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Implementation issues trigger action, analysis

News outlets examine health law issues ranging from how states are planning to market the health plans that will become available this fall to whether accountable care organizations will help control health care costs.

14 Feb 2013

FDA grants IDE approval to STS and ACC to study alternative access approaches for TAVR

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) have received a unique investigational device exemption (IDE) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to study "alternative access" approaches for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using the STS/ACC TVT Registry.

14 Feb 2013

State roundup: Ore. considers rural doc loan repayment

Oregon would restore $4 million in the next biennium to fund a loan repayment program that assists primary health care providers willing to work in rural areas, under a bill being pushed by Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, D-Beaverton. The program ran for nearly two decades before it was cut in 2009 in the depths of the recession.

14 Feb 2013

Study: No link between hospital readmissions and saving patient lives

A Journal of the American Medical Association study released Tuesday has found that higher hospital readmissions don't lead to fewer patient deaths.

14 Feb 2013

Will more availability of some Medicare therapies spark a budget crisis?

Politico looks at how making some therapies more widely available to Medicare recipients -- as one lawsuit is asking for -- could strain the program's budget. In addition, The Associated Press examines Medicare records to find that monitoring some kidney cancer patients instead of operating could improve their chances to live.

14 Feb 2013

Rubio' repeats GOP calls for overhauling Medicare, other entitlement programs

During his televised speech responding to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., also criticized the health law.

14 Feb 2013

As part of 'expansive' agenda, Obama offers support for 'modest' Medicare reforms

In last night's State of the Union address, President Barack Obama offered his take on how the U.S. budget could achieve "fiscal stability" through a mix of Medicare cuts and tax increases; however, he provided few details of what changes to Medicare he found acceptable.

14 Feb 2013

Viewpoints: Obama prescription for Medicare is 'modest;' GOP doubts entitlement plan is serious

Somewhat more substantively, he called for a larger deficit-reduction deal built around loophole-closing tax reform and what he called "modest" reforms to Medicare and entitlements. In an apparent effort to rally Democrats to this cause, he called on "those of us who care deeply about programs like Medicare" to "embrace" reform.

14 Feb 2013

Government recovers billions in health fraud crackdown

The Obama administration announced Monday that it recovered a record $4.2 billion last year from medical providers who cheated Medicare and other government health programs.

13 Feb 2013

Obama opposes raising Medicare's eligibility age to reduce spending

According to White House spokesman Jay Carney, the president does not believe this is the right policy to take, although he is open to discussing other entitlement program changes.

13 Feb 2013

Setting the scene: Economy, sequestration at heart of Obama's address

His State Of The Union comments will likely highlight the different partisan views on how these automatic spending cuts, set to kick in March 1, could be minimized. Republicans continue to press for changes in entitlement programs, such as Medicare.

13 Feb 2013

White House details impact of March 1 sequester on health programs

As these scheduled budget cuts get closer, a poll by the Pew Research Center concluded that young voters are supportive of Medicare and Social Security and hope to see these programs overhauled so they live on into the future.

12 Feb 2013

Roadblocks continue despite efforts to address causes of hospital readmissions

Hospital readmissions are miserable for patients, and a huge cost -- more than $17 billion a year in avoidable Medicare bills alone -- for a nation struggling with the price of health care. Now, with Medicare fining facilities that don't reduce readmissions enough, the nation is at a crossroads as hospitals begin to take action.

12 Feb 2013

Congressional Republicans focus on Tavenner nomination, doc fix, Medicaid costs

News outlets covered a variety of Medicare and Medicaid news, including prospects for Marilyn Tavenner to be confirmed as head of CMS.

12 Feb 2013

U.S. hospitals continue to make progress in reducing health care-associated infections

Hospitals in the U.S. continue to make progress in the fight against central line-associated bloodstream infections and some surgical site infections, according to a report issued today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Catheter-associated urinary tract infections remained unchanged between 2010 and 2011.

12 Feb 2013

Skilled Healthcare fourth quarter revenue increases 2.4% to $219.2 million

Skilled Healthcare Group, Inc. today announced its consolidated financial operating results for the three and twelve-month period ended December 31, 2012.

12 Feb 2013

Brookdale fourth quarter total revenue increases 4.1% to $699.7 million

Brookdale Senior Living Inc. today reported financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year 2012.

11 Feb 2013

Viewpoints: Contraceptive debate may hinge on 'conscience of a corporation;' Rep. Cantor's insights on Medicare; Sebelius and holder on fraud

Today, our departments released a report showing that the Obama Administration's historic efforts to go after criminals who steal from Medicare and Medicaid are paying off, especially in hotspots like Houston. The report shows that last year, we recovered a record $4.2 billion from those who prey on our health care system. In total, our efforts returned $14.9 billion over the last four years, more than double what was returned in the previous four years.

11 Feb 2013

Pelosi again rejects proposal to change Medicare

House Democratic leader, in television interview discussing scheduled budget cuts and the national economy, says she hasn't seen evidence that raising the Medicare eligibility age will save money. Republican Rep. Cantor, on a different Sunday morning program, says the government has to find a way to cut spending.

11 Feb 2013

Sophisticated IT leads to more robust and integrated communication strategies in clinical staff

The federal government invested more than $25 billion in health information technology (IT) as a result of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act; yet, little is known about how IT applications improve patient safety and protect their privacy. Now, a University of Missouri nursing informatics expert suggests that sophisticated IT leads to more robust and integrated communication strategies among clinical staff, which allows staff to more efficiently coordinate care and better protect patient privacy.

11 Feb 2013