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Feds won't renew $30 million funding for Texas' women's health program

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius confirmed Friday that the federal government would stop funding the program which provides health care to more than 100,000 women after Texas barred Planned Parenthood and other "affiliates of abortion providers" from participating. Gov. Rick Perry has pledged to replace the money, but has not said where it would come from.

13 Mar 2012

Supreme Court health law action: Analyzing the arguments and who will be making them

News outlets report on the key issues, dynamics and personalities that will be in play when the Supreme Court takes up the health law.

13 Mar 2012

Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates high in least affluent N.C. counties

A study of cervical cancer incidence and mortality in North Carolina has revealed areas where rates are unusually high.

13 Mar 2012

Viewpoints: America's mixed views on health; Contraception and political 'excesses'; Colorado Medicaid debate

Most people tell pollsters they like the parts of the law that have gone into effect: health insurance for people with preexisting conditions, a clause that allows children to stay on their parents' health plans until the age of 26 and discounts for prescription drugs on Medicare. And, as time goes by, Americans seem less worried that the law will have a negative effect on their own medical care ... But the law itself isn't any more popular than the day it passed.

12 Mar 2012

Study reveals significant variation in use of head computed tomography

Imaging has been identified as one of the key drivers of increased healthcare costs. A new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School has found significant variation in the use of head computed tomography (CT), even within a single emergency department. Strategies to reduce such variation in head CT use may reduce cost and improve quality of care.

12 Mar 2012

Majority of physicians utilize genetic testing, finds report

A new report by UnitedHealth Group's Center for Health Reform & Modernization finds that a majority of physicians are utilizing genetic testing. The report, titled "Personalized Medicine: Trends and prospects for the new science of genetic testing and molecular diagnostics," presents new findings on how genetic tests can help diagnose disease, target prevention, and ensure that patients receive the medicines that will best treat their conditions.

12 Mar 2012

Overcoming challenges to health law implementation at federal, state levels

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is central to implementing the health law, which leads to questions about its capabilities and resources. Meanwhile, states await a final rule on health exchanges.

12 Mar 2012

Watson commences Esmya Phase 3 trial in women with anemia linked to uterine leiomyomas

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced it has initiated its Phase 3 trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Esmya (ulipristal acetate) in women with anemia associated with uterine leiomyomas, a medical condition often referred to as uterine fibroids (myomas). Leiomyomata are benign solid tumors that often lead to excessive menstrual bleeding, anemia and pain, which ultimately may require surgical intervention.

12 Mar 2012

First Edition: March 12, 2012

Today's health policy headlines focus significant attention on key issues, dynamics and even personalities that will be in play when the Supreme Court takes up the health law later this month.

12 Mar 2012

UHC retires negative coverage policy effective April 1, 2012

Aerocrine AB announces that United Healthcare has retired its negative coverage policy effective April 1, 2012.

12 Mar 2012

Viewpoints: The fight against IPAB; Chinks in GOP armor on health care law

As part of their broader campaign to repeal health care reform, House Republicans are determined to kill off an independent board that is supposed to help rein in federal spending on Medicare. Their rhetoric is predictably distorted: charging that "15 unelected bureaucrats" should not be able to "ration care." In truth, the independent payment advisory board of nongovernmental experts is specifically precluded from rationing care, and Congress, not the board, has the final say on what cuts should be made.

11 Mar 2012

State highlights: Texas doctors feeling the effects of budget cuts; Iowa advocates seeking better services for disabled

(Dr. Javier Saenz's) troubles reflect a statewide problem for doctors who treat a disproportionately high number of the reported 320,000 low-income Texans who are fully and dually eligible for Medicare, the federal insurer of the elderly, and Medicaid, the joint state-federal health care program for indigent children, the disabled and the very poor.

11 Mar 2012

The soon-to-be-released GOP budget plan: What will become of traditional Medicare?

How this question is answered could have big implications for the GOP's presidential and congressional candidates. Meanwhile, Politico Pro reports the plan being prepared by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R- Wis., is likely to include a reserve fund to deal with Medicare's sustainable growth rate formula.

11 Mar 2012

Research roundup: Confusing high priced for high quality care; Expanding digital records to all hospitals; Veterans and opiod use

An Experiment Shows That A Well-Designed Report On Costs And Quality Can Help Consumers Choose High-Value Health Care -- Researchers conducted an experiment with more than 1,400 people to see if the way information on quality and cost of care is displayed affects consumers' decision to choose a high value health care plan. The group was shown different presentations of the same information and was asked to pick their preferred plan.

10 Mar 2012

IPAB repeal progresses in the House

On Thursday, the House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation that would eliminate the health law's Independent Payment Advisory Board. The bill could be considered by the full House as early as the week of March 19, and it could attract some Democratic support.

10 Mar 2012

Health care politics: Contraception issues shift women to Dems, GOP contenders on Medicare's future

News outlets covered a poll on the health law and also analyzed Republican positions on abortion, contraception and Medicare.

10 Mar 2012

Report: Alzheimer's care to cost $200 billion this year

The report issued by the Alzheimer's Association also estimates that as many as 800,000 Americans have this illness and live alone. As many as half of these people don't have specific arrangements to help them get care.

9 Mar 2012

Obama administration: Mandate is respectful of individual rights

The Department of Justice argues that the individual mandate is more protective of individual choices than programs such as Medicare. In other news related to the health law, the clashes between consumer and business groups over the measure's required benefit summaries don't appear to be over.

9 Mar 2012

New study finds significant variation in head CT use

9 Mar 2012

Critics raise alarms about downsizing of Calif. adult day health care program

Some say the state has predetermined how many people it can serve and is manipulating the process for assessing clients so the results fit within the new program's slimmer budget.

9 Mar 2012

Medicare News and Research

Feds won't renew $30 million funding for Texas' women's health program

Supreme Court health law action: Analyzing the arguments and who will be making them

Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates high in least affluent N.C. counties

Viewpoints: America's mixed views on health; Contraception and political 'excesses'; Colorado Medicaid debate

Study reveals significant variation in use of head computed tomography

Majority of physicians utilize genetic testing, finds report

Overcoming challenges to health law implementation at federal, state levels

Watson commences Esmya Phase 3 trial in women with anemia linked to uterine leiomyomas

First Edition: March 12, 2012

UHC retires negative coverage policy effective April 1, 2012

Viewpoints: The fight against IPAB; Chinks in GOP armor on health care law

State highlights: Texas doctors feeling the effects of budget cuts; Iowa advocates seeking better services for disabled

The soon-to-be-released GOP budget plan: What will become of traditional Medicare?

Research roundup: Confusing high priced for high quality care; Expanding digital records to all hospitals; Veterans and opiod use

IPAB repeal progresses in the House

Health care politics: Contraception issues shift women to Dems, GOP contenders on Medicare's future

Report: Alzheimer's care to cost $200 billion this year

Obama administration: Mandate is respectful of individual rights

New study finds significant variation in head CT use

Critics raise alarms about downsizing of Calif. adult day health care program

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