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Early intervention of biologic therapies improves outcome for Crohn's disease

A large-scale study of medical claims data shows that introducing sophisticated biologic therapies early in the course of treatment for Crohn's disease improves response to medication and reduces the need for surgery.

18 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: White House makes its case on cutting Medicare but one critic isn't buying the 'shared sacrifice'

These officials say the administration has also made modest but important progress in controlling Medicare spending, the biggest debt driver. The budget raises some Medicare premiums on high-income retirees and increases some deductibles.

18 Apr 2012

New research unable to find either positive or negative impact of WIC on infant health

Existing scientific literature suggests the U.S. government nutritional program known as WIC improves birth outcomes of children, but new research is unable to find either a positive or negative impact on infant health.

18 Apr 2012

New statistics: One-third of adults aged 45-63 are unmarried

Startling new statistics from Bowling Green State University's National Center for Family and Marriage Research (NCFMR) paint a bleak future for the largest generation in history, the baby boomers, as they cross into old age.

17 Apr 2012

Entitlement programs at center of Capitol Hill's gathering budget storm

The likely and emerging partisan clash in Congress could force GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney to take difficult policy positions in the fall -- just as the campaign is coming to an end. Meanwhile, this week on Capitol Hill, lawmakers will wrestle with a number of health care issues.

17 Apr 2012

Medicaid news: Neb.'s prenatal care flap; Texas' 'ticking time bomb'

Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman vetoed a proposal to restore Medicaid-funded prenatal care for illegal immigrants on Friday, but the initiative could still survive if the state legislature rejects his move next week. Nebraska state senators voted 31-15 on Wednesday to restore the program, which was eliminated two years ago after providing prenatal care for decades.

17 Apr 2012

Health news from the campaign trail

News outlets offer a fact check on how some health issues are being characterized in the presidential contest, as well as a report about an attack on the health law in what The Associated Press terms "bizarre videos."

17 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: The missing debate on women; The true cost of care; Fair wages for home health aides

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just reported that the nation's teen pregnancy rate is at an all-time low. Increased contraceptive use appears to have played a significant role in the decline. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that without Title X services, hundreds of thousands more teenagers would become pregnant every year. Why does GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney think eliminating the federal money for family planning - $327 million annually - is wise?

17 Apr 2012

Health law implementation questions include impact of Medicaid expansion, subsidies for buying insurance

News outlets report on how a range of health law provisions are taking shape, including the proposed rule on federal subsidies to buy insurance, Medicaid expansion and accountable care organizations.

17 Apr 2012

States roundup: Calif. mental health system grapples with controversy, shortage; Texas issues new stem cell rules

In 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice sued the state, alleging that it was violating patients' rights by heavily drugging and improperly restraining them and failing to provide appropriate treatment. The state settled, agreeing to an extensive court-supervised improvement plan at four hospitals with more than 4,000 patients. But a Times investigation found that the plan has failed to achieve the Justice Department's main objective: to raise the level of care so patients could control their violent tendencies and would not be institutionalized any longer than necessary.

17 Apr 2012

Regenstrief, IU develop Child Health Improvement through Computer Automation System

Researchers from Indiana University and the Regenstrief Institute have developed an automated system to help enable pediatricians to focus on the specific health needs of each patient in the short time allotted for preventive care.

17 Apr 2012

First Edition: April 16, 2012

Today's headlines include reports about what the future might look like when Medicare doctors' pay will be tied to quality and cost of care, as well as how consumer advocates are anxious about a key aspect of the health law.

16 Apr 2012

Sebelius appeals to civil rights groups for health law support

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asked civil rights activists to help defend the health law. Meanwhile, other news outlets report on specific aspects of the law, including how contractors have been preparing for its implementation, and the latest on accountable care organizations.

16 Apr 2012

N.Y. governor signs order establishing state health insurance exchange

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo bypassed the state legislature where Republicans had blocked a bill and issued an executive order establishing a new health insurance exchange, a major part of the health care law.

16 Apr 2012

Congressional leaders' budget dispute is a preview to fall elections

Democrats and Republicans in Congress can't agree on a budget, but there's no disagreement about using (Rep. Paul) Ryan's to highlight an election-year divide. ... The debate underscores the broader dispute between the two parties about the role and size of government. From town halls to job fairs to meet-and-greets with voters during Congress' two-week recess, Democrats and Republicans focused on the budget in a preview of the seven-month campaign to November.

16 Apr 2012

Research roundup: Obesity treatment for low-income patients; Medicare vs. private plans

Low-income patients are underrepresented in clinical trials and are disproportionately prone to obesity and the related problems of high blood pressure and heart disease. Researchers conducted a 24-month trial of more than 300 low-income, obese patients from various Boston community health centers, randomizing participants "to usual care or a behavioral intervention that promoted weight loss and hypertension self-management using eHealth components. The intervention included tailored behavior change goals, self-monitoring, and skills training, available via a website or interactive voice response."

16 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: Politics distorting views of the health system; US is more efficient than most people think

If health insurers can keep denying coverage to anyone, millions of Americans could be left to fend for themselves in a system that openly discriminates against the sick and leaves many destitute.

16 Apr 2012

Roundup: No new policies from cross-border insurance law; Dental Medicaid abuse in Texas?

Proponents said these out-of-state policies, stripped of Georgia's mandates, would have lower premiums – and allow more people to afford individual health insurance coverage. ... But a year later, nothing has happened. No insurer here has started selling a non-Georgia health plan.

12 Apr 2012

Survey: Health insurance cost growth outpaces everything else

Costs for all types of medical plans are expected to increase by 9.9 percent in 2012, according to a survey by Buck Consultants, a division of Xerox. This is the first time since 2001 that the survey has projected cost increases less than 10 percent for any type of plan, so a 9.9 percent increase can almost be seen as a victory.

12 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: Medicare may be unintended victim of bank crisis; Health care industry's fears of law's reversal

The banks' actions led directly to an increase in government debt, which in turn has made the reduction of that debt by "cutting runaway spending" a centerpiece of the Republican presidential campaign to date.

12 Apr 2012

Health Insurance News and Research

Early intervention of biologic therapies improves outcome for Crohn's disease

Viewpoints: White House makes its case on cutting Medicare but one critic isn't buying the 'shared sacrifice'

New research unable to find either positive or negative impact of WIC on infant health

New statistics: One-third of adults aged 45-63 are unmarried

Entitlement programs at center of Capitol Hill's gathering budget storm

Medicaid news: Neb.'s prenatal care flap; Texas' 'ticking time bomb'

Health news from the campaign trail

Viewpoints: The missing debate on women; The true cost of care; Fair wages for home health aides

Health law implementation questions include impact of Medicaid expansion, subsidies for buying insurance

States roundup: Calif. mental health system grapples with controversy, shortage; Texas issues new stem cell rules

Regenstrief, IU develop Child Health Improvement through Computer Automation System

First Edition: April 16, 2012

Sebelius appeals to civil rights groups for health law support

N.Y. governor signs order establishing state health insurance exchange

Congressional leaders' budget dispute is a preview to fall elections

Research roundup: Obesity treatment for low-income patients; Medicare vs. private plans

Viewpoints: Politics distorting views of the health system; US is more efficient than most people think

Roundup: No new policies from cross-border insurance law; Dental Medicaid abuse in Texas?

Survey: Health insurance cost growth outpaces everything else

Viewpoints: Medicare may be unintended victim of bank crisis; Health care industry's fears of law's reversal

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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