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U-M study shows decline in surgery mortality for eight different high-risk operations

Surgery death rates have dropped nationwide over the past decade, according to a University of Michigan Health System study that reveals cancer surgeries have seen the most dramatic improvement in safety.

3 Jun 2011

RACGP committed to supporting telehealth in general practice

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) recognises that telehealth provides considerable opportunities to improve health outcomes for patients in outer metropolitan, regional, rural and remote communities and is committed to supporting the profession during the telehealth rollout.

2 Jun 2011

MedeAnalytics introduces Value-Based Purchasing Resource Center for healthcare industry

MedeAnalytics, a leading provider of healthcare performance management solutions, announced today the launch of its Value-Based Purchasing Resource Center. As a service to the healthcare industry, the resource center provides objective educational information on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' value-based purchasing program.

2 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 2, 2011

Today's health policy headlines cover a gamut of develoments, including reports about the latest Medicare dust up in the ongoing budget negotiations and about oral arguments in the latest round of appellate court action related to health law legal challenges.

2 Jun 2011

Disappointment abounds regarding ACO regs

In this pair of articles, Modern Healthcare reports on the American Hospital Association's criticism of the antitrust approach included in the accountable care organization regulations recently released by the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as on the negative reaction expressed by a Cleveland Clinic executive.

2 Jun 2011

House votes down symbolic effort to raise debt ceiling

The House overwhelmingly refused to raise the nation's borrowing ability Tuesday — a largely symbolic vote designed to bolster Republican arguments that a successful measure must include deep spending cuts and sweeping policy revisions.

2 Jun 2011

Eight major health systems join HVHC to demonstrate improved care at lower costs

In December, Mayo Clinic, Denver Health, Intermountain Healthcare, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Cleveland Clinic, and The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice announced the formation of the High Value Healthcare Collaborative to improve health care, lower costs, and move best practices out to the national provider community. Today, they announced that eight major health systems will join the Collaborative.

2 Jun 2011

Teva receives FDA approval to market Eisai's Alzheimer's treatment Aricept Tablets in the U.S.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for the Company's Abbreviated New Drug Application to market a generic version of Eisai's Alzheimer's treatment Aricept Tablets, 5 mg and 10 mg. Shipment of this product has commenced.

2 Jun 2011

Medicare payment proposal for medical imaging triggers opposition

The top Republican and Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Health panel are pushing back against proposals to curb medical imaging tests paid by Medicare, arguing that they could restrict access to "life-saving medical tools."

2 Jun 2011

Lawmakers continue Medicare plan posturing

While some Republican lawmakers defend their votes in support of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan's budget blueprint that includes a revamp of Medicare, some Democrats make clear their intent to protect the program.

2 Jun 2011

Texas special legislative session on budget will deal with Medicaid; Calif. shifting Medicaid to managed care

Gov. Rick Perry was expected to begin weighing a Republican presidential bid this week but instead found himself enmeshed again in the battle over the state budget. Political watchers here will scrutinize the governor's special-session agenda for clues to his national intentions. So far, besides the budget, it includes a long-term overhaul of Medicaid and redrawing congressional districts.

2 Jun 2011

Viewpoints: More on Medicare's 'hard choices'; elderly and anti-psychotics; Calif. insurance rate hikes

Unless we make hard decisions now, in less than a decade every dollar of federal revenue will go to covering the costs of Medicare, Social Security and interest payments on our debt. ... I admire Congressman Paul Ryan's honest attempt to save Medicare.

2 Jun 2011

Kindred acquires RehabCare

Kindred Healthcare, Inc. announced that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of RehabCare Group, Inc.

2 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 1, 2011

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports: "Trying to spur enrollment in a key new benefit of the 2010 health law, the Obama administration announced today it is slashing premiums for new high-risk insurance plans and no longer requiring applicants to submit a rejection letter from private insurers".

1 Jun 2011

Many consumers opt for high-deductible coverage despite risks

Last year, Tina Holwin Hodges' healthy family switched to a high-deductible health insurance plan and were able to save $100 a month on their monthly premiums, which seemed like a bargain. Then her daughter Cailee spent three days in the hospital with a viral infection, her daughter Heather went in for a cardiac workup, her husband had hand surgery after being out of work for a year, and she injured her back and couldn't work for three months.

1 Jun 2011

Dems, GOP continue heavyweight fight over Medicare proposals

Democrats and Republicans are looking for their next messaging steps on proposals to slow the growth of Medicare costs in the wake of a congressional election and talks to tackle to mounting debt.

1 Jun 2011

Scans, hospital infections at heart of new quality issues

A new diagnostic imaging test that can detect plaque in the arteries of the heart is not an efficient tool for screening people not experiencing symptoms of heart disease, a recent study found.

1 Jun 2011

Health law implementation issues: Challenges with exchanges, doc-owned hospitals

A small but growing number of prominent, Republican governors — including Mitch Daniels and Haley Barbour — are taking the lead to shape a key component of the health care overhaul their party fought so hard to kill. It's a delicate balancing act for Republicans who, on the one hand, oppose federal health reform, even challenging its constitutionality in federal court, and, on the other hand, are pragmatically trying to control as much of the implementation process as they can.

1 Jun 2011

Hospitals facing pressure to hold down costs and cut infections; drug shortages reported

For the first time in its history, Medicare will soon track spending on millions of individual beneficiaries, reward hospitals that hold down costs and penalize those whose patients prove most expensive. The administration plans to establish "Medicare spending per beneficiary" as a new measure of hospital performance, just like the mortality rate for heart attack patients and the infection rate for surgery patients.

1 Jun 2011

Pawlenty outlines plans for Medicare

The former Minnesota governor discusses his plans for the entitlement program on ABC's "This Week" and on the campaign trail in Iowa.

1 Jun 2011

Medicare News and Research

U-M study shows decline in surgery mortality for eight different high-risk operations

RACGP committed to supporting telehealth in general practice

MedeAnalytics introduces Value-Based Purchasing Resource Center for healthcare industry

First Edition: June 2, 2011

Disappointment abounds regarding ACO regs

House votes down symbolic effort to raise debt ceiling

Eight major health systems join HVHC to demonstrate improved care at lower costs

Teva receives FDA approval to market Eisai's Alzheimer's treatment Aricept Tablets in the U.S.

Medicare payment proposal for medical imaging triggers opposition

Lawmakers continue Medicare plan posturing

Texas special legislative session on budget will deal with Medicaid; Calif. shifting Medicaid to managed care

Viewpoints: More on Medicare's 'hard choices'; elderly and anti-psychotics; Calif. insurance rate hikes

Kindred acquires RehabCare

First Edition: June 1, 2011

Many consumers opt for high-deductible coverage despite risks

Dems, GOP continue heavyweight fight over Medicare proposals

Scans, hospital infections at heart of new quality issues

Health law implementation issues: Challenges with exchanges, doc-owned hospitals

Hospitals facing pressure to hold down costs and cut infections; drug shortages reported

Pawlenty outlines plans for Medicare

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