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First Edition: September 24, 2010

In today's news, more reports regarding the health reform provisions that took effect yesterday and more details on the GOP's "Pledge To America."

24 Sep 2010

New opportunity for hospitals to improve CA-BSI surveillance

A new study looking at how hospitals account for the number of pediatric patients who develop catheter associated bloodstream infections (CA-BSIs) found substantial inconsistencies in the methods used to report the number of patients who develop these infections.

24 Sep 2010

UNC's bariatric surgery center receives BSCN accreditation

The program has been accredited as a Level 1b facility by the Bariatric Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This designation means that UNC Hospitals has met the essential criteria that ensure it is fully capable of supporting a bariatric surgery care program and that its institutional performance meets the requirements outlined by the ACS BSCN Accreditation Program.

24 Sep 2010

Disenrollment from hospice increases costs of care for cancer patients

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that the costs of care for patients with cancer who disenrolled from hospice were nearly five times higher than for patients who remained with hospice. Patients who disenroll from hospice are far more likely to use emergency department care and be hospitalized. The results are published in the October 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

24 Sep 2010

Pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide 50% discount on brand-name prescription drugs

Vice President Joe Biden, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that the nation's pharmaceutical manufacturers will provide 50 percent discounts on the cost of covered brand-name prescription drugs for beneficiaries in the Medicare Part D coverage gap, or donut hole, starting in 2011.

24 Sep 2010

House passes fraud bill to keep executives associated with wrongdoing from future Medicare business

The Hill's Healthwatch Blog: The House Wednesday passed a bill that would ban executives from "doing business with Medicare if their companies were convicted of fraud, even if the conviction takes place after their departure. The bill was introduced by the Ways and Means health panel's chairman and ranking member, Reps. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) and Wally Herger (R-Calif.)."

24 Sep 2010

New federal funds to create first national patient registry for pulmonary fibrosis

During the 8th annual National Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) Awareness Week, Sept. 11 to 18, the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) met with over 45 legislators, both Representatives and Senators, and as of this date there are 139 House co-sponsors for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act (PFREA) to fund research on this deadly disease.

24 Sep 2010

GOP lawmakers formally 'pledge' to repeal health law, and more

In their just-released campaign manifesto, "A Pledge to America," Republican lawmakers say repealing the health overhaul law would be among their goals if they retake Congress, The New York Times reports. Repeal comes alongside goals like the permanent extension of Bush tax cuts, spending caps, and the recouping of unspent money from President Obama's stimulus last year.

24 Sep 2010

Today's Opinions: The health law's 'Semi-Versary'

Six months after its enactment, there are two totally different stories to tell about the health-reform law. The public remains split on the law largely along traditional partisan lines

24 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 23, 2010

A flurry of news coverage today highlights the health law's six-month anniversary and the specific provisions that take effect today, as well as the GOP's scheduled release of their "Pledge To America," which includes a repeal of the health overhaul among its priorities.

23 Sep 2010

Use of CYPHER stent in diabetic patients can result in significant cost savings

New analysis presented at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics meeting (TCT 2010) in Washington, DC, indicates that the broad use of CYPHER Sirolimus-eluting coronary stent in patients with diabetes would result in substantial cost savings, as compared to the use of everolimus-eluting stents (EES), paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES), or zotarolimus-eluting stents (ZES).

23 Sep 2010

Congress examines health care payment issues and high costs

Congress is preparing to tackle health care issues including reforming the payment system and addressing the high costs of Alzheimer's care, Medicare fraud and long-term disability.

23 Sep 2010

Seredor acquires United Sleep Diagnostics to expand sleep diagnostic activities

Continucare Corporation announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary Seredor Corporation has further expanded its sleep diagnostic activities through the acquisition of United Sleep Diagnostics, Inc., an operator of sleep diagnostic centers. The acquired business currently operates three independent testing facilities and manages sleep centers at six hospitals located in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Florida.

22 Sep 2010

CPPR expresses concern over recently passed health care bill's flaws

Coalition to Protect Patients Rights spokesman Donald J. Palmisano, MD, expressed concern this week over the recently passed health care bill's flaws after new survey results indicated that overall health care costs actually will increase following the bill's passage.

22 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 22, 2010

Today's headlines focus on news surrounding tomorrow's six-month anniversary of the new health law and some of the specific provisions that will kick in on that day.

22 Sep 2010

Teva asserts infringement of 4 COPAXONE-related patents by Mylan, files complaint in U.S. District Court

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today it has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Mylan asserting infringement of four patents related to the characterization of COPAXONE® (glatiramer acetate injection). The latest of these patents expires in February 2020.

22 Sep 2010

How Medicare changes are playing out for advocates and in the campaign season

News outlets track both concerns about how Medicare will fare as a result of the health law's changes and examine how other changes advanced by reform are being characterized during the election season.

22 Sep 2010

Sebelius: Medicare Advantage premium costs to decline slightly in 2011

The Associated Press: "Seniors enrolled in popular private health insurance plans through Medicare will pay a little less on average next year, the Obama administration said Tuesday. The average monthly premium in so-called Medicare Advantage plans will dip to $35.69 in 2011, a 45-cent reduction from $36.14 this year, Medicare officials said."

22 Sep 2010

AMA launches new online tool to strengthen the financial health of physician practices

The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced a new online tool designed to help physician practices prepare for billing and payment audits by insurers and federal contractors. The AMA’s Practice Analysis Tools for Healthcare (AMA PATH™) puts self-auditing tools in the hands of physicians, allowing them to develop and evaluate fee schedules and billing safeguards without hiring an expensive consultant.

21 Sep 2010

Rising Medicare premiums and no cost-of-living adjustment can reduce Social Security payments

The combination of rising Medicare premiums and no annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) would reduce Social Security payments for about 23 million of the nation's seniors in 2011, according to The Senior Citizens League. This figure represents two-thirds of the 37 million seniors who receive Social Security benefits.

21 Sep 2010