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Continucare fourth-quarter total revenue increases 5% to $79.3 million

Continucare Corporation today reported strong financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.

9 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 9, 2010

Today's headlines highlight a government study that finds the new health law won't fuel significant increases in spending.

9 Sep 2010

CVS Caremark offers $5 million in free flu shots for uninsured patients

CVS Caremark announced today that it will partner with Direct Relief USA to offer up to $5 million in free flu shots to community clinic and health center patients who lack health insurance.

9 Sep 2010

Insurers raise rates, cancel plans in response to overhaul

The Wall Street Journal: "Aetna Inc., some BlueCross BlueShield plans and other smaller carriers have asked for premium increases of between 1% and 9% to pay for extra benefits required under the law, according to filings with state regulators." The requests undermine "Democrats' efforts to trumpet their signature achievement before the midterm elections."

9 Sep 2010

Health reform myths debunked

The Associated Press examines political ads on health reform. "With the country sharply divided over the sweeping new insurance law, Republicans and their allies are taking to the airwaves to attack it as elections near, often resorting to exaggeration and omissions to make their points."

9 Sep 2010

Conservative group forecasts Medicare doctor access problem

Writing for Kaiser Health News, Marilyn Werber Serafini reports in a KHN short take: "Getting a doctor's appointment may become increasingly difficult for seniors and the disabled over the next decade unless Congress changes the new health law, according to a report that the conservative National Center for Policy Analysis plans to release today.

9 Sep 2010

Liberator Medical Holdings' subsidiary receives 2010 Governor's Business Diversification Award

Liberator Medical Holdings, Inc. today announced its wholly owned subsidiary, Liberator Medical Supply, has received the 2010 Governor's Business Diversification Award in the Business Expansion category.

8 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 8, 2010

In today's headlines, reports about how health reform is playing on the campaign trail and the latest on health insurance premium hikes.

8 Sep 2010

PPTA supports CMS' proposal for hospital outpatient reimbursement for plasma protein therapies

The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) recommends that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalize its Proposed Rule regarding reimbursement to better ensure patient access to vital medicines in the hospital outpatient setting.

8 Sep 2010

Personalized reminders effective in encouraging seniors to get annual flu shots

Personalized post cards or phone calls can be effective in encouraging more seniors to get their annual flu shots, according to a new review of evidence. Professional facilitators are also successful at urging providers to perform a suite of preventive services, including flu shots for seniors.

8 Sep 2010

A Republican win in November could put health law in center of political tug-of-war

The Associated Press looks at whether a Republican takeover of Congress would lead to an impasse with the White House over funding for implementation of the health law. "Republicans could still fall back on the congressional power of the purse, denying the administration billions of dollars to carry out the most far-reaching social legislation since Medicare and Medicaid.

8 Sep 2010

Health law rollout effects: Delivering 'accountable' care, device tax, nursing mothers

Today's updates on the continuing implementation of the health law include Medicare chief Don Berwick's behind the scenes push for 'accountable care organizations,' tax anxiety in the medical device industry, and the promise of new help for pregnant women.

8 Sep 2010

Hospitals hire to keep up with growing diversity, tech challenges

"As more immigrants crowd its waiting rooms, Elmhurst Hospital is joining a growing number of hospitals in New York and across the country that are going beyond hiring interpreters and offering translated paperwork and are adopting practices intended to improve care for an increasingly diverse patient population," The New York Times reports.

8 Sep 2010

CDC ramps up production of new three-in-one flu vaccine

Health officials say that there will be plenty of flu vaccine available this year, now that the H1N1 pandemic has ended, The Washington Post reports. "The World Health Organization declared an end to the pandemic last month, based on indications that the H1N1 flu was transitioning to a more seasonal virus. Unlike last year, when there was one vaccine for H1N1 flu and another for seasonal flu, this year's vaccine is a 'three-in-one' that includes protection against H1N1 as well as two other strains."

8 Sep 2010

Candidates focus on health care politics

As candidates ramped up campaigning over Labor Day weekend, news outlets examined the role of the new health law in the 2010 elections.

8 Sep 2010

Studies examine health care use, quality

The New York Times: A new study finds "that more than half of the 354 million doctor visits made each year for acute medical care, like for fevers, stomachaches and coughs, are not with a patient's primary physician, and that more than a quarter take place in hospital emergency rooms. The authors of the study, which was published Tuesday in the journal Health Affairs, said it highlighted a significant question about the new federal health care law: can access to primary care be maintained.

8 Sep 2010

Watson Laboratories receives FDA approval for Zarah tablets

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that its subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc., has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application for Zarah (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol tablets) 3 mg/0.03 mg, the generic equivalent to Bayer's Yasmin.

7 Sep 2010

AHRQ releases free evidence-based guides for eight health conditions

HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality today released a series of free evidence-based guides designed to help Spanish speakers understand and compare the risks, benefits and side effects of treatments for eight health conditions.

7 Sep 2010

OpEds: Health costs and new law; Penn. doctor supply; Anesthesiologists vs. nurses

Some sort of Medicare-for-all program remains the only equitable way that every American can be provided with adequate and affordable coverage. This wouldn't be socialized medicine and it wouldn't be state-run healthcare (David Lazarus, 9/7).

7 Sep 2010

Health 2.0 Developer Challenge: Teams are putting final touches on their applications

With only a few weeks left until the deadlines of the Health 2.0 Developer Challenge more than 40 teams are putting the final touches on their applications for the 10 prizes. Winners will be announced by Todd Park, CTO of U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Aneesh Chopra, Federal CTO, at the Health 2.0 Conference on October 7-8, in San Francisco.

7 Sep 2010