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First Edition: October 26, 2010

In today's headlines, more reports from the campaign trail -- highlighting how tempers and politics continue to flare around health overhaul issues.

26 Oct 2010

Centene third quarter premium and service revenues increase 9.5% to $1.082 billion

Centene Corporation today announced net earnings from continuing operations for the quarter ended September 30, 2010, of $22.4 million, or $0.44 per diluted share; $0.48 from operations excluding a $0.04 charge for net investment writedowns.

26 Oct 2010

New Risk Stratification Index allows important clinical outcomes

Research published in the November issue of Anesthesiology describes development of a new Risk Stratification Index (RSI) that allows important clinical outcomes such as length-of-stay and mortality for surgical patients to be accurately compared among hospitals using only publically available billing data. The new risk stratification system is more accurate than existing outcomes measurements such as the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and the investigators have made it freely available.

26 Oct 2010

New strategic brand platform shows UPMC as world-class health care organization

UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) today unveiled a new strategic brand platform "UPMC: Life Changing Medicine" and logo, unifying its clinical, insurance and international and commercial services activities with one consistent message.

26 Oct 2010

Pre-retirees concerned over rising healthcare costs

Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of pre-retirees ages 50-64 are not at all confident that they are saving enough to handle healthcare costs in retirement, according to a new survey from the Society of Actuaries (SOA). Additionally, only seven percent of participants said they are very confident about having enough savings.

26 Oct 2010

Health politics: Obama challenges GOP on health law; insurers backing republicans; Democrat Manchin opposes law

In an interview with President Barack Obama, The National Journal asked about the GOP agenda, including repealing the health law. What is clear to me is that in the abstract, everybody on the Republican side is for repeal, Obama said.

26 Oct 2010

Calif. budget comes in the nick of time for health centers; LA. Gov. announces cuts in health care funding

With some California community health centers just weeks or days away from laying off staff or reducing their hours, the state adopted its latest-ever annual budget on Oct. 8.

26 Oct 2010

Tips for unemployed buying health insurance

The Wall Street Journal, in a personal finance column: "With no job prospects long before they can afford to retire -- and Social Security benefits still years away -- many unemployed workers in their 50s and early 60s are struggling to pay the bills. ... Of the 14.9 million unemployed, more than 2.2 million are 55 or older, according to the U.S. Labor Department."

25 Oct 2010

Health law implementation hitting snags

Despite pledges to leave employer-based health plans intact, benefits consultants say some firms are considering ending or reducing coverage for their workers, The Associated Press reports, adding: "That's just not going to happen, White House officials say." But an executive for the consulting firm Deloitte said, "What we are hearing in our meetings is, 'We don't want to be the first one to drop benefits, but we would be the fast second.' We are hearing that a lot."

25 Oct 2010

First Edition: October 25, 2010

Today's headlines include the latest on health overhaul policies and politics as the mid-term election grows closer.

25 Oct 2010

Experts identify efficient way to increase minority access to colorectal cancer screening

Minority patients have a significantly decreased survival from colon cancer compared to white patients, most often as a result of a late diagnosis. To help address this problem, a team of healthcare professionals at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has identified an efficient way to increase minority access to lifesaving colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) in communities where multiple barriers to preventive care exist.

25 Oct 2010

State officials adopt standards for insurers' expenses

The New York Times: "State insurance commissioners on Thursday unanimously endorsed tough new standards that would require many health insurance companies to spend more of each premium dollar for the benefit of consumers. The new federal health care law stipulates that at least 80 percent of premium revenue must be spent on medical care and 'activities that improve health care quality' for patients — not retained as profits or used to pay executive compensation and administrative expenses.

25 Oct 2010

Health reform - and opposition to it - remains contentious as Nov. 2 nears

As the election approaches, Americans remain divided on the health law and GOP challengers seeking to use that to their advantage are finding mixed results. The Associated Press has a variety of coverage.

25 Oct 2010

State Watch: N.Y. approves rate hikes; Arizona referendum on health insurance mandate; Md. insurer cuts broker fees

The Sacramento Bee: "A Sacramento federal judge has ordered the state to keep providing adult dental, podiatric and chiropractic services to poor people in underserved rural areas until it gets permission from federal health authorities to discontinue the benefits. U.S. District Judge Frank C. Damrell Jr. ruled Wednesday that, while the services are not mandatory under the federal Medicaid program (Medi-Cal in California), the Legislature's decision to end them last year as a cost-saving measure was unlawful without federal approval.

25 Oct 2010

State regulators recommend new health insurance rules

Insurance regulators unanimously recommended controversial rules Thursday governing how much insurers must spend on patients' medical care.

25 Oct 2010

First Edition: October 22, 2010

Today's headlines detail the National Association of Insurance Commissioners vote on recommendations regarding a key provision of the health law.

22 Oct 2010

Health Plan One introduces web-based Medicare Quick Quotes Tool

Health Plan One, a general agent in the online health insurance market, has launched a new online product called the Medicare Quick Quotes Tool. This web-based tool helps insurance agents compare Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage plans more efficiently and effectively than in the past.

22 Oct 2010

LA. drops plans for quickly setting up new health plan for poor; national health insurer accused on providing "junk insurance" in Calif

In the face of mounting opposition, the Jindal administration dropped plans late Wednesday to expedite approval of rules needed to implement a new health-care delivery system for the poor.

22 Oct 2010