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New women’s health policy inadequate

The Gillard government is being criticized for issuing a women’s health policy without announcing more funding for struggling women’s services. This is the first national women’s health policy in 21 years that claims to ensure women “have access to the right healthcare at the right time”.

30 Dec 2010

New report evaluates rate of reinterventions, readmissions after initial AAA surgery

A new report published in the January issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery® evaluates the rate of reinterventions and readmissions after initial abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, 30-day mortality and the effect on long-term survival.

30 Dec 2010

Appalachian Regional Healthcare sues West Virginia DHHR, Bureau for Medical Services over Medicaid reimbursements

Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Inc., yesterday filed a lawsuit against the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) and its Bureau for Medical Services for inadequate Medicaid reimbursement rates that threaten the continued operation of the not-for-profit Beckley ARH Hospital (BARH). The suit was filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court.

29 Dec 2010

Frst wave of baby boomers become eligible for Medicare in 2011

In January, the first wave of baby boomers will start the New Year by reaching a series of significant milestones. This generation will begin turning 65, and as a result of entering into the age of retirement, will start to become eligible for various benefits, including Medicare. It is helpful for this aging population to learn about important benefits programs that may be available to them at this stage in their lives, regardless of whether or not they plan to retire anytime soon.

28 Dec 2010

UPMC MyHealth Connect web-browser mobile application launched

UPMC Health Plan is introducing UPMC MyHealth Connect, its first web-browser mobile application and the first in the region to provide access to all members and non-members regardless of the brand of smartphone they use. MyHealth Connect will provide most users with immediate access to UPMC Health Plan's network of doctors, hospitals, facilities and urgent care centers.

28 Dec 2010

Palladium Equity Partners acquires Jordan Healthcare Holdings

Palladium Equity Partners, LLC, a private investment firm based in New York focused on investments in the U.S. Hispanic marketplace, announced today that one of its affiliates has acquired Jordan Healthcare Holdings, Inc. Terms were not disclosed.

27 Dec 2010

Obama administration sets regulation for controversial end-of-life benefit

When a proposal to encourage end-of-life planning touched off a political storm over "death panels," Democrats dropped it from legislation to overhaul the health care system. But the Obama administration will achieve the same goal by regulation, starting Jan. 1. Under the new policy, outlined in a Medicare regulation, the government will pay doctors who advise patients on options for end-of-life care, which may include advance directives to forgo aggressive life-sustaining treatment (Pear, 12/25).

27 Dec 2010

HIT interventions promising tools in fight to improve medication adherence, despite paucity of data

A new study that reviews more than four decades of medical journal articles about the impact of health information technology (HIT) and electronic communications on medication adherence concludes that while there is evidence to suggest that simple electronic reminders are an effective and low-cost means to improve adherence, there are few studies that show how HIT can be leveraged to more thoughtfully engage or motivate patients to take medications as prescribed.

24 Dec 2010

Research Roundup: Surgery and health costs; ACOs and independent doctors; Stroke's long-term effects; Improving low-income care

Archives of Surgery: Profile Of Inpatient Operating Room Procedures In U.S. Hospitals In 2007 - Understanding operating room (OR) procedures in the hospital "is critical in debates about how to improve the population's health while attempting to constrain growth in health care costs," write the authors of this study that provides an overview of inpatient operating room procedures in the U.S. from 1997 to 2007.

24 Dec 2010

Teva receives FDA complete response letter for glatiramer acetate 0.5mL injection sNDA

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that it has received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for a lower-volume (0.5mL) injection of glatiramer acetate. Copaxone® containing 20mg of glatiramer acetate in 1ml is the global market leader in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

24 Dec 2010

Today's opinions: Ariz. hospital and abortion; Wall Street Journal's issues with PolitiFact; Calif.'s anti-smoking success

St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix announced on Tuesday that it will continue to provide life-saving abortion care to patients even though it means losing its affiliation with the local Roman Catholic Diocese (12/23).

