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URMC study provides a new focus on health care in young adulthood

When adolescents graduate to young adulthood, their preventive care tends to fall by the wayside. A recent study has found that young adults are much less likely to use ambulatory or preventive care, even though their mortality rate is more than twice that of adolescents.

25 Sep 2009

Health officials anticipate 6 million H1N1 vaccine doses by early October

U.S. health officials announced Thursday that "[m]ore than six million doses of swine flu vaccine will be available by the first week in October, more that twice as many as had been recently expected," The New York Times reports.

25 Sep 2009

NIH calls for identifying better methods to predict the risk of developing breast cancer

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the most common non-invasive lesion of the breast, presents unique challenges for patients and providers largely because the natural course of the untreated disease is not well understood. Because most women diagnosed with DCIS are treated, it is difficult to determine the comparative benefits of different treatment strategies versus active surveillance, meaning systematic followup.

25 Sep 2009

House passes bill to stop some Medicare premium increases

The House voted overwhelmingly to stop premium increases in Medicare Part B— which covers doctor visits — from taking effect next year.

25 Sep 2009

Free online guide for health care organizations to improve patient care

Lilly USA and the National Committee for Quality Assurance have collaborated to release a free online guide and resource library for health care organizations that wish to undertake quality improvement initiatives to improve culturally and linguistically appropriate services and reduce disparities in care.

25 Sep 2009

Vermont Information Technology Leaders to collaborate with Allscripts

Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc., the non-profit organization facilitating the expanded use of health information technology in Vermont, and Allscripts, the leading U.S. health information technology provider with a major facility located in South Burlington, Vermont, today announced their intention to enter into a strategic alliance.

25 Sep 2009

NIH to award $348 million for investigators to speed the translation of research into improved health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today that it is awarding $348 million to encourage investigators to explore bold ideas that have the potential to catapult fields forward and speed the translation of research into improved health.

25 Sep 2009

States worry over Medicaid expansion; Montana expands kids coverage

State officials continue to worry about additional costs that would stem from a Medicaid expansion. Meanwhile, Montana unveils a plan to expand health insurance for children and Iowa Republicans are touting their own alternative to a federal health care overhaul.

25 Sep 2009

Perot Systems to provide Revenue Cycle services to the West Georgia Health System

West Georgia Health System and Perot Systems today announced that Perot Systems will provide Revenue Cycle services to the LaGrange, Georgia-based hospital organization. The agreement will enable WGHS to utilize Perot Systems' revenue cycle technology and its proven best practices for revenue cycle improvements.

25 Sep 2009

Senators urge the CMS to spare funding cuts for radiation oncology services

Cancer physicians and cancer care advocates applauded a bipartisan letter led by Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius yesterday urging that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) spare life-saving radiation oncology services from a major Medicare funding cut proposed for diagnostic imaging services. The 32 Senators signing the letter stated their unanimous concern that these funding cuts could force freestanding and community-based cancer centers to shut down, thereby limiting access to care for seniors - particularly in rural areas.

25 Sep 2009

GOP threatens to block health nominees over insurer "gag order"

"The Senate's top Republicans say they won't allow President Barack Obama to fill health posts until his administration stops barring insurers from telling seniors about Democrats' plans to overhaul the health care system," The Associated Press reports. In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Republicans demanded that the "gag order" against insurers be lifted.

25 Sep 2009

NTMs: Rising cause of severe lung diseases

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmental organisms found in both water and soil that can cause severe pulmonary (lung) disease in humans. Pulmonary NTM is on the rise in the United States, according to a large study of people hospitalized with the condition.

25 Sep 2009

U.S. Department of Health awards contracts worth $20 million to ICF International

Macro International (ICF Macro), a subsidiary of ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI), was awarded two re-compete, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contracts valued at more than $20 million with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services.

24 Sep 2009

New report on seniors and health insurance reform released

Vice President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today hosted a town hall meeting with seniors in Silver Spring, Md., and released a new report, Health Insurance Reform and Medicare: Making Medicare Stronger for America’s Seniors.

24 Sep 2009

Mountain Lakes to implement Netsmart's clinical and practice management behavioral health software solution

Netsmart Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of software and services for health and human services organizations, today announced an agreement to provide its CCHIT-certified clinical and practice management behavioral health software and related services to Mountain Lakes Behavioral Healthcare of Guntersville, Ala

24 Sep 2009

'Promise of Nursing for Maryland' gala to counter nurse shortage

As part of its ongoing commitment to help alleviate the nursing shortage in Maryland and across the United States, The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future will host the “Promise of Nursing for Maryland” gala on Thursday, September 24 to raise funds to help ease the shortage throughout the region. One hundred percent of the event’s proceeds will support regional nursing school grants, faculty fellowships and student scholarships.

24 Sep 2009

Some states praise language to change Medicare pay formula

Some states such as Washington and Minnesota see benefit in changes to the Medicare pay formula.

24 Sep 2009

Dr. John Clarke polls more than 50,000 votes to win the 2009 H1N1 PSA contest

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sebelius and Department of Education (ED) Secretary Arne Duncan today announced that Dr. John Clarke of Baldwin, N.Y., is the winner of the 2009 H1N1 PSA Contest. More than 50,000 votes were cast by Americans across the country on YouTube. Dr. Clarke will receive a $2,500 cash prize and his ad will be broadcast on national television.

23 Sep 2009

Breach notification regulations take effect, HIPAA-covered entities to notify affected individuals if PHI is breached

Today breach notification regulations take effect under the HITECH Act. HIPAA-covered entities, including healthcare providers and business associates, are now required to notify affected individuals, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and sometimes the media, if a patient's unsecured protected health information (PHI) is breached.

23 Sep 2009

First step to reducing smoking in America

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today a ban on cigarettes with flavors characterizing fruit, candy, or clove. The ban, authorized by the new Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, is part of a national effort by the FDA to reduce smoking in America. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in America.

23 Sep 2009