Medicare News and Research

RSS

First Edition: October 24, 2011

Today's headlines include a variety of health policy news developments, including speculation about how the Supreme Court might review the health law and what's happening with the super committee.

24 Oct 2011

FDA's ODAC to review Affymax peginesatide NDA for treatment of CKD-associated anemia

Affymax, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) will review the New Drug Application (NDA) for peginesatide proposed for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adult patients on dialysis on December 7, 2011 during the afternoon session.

24 Oct 2011

Vets, Medicare beneficiaries worry about future health coverage

News outlets covered protests of seniors and concern by veterans' groups about possible increases in costs for their health insurance.

24 Oct 2011

Health costs continue upward trend

Market Watch reports that an index tracking health care costs rose for the fourth time in a row. Meanwhile, McClatchy reports that disability benefits are on a financially unsustainable path. Finally, NPR offers advice for handling health expenses during one's golden years.

22 Oct 2011

ACOs: Docs, hospitals A-OK on revisions to final rule

The regulations, which were released Thursday, relaxed requirements for doctors and hospitals to participate in the program. Some insurers and employers, however, complained that the changes will increase the chances that providers will consolidate, which could reduce competition and drive up costs.

22 Oct 2011

Viewpoints: The toll of Medicare fraud; insurer's Medicare Advantage switch can confuse seniors

In a searing two-part investigative series earlier this week, the Chronicle's Terri Langford wrote about unscrupulous operators, here in Houston, who make millions of Medicare dollars exploiting the most vulnerable of our local residents through private ambulances and for-profit psychiatric clinics. Medicare, and American taxpayers, are footing the bill, which is enormous.

22 Oct 2011

Research roundup: Disparities in heart failure improvements; vets face barriers to mental health care

Hospitalization And Mortality Rates For Medicare Beneficiaries, 1998-2008 -- This report examines treatment of more than 55 million Medicare fee-for-service heart failure patients, from 1998 to 2008. The researchers found that heart failure hospitalization declined susbstantially over that time but "occurred unevenly across race-sex categories, especially for black men, who had the lowest rate of decline."

22 Oct 2011

ACP applauds CMS' improved Medicare ACO Final rule

The American College of Physicians (ACP) today applauded CMS for making substantial improvements in its long- awaited Final Rule on Accountable Care Organizations.

22 Oct 2011

Super committee: Are all the old deficit-reduction ideas new again?

As the panel considers its approach to reach deficit-reduction targets, much of the input it is getting from congressional committees and outside interest groups seems to track with existing ideas rather than innovative approaches.

22 Oct 2011

Watson receives FDA approval for Androderm lower-dose formulations

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its Androderm (testosterone transdermal system) 2 mg and 4 mg formulation.

21 Oct 2011

AHRQ: Only 8.7M of 12.1M women suffering from chronic pain received treatment in 2008

An estimated 12.1 million women age 18 and older reported suffering from chronic pain in 2008 as a result of underlying medical conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, endometriosis, fibromyalgia and vulvodynia. Of these women, only 8.7 million reported receiving treatment that year at a total cost of $12.9 billion, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

21 Oct 2011

Pradaxa for stroke treatment results in higher costs

Treating patients with the new blood thinning medication dabigatran (Pradaxa), instead of warfarin results in significantly higher per patient costs and higher net costs per stroke avoided, according to a new study by pharmacy benefit manager Prime Therapeutics (Prime).The study will be presented today at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's Educational Conference in Atlanta, Ga.

21 Oct 2011

CMS provides new guidance on EHR payment program

Modern Healthcare reports on this development, which will set up a "double check" to ensure that hospitals have what is necessary to become "meaningful users" of electronic health records.

21 Oct 2011

Final ACO rule relaxes requirements for doctors, hospitals

The Obama administration today released much-awaited final rules on Medicare accountable care organizations that make it easier for doctors and hospitals to participate.

21 Oct 2011

Preclinical data from Teva's COPAXONE study on multiple sclerosis

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced preclinical data demonstrating reparative and neuroprotective effects of treatment with COPAXONE (glatiramer acetate injection) in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) models.

21 Oct 2011

Medicare Part B premium costs likely to cut into social security's increase

Social Security benefits will increase by 3.6 percent, but many consumers won't feel more weight in their wallets because of an expected boost in Medicare costs.

21 Oct 2011

Viewpoints: If not CLASS, then what?; House GOP abortion bill; MLK's legacy in health care

Less than 3% of Americans have private long-term care policies. As Baby Boomers age, the problem will only get worse, which was a driving force behind a provision in the new health reform law that would have created a long-term care insurance program called the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act.

21 Oct 2011

State roundup: Md. program poised for health reform; Calif. high-risk pool; huge insurance premium jump in La. district

Its accountable care organizations will be called coordinated care organizations. And, instead of just aiming to cut costs and increase the quality of care, Oregon wants to actually grade them.

21 Oct 2011

An encouraging decline in heart failure admission numbers: Study

According to heartening news from researchers, hospitalizations for heart failure have dropped 29.5 percent nationally over the past decade. Researchers explain that this is largely because fewer patients were admitted rather than fewer admissions per patient, researchers found.

20 Oct 2011

First Edition: October 20, 2011

In today's headlines, reports analyzing the super committee's progress, and detailing how Republican rivals' stabs at 'Romneycare' are starting to gaining traction.

20 Oct 2011