24 Dec 2010

U.S. Physical Therapy acquires mid-Atlantic six clinic physical therapy group

U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc., a leading national operator of outpatient physical therapy clinics, has acquired a majority interest in a six clinic physical therapy group located in the mid-Atlantic region. The practice presently sees approximately 55,000 patient visits per year and produces approximately $4.8 million in annual revenue.

23 Dec 2010

GE Healthcare announces completion of tender offer for Clarient

GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company announced today that it has completed the tender offer by GE's wholly owned subsidiary, Crane Merger Sub, Inc., for all outstanding shares of common and preferred stock of Clarient Inc., a leading player in the fast-growing molecular diagnostics sector. Clarient provides pathologists and oncologists with access to key diagnostic tests that shed light on the complex nature of various cancers.

23 Dec 2010

Medicare pays out big bucks for questionable treatments

News outlets report on various activities related to fraud and abuse in Medicare.

23 Dec 2010

Today's Opinions: Congressional funding vote leaves out health law; Price controls on health; Tough choices in Washington State

The Senate passed the Continuing Resolution 79-16 this afternoon. Another way of saying that: The Senate voted to defund the implementation of both health-care reform and financial-regulation reform.

23 Dec 2010

FDA approves Watson's novel oral contraceptive

Watson Pharmaceuticals today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a novel oral contraceptive product – the first and only low dose oral contraceptive to combine 0.8 mg norethindrone and 0.025 mg ethinyl estradiol in chewable form, with four 75 mg ferrous fumarate (iron) placebo tablets. Taken orally, once daily, the product is proven effective in lowering the risk of pregnancy.

22 Dec 2010

First Edition: December 22, 2010

Today's headlines include a number of reports regarding a new proposed rule by the Department of Health and Human Services that will require insurers to justify large premium hikes.

22 Dec 2010

Mayo Clinic accused of submitting false Medicare claims

The U.S. Justice Department has accused the Mayo Clinic of submitting false claims to Medicare and other federal programs for lab tests it never performed (Lerner, 12/20).

21 Dec 2010

First Edition: December 21, 2010

Today's headlines reveal the health law challenges presented by the Senate's current deal to fund the federal government and from a antitrust suit in Michigan.

21 Dec 2010

Aetna's ACO model improves health care quality, lowers cost of care

Three years ago Aetna began working with doctor groups, specialists and health care facilities to create a more personalized, connected and accountable way to provide health care. Today, Aetna's early accountable care organization model is improving health care quality and lowering the cost of care.

21 Dec 2010

Medicare News and Research

New women’s health policy inadequate

New report evaluates rate of reinterventions, readmissions after initial AAA surgery

Appalachian Regional Healthcare sues West Virginia DHHR, Bureau for Medical Services over Medicaid reimbursements

Frst wave of baby boomers become eligible for Medicare in 2011

UPMC MyHealth Connect web-browser mobile application launched

Palladium Equity Partners acquires Jordan Healthcare Holdings

Obama administration sets regulation for controversial end-of-life benefit

HIT interventions promising tools in fight to improve medication adherence, despite paucity of data

Research Roundup: Surgery and health costs; ACOs and independent doctors; Stroke's long-term effects; Improving low-income care

Teva receives FDA complete response letter for glatiramer acetate 0.5mL injection sNDA

Today's opinions: Ariz. hospital and abortion; Wall Street Journal's issues with PolitiFact; Calif.'s anti-smoking success

U.S. Physical Therapy acquires mid-Atlantic six clinic physical therapy group

GE Healthcare announces completion of tender offer for Clarient

Medicare pays out big bucks for questionable treatments

Today's Opinions: Congressional funding vote leaves out health law; Price controls on health; Tough choices in Washington State

FDA approves Watson's novel oral contraceptive

First Edition: December 22, 2010

Mayo Clinic accused of submitting false Medicare claims

First Edition: December 21, 2010

Aetna's ACO model improves health care quality, lowers cost of care

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

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

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