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Medicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the states and federal government, and is managed by the states.

Hospitals should inform patients about availability of insurance coverage for breast reconstruction: New law

While breast reconstruction after a mastectomy is covered by insurers in New York, many poor, minority, and less educated women do not seek out the procedure. Now, NY Gov. David A. Paterson has signed into law a bill that is aimed at reversing this trend.

18 Aug 2010

Polls: Health care 'very important' in midterms; Voters look at Medicare cuts to reduce deficit

A new CNN poll found that health care remains a big issue for voters ahead of November's midterm elections with more than 80 percent of respondents saying it was very or extremely important to them, The Hill reports.

18 Aug 2010

Teachers' perceptions of poor behavior leads to potential misdiagnosis of ADHD

Nearly 1 million children in the United States are potentially misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder simply because they are the youngest - and most immature - in their kindergarten class, according to new research by a Michigan State University economist.

18 Aug 2010

HDVI's Medical Records Collection and Analysis system integrated with DST Health Solutions' CareAnalyzer

DST Health Solutions, LLC, today announced a business alliance with Health Data Vision, Inc. to integrate HDVI's Medical Records Collection and Analysis (MRCS) system with DST Health Solutions' CareAnalyzer® solution. CareAnalyzer is a comprehensive analytics software suite that combines elements of patient risk, care opportunities and provider performance. The solution is designed to help health plans improve care management and meet reporting requirements for the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®).

18 Aug 2010

Florida doctors struggle to meet new standards for electronic records; Arizona faces sharp cuts in residency-training programs

"New federal standards unveiled last month require doctors to start using electronic medical records routinely, including logging patients' diagnoses and visits, ordering prescriptions, monitoring for drug interactions and making records accessible to other medical providers. ... Only about 20 percent of South Florida medical providers use electronic records now, experts said, and while many doctors are already making the change, some fear that older family physicians may one day close their practices rather than spend the money and time to go digital"

18 Aug 2010

Virginia creates health law panel, groups prepare for overhaul changes

Virginia has created a task force to slow health costs and implement health care reform even as the state is suing to stop a key mandate in the law, The Washington Post reports. Gov. Bob McDonnell "introduced the 24-member panel, comprised of legislators, health professionals, doctors and insurers, at a news conference Monday afternoon at the Capitol.

18 Aug 2010

Gentiva closes acquisition of Odyssey HealthCare

Gentiva Health Services, Inc., a leading provider of home health and hospice services, today announced the closing of its acquisition of Odyssey HealthCare, Inc. in an all cash transaction for a price of $27 per share of Odyssey common stock, without interest, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.0 billion, including fees and expenses.

18 Aug 2010

Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer,' report finds

The Associated Press: "Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer' as well as its likely leading cause of death, the American Cancer Society contends in a new report it will present at a global cancer conference in China this week. Cancer costs more in productivity and lost life than AIDS, malaria, the flu and other diseases that spread person-to-person, the report concludes.

18 Aug 2010

Natick VNA offers checklist to help patients make informed choice of home health care provider

Home from the hospital already? As stays for hospital patients grow progressively shorter, even for procedures as serious as repairing a brain aneurysm or inserting a pacemaker, patients' need for highly skilled nursing care at home is growing. Indeed, every week, thousands of these patients are referred to home health care services.

17 Aug 2010

Hospitals save $284 million through Premier's Quality Connect quality improvement program

Hospitals participating in a Premier healthcare alliance quality improvement program have saved more than $284 million over the past year through improvements in clinical performance and enhancements in professional practice evaluation.

17 Aug 2010

Emdeon and Noridian Mutual Insurance enter strategic relationship

Emdeon Inc., a leading provider of healthcare revenue and payment cycle management solutions, today announced a strategic relationship with Noridian Mutual Insurance Company (NMIC), doing business as Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, and Noridian Administrative Services, LLC (NAS). NMIC provides quality health care coverage and additional supplemental coverage for those seeking medical, life, disability, long-term care and related insurance coverage.

