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Medicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the states and federal government, and is managed by the states.

Magellan, ACG partner to train specialists to provide Peer Support Whole Health services

Magellan Health Services, Inc., an industry leader in behavioral health care management, and Appalachian Consulting Group (ACG) have joined forces to train peer specialists to provide Peer Support Whole Health (PSWH) services. PSWH, an evidence-based behavioral health practice that is growing in use across the country, focuses on improving the overall physical and mental health of individuals with mental illnesses to help them achieve their health and wellness goals.

21 Dec 2010

Dey Pharma settles U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit

Dey Pharma L.P. today announced that it has settled a lawsuit brought against it by the U.S. Department of Justice in September 2006 pertaining to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements paid by the federal government to pharmacists and other healthcare providers. In exchange for a release of claims, Dey has agreed to pay $280 million.

21 Dec 2010

Health-care coverage program for kids ends in Ariz.; Florida Medicaid patient information may be at risk

A new audit criticizes the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and a contractor for failing to properly control access to computer systems that include sensitive information about Medicaid beneficiaries (Saunders, 12/17).

20 Dec 2010

Monday's opinions: Justice Anthony Kennedy may hold key to health care outlook; Minn.'s Medicaid plans; Improving food choices

Unless someone can drop into Anthony Kennedy's dreamspace and, "Inception"-style, either figure out what he thinks of the individual mandate or simply tell him what to think of the individual mandate, it's not worth spending much time speculating on the ultimate legal fate of the provision. The case will eventually make its way to the Supreme Court, and when it does, Kennedy will decide which side has the majority, and until that happens, the various legal decisions are little different from op-ed columns (Ezra Klein, 12/18).

20 Dec 2010

First Edition: December 20, 2010

Today's headlines include more analysis on the continuing legal challenges to the health law and the path they might take to the Supreme Court.

20 Dec 2010

Participants in CMS, Premier healthcare alliance HQID VBP project raise quality by 18.3%

With value-based purchasing (VBP) now law under health reform, hospitals participating in the nation's largest hospital VBP demonstration are providing lessons learned that can help others save lives and better craft rules to govern the new program.

20 Dec 2010

NAFC forms council to establish independent quality standards for incontinence products

The National Association For Continence (NAFC) is heading a newly formed council with the objective of establishing national, independent quality standards for disposable adult absorbent products provided by states to Medicaid waiver recipients cared for in their private homes rather than as residents of a state-funded nursing home.

20 Dec 2010

Research roundup: Gender differences in health spending; How the states could fare under the new law; Increased Medicare premiums

Health Affairs: Pronounced Gender And Age Differences Are Evident In Personal Health Care Spending Per Person - This paper examines health care spending by men and women in 2004, including comparisons "by age group, goods and services consumed, and payers, and an analysis of some of the most frequently cited health conditions and treatments associated with that spending."

20 Dec 2010

In Florida, federal court judge considers health-care challenge by states

In Florida, a federal court judge heard oral arguments surrounding the 20-state challenge to the health overhaul. At issue are two key elements of the new law: its mandate requiring that almost everyone have health insurance and its expansions of the Medicaid program. Although the judge said his ruling would take some time, he did offer some signals about the direction he might take.

20 Dec 2010

Today's Opinions: Cucinelli argues for quickly moving Va. case to the Supreme Court; Unraveling Medicaid leaves a big gap; Taking away a cancer treatment

It's hard not to laugh at the cries over the "injustice" of forcing people to buy coverage. Working Americans are already forced to buy health coverage - but for others. They can't choose not to pay the Medicare payroll tax. They can't even make a deal with the government, promising, "I will forgo all future Medicare benefits if I can be freed from the Medicare payroll tax" (Froma Harrop, 12/16).

17 Dec 2010

First Edition: December 17, 2010

Today's headlines highlight major health policy developments, including action in a Florida courtroom regarding the 20-state challenge to the health law and the Food and Drug Administration's curb on Avastin for the treatment of breast cancer.

17 Dec 2010

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota praises fix of orphan drug discount under 340B program

Families who were facing the prospect of huge increases in the cost of life-saving drugs for their children can breath easier thanks to a new law that will preserve discounts on specialized, so-called "orphan drugs."

17 Dec 2010

President signs one-year 'pay-fix'; Medicare tests competitive bidding for common medical equipment

The Kansas City Star reports on a new Medicare program that will apply competitive bidding to common medical equipment and supplies. Meanwhile, President Obama signed into law yesterday a one-year delay in Medicare payment cuts for physicians.

