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Research roundup: New hips, Medicare & hospital stays; Medicaid update

JAMA: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Medicare Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty, 1991-2008 - "Total hip arthroplasty is a common surgical procedure but little is known about longitudinal trends," according to this study which found that "Between 1991 and 2008, the mean age for patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty increased from 74.1 to 75.1 years and for revision total hip arthroplasty from 75.8 to 77.3 years (P < .001)."

22 Apr 2011

Screening for home health care is subject of new Medicare rules

When Congress passed the federal health care law, it included a provision designed to cut down on Medicare fraud and improve care for patients.

22 Apr 2011

Viewpoints: Gov. Walker on 'obsolete' Medicaid; Are patients consumers?; The Onion pokes fun at Romney

What does Medicaid have in common with "I Dream of Jeannie," "Lost in Space" and "Get Smart"? They all made their debut in 1965. ... the television networks have updated their programming.

22 Apr 2011

Federal judge in N.J. dismisses health overhaul challenge

According to press reports, U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson ruled that Nicholas Purpura and Donald R. Laster Jr., who filed their lawsuit without a lawyer, lack legal standing to challenge the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

22 Apr 2011

State news: Calif. report faults screening of in-home care providers

Two of the state's largest private medical practices are in talks to merge into a giant doctor-run group that would care for nearly a million Massachusetts patients and significantly escalate the pace of health care consolidation throughout the state. Atrius Health, which runs the Harvard Vanguard system and four other doctors practices, is in advanced talks with Fallon Clinic, the Worcester-based medical group.

22 Apr 2011

HHS unveils new national patient safety initiative

Health and Human Services Regional Director Marguerite Salazar unveiled today a new national patient safety initiative, Partnership for Patients, on behalf of the Obama Administration at The Children's Hospital. Partnership for Patients will help save 60,000 lives across the country by stopping millions of preventable injuries and complications in patient care over the next three years.

22 Apr 2011

First Edition: April 22, 2011

Today's headlines include a variety of reports about the political reactions to the Democratic and Republican deficit proposals as well as plans for Medicare.

22 Apr 2011

Longer looks: Tommy Thompson on Medicare; Was WSJ Pulitzer undeserved?; IPAB and cost cutting

The law contains Medicare cuts, but the savings achieved are then used to pay for new federal spending, such as the Medicaid expansion and new subsidies to purchase health care in state-based exchanges.

22 Apr 2011

At Facebook appearance, Obama calls GOP plan for Medicare 'radical'

Although President Barack Obama used strong and critical language to describe the Republican proposals to change Medicare and Medicaid, he also indicated that he expected to reach a deal to reduce the deficit without transforming these programs.

22 Apr 2011

Decision Resources: 63% of neurologists select Tysabri as effective MS treatment

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the majority of surveyed U.S. neurologists selected Biogen Idec/Elan's Tysabri as the most effective therapy for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, when compared to other currently available agents.

22 Apr 2011

Hospital deals, disagreements in the news

A hospital acquisition in Georgia has drawn challenges by the state's attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission. Meanwhile, the drama surrounding Community Health's take-over bid of Tenet Healthcare Corp. continues.

22 Apr 2011

Viewpoints: Medicare cuts & partisan politics; Colorado health exchange; NEJM on family planning

The debate over Paul Ryan's Medicare reform ideas has largely been healthy, even amid the liberal distortions. But why has there been so little scrutiny of President Obama's new Medicare proposal? Anyone worrying about more individual choice and responsibility in health care might be interested to learn that the alternative is turning every one of these decisions over to a 15-member central committee.

22 Apr 2011

Roundup: Idaho Gov.'s exchange/health law decision; Calif. exchange board meets; Iowa mental health plan

Republican Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter is no fan of the health care reform -- he was the first governor to sign legislation requiring his state to sue over President Obama's overhaul -- but said the bill state lawmakers passed in the 2011 session would have required Idaho to forego the creation of a state health insurance exchange.

22 Apr 2011

Thought leaders gather to examine challenges facing patients with primary immunodeficiencies

Thought leaders from the medical, scientific and patient advocacy communities gathered in New York and London for CSL Behring's Key Issues Dialogue–Immunoglobulin to examine challenges facing patients with primary immunodeficiencies.

21 Apr 2011

First Edition: April 21, 2011

In today's news, reports about President Barack Obama's Facebook visit during which he stepped up his criticism of GOP plans to overhaul Medicare and Medicaid but said he expects to strike a deal to reduce the deficit.

21 Apr 2011

UnitedHealth Group's consolidated first quarter 2011 revenues increased 10% year-over-year

UnitedHealth Group today reported first quarter results, highlighted by accelerated revenue growth from both its UnitedHealthcare and Optum businesses.

21 Apr 2011

Nursing home industry worried about health law mandates; Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid

During a roundtable meeting with reporters, Mark Parkinson, president of the American Health Care Association, detailed the concerns of nursing homes.

21 Apr 2011

Study examines hospital stays and readmissions for hip-replacement patients

Patients undergoing hip-replacement surgery are being released earlier, while more make return trips to the hospital within 30 days of the procedure, an analysis of Medicare recipients found.

21 Apr 2011

NHATS to begin enrollment for study on improving quality of life among the elderly

The National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, will begin enrolling study participants to examine how current and future aging populations can lead fuller, healthier lives.

21 Apr 2011

Watson Laboratories seeks FDA approval to market Colesevelam HCI tablets

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today confirmed that its subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc., filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking approval to market Colesevelam HCI 625 mg tablets.

21 Apr 2011

Medicare News and Research

Research roundup: New hips, Medicare & hospital stays; Medicaid update

Screening for home health care is subject of new Medicare rules

Viewpoints: Gov. Walker on 'obsolete' Medicaid; Are patients consumers?; The Onion pokes fun at Romney

Federal judge in N.J. dismisses health overhaul challenge

State news: Calif. report faults screening of in-home care providers

HHS unveils new national patient safety initiative

First Edition: April 22, 2011

Longer looks: Tommy Thompson on Medicare; Was WSJ Pulitzer undeserved?; IPAB and cost cutting

At Facebook appearance, Obama calls GOP plan for Medicare 'radical'

Decision Resources: 63% of neurologists select Tysabri as effective MS treatment

Hospital deals, disagreements in the news

Viewpoints: Medicare cuts & partisan politics; Colorado health exchange; NEJM on family planning

Roundup: Idaho Gov.'s exchange/health law decision; Calif. exchange board meets; Iowa mental health plan

Thought leaders gather to examine challenges facing patients with primary immunodeficiencies

First Edition: April 21, 2011

UnitedHealth Group's consolidated first quarter 2011 revenues increased 10% year-over-year

Nursing home industry worried about health law mandates; Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid

Study examines hospital stays and readmissions for hip-replacement patients

NHATS to begin enrollment for study on improving quality of life among the elderly

Watson Laboratories seeks FDA approval to market Colesevelam HCI tablets

Industry Focus eBook - Life Science Microscopy (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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