17 Aug 2010

Bariatric surgery can result in sustained reversal of obesity, type 2 diabetes: Study

Results of a large national study show that nearly three-quarters of obese patients with type 2 diabetes who undergo weight-loss surgery are able to stop insulin and other antidiabetes drugs within six months. In the Johns Hopkins study of insured, obese, diabetic patients, researchers also found that in the third year following surgery, average annual health care costs per patient decreased by more than 70 percent. The study is published in the Archives of Surgery this month.

17 Aug 2010

Cambridge Heart second quarter 2010 total revenue decreases 18%

Cambridge Heart, Inc., today reported results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010. Full financial statements and corresponding commentary can be found in the Company's Form 10-Q, which is expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 16, 2010.

17 Aug 2010

Hospitals address slashed payments, technology investments and rehospitalizations

Boston Herald: Massachusetts hospital officials say that reduced federal and state payments may destabilize health care delivery. The state's combined Medicaid and CHIP program, known as MassHealth, plans to cut hospital reimbursements "by $75 million in its main contract between hospitals and MassHealth, according to the Massachusetts Hospital Association, which cited 'discussions' with the state in outlining the proposed cut to its members over the weekend.

17 Aug 2010

States scrambling to ensure they comply with health reform law

The New York Times reports that some states are scrambling to ensure they can comply with the new federal health law. "Insurance commissioners in about half the states say they do not have clear authority to enforce consumer protection standards that take effect next month. Federal and state officials are searching for ways to plug the gap. Otherwise, they say, the ability of consumers to secure the benefits of the new law could vary widely, depending on where they live."

17 Aug 2010

Pernix Therapeutics reports decrease in net sales for 2010 second quarter

Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company primarily focused on the pediatric market, today announced results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010.

17 Aug 2010

Today's Opinions: Challenges for independent Medicare board; Lack of independent analysis of Medicare finances; Medical schools shouldn't fear restrictions on ties to industry

One of the most promising aspects of the new health-care reform is the creation of an independent board to recommend changes in federal health programs and a fast-track provision that would allow these changes to take effect automatically unless Congress comes up with alternatives that would save a similar amount (8/16).

16 Aug 2010

KHN column: Medicaid cutbacks not the same as private insurance rescission

In his latest Kaiser Health News column, done in collaboration with The New Republic, Jonathan Cohn writes: "Everywhere you look, Medicaid seems to be in jeopardy.

16 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 16, 2010

Today's headlines reflect coverage of state health reform implementation issues as well as other emerging policy issues in the nation's health system.

16 Aug 2010

Watson to launch ella emergency contraceptive in fourth-quarter 2010

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that it intends to launch ella® (ulipristal acetate), a novel oral emergency contraceptive, in the fourth quarter of 2010. Watson's announcement follows the approval of ella® by the FDA as safe and effective in preventing unintended pregnancy for up to 120 hours – or five days – post-unprotected intercourse (UPI) or contraceptive failure.

16 Aug 2010

Medicaid News and Research

Hospitals should inform patients about availability of insurance coverage for breast reconstruction: New law

Polls: Health care 'very important' in midterms; Voters look at Medicare cuts to reduce deficit

Teachers' perceptions of poor behavior leads to potential misdiagnosis of ADHD

HDVI's Medical Records Collection and Analysis system integrated with DST Health Solutions' CareAnalyzer

Florida doctors struggle to meet new standards for electronic records; Arizona faces sharp cuts in residency-training programs

Virginia creates health law panel, groups prepare for overhaul changes

Gentiva closes acquisition of Odyssey HealthCare

Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer,' report finds

Natick VNA offers checklist to help patients make informed choice of home health care provider

Hospitals save $284 million through Premier's Quality Connect quality improvement program

Emdeon and Noridian Mutual Insurance enter strategic relationship

Bariatric surgery can result in sustained reversal of obesity, type 2 diabetes: Study

Cambridge Heart second quarter 2010 total revenue decreases 18%

Hospitals address slashed payments, technology investments and rehospitalizations

States scrambling to ensure they comply with health reform law

Pernix Therapeutics reports decrease in net sales for 2010 second quarter

Today's Opinions: Challenges for independent Medicare board; Lack of independent analysis of Medicare finances; Medical schools shouldn't fear restrictions on ties to industry

KHN column: Medicaid cutbacks not the same as private insurance rescission

First Edition: August 16, 2010

Watson to launch ella emergency contraceptive in fourth-quarter 2010

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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