Medicare News and Research

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CAD usage in screening, diagnostic mammography increases: Study

The use of computer-aided detection (CAD) is increasing, in both screening and diagnostic mammography, according to a study in the October issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

4 Oct 2010

Some Minn. insurers will end certain Medicare plans; Utah issues rule on child-only plans; Fla. law on pain clinics takes effect

Five insurance companies including Minnetonka-based Medica next year will stop providing a particular type of Medicare health plan in much of Minnesota, a state official said Thursday.

4 Oct 2010

Research Roundups: Racial Disparities at end of life; stopping medicine mistakes; Grand Junction, Colorado's Cost Lessons

Racial Disparities In The Outcomes Of Communication On Medical Care Received Near Death Black patients receive more life prolonging measures and less comfort-directed care at the end of life (EOL) than white patients, such as increased rates of resuscitation, intensive care unit hospitalization, and feeding tube use at the EOL, write the authors of this study that examined whether differences in patient-physician communication contribute to these differences.

4 Oct 2010

Sebelius tells seniors that 'outrageous claims' have clouded impressions of new law

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius went to Florida Friday in her campaign to rally support for the new health law. She targeted senior citizens, a crucial voting bloc that polls find is not warming to the bill.

4 Oct 2010

Bloomberg analysis finds 'doughnut hole' deal to cost drugmakers less than 1% of profits

News outlets report how closing the Medicare 'Doughnut Hole' affects drugmakers and seniors.

1 Oct 2010

Bipartisan deficit commission unlikely to make big Medicare changes

National Journal: "For all of the attention surrounding President Obama's bipartisan commission on deficit reduction, the country's biggest cost centers — health care in general and Medicare specifically — will likely remain unscathed when the panel offers its recommendations in December.

1 Oct 2010

Med schools say doctor shortage to worsen under new health law

The new health law will worsen the physician shortage as newly insured patients seek care, according to a new report from the Association of American Medical Colleges.

1 Oct 2010

IASIS Healthcare completes acquisition of Brim

IASIS Healthcare today announced the completion of its acquisition of Brim Holdings, Inc..

1 Oct 2010

New co-branded Medicare Part D prescription drug plan from Humana and Walmart

Today, Humana Inc. announced an innovative Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, co-branded with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., that can provide significant savings on monthly plan premiums and prescription medicine copayments and cost-shares for Medicare beneficiaries, including seniors and people with disabilities.

1 Oct 2010

DaVita announces $1.45 billion Senior Notes offering

DaVita Inc. announced today that it intends to offer, subject to market and other conditions, $1.45 billion principal amount of senior notes (the "Senior Notes").

1 Oct 2010

FDA issues Complete Response Letter for Teva's Neutroval BLA

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Complete Response Letter for the Biologic License Application (BLA) for Neutroval™ (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) for the reduction in the duration of severe neutropenia and the incidence of febrile neutropenia in patients treated with established myelosuppressive chemotherapy for cancer.

1 Oct 2010

FDA takes action against unapproved single-ingredient oral colchicine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration took action against companies that manufacture, distribute, and/or market unapproved single-ingredient oral colchicine, a medication commonly used for the daily prevention of gout, to treat acute gout flare-ups, and for the treatment of Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF).

1 Oct 2010

Hundreds of experts including Nobel laureates say Medicare's bidding system for durable medical equipment will fail

Medicare's bidding program for durable medical equipment will fail, say 166 leading experts on auctions and competitive bidding systems.

1 Oct 2010

Health law's boost for ACOs gains momentum but faces possible legal hurdles

News outlets report on possible obstacles to the formation of accountable care organizations - hospitals and physicians working together to improve the quality of patient care while controlling costs.

1 Oct 2010

Medicare now required check for fraud before paying claims

The Miami Herald: "The behemoth Medicare bureaucracy will have to act more like a credit card company in flagging suspicious bills under a new federal law that could save taxpayers billions of dollars a year in wasteful government healthcare spending.

1 Oct 2010

Today's Opinions: Concerns about ACOs; Obama challenged on health care claims; Scare tactics

There is a very real danger that by the time policy makers get around to reading and understanding this section of law (on accountable care organizations) that the health care marketplace will have irreversibly changed (Dustin Corcoran, 9/30).

1 Oct 2010

New reports underscore a litany of health law implementation obstacles

Obstacles to the implementation of the health overhaul abound, including lawsuits, regulatory issues, concerns about patients' choice, and, of course, costs.

1 Oct 2010

Health reform law bubbling up as campaign issue

The Associated Press: Lawmakers have left Washington to campaign and focus on their messages regarding the economy and health care. "Majority Democrats facing significant losses in the wake of unpopular bills to stimulate the economy and overhaul the nation's health care laws sought to do their party no further harm on Capitol Hill" (Kellman and Abrams, 9/30).

1 Oct 2010

CCHIT designates Ingenix CareTracker version 7 as Certified 2011 Ambulatory EHR

The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®) has designated Ingenix CareTracker™ version 7 a CCHIT Certified® 2011 Ambulatory EHR.

30 Sep 2010

Teva Pharmaceuticals, OncoGenex initiate SYNERGY Phase 3 trial to evaluate custirsen

Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. and OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the initiation of SYNERGY, a global Phase 3 trial evaluating custirsen (also known as OGX-011/TV-1011) as first line therapy for the treatment of castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

30 Sep 2010

Medicare News and Research

CAD usage in screening, diagnostic mammography increases: Study

Some Minn. insurers will end certain Medicare plans; Utah issues rule on child-only plans; Fla. law on pain clinics takes effect

Research Roundups: Racial Disparities at end of life; stopping medicine mistakes; Grand Junction, Colorado's Cost Lessons

Sebelius tells seniors that 'outrageous claims' have clouded impressions of new law

Bloomberg analysis finds 'doughnut hole' deal to cost drugmakers less than 1% of profits

Bipartisan deficit commission unlikely to make big Medicare changes

Med schools say doctor shortage to worsen under new health law

IASIS Healthcare completes acquisition of Brim

New co-branded Medicare Part D prescription drug plan from Humana and Walmart

DaVita announces $1.45 billion Senior Notes offering

FDA issues Complete Response Letter for Teva's Neutroval BLA

FDA takes action against unapproved single-ingredient oral colchicine

Hundreds of experts including Nobel laureates say Medicare's bidding system for durable medical equipment will fail

Health law's boost for ACOs gains momentum but faces possible legal hurdles

Medicare now required check for fraud before paying claims

Today's Opinions: Concerns about ACOs; Obama challenged on health care claims; Scare tactics

New reports underscore a litany of health law implementation obstacles

Health reform law bubbling up as campaign issue

CCHIT designates Ingenix CareTracker version 7 as Certified 2011 Ambulatory EHR

Teva Pharmaceuticals, OncoGenex initiate SYNERGY Phase 3 trial to evaluate custirsen

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