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Walgreens to introduce comprehensive customer loyalty program

Walgreens today announced the official launch of a comprehensive customer loyalty program on Sunday, Sept. 16, offering customers ways to save, earn points and get rewarded for purchases, services and healthy behaviors.

15 Sep 2012

Supplies and devices may contribute to increase in average cost per patient discharge

Inpatient hospital treatment accounts for the largest proportion of health care spending in the U.S., with the use of diagnostic imaging services such as MRIs, frequently implicated as the probable cause. A new analysis finds that the biggest expense may not be imaging technology but from supplies including medical devices, such as stents and artificial joints.

15 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 14, 2012

Today's headlines include stories detailing the politics stirred up by GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan's return to Capitol Hill, as well as reports about new poll numbers and the latest about how health issues are playing on the campaign trail.

15 Sep 2012

Number of uninsured Americans drops by 1.3 million

New census data shows that for the first time since 2007, the number of Americans without health insurance declined. However, high rates of poverty persisted.

14 Sep 2012

New efforts to improve Medicaid in California, Colorado

Advocates caution that California's ambitious program for dual eligibles could be problematic, while Colorado's effort to move Medicaid patients into medical homes is showing savings.

14 Sep 2012

U-M able to decrease annual Medicare spending by $2,499

In a nationwide program that aimed to provide better care at a lower cost for Medicare participants, the University of Michigan made the most progress in reducing costs and improved the quality of care patients received.

14 Sep 2012

New ads, campaign appearances deepen political lines in the sand

As former President Bill Clinton concludes his two-day Florida campaign tour for President Barack Obama, he continued to hammer domestic themes including the importance of the health law and to criticize GOP statements regarding Medicare.

14 Sep 2012

Automatic 2 percent Medicare cut would take a heavy toll on health industry, groups warn

Health care provider organizations have joined forces to urge Congress to avert Medicare cuts and spare jobs.

14 Sep 2012

Weekly campaign highlights: Races in Penn., Iowa, Miss., and Mich.; Reports on voter-access issues

As election day approaches, Kaiser Health News' Sarah Barr will sample news coverage each week from swing states around the country – how health policy developments, and other political issues, are playing in this year's vote.

14 Sep 2012

Viewpoints: Medicaid's role in lowering uninsured rate; Need to protect physicians 'compelled by conscience' to provide abortions

The number of Americans who lack health insurance declined last year, the first drop since 2007. This is, in large part, the result of the health care reform law and better coverage under public programs like Medicaid. This also shows why repealing the health care law or revamping and shrinking Medicaid, as many Republicans want to do, would be disastrous moves.

14 Sep 2012

Roundup: Portland to add flouride to city water; Fla. officials probe federal report of disabled children forced to nursing homes; Regulators find Minn. hospital violated federal patient protection laws

Over jeers and cheers from the audience, commissioners on the Portland, Ore., City Council voted Wednesday to add fluoride to the city's drinking water starting in 2014. Portland is the largest American city that doesn't add fluoride to its drinking water. But some groups have raised questions about the possible risks from fluoridation and oppose its use.

14 Sep 2012

First Edition: Sept. 13, 2012

Today's headlines include news from the Census Bureau that, although record numbers of poor people persist, the number of uninsured Americans dropped by 1.3 million.

13 Sep 2012

ACO 'predecessor' saved Medicare money, according to JAMA study

The study, found that the Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration resulted in health care savings.

13 Sep 2012

With rock star Fanfare, Clinton talks health care on the campaign trail

Speaking to what the New York Times described as a sellout crowd in Florida, former President Bill Clinton reprised many of his convention speech themes regarding how the health law is strengthening Medicare and providing benefits to millions of Americans. The Obama campaign is expected to continue to rely on Clinton as a surrogate in battleground states.

13 Sep 2012

Seniors: An increasingly politically motivated demographic

It's hard to come by numbers to describe how many retirees are going into politics. But organizations on the left and the right say that this year's election may be an especially active one for people of retirement age. It is the first presidential contest since the advent of the Tea Party movement, which has been driven largely by voters age 65 and older.

13 Sep 2012

House subcommittee votes to separate insurance agents' payments from health law's MLR rules

On a largely party-line vote, the subcommittee voted to modify the provision of the 2010 health law. A vote by the full Energy and Commerce Committee is expected next week.

13 Sep 2012

Viewpoints: Questions Obama, Romney not likely to answer in debates; Disturbing news on tests for ovarian cancer

New evidence that women are more likely to be harmed than helped by screening tests for ovarian cancer is disturbing. The tests do nothing to prevent healthy women from dying from the usually fatal disease. Yet they often lead doctors to perform needless surgeries that cause serious complications in many patients.

13 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 12, 2012

Today's headlines include news about former President Bill Clinton's role on the presidential campaign trail as well as reports from Capitol Hill and details of a new survey regarding health insurance costs.

12 Sep 2012

Researchers analyze cost-savings achieved by Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration

In an analysis of the cost-savings achieved by an earlier pilot program, the Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration (PGPD), researchers found modest estimates of overall savings associated with the PGPD, but larger savings among the dually eligible patients (Medicare and Medicaid), with savings achieved in large part through reductions in hospitalizations, according to a study in the September 12 issue of JAMA.

12 Sep 2012

A new round of polls explores attitudes about presidential candidates, health policies

A new Washington Post-ABC News polls finds President Barack Obama has a slight edge over his challenger Mitt Romney among registered voters. A CNN poll finds Obama has a bigger advantage on health care and Medicare issues. Another poll by United Technologies/National Journal shows Americans increasingly concerned about the future of Medicare, raising warning flags for both parties.

12 Sep 2012

Medicare News and Research

Walgreens to introduce comprehensive customer loyalty program

Supplies and devices may contribute to increase in average cost per patient discharge

First Edition: September 14, 2012

Number of uninsured Americans drops by 1.3 million

New efforts to improve Medicaid in California, Colorado

U-M able to decrease annual Medicare spending by $2,499

New ads, campaign appearances deepen political lines in the sand

Automatic 2 percent Medicare cut would take a heavy toll on health industry, groups warn

Weekly campaign highlights: Races in Penn., Iowa, Miss., and Mich.; Reports on voter-access issues

Viewpoints: Medicaid's role in lowering uninsured rate; Need to protect physicians 'compelled by conscience' to provide abortions

Roundup: Portland to add flouride to city water; Fla. officials probe federal report of disabled children forced to nursing homes; Regulators find Minn. hospital violated federal patient protection laws

First Edition: Sept. 13, 2012

ACO 'predecessor' saved Medicare money, according to JAMA study

With rock star Fanfare, Clinton talks health care on the campaign trail

Seniors: An increasingly politically motivated demographic

House subcommittee votes to separate insurance agents' payments from health law's MLR rules

Viewpoints: Questions Obama, Romney not likely to answer in debates; Disturbing news on tests for ovarian cancer

First Edition: September 12, 2012

Researchers analyze cost-savings achieved by Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration

A new round of polls explores attitudes about presidential candidates, health policies

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