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Hospitals participate in CMS "pay-for-reporting" program

Beginning next year, consumers across the country will be able to find out how their hospital stacks up when it comes to preventing certain infections under new hospital acquired infection reporting regulations adopted by the Department of Health & Human Services.

3 Aug 2010

White House report predicts immediate health law benefits for Medicare's solvency; GOP lawmaker reacts

In a report released Monday, the Obama administration said "[t]he new health overhaul law will start producing savings for Medicare right away, and over time add 12 years of solvency to the program's giant trust fund for inpatient care." According to the report, Medicare savings by the end of next year will tally about $8 billion. Savings for rest of the decade would be an estimated $575 billion.

3 Aug 2010

Republicans plan to block health law by withholding implementation funds

Republicans may not have the numbers to repeal the health overhaul, even after the election, but they are increasingly likely to try to "deny the Obama administration the money it needs to implement the law," Politico reports.

3 Aug 2010

'Medical homes' bolster primary care and cut emergency costs

Several news outlets look at efforts to manage care for Medicaid patients and the uninsured better.

3 Aug 2010

Tips for caregivers to better manage their loved one's health care

According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, more than 65 million people in the United States serve as informal caregivers, typically for family members. This equates to more than one out of every four people serving as unpaid caregivers.

2 Aug 2010

Today's OpEds: Medicaid and the safety net; Health reform law's impact on long-term care and health costs

Late last week, the federal government provided a road map [for how to help those with little access to care] by extending an existing agreement that allows up to $25 million in Medicaid payments to hospitals to be diverted instead to clinics that serve the uninsured. You might think that would be a hard sell for hospitals; after all, they're experiencing sharp growth in the number of uninsured patients they serve. But St. Louis-area hospitals willingly have been sharing those payments with clinics for a decade. Without them, there simply wouldn't be a health care safety net to meet the region's needs (8/1).

2 Aug 2010

NFF awarded $1M to improve financial health of local community organizations

Nonprofit Finance Fund has been awarded $1 million from Trinity Health in Novi, Michigan, to improve the access to capital for Michigan nonprofits. NFF will use this investment to provide loans to nonprofit organizations in southeast Michigan, the home of seven of Trinity's 47 hospitals. The funds will be used to finance community facilities projects and organizations working in low-wealth communities, providing working capital for construction of buildings, facilities improvements, and equipment purchases.

2 Aug 2010

K-V Pharmaceutical receives NYSE non-compliance notification

K-V Pharmaceutical Company announced today that the Company received notification from the New York Stock Exchange on July 27, 2010 of non-compliance regarding the Company's quantitative continued listing standards. The NYSE informed the Company that its Class A Common Stock equity issue has fallen below criteria for the average closing price of a NYSE security of not less than $1.00 over a consecutive 30-trading day period.

2 Aug 2010

LifePoint Hospitals second-quarter revenues up 7.5% to $790.6 million

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. today announced results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010.

2 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 2, 2010

Today's headlines include news about a pre-recess Senate push to pass a state aid measure as well as a preview of a White House report to be issued today that predicts savings in the Medicare program.

2 Aug 2010

Healthsouth Corporation experiences positive trends in second quarter

HealthSouth Corporation, the nation's largest provider of inpatient rehabilitative healthcare services, today reported its results of operations for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. "The positive trends we experienced in the first quarter of 2010 continued into the second quarter as good volume growth, solid pricing, and disciplined expense management resulted in growth in all key, financial metrics," said Jay Grinney, President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthSouth.

2 Aug 2010

Humana second quarter consolidated revenues rises 10% to $8.65 billion

Humana Inc. today reported diluted earnings per common share (EPS) for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 (2Q10) of $2.00, above management's guidance of $1.65 to $1.70. The 2Q10 results compared to EPS of $1.67 for the quarter ended June 30, 2009 (2Q09). For the six months ended June 30, 2010 (1H10) the company reported $3.52 in EPS compared to $2.89 for the six months ended June 30, 2009 (1H09).

2 Aug 2010

Inpatient rehab helps patient to regain functions lost from injury, illness

After a person receives acute care in a "regular" hospital for catastrophic illness, traumatic injury or a debilitating chronic condition, the next step in the process of recovery often involves a stay at an inpatient rehabilitation, or rehab, facility.Patients often have little warning when they're quickly moved to a rehab facility from acute care. Those who envision a long, leisurely recovery in a hospital or at home may find that the abrupt transition-and new responsibilities in rehab-leaves their heads spinning.

2 Aug 2010

Health Care Politics: parties dispute tax reporting requirement; administration woos seniors with new Ad

The Associated Press "Tucked into the new health care law is a requirement that could become a paperwork nightmare for nearly 40 million businesses. They must file tax forms for every vendor that sells them more than $600 in goods. The goal is to prevent vendors from underreporting their income to the Internal Revenue Service.

2 Aug 2010

Speaker Pelosi issues statement to mark 45th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today to mark the 45th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid being signed into law. To mark the anniversary, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a new ad featuring Andy Griffith discussing the Affordable Care Act:

31 Jul 2010

Louisiana's Medicaid rate cuts kick in Aug. 1; Other states seek health program assistance, make tough choices to balance budgets

"The rates paid to many of the private health providers in Louisiana's Medicaid program will fall Sunday to trim spending by $168 million in the program that provides care to the poor, elderly and disabled. The latest cuts to private hospitals, home- and community-based care providers, doctors and specialty service providers are the final piece of balancing this year's $6.5 billion Medicaid budget. Department of Health and Hospitals Undersecretary Jerry Phillips said Medicaid funding was cut by $277 million in the 2010-11 fiscal year that began July 1."

31 Jul 2010

Nashville hospitals cut costs to keep up revenues, despite fewer patients

"Over the past year and a half, keeping costs in check has helped the large hospital chains based in the Nashville area to increase quarterly earnings, even when seeing fewer patients come through their doors," The Tennessean reports. "The recent second quarter was no different. Cost controls fueled an 18 percent increase in net income at Franklin-based Community Health Systems, despite a decline in the number of patients. HCA Inc. saw fewer inpatient visits, and higher interest expense kept its pre-tax profits flat.

31 Jul 2010

HealthSouth plans new rehabilitation hospital in northwest Houston

HealthSouth Corporation today announced plans to begin construction of a new 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in the Cypress area of northwest Houston in the fourth quarter. In connection with such plans, HealthSouth has signed a contract to purchase a 6-acre tract of land from an affiliate of Caldwell Companies, based in Houston. The land is located on the northeast corner of Highway 290 and FM 1960 in Houston.

31 Jul 2010

Abortion rights supporters, children's groups, GOP pushing back on various health law provisions

"Elective abortions will be prohibited and people with pre-existing conditions will be able to get comprehensive benefits without paying any more than healthy people, under new federal regulations for high-risk health insurance pools released ... by the Obama administration," according to Kaiser Health News.

31 Jul 2010

Water Street Healthcare Partners acquires Medical Specialties Distributors

Water Street Healthcare Partners, a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on health care, announced today that it has acquired Medical Specialties Distributors, LLC (MSD). Headquartered in Stoughton, Massachusetts, MSD is the nation's leading provider of infusion products, supplies, biomedical services and technology solutions to the growing home infusion therapy market. The acquisition expands Water Street's current group of health care companies to 12.

From Baxter International Inc. 31 Jul 2010