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Eli Lilly CEO says U.S. drugmakers' biggest challenge is sustaining innovation

USA Today/Indianapolis Star: Drugmakers are facing an array of challenges, like lawsuits and patent losses, but also new opportunities including global growth and an expected surge in the number of U.S. residents with health insurance. Eli Lilly CEO John Lechleiter comments in a Q&A: "The biggest challenge facing the industry is to be able to sustain the flow of innovative medicines from our pipelines that can effectively compete against the generic versions of our own products" (Chu, 7/21).

22 Jul 2010

Enrollment jump helps UnitedHealth Group profits soar 31 percent

Health insurer UnitedHealth Group reported a second quarter profit jump of 31 percent as enrollment in the insurer's plans went up, The Associated Press/The New York Times reports. "The company's total enrollment grew about 1 percent, to 32.5 million compared with last year, with gains in Medicare and Medicaid businesses offsetting commercial health insurance losses." The company's commercial enrollment fell 440,000 as the sector deals with job cuts and the recession (7/20).

22 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 21, 2010

Today's headlines include news regarding specific examples of what could happen at the state level if Congress doesn't extend enhanced federal Medicaid funding.

21 Jul 2010

CAP calls for increased FDA oversight of laboratory developed and 'direct-to-consumer' tests

With the increasing importance of laboratory tests in diagnosing and treating disease, representatives of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) today presented recommendations to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging increased oversight of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) and "direct-to-consumer" tests. Most genetic tests fall into one or both of these testing categories.

21 Jul 2010

Study: Americans with stand-alone vision insurance plans more likely to receive annual eye examination

According to a new study conducted for the National Association of Vision Care Plans by an independent research firm, health care consumers who participate in full service, stand-alone vision insurance plans are two times (33.3 percent) more likely to receive an annual comprehensive eye examination than those consumers that have vision care coverage "bundled" with their major medical plan (16.3 percent).

21 Jul 2010

Study shows Guided Care physicians are satisfied with patient/family communications

Physicians who provided Guided Care, a primary care enhancement program for patients with multiple chronic conditions, reported higher levels of satisfaction with their patient/family communications and their knowledge of their patients' clinical characteristics, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

21 Jul 2010

Rate of women getting mammography screenings stalls; colorectal cancer screenings remain underused by medicare patients

One-fifth of American women ages 50 to 74 have fallen behind on mammography screenings for breast cancer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting. Although the percentage of women in this age group who get a regular breast cancer screening every two years increased steadily during the 1990s, the rate has remained just over 80 percent since 2000, according to the centers' Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

21 Jul 2010

Senate moves to extend unemployment benefits, no COBRA subsidy extension

The New York Times: "The Senate broke a stalemate on Tuesday over extending unemployment benefits for Americans who have been out of work for six months or more, voting to override Republican objections that the bill's costs would add to the federal deficit" (Hulse, 7/20).

21 Jul 2010

Health reform law faces political, implementation challenges

Politico: States with "the most progressive health policies" are having a hard time implementing their part of a $5 billion series of high-risk insurance pools because their states offer a more generous guarantee of coverage. "Five states — Vermont, Maine, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts — have 'guaranteed issue' of insurance: individual subscribers cannot be turned away because of a health condition.

21 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 20, 2010

Today's headlines reflect more analysis and debate regarding continuing health reform implementation efforts.

20 Jul 2010

Dyax launches newly enhanced product website featuring comprehensive financial assistance program

Dyax Corp. today announced that it has launched its newly enhanced product website, www.KALBITOR.com, featuring its comprehensive financial assistance program. KALBITOR (ecallantide) is approved for the treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema in patients 16 years of age and older.

20 Jul 2010

N.Y. health officials increase tanning regulations; Colo. extends review of premium increases; Some small Mass. businesses dropping coverage

The Associated Press: "New York health officials are ramping up their regulation of more than 2,000 tanning salons and gyms offering indoor ultraviolet rays even as health advocates push for a law banning exposure by anyone under 18. … Last year, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified tanning as a definite human carcinogen, putting it in the same category as smoking.

