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The federal health IT push remains in the spotlight

Doctors across the country including Tahsina Atiquzzaman in Kissimmee, Fla., are "shredding paper charts and ushering in digital records as part of the health care milestones announced last month by the federal government," The Orlando Sentinel/Modesto Bee reports.

13 Aug 2010

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, OCNA urge FDA to allow use of Avastin

Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance today urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to continue to allow the use of the drug bevacizumab, commonly known as Avastin, for metastatic breast cancer patients, noting that it is effective for some patients and warning of a chilling effect on new drug development if approval is withdrawn.

13 Aug 2010

Arizona lawmakers challenge health overhaul

A group of Arizona lawmakers has become the latest to challenge the federal health law as they "joined a conservative watchdog group Thursday in filing a 78-page lawsuit" challenging the law's mandate on Americans to carry health insurance and its Independent Payment Advisory Board in Medicare, Fox News reports.

13 Aug 2010

Today's opinions: Rep. Ryan's plan to aid Medicare; The burden on health law supporters in Va.; Evaluating Medicare actuary's estimates

Only in Washington could the government raid one entitlement program to finance a brand-new one and still claim that deficits have been reduced and entitlements have been reformed (Rep. Paul Ryan, 8/13).

13 Aug 2010

Five tips for seniors researching MA or Medigap plan options

Health Plan One, a general agent in the online health insurance market, seeks to guide seniors to choose carefully when selecting their Medicare Advantage or Medicare supplement plan. Seniors will have only one opportunity to make changes to their Medicare plans during the Annual Enrollment Period this November 15 through December 31.

13 Aug 2010

Medical Facilities second-quarter revenue decreases 1.9% to $51.2 million

Medical Facilities Corporation today reported its financial results for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2010.

13 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 13, 2010

Today's headlines explore a variety of health policy issues, ranging from consumer protections regarding benefit rights to the cost of electronic medical records.

13 Aug 2010

General Dynamics awarded $80.3M contract to support HHS Early Retiree Reinsurance Program

General Dynamics Information Technology's ViPS, part of its Health IT Solutions business sector, has been awarded a contract to support the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP). The total potential contract value is $80.3 million over four years if all options are exercised.

13 Aug 2010

MedAssurant enters agreement with NCQA to develop new measures of healthcare quality

MedAssurant Inc., a leading provider of data-driven healthcare solutions, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with the National Committee for Quality Assurance, the organization that maintains the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS ®)—the most widely used performance measurement tool in healthcare and a core component of the Medicare Star Rating system—to support the development of new measures of healthcare quality that NCQA is developing under a contract it has with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

13 Aug 2010

Companies reorganizing under Chapter 11 battle with former employees over lifetime health benefits

The Wall Street Journal: "Linda Roberts thought she would enjoy lifetime health benefits after a dozen years lifting radiators and iron in a factory for Visteon Corp. But the car-parts maker won bankruptcy-court approval to terminate those retiree benefits, just months after Ms. Roberts, 62 years old, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and leukemia.

13 Aug 2010

Kibow to support KDAE week for educating policymakers about kidney disease

Kibow Biotech would like to show its support for Kidney Disease Awareness and Education (KDAE) Week 2010, organized by American Nephrology Nurses' Association (ANNA). Kidney Disease Awareness and Education Week is a week dedicated to educating policymakers and their staff members about the needs of patients suffering from or at risk for end stage renal disease (ESRD).

13 Aug 2010

Sandata announces acquisition of Medical Management Technology Group's customer base

Sandata Technologies, LLC, a leading nationwide provider of information technology solutions to the home healthcare and social services communities today announced the acquisition of all of the home healthcare agency contracts of Medical Management Technology Group, Inc. in connection with the settlement of a patent infringement lawsuit.

13 Aug 2010

Prices drop for PBMs; Pharmacy lobby opposes survey regarding Medicaid prices

Prices are falling for major pharmacy benefit managers, such as Medco and CVS Caremark, as the firms compete for clients, but the falling rates "don't appear to be sliding into a frenzy of unreasonable pricing," The Wall Street Journal reports. "In the current 'selling season,' when PBMs look to sign customers for the following year, discounts on new contracts have deepened by one or two percentage points, on average, from a year ago.

