick and Hagerstown, Md., serving approximately 1,000 patients per month.

23 Sep 2009

State Round-Up: Michigan wrestles with Medicaid cuts

News outlets examine state health issues, including potential Medicaid cuts in Michigan and the effect of swine flu on Louisiana's Medicaid budget.

23 Sep 2009

Making ACOs a permanent part of health reform will help control costs: CAPG

Leaders from California’s physicians groups are in Washington DC this week meeting with key members of Congress to offer their experience at the forefront of a key health care reform element – Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).

23 Sep 2009

CPS expands business, adds a remote order entry services division

Comprehensive Pharmacy Services (CPS) announced today a significant expansion of its business, adding a remote order entry services division. CPS’ new division will offer remote prescription approval and order entry to the healthcare industry and will be branded as RemoteSolutions, a CPS company.

23 Sep 2009

Some abortion-rights advocates find health debate disheartening

"For some abortion-rights activists, the debate over health care reform has been frustrating, even disheartening, as they see their political allies on the defensive and their anti-abortion rivals on the attack," The Associated Press reports.

23 Sep 2009

Proposed cuts can impact Ohio's health care services

The health reform bill currently pending in the House of Representatives, combined with the impact of the cuts being waved in front of Medicare-funded nursing homes -- an estimated $12 billion over 10 years -- will find Ohio's seniors in need of nursing and rehabilitative care on shaky ground.

23 Sep 2009

Researching the causes of Alzheimer's disease

The standard explanation for what causes Alzheimer's is known as the amyloid hypothesis, which posits that the disease results from of an accumulation of the peptide amyloid beta, the toxic protein fragments that deposit in the brain and become the sticky plaques that have defined Alzheimer's for more than 100 years.

23 Sep 2009

Former senior manager sentenced for defrauding Hitachi America Group Health and Welfare Plan

Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Dennis M. Dowd, formerly the senior manager of human resources of Hitachi America Ltd. (Hitachi America), was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 57 months in prison for defrauding the Hitachi America Group Health and Welfare Plan (the Plan) of more than $6 million.

23 Sep 2009

Decision Points helps patients with important medical decisions

Healthwise has released a new, interactive generation of its Decision Points to help people make better decisions with their doctors.

23 Sep 2009

Rwandan President outlines 'improved' U.S.-Africa relationship in opinion piece

To begin an "improved" U.S.-Africa relationship "of shared ideas, vision and investments that increase ... mutual prosperities" both the U.S. and Africa "must accept urgent and substantial changes in the nature of our bond," Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, writes in a Washington Post opinion piece.

23 Sep 2009

For some families, 'Cadillac' health insurance is priceless

Also part of the special series, "Are You Covered?" Kaiser Health News and NPR report that "for two families, 'gold-plated' health insurance has made a huge difference in the health care they receive. But it's not always the rich who get these benefits, and they worry about what a possible tax on plans would do to their health coverage (Gold, 9/22).

23 Sep 2009

Pelosi says House health bill will have public option

'No bill can pass the House of Representatives without a public option in it,' Pelosi, D-Calif., said at a press conference after a private tour of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital with a group of physicians and local Congressional Democrats.

23 Sep 2009

Children’s Hospital offers tips on H1N1 and seasonal flu

With the early onset of flu season coinciding with the start of school this year, parents are concerned about the flu. Experts from The Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colo., offer a pediatric perspective on all types of flu, including H1N1, also known as swine flu.

23 Sep 2009

McLaren Health Care and ProTom partner to bring Proton beam therapy to Michigan

Cancer patients residing in and near Michigan are one step closer to receiving one of the most advanced forms of treatment available with a new partnership being formed between McLaren Health Care and ProTom International, a Texas-based health care technology company.

23 Sep 2009

Women lag behind men in protecting their wages: Study

Women have made gains in the job market, now holding half of our nation’s 132 million jobs, according to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, a gap remains in their understanding and use of benefits that protect their income, according to research by The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG).

23 Sep 2009

CIGNA announces initial results of its multi-year strategy to improve customer's experience

CIGNA (NYSE:CI) today announced the initial results of its multi-year strategy that places an entirely new focus on improving customers’ experience. The effort has led to an improvement in customer understanding of their benefits in excess of 100 percent, a 50 percent reduction in the number of printed materials customers receive, and the use of simpler language that doesn’t rely on insurance jargon. It also led CIGNA to become the first in its industry to offer 24 hour-a-day, seven day-a-week customer service.

23 Sep 2009