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AHF accuses Bristol-Myers Squibb of lying about cooperation with HIV/AIDS community

Today AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) responded to a statement placed by drug giant Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) on its website defending its record on AIDS drug pricing and accessibility.

29 Jul 2010

Adults need help for mental, emotional health problem: Study

In a comprehensive new study of mental health status and the use of mental health services by Californians, the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found that nearly one in five adults in the state - about 4.9 million people - said they needed help for a mental or emotional health problem.

29 Jul 2010

NMF raises $30,000 in 30 days to help women have gynecologic surgery

Natividad Medical Foundation President & CEO Linda Ford announced NMF has raised $30,000 in 30 days – enough for about 12 women to have the gynecologic surgery they so desperately need. The announcement is part of the launch of The Onyx Fund for Women – named in honor of a Natividad Medical Center patient named Onix who inspired a hospital's doctors and a philanthropic fund.

29 Jul 2010

Oxford Life Insurance releases new Medicare Supplement product portfolio

Oxford Life Insurance Company today announced the release of its new Medicare Supplement product portfolio. The Phoenix-based life insurance company has plans to market Plans A, C or F, and N in more than 35 states.

29 Jul 2010

IBM, UPMC partner to provide redesigned SmartRoom solution with service-oriented architecture

IBM and UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) are teaming up to bring "smarter" hospital rooms to patients nationwide. Created by UPMC three years ago to bring the right patient information to the bedside when it's needed, the high-tech "smart room" now features new capabilities, namely a system for automatically organizing and prioritizing the work of nurses and other caregivers. Under a new agreement, IBM will be the exclusive sales channel for the SmartRoom solution and will help to implement the technology for customers.

29 Jul 2010

Humana collaborates with HealthCompare to facilitate online health insurance

Humana, one of the nation's leading health and supplemental benefits companies, has entered into an arrangement with HealthCompare,a one-stop online guide to help individuals and families easily research, compare, buy and enroll in a health insurance plan at the right price. While this arrangement is new for Humana and HealthCompare, it builds on both organizations' efforts to help consumers make healthcare decisions with confidence and success.

29 Jul 2010

GOP continues call for health law repeal; Census releases uninsured data

The Washington Post: New census data reveal big differences among states in the rate of uninsured people under age 65. Massachusetts has the lowest rate, 7.8 percent, and Texas the highest, 26.8 percent. "The statistics are for 2007 and show health insurance coverage by state and for each of the country's roughly 3,140 counties. The numbers do not include the impact on millions of people who lost their jobs and health insurance after the recession began in December 2007."

29 Jul 2010

Rite Aid agrees to pay $1 million to settle medical privacy questions

The Wall Street Journal: "Rite Aid Corp. agreed to pay $1 million to settle potential violations of government privacy rules after regulators said it failed to protect customers' and employees' financial and medical information. The drug-store chain's agreement with the Federal Trade Commission requires the company to establish an information-security program and obtain a third-party audit of its compliance to that effect every two years for the next 20 years."

29 Jul 2010

Assurant second-quarter net operating income increases 53% to $152.2 million

Assurant, Inc., a premier provider of specialty insurance and insurance-related products and services, today reported results for the second quarter and first six months of 2010.

29 Jul 2010

Dyax second-quarter total revenues increase to $15.1 million

Dyax Corp. today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

28 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 28, 2010

Today's headlines reflect developments regarding the health insurance marketplace and the implementation of the new health law.

28 Jul 2010

Aetna reports operating earnings of $450.2M for second-quarter 2010

Aetna today announced second-quarter 2010 operating earnings of $450.2 million, or $1.05 per share, an increase of 54 percent over 2009. The increase was largely the result of a higher Commercial underwriting margin from favorable prior-period reserve development and improved underlying performance, partially offset by lower Commercial Insured membership.

28 Jul 2010

Rite Aid agrees to pay $1 million to settle potential violations of HIPAA Privacy Rule

Rite Aid Corporation and its 40 affiliated entities (RAC) have agreed to pay $1 million to settle potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today. In a coordinated action, RAC also signed a consent order with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to settle potential violations of the FTC Act.

28 Jul 2010

State governments expect tax collections to grow but still face budget gaps

The Wall Street Journal: "State governments expect tax collections to grow for the first time in two years as tax increases and a recovering economy lead to higher collections. But states are still likely to face at least two more years of financial troubles and about half will see gaps in this year's budgets if Congress doesn't extend special Medicaid payments that were part of the 2009 stimulus act, according to a report expected to be released Tuesday by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

28 Jul 2010

Abortion, other issues continue to stoke the politics surrounding health reform

Politico reports that "the issues of health care and abortion" are making the campaign tough for some Democrats. Among the vulnerable Democrats are Reps. Kathleen Dahlkemper, D-Pa.; Steve Driehaus, D-Ohio; and Indiana Reps. Joe Donnelly and Brad Ellsworth, who is running for Senate. "'We are going to do everything we can to point out that Democrats who said they were pro-life caved on the big one,' said Marilyn Musgrave, a former Colorado congresswoman.

28 Jul 2010

Maryland sees savings in federal health law, for a while at least

Maryland could spend $829 million less than expected on health care between next year and 2020 because of the federal health overhaul law, according to an analysis by a state-convened committee, The Associated Press/Washington Post reports. "The savings, however, last only until the end of the decade, when the federal law shifts a greater share of financial responsibility for Medicaid expansion to the states." The analysis was produced by the state's Health Care Reform Coordinating Council, a panel created by Gov. Martin O'Malley in March (Witte, 7/26).

28 Jul 2010

Millennium Laboratories urges for increase in physician reimbursement for POC urine drug screening

Millennium Laboratories, Inc., a national, research-based medication monitoring company specifically focused on clinicians who treat chronic pain, strongly advocated for an increase in physician reimbursement for point-of-care urine drug screening at the Annual Clinical Laboratory Public Meeting of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on July 22, 2010.

27 Jul 2010

Centene second-quarter premium and service revenues increase 12.8% to $1.051 billion

Centene Corporation today announced net earnings from continuing operations for the quarter ended June 30, 2010, of $23.0 million, or $0.45 per diluted share.

27 Jul 2010

SeeChange Health Insurance to offer value-based HSA products to California employers

SeeChange Health Insurance Company, a provider of value-based health insurance plans to employers, will offer a variety of Health Savings Account products in parts of California beginning August 1, 2010. The product launch will make SeeChange Health the first insurance company to offer value-based HSA products to California employers.

27 Jul 2010

Life-saving interventions can save 11 million African women, children over next five years: Countdown report

In the next five years, 11 million African women and children could be saved by creating near-universal availability of key life-saving interventions, according to The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health and the Countdown to 2015 Decade Report (2000-2010).

27 Jul 2010