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Watson, Natco confirm development agreement for generic Revlimid

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Natco Pharma Limited today confirmed an exclusive, U.S. development and license agreement, to develop and commercialize lenalidomide 5, 10, 15 and 25 mg tablets. The companies also confirmed that Natco has filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval to market its lenalidomide 5, 10, 15 and 25 mg product. Natco's lenalidomide tablets are generic versions of Celgene's Revlimid ® Tablets.

7 Dec 2010

First Edition: December 7, 2010

In today's headlines, Senate leaders appear to be nearing a one-year deal on Medicare's physician pay problem.

7 Dec 2010

Early physical therapy associated with fewer subsequent injections, surgery, physician visits: Study

The American Physical Therapy Association is pointing to a new study on low back pain in Medicare patients in its efforts to encourage the newly established Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to promptly launch a demonstration project on direct access to physical therapist services that was recommended in the recent health reform law.

7 Dec 2010

Research roundup: Early retiree insurance; high deductible plans and skipped care; innovation and FDA

Health Care Use And Decision Making Among Lower-Income Families In High-Deductible Health Plans - This study examines the health care experiences of lower-income families (those with incomes that were less than 300% of the federal poverty level) with high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) compared to higher-income families.

7 Dec 2010

Report: Baltimore cardiologist inserted 'medically unnecessary' stents

Abbott Laboratories, a $30 billion-a-year, Chicago-based pharmaceutical firm, ranked [Dr. Mark] Midei among its top-volume doctors in the Northeast and made plying him with research money and 'VIP trips' part of its business plan in late 2008 — about the time Midei's usage of Abbott-brand stents soared, the report said.

7 Dec 2010

AARP survey shows overwhelming support for long term solution to protect access to medicare doctors

Access to doctors is critical to 39 million older Americans on Medicare – including over 1.5 million Illinoisans. But this access might be gravely compromised if Congress takes no action by January 1st, 2011, to prevent a severe cut in pay for Medicare physicians. Today, AARP released a survey of Illinois members, showing overwhelming support for a long term solution that protects patients' access to their doctors.

7 Dec 2010

Today's Op-Eds: ObamaCare and FEHBP; California prisons; and workhorse Medicaid

Even Washington's stupidest scandals can be revealing, and so it is with the liberal cri de snore that Republicans ought to renounce health insurance. Democrats have inadvertently drawn up another indictment of ObamaCare (12/4).

6 Dec 2010

Cardiologist provided unnecessary stent implants: investigation

In a new investigation a Senate Finance Committee has found that a former cardiologist, Mark Midei at Towson, Md.-based St. Joseph Medical Center performed 585 medically unnecessary stent implants, costing Medicare and private insurers a combined $6.6 million in fraudulent reimbursement fees. These stents are special medicated or wire tubes that are placed inside coronary arteries of the heart to prevent them from collapsing or clogging up which may lead to a hear attack.

6 Dec 2010

Seven studies on Oncotype DX breast cancer test to be presented at 33rd CTRC-AACR SABCS

Genomic Health, Inc. today announced that the company will present results from seven studies at the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), taking place December 8-12, 2010 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

4 Dec 2010

Elimination of first month purchase option for power wheelchairs will hurt Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas

For 12 years, Gerald Sloan, owner of Progressive Medical Equipment, LLC, has provided home medical equipment to Medicare patients from his retail outlets near Kansas City and St. Louis, and he is also vice president of the Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services (MAMES). Today, Sloan is concerned that the elimination of the first month purchase option for Medicare beneficiaries requiring power wheelchairs will prevent patients in rural areas from receiving the mobility assistance that has been prescribed by their physicians.

4 Dec 2010

LHC Group alters 2010 guidance due to reduction in Medicare reimbursement

LHC Group, Inc., a national provider of home health and hospice services, announced today that the Company is adjusting its full year earnings per share outlook for 2010 solely due to the 4.89% reduction to Medicare reimbursement that was outlined in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update for Calendar Year 2011, which was released on November 3, 2010, following the Company's third quarter earnings call.

4 Dec 2010

Decrease in physician reimbursement leads to decline in AST usage for prostate cancer

The use of androgen suppression therapy (AST) in prostate cancer for low-risk cases declined following a decrease in physician reimbursement, according to a study published online TK in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute. However, the indicated use of AST for metastatic disease in the palliative setting did not decline in the same period.

