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Ingenuity Systems receives HIPAA Certification

Ingenuity Systems, a leading provider of biomedical information and analysis solutions, today announced that it has passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) audit, confirming that Ingenuity's data center and Ingenuity Variant Analysis are in compliance with relevant Federal Regulations.

15 Feb 2013

Roundup: States get insurance exchange weapon on abortion; N.Y. budget woes include Medicaid money worry; Ga. hospital 'bed tax' might not offer budget solution

Abortion opponents have found a new way to restrict access to abortion -- by using the authority states have over the new health insurance exchanges, which will be up and running in a year. At least 21 states have legislation in place or in the works that will stop health insurance companies from paying for abortions for women.

15 Feb 2013

College health plans beginning to accommodate transgender students

Over the last decade, as activists started pushing colleges to accommodate transgender students, they first raised only basic issues, like recognizing a name change or deciding who could use which bathrooms.

14 Feb 2013

State policies, positions on Medicaid expansion continue to take shape

North Carolina will not expand Medicaid coverage under President Barack Obama's signature health care reform law and will play no role in setting up the required health insurance exchange, Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican, said on Tuesday.

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

Final word on essential health benefits expected soon

CQ Healthbeat reports the Office of Management and Budget is reviewing several health law implementation rules including this one, which will determine the types of coverage available to consumers. Meanwhile, a study examines how the health law's caps on out-of-pocket costs will affect consumers next year.

13 Feb 2013

More opioids being prescribed for pain relief in Germany

More and more opioids are being prescribed for pain relief in Germany. This is the conclusion arrived at by Ingrid Schubert, Peter Ihle, and Rainer Sabatowski, whose study of a sample of inhabitants of the state of Hesse with health insurance from a large statutory provider is published in the latest issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International.

13 Feb 2013

Pac-fico Salud and Johns Hopkins sign landmark affiliation agreement

World-class standards for clinical outcomes and patient safety are at the core of a landmark affiliation agreement signed today between Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI) and Pac-fico S.A. Entidad Prestadora de Salud (Pac-fico Salud), a Lima, Peru-based subsidiary of Credicorp Ltd.

13 Feb 2013

State roundup: Calif. doc supply strains under health law

The compelling facts and figures he provided the Senate Finance Committee gave feuding Democrats and Republicans the confidence to unite behind an expedited but cautious roadmap toward a federally prescribed expansion of Medicaid in Virginia.

12 Feb 2013

Feds encourage Mississippi to pursue health exchange partnership

Also, cost issues spark disagreement in Minnesota as the state Senate continues to weigh action related to these health insurance marketplaces.

12 Feb 2013

In some states, opposition to Medicaid expansion leading employers to brace for higher health care costs

The Wall Street Journal reports on this trend. Meanwhile, other news outlets report on state-specific developments regarding the debates over expanding the health program for low-income people.

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

Bishops reject HHS plan for contraception coverage

The Catholic leaders say the compromise doesn't offer enough safeguards for religious institutions, and that they will continue to fight the administration on the mandate.

11 Feb 2013

RNL BIO files new stem cell drug IND with KFDA to initiate phase II and III cerebral palsy trials

RNL BIO CO LTD (RNL) announced today the filing of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) to initiate clinical trials phase II and III assessing the company's RNL-Astrostem stem cell drug in patients with cerebral palsy.

11 Feb 2013

State and federal officials find way to preserve MinnesotaCare

Officials have been working to preserve -- after the federal health law takes effect -- this health insurance program for lower-income residents who lack coverage through their jobs.

10 Feb 2013

Parity delays, payment snafus, frustrate mental health providers

News outlets anticipate the release of rules regarding the types of mental health care insurers must provide under the federal health care law, as well as the payment fallout from new treatment codes.

10 Feb 2013

HHS turns down Miss. Insurance Commissioner's bid for exchange

Commissioner Mike Chaney wanted to set up a state-based marketplace for insurance to open next year as part of the health overhaul, but federal officials said the Mississippi governor's opposition made it impossible for the exchange to function as required by law.

10 Feb 2013

AARP opposes bill that would allow insurers to charge older people more

The powerful seniors lobby says it cannot support proposals that would let premiums go higher for older beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the administration announces that a health program for low- and moderate-income people, which is optional for states, will not be able to start until 2015.

10 Feb 2013