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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.

Research Roundups: Health IT progress; Telecare and cancer pain; State exchanges; Adults with no medical care

eHealth/Commonwealth Fund: National Progress Report On eHealth - This extensive report examines changes in the adoption and use of health information technology (HIT) since 2007, as assessed by a group of more than 100 experts.

17 Jul 2010

First in a series of day-long regional health care fraud prevention summits kicked-off in Miami

Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today kicked-off the first in a series of regional health care fraud prevention summits in Miami. The summit brought together a wide-array of federal, state and local partners, beneficiaries, providers and other interested parties to discuss innovative ways to eliminate fraud within the U.S. health care system.

17 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Shift entitlement spending to the states; The lack of a GOP health plan; Battling tobacco

The U.S. fiscal path is unsustainable, primarily because of out-of-control entitlement spending. … At some point, therefore, the economy is due to crash unless Washington reins in spending. One way to avoid this outcome would be to transfer entitlement programs to the states ... failure to slash entitlements could mean a bankrupt economy. When that happens, it's sure to be the poor who suffer the most (Jeffrey Miron, 7/16).

17 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 16, 2010

Indiana's Medicaid chief told lawmakers Thursday that the federal government has largely left states in the dark on implementing the federal health care overhaul because it hasn't yet provided needed guidelines (The Associated Press).

16 Jul 2010

Citizens Bank, HealthPlus of Michigan engage employees in workplace wellness program

Two mid-size companies headquartered in Flint—Citizens Bank and HealthPlus of Michigan—recently put their heads together to creatively engage employees in a workplace wellness program.

16 Jul 2010

Current global economic crisis finds few bright spots in mental health spending: Study

As the current global economic crisis drives up the demand for mental health care services, cash-strapped agencies are slashing mental health budgets, according to a new Brandeis University study out this month in the International Journal of Mental Health. However, while most nations are cutting spending, a handful of countries are earmarking funding to meet the anticipated growth in mental health problems.

16 Jul 2010

Republicans demand hearing on CMS head Berwick, block other nominees

Senate Republicans are still angry over President Obama's recess appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick to head the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

16 Jul 2010

Insurers will pick up preventive care costs under new rules

The recommendations of a federal task force on preventive care - once just suggestions for doctors - will soon become coverage requirements for private insurers under regulations unveiled Wednesday by the Obama administration, according to Kaiser Health News and The Washington Post. "Under the new health care overhaul law, insurers will be required to pay fully for services that get an "A" or "B" recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a volunteer group made up of primary care and public health experts."

16 Jul 2010

Feds approve more funding for Medicaid recipients in Ohio while health costs strain town budgets in New Jersey

Federal regulators have approved a state plan to pay hospitals an additional $87 million this year for the care they provide to low-income Ohioans on Medicaid. The funds will be disbursed to hospitals by the end of this month. The bulk payment and a 5 percent increase in Medicaid reimbursement fees effective in October were included in last year's state budget to let hospitals recoup some of the money they were losing through a new state franchise fee. The fee is projected to cost hospitals statewide $718 million over the two-year budget ending June 30, 2011.

16 Jul 2010

Scientists gather to discuss latest advances in Alzheimer's disease at AAICAD 2010

This week, nearly 4,000 scientists from around the world gathered to report and discuss the latest advances in research on treatments, risk factors, and diagnosis for the health epidemic of the 21st century – Alzheimer's disease – at the Alzheimer's Association's 2010 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Honolulu.

15 Jul 2010

Premier, Xoft execute group purchasing contract

Premier Inc., an alliance of more than 2,300 U.S. hospitals and 67,000-plus other healthcare sites working together to achieve high quality, cost-effective care, and Xoft, Inc., the leading provider of FDA-cleared Electronic Brachytherapy Systems, announced the execution of a group purchasing contract. Xoft was awarded an exclusive three-year contract for brachytherapy systems with Premier Purchasing Partners L.P., the group purchasing unit of Premier, Inc.

15 Jul 2010

Watson Pharmaceuticals signs exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Itero Biopharmaceuticals

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Itero Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., a venture-backed specialty biopharmaceutical company, to develop and commercialize Itero's Recombinant Follicle Stimulating Hormone. The product is currently in preclinical development as a biosimilar molecule for the treatment of female infertility.