4 Dec 2010

Clarient extends pending offer, files amendment to Solicitation/Recommendation Statement

Clarient, Inc. announced today the extension of the current pending offer by Crane Merger Sub, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of General Electric Company to acquire all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company.

4 Dec 2010

Debt panel members vote today; Some say recommendations will shape future efforts to reduce health costs

News outlets report that as the presidential debt commission plans to vote today, the final recommendations could shape the debate on how budgeteers treat Medicare, Medicaid and health care costs in the future -- regardless of the vote tally.

4 Dec 2010

Minnesota pilot project seeks to save Medicare money by addressing readmission rates; MedPac offers draft payment recommendations

Last February, Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina set out to try to reduce readmissions for Medicare patients as part of a pilot project with UCare, a small Minnesota health plan. The result: The 30-day readmission rate dropped by 44 percent. ... It's one way, experts say, that Medicare hopes to save billions of dollars (Lerner, 12/2).

4 Dec 2010

OpEds: Positions on Fiscal Commission; Reinhardt on Medicare; Defeating diabetes

As a member of this bipartisan commission and co-author of the Conrad-Gregg Bipartisan Fiscal Task Force legislation the panel is based on, I hope this plan will be supported. ... Unfortunately, significant health-care savings are missing from the plan; this is an issue that will have to be addressed soon.

4 Dec 2010

New article questions role of amenities in hospital care

From hotel-style room service to massage therapy to magnificent views, hospitals are increasingly touting their luxury services in a bid to gain market share, especially those in competitive urban markets. An important new article, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, raises crucial questions about the role of amenities in hospital care, explaining that how we decide to value the patient experience can have a significant effect on health care costs.

3 Dec 2010

Obama praised for enhanced health care reform for Alzheimer's community

According to the Society of Actuaries, the leading cause of U.S. long-term care claims is Alzheimer's, the brain disease that renders over 5 million Americans unable to handle all the acts of daily living unaided. Who cares? Evidently President Obama does, having written a pro-active column in the Fall, 2010, issue of care ADvantage, published by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

3 Dec 2010

More Coloradans lose Medicare Advantage plans, Missouri lawmakers push for doctor's order to buy common cold and allergy meds

The Denver Post: "Nearly 14,000 Coloradans are losing their form of Medicare Advantage plans next year and will need to choose new options, creating a hardship for 1,700 rural Medicare members who won't find similar plans left on the table. Medicare Advantage carriers such as Humana, Anthem, Secure Horizons and MVP dropped some Medicare Advantage plans in Colorado. … The dropped carriers affect 13,936 beneficiaries in Colorado, including 3,832 in the Denver metro area" (Booth, 12/2).

3 Dec 2010

Justice Department offers expedited antitrust review for ACOs

Bloomberg: "Sharis Pozen, chief of staff of the [Justice] Department's antitrust division, told a House judiciary subcommittee" that "[t]he department intends to offer whatever guidance and clarity may be needed to ensure that providers pursue beneficial integrated ACOs without running afoul of the antitrust laws."

3 Dec 2010

Medicare News and Research

Watson, Natco confirm development agreement for generic Revlimid

First Edition: December 7, 2010

Early physical therapy associated with fewer subsequent injections, surgery, physician visits: Study

Research roundup: Early retiree insurance; high deductible plans and skipped care; innovation and FDA

Report: Baltimore cardiologist inserted 'medically unnecessary' stents

AARP survey shows overwhelming support for long term solution to protect access to medicare doctors

Today's Op-Eds: ObamaCare and FEHBP; California prisons; and workhorse Medicaid

Cardiologist provided unnecessary stent implants: investigation

Seven studies on Oncotype DX breast cancer test to be presented at 33rd CTRC-AACR SABCS

Elimination of first month purchase option for power wheelchairs will hurt Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas

LHC Group alters 2010 guidance due to reduction in Medicare reimbursement

Decrease in physician reimbursement leads to decline in AST usage for prostate cancer

Clarient extends pending offer, files amendment to Solicitation/Recommendation Statement

Debt panel members vote today; Some say recommendations will shape future efforts to reduce health costs

Minnesota pilot project seeks to save Medicare money by addressing readmission rates; MedPac offers draft payment recommendations

OpEds: Positions on Fiscal Commission; Reinhardt on Medicare; Defeating diabetes

New article questions role of amenities in hospital care

Obama praised for enhanced health care reform for Alzheimer's community

More Coloradans lose Medicare Advantage plans, Missouri lawmakers push for doctor's order to buy common cold and allergy meds

Justice Department offers expedited antitrust review for ACOs

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