13 Aug 2010

GOP Rep. Ryan potential 'foil' for Obama; Candidates consider reform's role in races

The New York Times: Rep. Paul Ryan, "as you may have heard, is the Republican star of the moment. A 40-year-old from southeastern Wisconsin serving his sixth term in the House, Mr. Ryan has been getting a lot of attention for his 'Roadmap for America's Future,' an unusually austere proposal to vanquish the federal debt by, among other things, partly dismantling Social Security and Medicare as they currently exist."

13 Aug 2010

Polls show public confusion continues regarding new health law

In three recent polls, large percentages of Americans said the health law would cut Medicare benefits, slash doctors pay and ration health care to patients, all false claims that remain pervasive despite reform supporters' efforts to educate the public, USA Today reports. "Six weeks before the nation's health care delivery system begins a huge transformation, confusion reigns.

13 Aug 2010

Today's Opinions: Health law's effect for Democrats; Canadians' view; Cutting Medicare costs; The health issue in Tenn. Governor's race

Despite lofty predictions that a broad-based Democratic constituency would be activated by the health care reform bill, recent polling shows that the bill has been a disaster for the party — with near 60 percent of voters saying that they oppose the measure (Douglas Schoen, 8/11).

13 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 12, 2010

Some of today's headlines highlight how the new health reform law is playing beyond Washington, D.C.'s beltway.

12 Aug 2010

Health Net Foundation, Health Net of California to provide $7M to keep Central Valley clinics open

With the State of California's budget situation threatening to again halt payments to the state's health clinics, the Health Net Foundation and Health Net of California, Inc., together, are prepared to provide up to $7 million in zero-interest financing to help prevent Central Valley clinics from shutting their doors.

12 Aug 2010

Some Mass. residents fight individual mandate for health insurance, N.J. delays implementation of law requiring outpatient mental-health treatment

A former hospital executive has accused Naples-based Health Management Associates of offering money, free rent and private jet trips to entice doctors to refer Medicare patients to the company's hospitals. ... In a whistleblower lawsuit unsealed Aug. 2 by a federal judge, former hospital CEO J. Michael Mastej also accused his former employer of filing fraudulent claims on services HMA's facilities provided the ill-gotten Medicare patients.

12 Aug 2010

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare awards HMS two cost containment contracts

HMS today announced that it had been awarded two cost containment contracts by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, which administers Idaho's Medicaid program. Under the first contract, HMS will to identify third party coverage for casualty and liability claims paid by Idaho Medicaid, and pursue recoveries.

12 Aug 2010

Medicare News and Research

The federal health IT push remains in the spotlight

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, OCNA urge FDA to allow use of Avastin

Arizona lawmakers challenge health overhaul

Today's opinions: Rep. Ryan's plan to aid Medicare; The burden on health law supporters in Va.; Evaluating Medicare actuary's estimates

Five tips for seniors researching MA or Medigap plan options

Medical Facilities second-quarter revenue decreases 1.9% to $51.2 million

First Edition: August 13, 2010

General Dynamics awarded $80.3M contract to support HHS Early Retiree Reinsurance Program

MedAssurant enters agreement with NCQA to develop new measures of healthcare quality

Companies reorganizing under Chapter 11 battle with former employees over lifetime health benefits

Kibow to support KDAE week for educating policymakers about kidney disease

Sandata announces acquisition of Medical Management Technology Group's customer base

Prices drop for PBMs; Pharmacy lobby opposes survey regarding Medicaid prices

GOP Rep. Ryan potential 'foil' for Obama; Candidates consider reform's role in races

Polls show public confusion continues regarding new health law

Today's Opinions: Health law's effect for Democrats; Canadians' view; Cutting Medicare costs; The health issue in Tenn. Governor's race

First Edition: August 12, 2010

Health Net Foundation, Health Net of California to provide $7M to keep Central Valley clinics open

Some Mass. residents fight individual mandate for health insurance, N.J. delays implementation of law requiring outpatient mental-health treatment

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare awards HMS two cost containment contracts

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