15 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 15, 2010

Headlines topping today's news include reports about the White House release of new coverage rules for certain screening tests and other types of preventive care, and calls from the GOP for hearings on Berwick's recess appointment to run Medicare and Medicaid top today's news.

15 Jul 2010

GE issues statement on release of last two final 'meaningful use' rules

We've reached a significant milestone with the release of the last two final rules providers will need to meet to demonstrate "meaningful use" of certified electronic health records (EHR), a significant step toward qualifying for the first phase of EHR incentives under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

15 Jul 2010

Lew chosen for OMB post as federal deficit tops $1 trillion

President Obama's pick to replace Peter Orszag to run the Office of Management and Budget is inheriting a federal deficit that has topped $1 trillion with three months left in the federal government's fiscal year.

15 Jul 2010

Support for health overhaul down; GOP asks Kagan if she would recuse herself from cases on new law

Support for the new health reform law has dropped seven percentage points in the last two months, though it remains higher than when the law was first signed in March. "Forty-nine percent of Americans now disapprove of the health care reform measure, according to the poll, which was conducted July 9-12. Thirty-six percent support the law. In a May CBS News poll, 47 percent disapproved of the new laws, while 43 percent approved. While the new poll shows a recent drop in support, the numbers have still improved overall since March, when 53 percent of Americans disapproved of the new laws and 32 percent said they approved of them."

15 Jul 2010

Florida Medicaid recipients make fewer trips to doctors; Calif. payments to health clinics in jeopardy; Texas addresses nursing shortage

Northeast Florida's Medicaid recipients are making fewer trips to the doctor for chronic illnesses since state officials outsourced the government-subsidized health insurance program to private managed care companies. But it remains unclear from the analysis performed by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, which oversees the state's Medicaid program, whether they're healthier for it. Medicaid reform was launched in 2006 in Duval and Broward counties to test whether HMOs could rein in the state's Medicaid spending.

15 Jul 2010

Final rules for e-health rewards unveiled

The federal government has issued new regulations defining the "meaningful use" of electronic medical records, a requirement doctors must fulfill in order to gain funds from a $27-billion pot set aside in the 2009 stimulus law, The New York Times reports. "A doctor can receive up to $44,000 under Medicare and $63,750 under Medicaid, while a hospital can receive millions of dollars, depending on its size."

15 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 14, 2010

Today's headlines reflect coverage of new federal rules related to "meaningful use" of electronic health records as well as the latest on the federal deficit, the White House's new HIV/AIDS strategy and other developments.

14 Jul 2010

Pelosi applauds Obama Administration's release of National HIV/AIDS Strategy

The National HIV/AIDS Strategy represents the nation's first comprehensive plan to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in this country. The strategy sets specific targets and provides detailed implementation information on the steps we must take to increase access to high quality HIV/AIDS care and treatment, decrease new HIV infections, and reduce HIV-related health disparities.

14 Jul 2010

Medicaid News and Research

Research Roundups: Health IT progress; Telecare and cancer pain; State exchanges; Adults with no medical care

First in a series of day-long regional health care fraud prevention summits kicked-off in Miami

Today's OpEds: Shift entitlement spending to the states; The lack of a GOP health plan; Battling tobacco

First Edition: July 16, 2010

Citizens Bank, HealthPlus of Michigan engage employees in workplace wellness program

Current global economic crisis finds few bright spots in mental health spending: Study

Republicans demand hearing on CMS head Berwick, block other nominees

Insurers will pick up preventive care costs under new rules

Feds approve more funding for Medicaid recipients in Ohio while health costs strain town budgets in New Jersey

Scientists gather to discuss latest advances in Alzheimer's disease at AAICAD 2010

Premier, Xoft execute group purchasing contract

Watson Pharmaceuticals signs exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement with Itero Biopharmaceuticals

First Edition: July 15, 2010

GE issues statement on release of last two final 'meaningful use' rules

Lew chosen for OMB post as federal deficit tops $1 trillion

Support for health overhaul down; GOP asks Kagan if she would recuse herself from cases on new law

Florida Medicaid recipients make fewer trips to doctors; Calif. payments to health clinics in jeopardy; Texas addresses nursing shortage

Final rules for e-health rewards unveiled

First Edition: July 14, 2010

Pelosi applauds Obama Administration's release of National HIV/AIDS Strategy

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