Medicare News and Research

RSS

Microsoft, Visionshare partner to enhance health information transaction between physicians, patients

VisionShare, the nation's largest and most trusted healthcare information network, announced today that it is working with Microsoft Corp. to enhance the transaction of health information from physicians to their patients based on security protocols endorsed by the Office of the National Coordinator's Direct Project.

16 Feb 2011

Medicare pay cut for docs already drawing fire

Critics said the method used in the budget blueprint would cause serious problems. But some news reports indicate the inclusion of this Medicare "doc fix" would help build support within the physician community for the president's health care agenda.

16 Feb 2011

Obama budget draws GOP criticism for not taking on entitlements

Although reports indicate President Barack Obama's proposed budget would reduce the deficit by more than $1 trillion over 10 years, it did not offer major changes to Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security — which total about 40 percent of federal spending.

16 Feb 2011

Budget pushes health law implementation, provides some limited — but not easy — increases

However, news outlets report that funding gains within the Department of Health and Human Services come at a steep price.

16 Feb 2011

UC Davis and Sutter first to share electronic health records in the region

Steven Hedrick, deputy director of rehabilitative programs at the California Department of Corrections, was relaxing at home recently when a sharp pain rippled through his lower abdomen. The ache was so severe that he drove to the nearest treatment center Sutter Urgent Care, Yuba City. Physicians there quickly evaluated Steven, obtained a CT scan and diagnosed him with kidney stones. Hedrick was prescribed pain medication and counseled to check in with his primary care physician at UC Davis as soon as possible.

15 Feb 2011

First Edition: February 15, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about the health portion of the President's budget blueprint along with the politics that accompany it.

15 Feb 2011

CWRU's REC helps doctors to adopt electronic health records

Nearly $8 million of federal stimulus funds provided through the Ohio Health Information Partnership is already starting to help hundreds of doctors in northeast Ohio switch to electronic health records. Now, with a greater sense of urgency, the word is going out to providers who might not yet be aware that valuable advice is easily available to them.

15 Feb 2011

President to unveil $3.7 billion budget blueprint; challenge is to show fiscal discipline while funding health law's implementation

President Barack Obama's budget plan includes a two-year Medicare "doc-fix" that uses heavy cuts in other health providers' Medicare reimbursements to stave-off a scheduled 25 percent reduction in Medicare physician reimbursements. Meanwhile, news outlets also report the plan "avoids" tackling entitlement spending.

15 Feb 2011

Viewpoints: Expediting SCOTUS health law review; birth control funding; budget cutting and the stock market

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take the extraordinary step of leapfrogging past federal appeals courts to decide the constitutionality of the new health-care law.

15 Feb 2011

Hospital for Special Care announces opening of comprehensive heart failure in-patient unit in Connecticut

Hospital for Special Care (HSC), one of the nation's largest long-term acute-care hospitals, announces the opening of the first comprehensive heart failure in-patient unit in Connecticut, under the direction of board-certified intensivists and cardiologists.

15 Feb 2011

Elsevier / MEDai launches latest version of Pinpoint Review for hospitals

Elsevier / MEDai, a leading provider of advanced clinical analytic healthcare solutions, announced today the launch of the latest version of Pinpoint Review-, its real-time, clinical surveillance system for hospitals. The new version will feature an expanded set of clinical watch triggers, expanded core measure alerts and three new predictions: ICU Admission Prediction, Length of Stay Prediction and Mortality Prediction.

14 Feb 2011

K-V Pharmaceutical to raise $32 million through private placement

K-V Pharmaceutical Company today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with a group of institutional investors to raise approximately $32 million of gross proceeds from a private placement of 9,950,000 shares of its Class A Common Stock at $3.25 per share.

14 Feb 2011

Elsevier / MEDai launch new version of Pinpoint Review clinical surveillance system for hospitals

Elsevier / MEDai, a leading provider of advanced clinical analytic healthcare solutions, announced today the launch of the latest version of Pinpoint Review(R), its real-time, clinical surveillance system for hospitals. The new version will feature an expanded set of clinical watch triggers, expanded core measure alerts and three new predictions: ICU Admission Prediction, Length of Stay Prediction and Mortality Prediction.

14 Feb 2011

AP: Crooks find Medicare Part D an easy target

Crooks are taking advantage of lax oversight in Medicare's Part D prescription drug program to obtain highly addictive drugs including oxycodone, Ritalin, and methadone, according to results of a federal probe.

14 Feb 2011

First Edition: February 14, 2011

Today's headlines are focused on President Obama's budget proposal and what it does and does not include.

14 Feb 2011

Study: Young survivors covered by Medicare Part D often can't afford stroke medications

Young, uninsured stroke survivors or those covered by the Medicare Part D drug benefit often can't afford medications - increasing the risk for future strokes or other cardiovascular disease-related events, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2011.

14 Feb 2011

Northwest Hospital's Subacute Care Unit receives five-star U.S. News ranking

The Subacute Care Unit at Northwest Hospital in Randallstown, Maryland has received a high ranking of five stars overall in U.S. News & World Report's 2011 Best Nursing Homes.

14 Feb 2011

New Republican spending cuts include well-known health programs

House Republican leaders pushed out a new round of proposed spending cuts Friday night as they sought to meet demands by conservatives in the party to trim $100 billion from the current spending levels. Health programs were among the targets.

14 Feb 2011

Campaign to undermine e-prescribing's safety, savings benefits

Some drug manufacturers are aggressively pushing legislative proposals in states across the country that if enacted would undermine electronic prescribing's (e-prescribing) proven safety and savings benefits, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) said today.

14 Feb 2011

Day after Berwick hearing, Mitch Daniels talks about 'limitations' on health care spending

Potential GOP presidential contender Mitch Daniels edged into the debate over rationing health care Friday, saying there will "never be enough money" for every American to have access to all modern life-saving technology.

14 Feb 2011

Medicare News and Research

Microsoft, Visionshare partner to enhance health information transaction between physicians, patients

Medicare pay cut for docs already drawing fire

Obama budget draws GOP criticism for not taking on entitlements

Budget pushes health law implementation, provides some limited — but not easy — increases

UC Davis and Sutter first to share electronic health records in the region

First Edition: February 15, 2011

CWRU's REC helps doctors to adopt electronic health records

President to unveil $3.7 billion budget blueprint; challenge is to show fiscal discipline while funding health law's implementation

Viewpoints: Expediting SCOTUS health law review; birth control funding; budget cutting and the stock market

Hospital for Special Care announces opening of comprehensive heart failure in-patient unit in Connecticut

Elsevier / MEDai launches latest version of Pinpoint Review for hospitals

K-V Pharmaceutical to raise $32 million through private placement

Elsevier / MEDai launch new version of Pinpoint Review clinical surveillance system for hospitals

AP: Crooks find Medicare Part D an easy target

First Edition: February 14, 2011

Study: Young survivors covered by Medicare Part D often can't afford stroke medications

Northwest Hospital's Subacute Care Unit receives five-star U.S. News ranking

New Republican spending cuts include well-known health programs

Campaign to undermine e-prescribing's safety, savings benefits

Day after Berwick hearing, Mitch Daniels talks about 'limitations' on health care spending

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

Latest News