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PCMA ad campaign warns Mississippi legislators that SB 2445 can increase health care costs

A new ad campaign warns Mississippi legislators that SB 2445 would increase health care costs by granting the State Board of Pharmacy authority to regulate pharmacy benefit managers.

17 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Wis. Medicaid dilemma; an army doc's Rx for cutting costs; Rep. Boren on repeal

These slipshod exercises in governance were choreographed by House Republicans, who knew that neither the Senate nor President Obama would ever accept their original proposal to gut nonsecurity discretionary spending with $61 billion in cuts through September, including riders to end financing for Planned Parenthood and the health care law.

17 Mar 2011

It's the health law's birthday and not everyone is celebrating

The health overhaul's first anniversary — just about a week away — is already being marked on Capitol Hill with a number of hearings and other events related to exploring, complimenting and criticizing the law's implementation.

16 Mar 2011

APAPO honors House Democratic Leader with Outstanding Leadership Award

Representative Nancy Pelosi was honored last night by the American Psychological Association Practice Organization for her advocacy work and legislative accomplishments on mental health issues.

16 Mar 2011

Wound Management reviews alternatives to return to OTCBB

Wound Management Technologies, Inc., a leader in advanced wound care solutions, today commented on the shift in the Company's stock quotation coverage which recently transitioned from the OTCBB to the OTCQB under the symbol "WNDM."

16 Mar 2011

New study examines mortality rates among patients treated for AMI in hospitals

A new Yale University study looks at why there is such a big difference in the mortality rates among patients treated for heart attacks in hospitals across the country. The study appears in the March issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

16 Mar 2011

Improving care for Medicaid's sickest 5% could help reduce funding gap

Politico reports that the Obama administration is targeting this very needy population, many of whom are known as dual eligibles, for better care because — although their numbers are actually quite small — the amount of program money they use is quite large.

16 Mar 2011

Hospitals with higher diagnosis frequency for chronic conditions have lower case-fatality rate

An examination of data for more than 5 million Medicare beneficiaries finds that hospital regions that have a greater frequency of diagnoses have a lower case-fatality rate for chronic conditions such as coronary artery disease and kidney failure, according to a study in the March 16 issue of JAMA.

16 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Texas' painful budget cuts; Congress 'should' attack deficit, Medicare costs

The real problem is that liberals and conservatives alike have over the years gauged an elected official's support for the goals of a program by the money he or she has been willing to spend on it. Thus, liberals measure one's support for education, welfare and health programs by how much more one votes to fund them each year.

16 Mar 2011

A Medicare mistake: Paying for Viagra

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General concluded that the program paid more than $3 million in 2007 and 2008 for this drug, even though it is against the law for Medicare to pay for Viagra prescriptions.

16 Mar 2011

Newer, more expensive treatments for prostate cancer adopted rapidly

With 180,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, it is one of the most common types of cancer in the country. For this reason, it has been cited as a good marker for health care spending in general, reflective of the greater trends across the United States.

15 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 15, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about the pace of legal challenges to the health law as well as ongoing congressional attempts to reach partisan agreement on a short-term budget bill to avert a government shutdown.

15 Mar 2011

DJO Global signs definitive agreement to purchase Rikco for $254.6 million

DJO Global, Inc., a leading provider of medical device solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health and pain management, today announced that one of its indirect subsidiaries has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Rikco International, LLC, D/B/A Dr. Comfort, for approximately $254.6 million in cash.

15 Mar 2011

New research: Aging population triggers a boom in Chinese nursing home industry

A nursing home industry is booming in China as a rapid increase in the proportion of its elderly population forces a nationwide shift from traditional family care to institutional care, according to new research by Brown University gerontologists.

15 Mar 2011

Despite partisan clashes, political climate open to 'adult' budget debate

Media outlets report that no such serious discussion can be held without including entitlement programs such as Medicare, but public opinion continues to be a wildcard that could undermine momentum.

15 Mar 2011

New report finds nearly 15 million Alzheimer's and dementia caregivers in the U.S.

According to 2011 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, released today by the Alzheimer's Association, there are nearly 15 million Alzheimer's and dementia caregivers in the United States.

15 Mar 2011

Medica Foundation awards $1 million in grants to five Minnesota organizations

The Medica Foundation today announced $1 million in grants to five Minnesota organizations. The grant amounts range from $100,000 to $300,000 each and are designed to provide funding to the recipients over a three-year period.

14 Mar 2011

Waivers continue to be flashpoints in health overhaul's implementation

More than 1,040 waiver requests have been approved so far by the Department of Health and Human Services regarding so-called "mini-med" plans. But the perplexing question appears to be how HHS will handle the requests in 2012 and 2013, before a major provision of the health law takes effect. In addition, anticipation continues to mount in regard to the upcoming release of ACO regs.

14 Mar 2011

Maricom opens third office in Lutherville

Maricom Systems, Inc. continues its expansion and growth as it announced today the opening of the company's third office in Lutherville, Maryland. The new location will support the company's Business Development and Healthcare IT sectors. Maricom's other locations are in Woodlawn, the corporate headquarters, and Annapolis Junction, the Office of Classified Programs.

14 Mar 2011

Main Line Health implements eClinicalWorks comprehensive EHR solution

eClinicalWorks®, a market leader in ambulatory clinical systems, today announced that Main Line Health, a non-profit health system serving the greater Philadelphia region, is implementing eClinicalWorks comprehensive electronic health records (EHR) solution, and also making assistance available to its affiliated physicians who desire to use the eClinicalWorks EHR.

14 Mar 2011