Health Care News and Research

RSS

Pro-health reform, other rallies to start this week

In an effort to counter the public's growing skepticism over health reform, "supporters of President Barack Obama's health care agenda are ramping up their efforts with rallies and bus tours starting this week," the Associated Press reports.

26 Aug 2009

Obama's rhetoric fails to capture voters' support

The rhetoric being used by Democrats on health care has been carefully planned but it doesn't appear to be capturing voters' support for health care reform. Wall Street Journal reports: "In the rhetorical battle over health care, the forces backing President Barack Obama's overhaul have spent years polling and using focus groups to find the precise language that would win over voters -- an effort that doesn't at the moment appear to be working."

26 Aug 2009

One-quarter of medicare beneficiaries will see premium hikes next year

While some in Medicare will not see premiums rise, Medicaid recipients, wealthy retirees and new enrollees will all have to pay more, U.S. News and World Report reports.

26 Aug 2009

Washington Post examines development of vaccine for food borne intestinal illness

The Partnership for Public Service/Washington Post examines how decades of work by Navy scientist Patricia Guerry could lead to "the first vaccine for a food borne intestinal illness that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide each year."

26 Aug 2009

Survey reveals that majority of middle-class Americans are worried about about health care costs in retirement

Amid growing protests from opponents of health care reform, the majority of middle-class Americans are expressing concern about paying for medical costs during retirement – and dramatically underestimating the financial burden they’ll be expected to bear.

26 Aug 2009

Gates Foundation awards $4.8M grant for improving sanitation systems in developing world

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently awarded a $4.8 million grant to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to study and improve sanitation systems in the developing world, the Seattle Times' blog, "The Business of Giving" reports.

26 Aug 2009

Democrats talk of moving reform bill without republicans, plan rallies

Democrats are preparing to move ahead without Republicans on health care reform, a leading House Democrat said Monday, The Hill reports.

26 Aug 2009

Veterans receive false health scare

USA Today reports: "More than 1,800 Gulf War veterans were sent letters from the Veterans Administration this month informing them that they had Lou Gehrig's disease — a fatal neurological disease. But at least some of the letters — and the diagnoses — were a mistake."

26 Aug 2009

FDA establishes TPSAC to proceed further on the tobacco law

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced an action regarding the implementation of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The Agency has officially established the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC).

26 Aug 2009

Fear mongering abounds in health debate

"What many people say they fear most from an overhaul of the health care system [is] the prospect of the federal government's limiting the medical care they receive," the New York Times reports. Policy experts say people are right to worry about health care costs, but this fear of rationing is unrealistic. "[T]here is nothing in the current proposals in Washington to suggest that the country is likely to embark on a system of medical rationing anytime soon," the Times reports.

26 Aug 2009

CPM’s physician relationship management system implemented by Advocate Health Care System

CPM Marketing Group (CPM), the market leader for healthcare customer relationship management (CRM) and strategic marketing solutions, announced today that Advocate Health Care System, the largest health care provider in Illinois, has implemented CPM’s physician relationship management (PRM) system to assist its hospitals in building and maintaining relationships with physicians.

26 Aug 2009

Medicare's Part D program subsidizes cost of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries

Medicare's Part D program, designed to subsidize the cost of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries, has been the subject of much debate. Proponents have touted the plan's ability to expand access to prescription drugs to seniors; critics have long questioned its design and user-friendly appeal.

26 Aug 2009

Grassley: 'Government is not a competitor, it's a predator'

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, 75, is presenting new skepticism about reform plans, The Wall Street Journal reports. "(S)peaking in front of a mostly friendly audience of about 250, Mr. Grassley stressed the distance between the two parties and what he thinks wouldn't work. 'Government is not a competitor, it's a predator,' he said of the public option that has been embraced by key congressional Democrats.

26 Aug 2009

Implementation of The T SystemEV improves revenues of Graham Hospital

For the past 100 years, Graham Hospital in east central Illinois has provided the city of Canton and its surrounding communities with outstanding healthcare. Today, Graham Hospital provides a full range of inpatient, outpatient, home care and long-term care services. Not unlike many communities across the country, the area Graham Hospital serves has been faced with economic challenges. Despite those challenges, the emergency department (ED) at Graham has actually seen an increase in revenue, even with a slight drop in patients, due to their relationship with T-System, the nation's leading provider of clinical documentation solutions for emergency departments.

26 Aug 2009

Mental health in the news: Foreclosures spur depression

Nearly half of people questioned who were in foreclosure proceedings in Philadelphia showed some signs of depression, The Washington Post reports.

26 Aug 2009

Arizona awards health care contract to Aetna

Aetna (NYSE:AET) announced today that it was awarded a contract to provide health care benefits to Arizona’s state employees. The contract becomes effective on October 1, 2009.

26 Aug 2009

Aetna promotes patient safety measures through informative website

Aetna (NYSE:AET) is strengthening its efforts to promote patient safety with easy-to-find online information for members. New policies also require health care facilities, physicians and other health care professionals to take action to prevent medical errors and changes the way they are paid when medical errors do occur.

26 Aug 2009

Young Obama supporters missing from health reform debate

Obama's tech-savvy young activists, who were instrumental in getting him elected, are not as active on health care reform, a gap Obama will have to fix if he is to regain momentum for his top domestic priority, The Associated Press reports.

26 Aug 2009

GOP unveils latest salvo in health reform battle: seniors' bill of rights

Republicans unveiled what they've termed the "Health Care Bill of Right for Seniors" Monday in an attempt to tailor their messages to the elderly, The Washington Post reports.

26 Aug 2009

Hospitals find openness about mistakes improves safety, reduces lawsuits

"Medical errors kill as many as 98,000 Americans each year," writes Laura Landro in the Wall Street Journal's "Informed Patient" column. "Now, some hospitals are hoping to stem the tide of lawsuits by being more open with aggrieved patients and their families. While some experts warn that disclosure will lead to an increase in litigation and costs, there are some indications that patients are less likely to sue if they receive full disclosure and an apology, along with an offer of compensation."

26 Aug 2009