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Democrats may be giving up on medicare chief's confirmation

Senate Democrats have given up on confirming Don Berwick as CMS administrator in the wake of a letter from 42 Republican senators opposing the nomination, sources tell POLITICO. Citing the GOP letter, a person familiar with the situation said Senate Democrats and the White House "can do the arithmetic" and now see that there's no way for Berwick to get the 60 votes needed to clear the Senate.

8 Mar 2011

Researchers find new strategy for long-term care of seniors

America's 75 million aging adults soon will face decisions about where and how to live as they age. Current options for long-term care, including nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, are costly and require seniors to move from place to place.

8 Mar 2011

State roundup: Mass. effort to manage care for chronically ill; promoting organ donations

For a glimpse of the future of Massachusetts health care as Gov. Deval Patrick envisions it, consider Phyllis Minsky. At 82, Phyllis is complex. Medically, that is. ... Older patients with multiple chronic diseases are the biggest consumers of health care; some 15 percent of Medicare patients make up over 75 percent of health care spending.

8 Mar 2011

Experts develop financial modeling tool to assess economic impact linked with accountable care

Experts from 28 of the nation's leading health systems developed a comprehensive financial modeling tool to assess the economic impact associated with a system-wide transition to accountable care.

8 Mar 2011

New concerns over prescription narcotics use

Over fifty Australian general practitioners have come under the scanner as part of a national crackdown on inappropriate prescribing of narcotics. The three-month campaign is being carried out by the Medicare following high levels of prescriptions for drugs such as OxyContin and OxyNorm. One GP has been found to be writing over 90 per cent of their prescriptions for narcotics. There are further concerns that the painkillers are being resold on the black market.

7 Mar 2011

US District Court certifies class-action lawsuit against McKesson for drug price manipulation

Today a United States District Court judge certified a nationwide, class-action lawsuit against McKesson Corporation on behalf of municipalities claiming McKesson engaged in a scheme to inflate fraudulently the price of more than 400 brand-name prescription drugs, including blockbusters such as Prozac, Lipitor, Zocor and Vioxx.

5 Mar 2011

Senate Republicans urge White House to withdraw Berwick nomination

The Obama administration used a "recess appointment" last July to appoint Donald Berwick to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Yesterday, 42 GOP senators signed on to a letter asking that this appointment be withdrawn.

5 Mar 2011

Physicians, care provider organizations near deadline for processing submittals to CMS for 2010 PQRI

Covisint, a Compuware company, today announced that physicians and care provider organizations are nearing the absolute deadline for processing submittals to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for the 2010 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative. Leveraging Covisint DocSite PQRI, physicians and practice managers can now submit 2010 PQRI data through March 15, 2011.

5 Mar 2011

TearLab provides update on CLIA Waiver categorization application for TearLab Osmolarity System

TearLab Corporation announced today that it is in receipt of a communication from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration indicating that the data submitted by the Company was not sufficient to gain approval of its CLIA Waiver categorization application for the TearLab Osmolarity System.

5 Mar 2011

Healthcare communications, patient engagement improve safety, reduce errors

Improving healthcare communications and engaging patients is critical to improving safety and reducing error. That's why in celebration of The National Patient Safety Foundation's Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 6-12, patient safety thought leaders will be podcasting at the Engaging the Patient blog about how to improve patient safety and empower patients to become more actively involved in their care.

5 Mar 2011

Outcome's TotalQuality Reporting Service to help hospitals meet quality elements of Meaningful Use reporting

Outcome Sciences, Inc., the leading provider of patient registries, studies, and technologies for evaluating real-world outcomes, today announced that its TotalQuality Reporting Service has become a certified electronic health records technology reporting module for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid's Meaningful Use data submission.

5 Mar 2011

Tufts, Harvard Pilgrim plan to remain as individual organizations

The Board of Directors of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan today announced that they will not pursue a merger of the two non-profit health plans. On January 25, 2011, Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts Health Plan signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding as the first step in exploring a possible merger of the organizations.

5 Mar 2011

Combination therapy may reduce albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes: Study

Results from a Phase 2, 8-week dose-ranging study using low doses of atrasentan in patients with diabetic kidney disease were published this week in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. The published study results suggest that atrasentan, used in conjunction with renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, may reduce albuminuria (presence of protein in urine) for patients with type 2 diabetes.

5 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Gambling on entitlement cuts; 'culture war' over family planning; insurance premium 'gouge' in Calif.

The House Republicans are rolling the political dice. They've pledged that in their budget for next year they will offer detailed proposals for curbing spending on "entitlements" — Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. When Democrats heard this, their world suddenly brightened. One congressional aide dismissed the Republicans as "suckers".

4 Mar 2011

GOP focus remains tight on reforming Medicare, entitlement programs

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has made clear his determination to address this issue — The Wall Street Journal is reporting that he has even assured President Barack Obama that he will give him "cover" if he makes a proposal to cut entitlement spending.

4 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 4, 2011

In today's headlines, a Florida federal judge stays his own order regarding the health law, clearing the way for it's implementation -- for now -- but also making clear that the appeals process should move forward at an expedited rate.

4 Mar 2011

Longer looks: Best health policy picks from thought-provoking publications

Every Thursday, KHN's Jessica Marcy compiles this selection of interesting perspectives, from a variety of publications, on health care in America.

4 Mar 2011

Bipartisan Senate bills would open Medicare physician payment data to public

Two senators, a Republican and a Democrat, are pushing legislation to overturn a 1979 court injunction that bars the public from seeing what individual physicians earn from Medicare.

4 Mar 2011

Premier creates new tool to help hospitals and health systems assess VBP impact

The Premier healthcare alliance has created a new tool to help hospitals and health systems assess the potential impact of value-based purchasing.

4 Mar 2011

Talecris granted EU orphan drug designation for Plasmin (human) to treat acute peripheral arterial occlusion

Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc. (TLCR) announced today that it has been granted orphan drug designation by the European Commission for the development of Plasmin (human) to treat acute peripheral arterial occlusion (aPAO). Talecris is currently investigating Plasmin in a phase II clinical trial designed to assess its ability to treat aPAO, a condition in which arterial blood flow to the extremities, usually the legs, is blocked by a clot.

4 Mar 2011

Medicare News and Research

Democrats may be giving up on medicare chief's confirmation

Researchers find new strategy for long-term care of seniors

State roundup: Mass. effort to manage care for chronically ill; promoting organ donations

Experts develop financial modeling tool to assess economic impact linked with accountable care

New concerns over prescription narcotics use

US District Court certifies class-action lawsuit against McKesson for drug price manipulation

Senate Republicans urge White House to withdraw Berwick nomination

Physicians, care provider organizations near deadline for processing submittals to CMS for 2010 PQRI

TearLab provides update on CLIA Waiver categorization application for TearLab Osmolarity System

Healthcare communications, patient engagement improve safety, reduce errors

Outcome's TotalQuality Reporting Service to help hospitals meet quality elements of Meaningful Use reporting

Tufts, Harvard Pilgrim plan to remain as individual organizations

Combination therapy may reduce albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes: Study

Viewpoints: Gambling on entitlement cuts; 'culture war' over family planning; insurance premium 'gouge' in Calif.

GOP focus remains tight on reforming Medicare, entitlement programs

First Edition: March 4, 2011

Longer looks: Best health policy picks from thought-provoking publications

Bipartisan Senate bills would open Medicare physician payment data to public

Premier creates new tool to help hospitals and health systems assess VBP impact

Talecris granted EU orphan drug designation for Plasmin (human) to treat acute peripheral arterial occlusion

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