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Today's OpEds: Medical students say don't repeal; 'Obamacare' waivers; The medical loss ratio; Medicare 'doc fix'

Here's the dilemma: The only way for the health-care industry to move toward accountable care is to further accelerate a process of consolidation that has already reduced competition and increased market power. … In such a market, government may be required to step in with more direct regulation and competition management than traditional antitrust rules now provide (Steven Pearlstein, 11/23).

24 Nov 2010

Headline-grabbing offers may not best meet needs of Medicare Part D plan enrollees

National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Executive Vice President and CEO Kathleen Jaeger issued the following statement today in response to the Avalere Health study analyzing how the formulary and cost-sharing benefits changes made by various Medicare Part D prescription drug plans affect seniors:

24 Nov 2010

Health spending proposals, health law repeal divide lawmakers

The Wall Street Journal reports that proposals for cuts in health spending by President Barack Obama's deficit-reduction commission are drawing opposition from health companies, doctors and some consumer groups. "How to tackle health costs has become a sticking point for the 18-member committee, which last week concluded three days of meetings without a firm agreement among members.

24 Nov 2010

Insuring your health: Retirees can find insuring young adult children difficult

In her latest Kaiser Health News consumer column, Michelle Andrews writes: "According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the key is whether the retiree health plan is made up only of retirees and their dependents or a mix of both active and retired employees and dependents.

23 Nov 2010

Feds recover $3 billion in health care fraud and other settlements

CNN: "Government lawyers have recovered a near-record $3 billion this year from health care fraud and other settlements, the Justice Department announced Monday." Assistant Attorney General Tony West said the funds included "a record $2.5 billion in recoveries from huge health care fraud cases against giant pharmaceutical firms. Only in 2006, when the federal government recovered $3.2 billion in total settlements, had recoveries previously hit the $3 billion mark" (Frieden, 11/22).

23 Nov 2010

Government orders three Medicare advantage plans to stop marketing, enrolling new members

The U.S. government's Medicare program has ordered three health insurers Universal American Corp. (UAM), Health Net Inc. (HNT) and Arcadian Health to stop marketing to and enrolling new members in their Medicare Advantage health and prescription-drug plans, saying the companies violated regulations.

23 Nov 2010

Health on The Hill - November 22, 2010

Kaiser Health News staff writers Mary Agnes Carey and Julie Appleby talk with KFF's Jackie Judd about recent health policy developments, including the newly released Health and Human Services regulations dealing with the medical loss ratio and the status in Congress of the one-month patch to prevent physicians who see Medicare patients from having their payments reduced.

23 Nov 2010

Today's Op-Eds: HMOs, the 'fixed' middlemen; you can't keep your coverage; the (in) effectiveness of medical cost control

Wouldn't it be better to let HMOs compete to offer the cheapest most innovative plans-rather than having the plans defined by new exchanges that must follow federal rules and meanwhile allow the HMOs a generous fixed middleman share of total health pie.

23 Nov 2010

UnitedHealthcare introduces Pharmacy Saver program to provide affordable prescription drugs

UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group company, announced a new program that will enable enrollees in the company's market-leading Medicare plans to save money on hundreds of prescription medications in 2011.

23 Nov 2010

Landmark comparative study supports more frequent hemodialysis

NxStage® Medical, Inc., a leading manufacturer of innovative dialysis products, today commented on the just- released findings of the Frequent Hemodialysis Network (FHN) Daily Trial that compared in-center hemodialysis administered under a three times per week schedule ("conventional dialysis") versus six shorter sessions per week ("short daily dialysis").

23 Nov 2010

Frequent hemodialysis improves left ventricular mass, physical health than conventional treatment

Frequent hemodialysis improved left ventricular mass (heart size) and self-reported physical health compared to conventional hemodialysis for kidney failure, according to the Frequent Hemodialysis Network (FHN) Daily Trial funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

23 Nov 2010

Explaining changes to Part D plans, fixing doctors' Medicare reimbursements, fighting hikes in long-term care insurance

News outlets cover various issues related to Medicare, including reports about prescription drug coverage and the continuing debate surrounding physician pay. Meanwhile, long-term care insurance is also an important issue for seniors.

