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Health law includes help for young women with breast cancer

Kaiser Health News: "A little-noticed section in the health-care overhaul aims to raise awareness among young women and their doctors about the risk of breast cancer between the ages of 15 and 44. The law directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create education campaigns that will focus on breast cancer and young women, and encourage healthful habits that promote prevention and early detection of the disease.

29 Sep 2010

HHS announces grants to help seniors, people with disabilities and caregivers navigate long term care options

Modern Healthcare: As part of the new health law, HHS is distributing $68 million in grants "to help people navigate their health and long-term-care options. The grants will be going to states, territories, tribal and community-based organizations to help seniors, individuals with disabilities and caregivers make more-informed decisions about their health and long-term care.

29 Sep 2010

Loss of INPP5A gene can predict cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma progression

The loss of a gene known as INPP5A could predict the onset, and track the progression, of an aggressive type of skin cancer, according to a study published today by the Mayo Clinic, Arizona Cancer Center, and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).

29 Sep 2010

GAO, Senate question role of hospital supplies middlemen

Group Purchasing Organizations, "which effectively act as middlemen between hospitals, suppliers and vendors," received mixed reports from the Government Accountability Office and the Senate Finance Committee, CongressDaily reports. "Many GPOs are paid through fees from manufacturers and vendors rather than by hospitals directly. As a result, the industry has enjoyed a special safe harbor from anti-kickback laws.

29 Sep 2010

Former Geisinger head to run CMS Innovation Center

CQ HealthBeat reports that Richard Gilfillan, a former head of the Geisinger Health Plan in Pennsylvania, will run the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation Center that was created by the health law. Gilfillan was chosen Monday. At Geisinger, Gilfillan ran a plan that "many health policy analysts see as a national model for delivering quality, affordable care" (Reichard, 9/27).

29 Sep 2010

Medicare Advantage plans draw attention

The Boston Globe: "Harvard Pilgrim Health Care has notified customers that it will drop its Medicare Advantage health insurance program at the end of the year, forcing 22,000 senior citizens in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine to seek alternative supplemental coverage." The reason is that federal reimbursements for such plans have been frozen, and Harvard's particular Advantage product, a private fee-for-service plan, would have to develop a network of contracted providers for the first time under the new rules (Weisman, 9/28).

29 Sep 2010

New Formulary Forum reports market growth of immune biologics

HealthLeaders-InterStudy and Fingertip Formulary find that the market growth of immune biologics will come from the expansion of indications for immune biologics in response to limited off-label use and competition for preferred status.

28 Sep 2010

Cintas’s new white paper offers EVS tips to reduce hospital-acquired infections

Cintas Corporation today announced the availability of a new white paper that offers Environmental Service Directors (EVS) tips to improve the handling of cleaning materials to reduce hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).

28 Sep 2010

GenMark’s eSensor technology selected for Warfarin clinical study

GenMark Diagnostics, Inc., a provider of automated, multiplex molecular diagnostic testing systems, announced today that their eSensor Warfarin Sensitivity Test has been selected for use in a new pivotal Warfarin clinical study the WARFARIN Trial.

28 Sep 2010

HealthWyse secures patent for Remote Personnel Tracking program to prevent Medicare fraud

HealthWyse, a leading provider of home health and hospice agency automation software, announced today that it has secured a patent for its Remote Personnel Tracking program to help homecare agencies keep track of their employees and prevent Medicare fraud. HealthWyse will showcase its Remote Personnel Tracking Program at the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) 29th Annual Meeting & Exposition, held October 2 - 6 in Dallas, Texas.

28 Sep 2010

Senate Republicans examining health reform's effect on Medicare advantage

A quartet of Senate Republicans is calling on Medicare's top accountant to release the numbers behind his analysis of health reform's impact on the Medicare Advantage program. The lawmakers ... say the steep cuts to MA under the new reform law will cause many plans to fold, while many others will be forced to drop benefits to remain profitable.

28 Sep 2010

RPSPP for health benefits accepted into federal program

Governor Edward G. Rendell announced today that the Retired Pennsylvania State Police Program for health benefits has been accepted into a federal program to help offset the rising health care costs for retirees.

28 Sep 2010

AASLD, TFAH report calls for action to help identify Americans living with HBV, HCV

The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the Trust for America's Health issued a new report today calling for action to be taken to transform how the country deals with viral hepatitis – to help identify millions of Americans who know they are living with chronic forms of hepatitis B and C and to assure access to treatment for all who need it, to prevent even more Americans from becoming infected.

28 Sep 2010

Many adults skip vaccines because of costs

The New York Times' Patient Money column examines the importance of vaccines for adults.

28 Sep 2010

Premier Purchasing Partners announces new agreements for radiation oncology portfolio

Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, today announced that contracts have been awarded to suppliers in its new radiation oncology portfolio.

From Elekta 28 Sep 2010

AP poll: Americans who think health law should do more outnumber those who think government should stay out of it

As Republicans seek to use the health law as a major talking point to help them win more seats in Congress, a "new AP poll finds that Americans who think the law should have done more outnumber those who think the government should stay out of health care by 2-to-1." The poll found four in 10 adults think the law didn't go far enough to change the system "regardless of whether they support the law, oppose it or remain neutral. On the other side, about one in five say they oppose the law because they think the federal government should not be involved in health care at all."

28 Sep 2010

Chem Rx reaches asset purchase agreement with PharMerica

Chem Rx Corporation, the third largest long-term care pharmacy in the United States, today announced that it has reached a "stalking horse" asset purchase agreement to sell substantially all of the assets of the company to PharMerica Corporation, an industry-leading pharmaceutical services company serving residents in long-term facilities and settings.

27 Sep 2010

Rotech Healthcare offers $225 million in Senior Secured Notes due 2015

Rotech Healthcare Inc. announced today that the company intends to offer, subject to market and other conditions, $225 million in aggregate principal amount of Senior Secured Notes due 2015.

27 Sep 2010

Democrats tout health reform achievements, GOP lashes back

The Hill reports that as Republicans call for repeal of the law, the Obama administration is quick to push back. Writing Thursday on the White House blog, Stephanie Cutter, the president's communications guru, noted that repealing the reforms would eliminate all the patient protections that just took effect.

27 Sep 2010

Politics and health care: Poll finds 'many' want more government as money pours into some campaigns

A new AP poll finds that Americans who think the law should have done more outnumber those who think the government should stay out of health care by 2-to-1. The poll found that about four in 10 adults think the new law did not go far enough to change the health care system, regardless of whether they support the law, oppose it or remain neutral.

27 Sep 2010