20 Jul 2010

Patients often receive inappropriate care when doctors fail to understand patient's situation: Study

Patients often receive inappropriate care when their doctors fail to take into account their individual circumstances, according to a new study by the University of Illinois at Chicago and the VA Center for Management of Complex Chronic Care.

20 Jul 2010

Abortion fight again heats up over high-risk pools, other health reform news

Anti-abortion activists have "scored a victory" after a decision last week by the Obama administration to not allow the new high-risk pools in America to cover most abortions, The Associated Press reports.

20 Jul 2010

International Health News: German hospitals worry over end of compulsory military service; Britain tops study on end-of-life care

The Wall Street Journal: German hospitals are worried that the end of compulsory military service could hurt their workforce as most young German men end up fulfilling their duties there and in other public-service venues. "Increasingly … conscription's main impact has little to do with military training at all.

19 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Public opinion and health reform; Hospitals and cost cuts; Medicare fraud 'gusher'

Less than four months after Congress approved historic health care reform legislation, the Obama administration has been making good progress in bringing some early benefits to fruition and issuing rules to guide the reform process. Despite all of the critics' hype and scare tactics, some polls suggest that the public perception of reform is slowly improving (7/18).

19 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 19, 2010

Today's headlines include the latest news regarding the politics of implementing health reform as well as developments from the international AIDS conference now underway in Vienna.

19 Jul 2010

Businesses, states seek solutions to rising health insurance costs

News outlets, including The New York Times, reported on health insurance in light of the new law: "the country's biggest insurers are promoting affordable plans with reduced premiums that require participants to use a narrower selection of doctors or hospitals.

19 Jul 2010

Aetna awards $75,000 grant to support Judge Glenda Hatchett's ParentPowerNow! anti-obesity program

Aetna announced today it will support Judge Glenda Hatchett's ParentPowerNow! anti-obesity program. "Parent Power Now!" is an online community of people interested in working together and learning more about parenting. Aetna has awarded a $75,000 grant and will provide health content for the ParentPowerNow! website, guest speakers to address healthy living on Judge Hatchett's live website radio program, and support for health events scheduled around the country.

17 Jul 2010

No abortion coverage in high risk pools, HHS says

"Elective abortion services will not be covered in state high-risk pools set up to provide coverage for sick people who can't get insurance, according to Obama administration officials," CQ HealthBeat reports.

17 Jul 2010

Health Insurance News and Research

Eli Lilly CEO says U.S. drugmakers' biggest challenge is sustaining innovation

Enrollment jump helps UnitedHealth Group profits soar 31 percent

First Edition: July 21, 2010

CAP calls for increased FDA oversight of laboratory developed and 'direct-to-consumer' tests

Study: Americans with stand-alone vision insurance plans more likely to receive annual eye examination

Study shows Guided Care physicians are satisfied with patient/family communications

Rate of women getting mammography screenings stalls; colorectal cancer screenings remain underused by medicare patients

Senate moves to extend unemployment benefits, no COBRA subsidy extension

Health reform law faces political, implementation challenges

First Edition: July 20, 2010

Dyax launches newly enhanced product website featuring comprehensive financial assistance program

N.Y. health officials increase tanning regulations; Colo. extends review of premium increases; Some small Mass. businesses dropping coverage

Patients often receive inappropriate care when doctors fail to understand patient's situation: Study

Abortion fight again heats up over high-risk pools, other health reform news

International Health News: German hospitals worry over end of compulsory military service; Britain tops study on end-of-life care

Today's OpEds: Public opinion and health reform; Hospitals and cost cuts; Medicare fraud 'gusher'

First Edition: July 19, 2010

Businesses, states seek solutions to rising health insurance costs

Aetna awards $75,000 grant to support Judge Glenda Hatchett's ParentPowerNow! anti-obesity program

No abortion coverage in high risk pools, HHS says

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