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Viewpoints: Romney praises Israeli health care system -- which has an individual mandate; Sebelius and Pelosi hail launch of women's preventive care provisions

At a breakfast fundraiser in Jerusalem on Monday, (Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney) had nothing but nice things to say about our ally. But in flattering Israel, he raised more doubts about his political abilities. ... he also praised Israel's health care system. "Do you realize what health care spending is as a percentage of the GDP in Israel?" he asked.

2 Aug 2012

Endoscopic vein-graft harvesting technique safe for CABG surgery

Although there have been questions regarding the safety and durability of endoscopic vein graft harvest for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, an analysis of data of more than 200,000 patients who underwent CABG surgery found no evidence of a long-term increased risk of death with endoscopic vein graft harvesting compared to open vein-graft harvesting, according to a study in the August 1 issue of JAMA.

1 Aug 2012

In response to increasing Medicare costs Humana reduces 2012 forecast

Humana Inc., the second-biggest provider of Medicare benefits, cut its 2012 profit forecast as enrollees in the U.S. health insurance program visited the doctor in higher numbers than the company expected.

1 Aug 2012

First Edition: August 1, 2012

WBUR's Martha Bebinger, working in partnership with Kaiser Health News and NPR, reports: "The Massachusetts Legislature Tuesday passed the next phase of its ongoing attempt to reform the health care system: sweeping cost control legislation. Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat, hailed the lawmakers' work saying, 'This is more than a good bill, a great bill.'"

1 Aug 2012

How the Republicans might reshape Medicaid if they win the White House and Congress

The Los Angeles Times reports on how the GOP is readying a push to scale back the health insurance program for the poor if it takes control of the White House and Congress next year. Meanwhile, the insurance industry is paying $1.1 billion in rebates to consumers under the health care law, and eying congressional efforts to overhaul the tax code next year as its best chance to roll back a new health insurance tax.

1 Aug 2012

Intraluminal protection device outperforms two negative-pressure IV connectors in MECH research

An IV connector known as an intraluminal protection device (IPD) significantly outperformed two widely used negative-pressure IV connectors in research performed at Methodist Extended Care Hospital (MECH).

1 Aug 2012

$Older Medicare patients have reduced risk of hip fracture following cataract surgery$

Older Medicare patients have reduced risk of hip fracture following cataract surgery

Medicare patients 65 years and older who underwent cataract surgery had a lower odds of hip fracture 1 year after the procedure when compared with patients with cataract who did not have cataract surgery, according to a study in the August 1 issue of JAMA.

1 Aug 2012

Minimally invasive approach during coronary artery bypass grafting surgery is safe and effective

New research shows that a minimally invasive approach used during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery is safe and effective, despite previous studies that linked endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) to a higher mortality rate.

1 Aug 2012

Ventas prices public offering of $275 million of 3.25% Senior Notes due 2022

Ventas, Inc. announced today that it has priced a public offering of $275 million aggregate principal amount of 3.25% Senior Notes due 2022 at 99.027% of principal amount.

31 Jul 2012

Aetna reports net income of $457.6 million for second-quarter 2012

Aetna today announced second-quarter 2012 operating earnings of $452.0 million, or $1.31 per share, compared to the $1.35 per share reported in the second quarter of 2011.

31 Jul 2012

Planned Medicare payment reductions trigger hospital action

Hospitals are sharpening their efforts to stop a scheduled 2 percent across-the-board cut in payments to Medicare providers. Meanwhile, GOP lawmakers may be stepping back from efforts to block the health law's birth control coverage mandate.

31 Jul 2012

Viewpoints: Health law no threat to innovation; Failure to expand Medicaid would 'doom' thousands; Don't stigmatize mentally ill

For better or worse, the Democrats incorporated a good deal of mainstream Republican thinking about health care reform from the past decade, including mandated coverage and health insurance exchanges, into the Affordable Care Act. This leaves the GOP, embarrassingly, with little to say about what is wrong with the act.

31 Jul 2012

Strategies to reduce readmission are lacking in US hospitals

A review of US hospitals indicates a lack of implementation of important practices to reduce readmission rates among patients with heart failure and acute myocardial infarction, report researchers.

30 Jul 2012

White House projections include steep reductions in Medicare, Medicaid spending

Buried in the White House's annual "mid-session review" budget update on Friday are some steep reductions in projected spending for some of the government's largest expenditures -- Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and interest on the debt.

30 Jul 2012

Court backs Obama administration crackdown on drug company execs

A federal appeals court backed the Obama administration's drive to levy greater punishments on pharmaceutical executives tied to corporate wrongdoing, saying the administration could effectively derail the executives' careers by barring them from doing business with federal programs including Medicare.

30 Jul 2012

Watson seeks FDA approval to market Epiduo Gel for severe acne

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today confirmed that its subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc., filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking approval to market Epiduo (adapalene and benzoyl peroxide) Gel, 0.1% / 2.5%.

30 Jul 2012

Osiris second quarter biosurgery product revenue increases 43% from previous quarter

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., the leading stem cell company focused on developing and marketing products to treat medical conditions in inflammatory, cardiovascular, orthopedic and wound healing markets, announced today its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2012.

30 Jul 2012

First Edition: June 30, 2012

Today's headlines include recent reports about both the policies and politics related to the health law's implementation.

30 Jul 2012

UMHS sub-acute care program decreases hospital readmissions and inpatient stays

A unique University of Michigan Health System program that helps older patients transition from the hospital to sub-acute care facilities has significantly reduced hospital stays and readmissions, according to new findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.

28 Jul 2012

The south leads in scoring federal EHR payments

A Government Accountability Office report finds that health care providers from the south received a plurality of Medicare electronic health record incentive payments.

28 Jul 2012

Medicare News and Research

Viewpoints: Romney praises Israeli health care system -- which has an individual mandate; Sebelius and Pelosi hail launch of women's preventive care provisions

Endoscopic vein-graft harvesting technique safe for CABG surgery

In response to increasing Medicare costs Humana reduces 2012 forecast

First Edition: August 1, 2012

How the Republicans might reshape Medicaid if they win the White House and Congress

Intraluminal protection device outperforms two negative-pressure IV connectors in MECH research

Older Medicare patients have reduced risk of hip fracture following cataract surgery

Minimally invasive approach during coronary artery bypass grafting surgery is safe and effective

Ventas prices public offering of $275 million of 3.25% Senior Notes due 2022

Aetna reports net income of $457.6 million for second-quarter 2012

Planned Medicare payment reductions trigger hospital action

Viewpoints: Health law no threat to innovation; Failure to expand Medicaid would 'doom' thousands; Don't stigmatize mentally ill

Strategies to reduce readmission are lacking in US hospitals

White House projections include steep reductions in Medicare, Medicaid spending

Court backs Obama administration crackdown on drug company execs

Watson seeks FDA approval to market Epiduo Gel for severe acne

Osiris second quarter biosurgery product revenue increases 43% from previous quarter

First Edition: June 30, 2012

UMHS sub-acute care program decreases hospital readmissions and inpatient stays

The south leads in scoring federal EHR payments

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