23 Nov 2010

Health law repeal murky as groups press officials, target specific provisions

In an analysis, The New York Times, reports that while "Republicans have a big majority in the House, Democratic control of the Senate and the presidential veto power make repeal [of the health law] or major change impossible. [But] there is another reason. More than a few Republicans know that while the politics of trying to nitpick provisions and curb funding are appealing, any wholesale repeal of major provisions of the health care overhaul is likely to generate a backlash.

23 Nov 2010

Medicare making changes to acknowledge telemedicine's growing use

American Medical News: Through teleconferencing technology, doctors are able to treat patients who live far away without access to a specialist. "Nationwide, telemedicine increasingly is being used to bridge gaps in access to care in rural and other medically underserved communities that have a hard time recruiting physicians.

23 Nov 2010

Debt woes keep harsh guidelines aloft, forge unlikely alliances

A controversial debt panel's advice was initially thought to be heading nowhere fast, but a surprisingly broad consensus that action must be taken to avoid a debt crisis has kept negotiators at the table and given the recommendations unexpected buoyancy, The Washington Post reports.

23 Nov 2010

Mergers among hospitals and doctors spur consumer concerns, The NY Times reports

The New York Times: "[E]ight months into the new law there is a growing frenzy of mergers involving hospitals, clinics and doctor groups eager to share costs and savings, and cash in on the incentives [provided in the overhaul]. They, in turn, have deployed a small army of lawyers and lobbyists trying to persuade the Obama administration to relax or waive a body of older laws intended to thwart health care monopolies, and to protect against shoddy care and fraudulent billing of patients or Medicare.

23 Nov 2010

Omega announces expiration of Senior Notes due 2020

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. announced today that its offer to exchange any and all of its outstanding $200 million of 7½% Senior Notes due 2020 that were issued in a private placement in February 2010, for $200 million of 7½% Senior Notes due 2020 that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on Monday, November 22, 2010.

22 Nov 2010

UC San Diego designated as Blue Distinction Center

UC San Diego Health System has been designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Spine Surgery and a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement. This honor is awarded to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality health care in certain specialty medical areas by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

22 Nov 2010

The conservative way forward on health care

The landslide Republican victory, in taking the House and electing some strong conservatives to the Senate, can be interpreted as a mandate to rein in government spending, and specifically to repeal ObamaCare, as these issues were clearly behind the large turnout. There is still a very real possibility the Supreme Court will find the “individual mandate” to buy private insurance unconstitutional. If this provision is thrown out, it’s hard to see how the law survives, since the mandate is needed to finance it.

22 Nov 2010

Research roundup: Health IT and malpractice; Wide variation in hospital rates; Income and insurance offerings

New England Journal of Medicine: Medical Malpractice Liability In The Age Of Electronic Health Records - "Providers can expect a varied and shifting landscape of medical liability risks and benefits as the adoption of [electronic health records] EHRs unfolds," write the authors who explore the ways EHRs may bring about long-term changes in standard of care and affect the course of malpractice litigation.

22 Nov 2010

Medicare News and Research

Today's OpEds: Medical students say don't repeal; 'Obamacare' waivers; The medical loss ratio; Medicare 'doc fix'

Headline-grabbing offers may not best meet needs of Medicare Part D plan enrollees

Health spending proposals, health law repeal divide lawmakers

Insuring your health: Retirees can find insuring young adult children difficult

Feds recover $3 billion in health care fraud and other settlements

Government orders three Medicare advantage plans to stop marketing, enrolling new members

Health on The Hill - November 22, 2010

Today's Op-Eds: HMOs, the 'fixed' middlemen; you can't keep your coverage; the (in) effectiveness of medical cost control

UnitedHealthcare introduces Pharmacy Saver program to provide affordable prescription drugs

Landmark comparative study supports more frequent hemodialysis

Frequent hemodialysis improves left ventricular mass, physical health than conventional treatment

Explaining changes to Part D plans, fixing doctors' Medicare reimbursements, fighting hikes in long-term care insurance

Health law repeal murky as groups press officials, target specific provisions

Medicare making changes to acknowledge telemedicine's growing use

Debt woes keep harsh guidelines aloft, forge unlikely alliances

Mergers among hospitals and doctors spur consumer concerns, The NY Times reports

Omega announces expiration of Senior Notes due 2020

UC San Diego designated as Blue Distinction Center

The conservative way forward on health care

Research roundup: Health IT and malpractice; Wide variation in hospital rates; Income and insurance offerings

Industry Focus eBook - Forensics & toxicology (2nd edition) eBook

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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