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New test to better predict heart attack risk in women

The biggest killer of women over the age of 50 is heart disease. By age 65 women have the same heart attack or stroke risk as men and a greater risk of dying from either. To help better predict heart attack risk in these women, Atherotech Diagnostics Lab has developed a new and better way to test for heart disease risk. The new test will soon be available exclusively through Atherotech Diagnostics Lab.

26 Aug 2011

States putting more kids into CHIP programs, but some Medicaid programs squeezed

Thirty states increased the number of children under the program, Stateline reports. Also, Medicaid advocates are urging federal officials to deny California's request to cut the program, and in Georgia, officials are looking for more funding.

26 Aug 2011

Perry takes on Romney's Massachusetts health reforms

GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry criticized the Massachusetts health overhaul that became law while fellow candidate Mitt Romney was governor. Meanwhile, news outlets are fact-checking statements about related reform initiatives - such as Texas' tort reform law, and members of Congress appear to be taking a less-is-more approach to August town hall meetings.

26 Aug 2011

Hospitals, health care facilities feeling effects of economic downturn

The July jobless rate dipped one-tenth of a point from June to 10.4 percent. That was unchanged from a year earlier. So too, were the number of jobs at hospitals, nursing homes, residential care facilities and clinics across Georgia.

26 Aug 2011

First Edition: August 26, 2011

In today's headlines, reports about presidential politics and health reform -- most notably, Rick Perry's assault on Mitt Romney's Massachusetts record.

26 Aug 2011

Trauma patients with no insurance more likely to seek follow-up care in ED

Providing access to an outpatient clinic isn't enough to keep some trauma patients who have been discharged from the hospital from returning to the emergency department (ED) for follow-up care, even for such minor needs as pain medication refills and dressing changes, according to new Johns Hopkins research.

26 Aug 2011

CBO's latest budget projections assume end of 'doc fixes'

The Congressional Budget Office projects that rebounding revenue, combined with the force of the debt-reduction deal that became law earlier this month, will reduce the deficit by an estimated $3.3 trillion.

26 Aug 2011

'Super committee' leaders say progress is happening

The super committee might not have a staff director, rules in place, or a room to meet in, but leaders of the powerful budget-slashing panel insisted Wednesday that progress is being made. Co-chairs Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Jeb Hensarling said in a joint-statement that they're engaged in "serious discussions" on the details.

26 Aug 2011

Longer looks: Who is influencing health care?; Planned Parenthood's battle in the states; Oregon's new experiment

Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh once vowed to flee to Costa Rica if President Barack Obama's health care reforms took effect. Limbaugh might have overlooked a couple of critical details: Costa Rica's respected universal healthcare system is highly socialized. It's also on the verge of going broke. ... Costa Rica's broad coverage ranked better than most of the Americas, including the United States, in a 2000 World Health Organization index.

26 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: Advice for the super committee and pundits; Calif. health insurance regulation; NEJM on episodic payment

As a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center's Debt Reduction Task Force, I supported gradually raising the Medicare eligibility age. I think it's a good idea now even though it wouldn't have been a couple of years ago. The bottom line is that raising the Medicare retirement age primarily affects higher income older people, who are more likely to be able to keep working and can afford the premiums even if they don't.

26 Aug 2011

Roundup: Federal appeals court says Ariz. Medicaid co-pays violate law; Mich. court rules against medicinal marijuana policies

A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that mandatory copayments charged to Arizona's poorest residents violate federal law. The three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said federal health officials failed to show how the copays, imposed in November after a seven-year court battle, served any purpose besides cutting the state's Medicaid budget.

26 Aug 2011

First Edition: August 25, 2011

In today's headlines, reports about a new Congressional Budget Office report and the usually unlikely assumptions it makes -- including the end of Medicare physician payment fixes.

25 Aug 2011

Medicare tests bundled payment structure in hopes of saving money

Ultimately, Medicare officials hope that bundling payments to hospitals, doctors and even post-hospital caregivers will lead to increases in cost-effective care.

25 Aug 2011

NNU Director named one of the '100 Most Influential People in Healthcare'

For the tenth straight year, National Nurses United Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro has won national recognition from a major healthcare industry publication as one of the "100 Most Influential People in Healthcare" which was announced this week.

25 Aug 2011

Insurer continues challenge to its exclusion from La. Medicaid program

A major insurance firm is continuing to protest its exclusion from the state's planned $2.2 billion privatization of coverage for more than 800,000 of the state 1.2 million Medicaid enrollees.

25 Aug 2011

Medicare may begin covering STD screenings for beneficiaries

Medicare may soon be paying for sexually transmitted disease screening for the elderly. Though the final decision won't be made until November, the federal health care agency that covers about 40 million seniors will announce a draft recommendation Wednesday.

25 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: Perry's health record, Medicare spending slows, postal service's health plan controversy

And now for some good news: Medicare spending growth has been slowing noticeably. ... some evidence suggests it may be a shift toward value in the health-care sector. Various hospital executives have told me they have already begun to prepare for less generous reimbursement from Medicare as the new federal health-care-reform law takes effect.

25 Aug 2011

Constituents try to connect with deficit panel members over possible spending cuts

With the work of the 'super committee' picking up steam, news outlets report on how, while back in their districts for the August recess, some of the panelists are hearing concerns about Medicare and other entitlement programs. Meanwhile, former GOP Senator John Danforth recollects his first-hand experiences with the politics of deficit-cutting commissions.

24 Aug 2011

CVS Caremark board approves new share repurchase program

CVS Caremark Corporation today announced that its board of directors has approved a new share repurchase program for up to $4.0 billion of the company's outstanding common stock.

24 Aug 2011

First Edition: August 24, 2011

In today's headlines, Medicare tries bundled payments and HHS signals that it may give states a second chance to avoid a federally-run health insurance exchange.

24 Aug 2011