Medicare News and Research

RSS

Scant high-quality research on hospice care in nursing homes

A new evidence review finds that there's scant high-quality research on the best comprehensive strategies for nursing homes hoping to ease the suffering of older patients through hospice care.

18 Mar 2011

EMA CHMP adopts positive opinion for Teva's NOMAC-E2 contraceptive pill

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) adopted a positive opinion for NOMAC-E2, an investigational contraceptive pill combining 1.5 mg of 17-beta-estradiol with 2.5 mg of nomegestrol acetate in a 24/4 monophasic regimen.

18 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 18, 2011

Today's headlines include news about events planned to mark the health law's first anniversary as well as other developments related to the measure's implementatioin and the budget issues Congress continues to wrestle.

18 Mar 2011

Celera reports net revenue of $34.9 million for fourth quarter of 2010

Celera Corporation today reported net revenues of $34.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2010 that ended December 25, 2010, compared to $39.2 million for the prior year quarter.

18 Mar 2011

Senate Finance Committee hearing marked by detailed policy discussions

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testified before the panel where she defended the health law waivers so far granted by the administration and other aspects of the overhaul that have been subject to scrutiny and criticism.

18 Mar 2011

Medicare officials signal no payment changes on anemia drugs

Medicare officials signaled Wednesday that they will not change a payment policy for biotech drugs made by Amgen and Johnson & Johnson when they are used to treat anemia in kidney disease patients, despite data suggesting heart risks for those patients.

18 Mar 2011

S&P Healthcare Economic Composite Index for 12-month period ending January 2011 is 6.29%

Data released today by Standard & Poor's for the S&P Healthcare Economic Composite Index indicate that the average per capita cost of healthcare services covered by commercial insurance and Medicare programs increased by 6.29% over the 12-months ending January 2011.

18 Mar 2011

GHDX presents Oncotype DX breast cancer test study results at St. Gallen conference

Genomic Health, Inc. today announced results from nine studies utilizing the Oncotype DX test in early-stage breast cancer patients at the 12th Annual St. Gallen International Breast Cancer Conference in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

18 Mar 2011

Non-adherence to chronic opioid therapy increases healthcare costs and hospital days

Patients undergoing opioid therapy for chronic pain who may not be following their prescription regimen have significantly higher overall healthcare costs, Ameritox Ltd. announced recently. The study was published in The American Journal of Managed Care.

18 Mar 2011

Englewood Hospital and Medical Center earns HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award

Englewood Hospital and Medical Center was identified as a recipient of the 2011 HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award, indicating that its patient safety ratings are in the top 5% of U.S. hospitals.

18 Mar 2011

ACP: Increase in internal medicine enrollment can ease primary care workforce shortage

The increase in the number of U.S. medical students choosing internal medicine residencies in 2011 is a positive sign toward easing the primary care workforce shortage, according to the American College of Physicians, the nation's second-largest doctors group.

18 Mar 2011

UPMC Health Plan earns recognition for overall satisfaction in Pennsylvania

UPMC Health Plan earned the highest ranking for overall satisfaction by a health insurer in Pennsylvania in 2011, according to a study on member experience by J.D. Power and Associates, the nationally recognized market research company.

18 Mar 2011

New IAF study identifies ten states as 'diabetes hot spots'

A new study conducted by the Institute for Alternative Futures identified California, Texas, Florida, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Michigan as "diabetes hot spots," where the burden of diabetes will be greatest in the next 15 years.

18 Mar 2011

Roundup: Cuts in Calif. programs; Ga. seeks federal MLR waiver; N.J. lawmakers try to restore some health funding

State lawmakers Wednesday approved billions of dollars in cuts to welfare, medical programs for the poor and in-home care for the elderly and frail, among other services, moving forward key pieces of Gov. Jerry Brown's budget reduction package.

18 Mar 2011

FibroGen, Astellas advance FG-4592 to phase 2b development for treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease

FibroGen, Inc., today announced that FibroGen and partner Astellas Pharma Inc. advanced FG-4592 (Astellas designation ASP1517), an investigational anemia therapy, to phase 2b development for treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on dialysis and not on dialysis.

18 Mar 2011

Home care and hospice nurses, aides and providers march on Washington to ensure the right of every American to be cared for in their home

Hundreds of home care and hospice providers will arrive in that nation’s capitol to keep the fight alive for the critical, high-value, high-quality care that is delivered every day to some of the nation’s most vulnerable individuals.

17 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 17, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about a new GAO report showing success in health insurer appeals and a decision by Blue Shield of California to retreat from proposed rate increases.

17 Mar 2011

MedPAC recommends patients help pay home health care costs

The advisory panel also urged that payments for physicians and hospitals be increased and that the home health care payment formula be reworked. In related news, a Ways & Means subcommittee hearing on Medicare payment issues quickly turned into an exploration of a GOP proposal to replace the program's current structure with a voucher system.

17 Mar 2011

Kentucky Governor signs license bill to practice diabetes education

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear signed a bill yesterday that requires a license to practice diabetes education, a move that the American Association of Diabetes Educators says will enhance consumer protection and increase professional recognition.

17 Mar 2011

Health law battle lines prominent as 1st anniversary approaches

Some Democrats say their party should embrace the law in the upcoming campaign season, just as some tea party lawmakers are questioning the GOP leadership's commitment to repeal it. In the background, "death panels" have again emerged as a topic of congressional investigation.

17 Mar 2011

Medicare News and Research

Scant high-quality research on hospice care in nursing homes

EMA CHMP adopts positive opinion for Teva's NOMAC-E2 contraceptive pill

First Edition: March 18, 2011

Celera reports net revenue of $34.9 million for fourth quarter of 2010

Senate Finance Committee hearing marked by detailed policy discussions

Medicare officials signal no payment changes on anemia drugs

S&P Healthcare Economic Composite Index for 12-month period ending January 2011 is 6.29%

GHDX presents Oncotype DX breast cancer test study results at St. Gallen conference

Non-adherence to chronic opioid therapy increases healthcare costs and hospital days

Englewood Hospital and Medical Center earns HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award

ACP: Increase in internal medicine enrollment can ease primary care workforce shortage

UPMC Health Plan earns recognition for overall satisfaction in Pennsylvania

New IAF study identifies ten states as 'diabetes hot spots'

Roundup: Cuts in Calif. programs; Ga. seeks federal MLR waiver; N.J. lawmakers try to restore some health funding

FibroGen, Astellas advance FG-4592 to phase 2b development for treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease

Home care and hospice nurses, aides and providers march on Washington to ensure the right of every American to be cared for in their home

First Edition: March 17, 2011

MedPAC recommends patients help pay home health care costs

Kentucky Governor signs license bill to practice diabetes education

Health law battle lines prominent as 1st anniversary approaches

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

Latest News