17 Dec 2010

Florida Judge hears arguments in 20-state health law challenge; says ruling will take time

The Associated Press: Attorneys for 20 states involved in a challenge to the new health law argued Thursday morning before U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson that it will "expand the government's powers in dangerous and unintended ways." The states were seeking "a summary judgment throwing out the health care law without a full trial. They argue it violates people's rights by forcing them to buy health insurance by 2014 or face penalties."

17 Dec 2010

Over quarter million women who gave birth in hospitals had pre-existing diabetes or developed gestational diabetes

More than a quarter million women who gave birth in U.S. hospitals in 2008 had pre-existing diabetes or developed it during their pregnancy - a condition called gestational diabetes, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This equals 6.4 percent of the 4.2 million women who gave birth in that year.

17 Dec 2010

Health law challenges shift to Florida courtroom

Today marks a "new day in court" as oral arguments will be heard in a Florida courtroom regarding the 20-state legal challenge. This lawsuit includes issues surrounding the health law's individual mandate and Medicaid expansions. Meanwhile, analysis continues regarding Monday's decision by a federal court judge in Virginia and a new round of debate regarding whether the health overhaul lawsuits bring to light issues of judicial bias.

16 Dec 2010

Today's Opinions: Health law spending; Funding threats undercut U.S. legal tradition; Medicaid falls short

Rising entitlement spending is already driving the federal budget off a cliff. But Obamacare would add fuel to the fire with the largest entitlement expansion since the 1960s. So it takes a special kind of audacity for Obamacare's apologists to continue to insist that the new law will cut the projected budget deficits.

16 Dec 2010

Centene anticipates premium and service revenue in the range of $4.9 billion to $5.1 billion for fiscal 2011

Centene Corporation announced today its 2011 financial guidance. The discussions below are in the context of continuing operations and all financial ratios exclude premium taxes.

16 Dec 2010

Watson, PregLem enter licensing agreement to develop, market Esmya in the U.S. and Canada

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Gedeon Richter Plc today announced that Watson's subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc. has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with PregLem, S.A., ("Preglem") the wholly owned subsidiary of Richter, to develop and market Esmya™ (ulipristal acetate) in the U.S. and Canada.

16 Dec 2010

State roundup: Minn. to add more adults to Medicaid; Mass. Gov. seeks savings in pensions and health care costs; Ariz. bishop and hospital spar over control

Minnesota can add 95,000 low-income adults to its Medicaid rolls, vastly improving their medical care, at no additional cost to the state, two officials at the state Department of Human Services told legislators Tuesday (Wolfe, 12/15).

16 Dec 2010

Medicaid News and Research

Magellan, ACG partner to train specialists to provide Peer Support Whole Health services

Dey Pharma settles U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit

Health-care coverage program for kids ends in Ariz.; Florida Medicaid patient information may be at risk

Monday's opinions: Justice Anthony Kennedy may hold key to health care outlook; Minn.'s Medicaid plans; Improving food choices

First Edition: December 20, 2010

Participants in CMS, Premier healthcare alliance HQID VBP project raise quality by 18.3%

NAFC forms council to establish independent quality standards for incontinence products

Research roundup: Gender differences in health spending; How the states could fare under the new law; Increased Medicare premiums

In Florida, federal court judge considers health-care challenge by states

Today's Opinions: Cucinelli argues for quickly moving Va. case to the Supreme Court; Unraveling Medicaid leaves a big gap; Taking away a cancer treatment

First Edition: December 17, 2010

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota praises fix of orphan drug discount under 340B program

President signs one-year 'pay-fix'; Medicare tests competitive bidding for common medical equipment

Florida Judge hears arguments in 20-state health law challenge; says ruling will take time

Over quarter million women who gave birth in hospitals had pre-existing diabetes or developed gestational diabetes

Health law challenges shift to Florida courtroom

Today's Opinions: Health law spending; Funding threats undercut U.S. legal tradition; Medicaid falls short

Centene anticipates premium and service revenue in the range of $4.9 billion to $5.1 billion for fiscal 2011

Watson, PregLem enter licensing agreement to develop, market Esmya in the U.S. and Canada

State roundup: Minn. to add more adults to Medicaid; Mass. Gov. seeks savings in pensions and health care costs; Ariz. bishop and hospital spar over control

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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