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Bloomberg: Ryan Medicare vouchers save little

In the background, political ads are heating up related to the debate over Medicare cost savings and plans to revamp the health insurance program for seniors.

1 Jul 2011

Avastin for breast cancer still covered by Medicare despite FDA indecision

The Medicare will continue to cover Avastin for breast cancer treatment even if U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Peggy Hamburg decides to withdraw Avastin for such use, according to Don McLeod, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. McLeod said, in his statement, “The FDA decision, when it comes, does not affect CMS.”

1 Jul 2011

Viewpoints: Abortion law debates; Medicare cost examinations; state reform building blocks

The Susan B. Anthony List's Pro-Life Leadership Pledge has garnered praise from a number of Republican presidential candidates, including Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Tim Pawlenty, each of whom has signed the pledge. It has also faced some misinformed criticism, however, not only from the media but from other presidential candidates who refuse to sign on to the pledge's four basic principles.

30 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 30, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about yesterday's decision from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the health law.

30 Jun 2011

100 million Americans suffer pain - many in silence

According to a report released by the Institute of Medicine Wednesday, nearly a third of Americans experience long-lasting pain and too often feel stigma rather than relief from a health care system poorly prepared to treat them. Chronic pain is costing the nation at least $558 billion a year in medical bills, sick days and lost productivity, the report found. That's more than the cost of heart disease, the top killer.

30 Jun 2011

White House backs away from 'secret shopper' survey of doctors

The Obama administration said Tuesday that it had shelved plans for a survey in which "mystery shoppers" posing as patients would call doctors' offices to see how difficult it was to get appointments.

30 Jun 2011

Golden Meditech total turnover increases 15% to HK$328,066,000 for year ended 31 March, 2011

Golden Meditech Holdings Limited, a leading integrated healthcare enterprise in China, is pleased to announce the Group's annual results for the year ended 31 March, 2011.

30 Jun 2011

Dems reject plan to cut Medicare costs, raise eligibility age

As negotiations over raising the nation's debt ceiling continue, two senators — Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn. — advanced a new plan to produce the amount of savings from the Medicare program needed to meet the debt reduction target. The approach, though, which includes raising the eligibility age to 67, was swiftly rejected by top Democrats.

30 Jun 2011

HHS: Half million seniors experiencing lower drug costs

As a result of health law changes to provide seniors with "doughnut hole" relief, Medicare recipients saved a combined $260 million on medicines as of the end of last month.

30 Jun 2011

Viewpoints: Calif.'s budget, Supreme Court drug rulings, the Avastin debate

The budget is not realistic, counting on fantastical revenue projections as well as a redevelopment gambit that's likely to be blocked in court. It makes deep cuts in state programs that will have unwelcome repercussions in years to come. And if the revenue projections prove to be as overly optimistic as they seem, there will be more damaging cuts to education, child care and health services. Nevertheless, it's a more earnest effort to clean up the state's budget mess than Sacramento has seen in a decade or more.

30 Jun 2011

Interest, uncertainty surround health exchanges, ACOs

In other news related to health law implementation, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., has co-sponsored legislation to allow states to opt out of the health law until legal challenges related to it are resolved.

29 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 29, 2011

In today's news, two senators offer a new plan for Medicare cuts -- which includes increasing the eligibility age -- but top Democrats lined up against it.

29 Jun 2011

President steps in as debt talks remain divided — Medicare savings in exchange for added revenue?

As the high-level negotiations continue, health care advocates are stepping up their campaigns to protect against Medicare and Medicaid cuts. Meanwhile, organizations representing physicians — including the American Medical Association — maintain that a permanent fix to Medicare's physician payment formula should be included in the debt-ceiling legislation.

29 Jun 2011

Anti-fraud activities shift to Medicare, mortgage lending; Others less likely to face prosecution

The drop in criminal prosecutions indicates a shift for federal law enforcement agencies, which have increasingly targeted schemes aimed at mortgage lending, financial institutions and Medicare, the government [health] insurance plan for the elderly.

29 Jun 2011

ACO criticism continues; Health exchanges 'a new goldmine'

As health care providers consider structuring accountable care organizations, the nation's employer community wants to be sure they have a place in those discussions.

29 Jun 2011

Study: Doctors turning away more insured patients

The findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, tracked the rates of patients who were accepted by physicians -- including those with private insurance and with Medicare.

29 Jun 2011

Texas passes health program revamp; Oregon House acts to create better coordinated care

The Legislature approved and sent to the governor Monday a health care savings bill under which Texas could seek permission to redesign entirely the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and abortion-rights opponents scored several victories in the measure (Garrett, 6/27).

29 Jun 2011

Roundup: UMass students complain about insurance plan; Indiana stops paying for children's vaccines; Suit filed to stop Arizona Medicaid cuts

Student leaders at the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus say changes in the students' health insurance plan will unfairly hit hardest on women, low-income students, and those with mental illnesses.

29 Jun 2011

Expert addresses need to improve risk stratification of heart failure patients eligible for ICD or CRT-D

Responding to a recent study showing that 40% of patients who receive CRT-ICD therapy do not benefit from the device (Sipahi, et al – 6/13/11), Wojciech Zareba, MD, PhD, stated that improving risk stratification of heart failure patients eligible for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT-D) is essential.

28 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 28, 2011

Today's headlines include reports from the states about action on public employee benefit reforms and Planned Parenthood funding.

28 Jun 2011

Medicare News and Research

Bloomberg: Ryan Medicare vouchers save little

Avastin for breast cancer still covered by Medicare despite FDA indecision

Viewpoints: Abortion law debates; Medicare cost examinations; state reform building blocks

First Edition: June 30, 2011

100 million Americans suffer pain - many in silence

White House backs away from 'secret shopper' survey of doctors

Golden Meditech total turnover increases 15% to HK$328,066,000 for year ended 31 March, 2011

Dems reject plan to cut Medicare costs, raise eligibility age

HHS: Half million seniors experiencing lower drug costs

Viewpoints: Calif.'s budget, Supreme Court drug rulings, the Avastin debate

Interest, uncertainty surround health exchanges, ACOs

First Edition: June 29, 2011

President steps in as debt talks remain divided — Medicare savings in exchange for added revenue?

Anti-fraud activities shift to Medicare, mortgage lending; Others less likely to face prosecution

ACO criticism continues; Health exchanges 'a new goldmine'

Study: Doctors turning away more insured patients

Texas passes health program revamp; Oregon House acts to create better coordinated care

Roundup: UMass students complain about insurance plan; Indiana stops paying for children's vaccines; Suit filed to stop Arizona Medicaid cuts

Expert addresses need to improve risk stratification of heart failure patients eligible for ICD or CRT-D

First Edition: June 28, 2011

Industry Focus eBook - Forensics & toxicology (2nd edition) eBook

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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