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Report finds geographic variation in the use of carotid endarterectomy, carotid stenting

Medicare beneficiaries in some parts of the United States appear more likely to receive carotid endarterectomy, a surgical procedure to clear blockages in the artery supplying blood to the head, whereas those in other regions more often receive stents for the same condition, according to a report in the July 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

27 Jul 2010

Insurers, young, uninsured all prepare for different changes under health reform

Insurers, the young, the uninsured and lawmakers are just a few of the groups sorting out what the implementation of health reform means for them as details emerge on changes to the system.

27 Jul 2010

Federal prosecutors drop long-standing fraud charges against doctor from the Philippines

"Federal prosecutors have dropped charges against a doctor from the Philippines who went into hiding after being accused of scamming a military health program out of more than $1 million in the 1990s," The Associated Press reports.

27 Jul 2010

Australian medical devices market to grow at 9% CAGR in 2009-2012

The consequences as a result of the major Australian healthcare reform plan will impact the outlook of the medical devices industry, and possibly precipitate a series of rapid changes for the market.

27 Jul 2010

Safety-net hospitals fear fiscal effects of health overhaul

"The hard-fought health reforms slowly taking shape across the country are intended to help provide better access to care -- but they could mean financial trouble for so-called 'safety-net' hospitals that take care of the poor," The Fresno Bee reports. "Already, hospital officials say millions in payments have been cut this year for Medicare patients in California, and they expect billions of dollars in cuts over the next 10 years for Medicare and Medi-Cal, as government tightens spending to help cover more people.

27 Jul 2010

Teva second-quarter net sales increase 12% to $3.8 billion

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today reported results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010.

27 Jul 2010

Aurora Health Care ranked among top 20% of top U.S. health systems

Aurora Health Care has been named among the top health systems in the U.S. by Thomson Reuters. Announced recently in Modern Healthcare, Aurora ranked in the top 20 percent of the list, which was based on clinical performance.

26 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Health reform and long-term care; Health care incentives; Reasons for optimism or repeal and replace?

Our system of long-term care does not provide adequate or coordinated human services and medical treatment for our growing aging population. … Thanks to a provision of the new health care law known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program, tomorrow's continuum of care does not have to be so unforgiving. For the first time, a voluntary public insurance program will be available to help adults and families pay for long-term care services (Bruce Chernof, 7/23).

26 Jul 2010

St. John Providence Health System to migrate to eClinicalWorks comprehensive EHR solution

eClinicalWorks®, a market leader in ambulatory clinical systems, today announced that St. John Providence Health System, the largest provider of inpatient care in southeast Michigan, will be offering eClinicalWorks comprehensive electronic health record (EHR) solution for its approximately 3,000 employed and affiliated physicians.

26 Jul 2010

Insight Imaging acquires eight imaging centers

InSight Health Services Holdings Corp. today announced that it had completed the previously announced acquisition of eight imaging centers in the Phoenix, Arizona, El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces, New Mexico areas from subsidiaries of MedQuest, Inc. and Novant Health, Inc.

26 Jul 2010

Experts available for comment on new medicare contracts that drive health care hookups

So-called "accountable care organizations" or ACOs might change the way that the agency running Medicare does business. An article in the Indiana Business Journal explains that the new health reform law requires the agency to sign new "shared savings" contracts with ACOs and gives examples of how these organizations work. ACOs can begin doing business with Medicare in January 2012.

26 Jul 2010

It's back: House Democrats argue anew for public option

House Democrats are arguing again for the passage of a public option to compete with private health plans and reduce the deficit, news outlets report.

26 Jul 2010

Teva comments on FDA's approval of generic Lovenox injection

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. commented today on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's response to a citizen petition questioning the approval criteria for a generic Lovenox (enoxaparin sodium) injection and its subsequent approval of another generic filer's Abbreviated New Drug Application.

26 Jul 2010

Md. Democrats tout crackdown on Medicaid fraud; Four plead not guilty in Calif. Medicare fraud case

Touting a favorite program, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown said Thursday the state's health department has found $26 million in fraud and waste in the state Medicaid program. The extra cash will not close the roughly $1.5 billion deficit that awaits the winner of November's gubernatorial election, but Brown argued the extra money will help. Brown also used the occasion to remind folks that he lobbied to strengthen the state's Medicaid False Claims Act during the legislative session.

26 Jul 2010

Research roundup: Hospital emergency room HIV screenings; Medical device reviews; Health law impact on docs and hospitals

Physician Satisfaction With Chronic Care Processes: A Cluster-Randomized Trial Of Guided Care - The authors randomly assigned teams of physicians and their chronically ill older patients into groups that either provided Guided Care - an educated registered nurse works with a primary care practice team to enhance quality of care - or usual care. One year later, they measured "physicians' satisfaction with chronic care processes, time spent on chronic care, knowledge of their chronically ill older patients, and care coordination provided by physicians and office staff."

26 Jul 2010

Ohio sets up high risk pool; Four drug companies come under scrutiny for payments to Pittsburgh doctors, nurses

"Ohioans with pre-existing health conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, can apply for coverage under a new high-risk insurance pool beginning Aug. 1." Qualifications include evidence of a pre-existing condition, proof of Ohio residency and U.S. citizenship, state of being uninsured for six months prior to the date of applying for coverage and being "ineligible for coverage under the Medicare program, the Ohio Medical Assistance Program, the Ohio Children's Health Insurance Program, or an employer-sponsored group health plan, unless subject to a mandatory initial waiting period" (7/22).

26 Jul 2010

CMS awards Jurisdiction 15 Medicare Parts A and B Administrative Contract to CGS

CIGNA Government Services, L.L.C. announced that it has been awarded the Jurisdiction 15 Medicare Parts A and B Administrative Contract by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

26 Jul 2010

Obama signs legislation to cut improper government spending, largely in Medicare and Medicaid

President Barack Obama signed legislation Thursday that aims "to take on fraudulent and improper government spending that he said diverts money from important priorities," the Los Angeles Times reports.

23 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Varying points on the nation's doctor shortage, benefits of negative studies, and what about universal health care?

In the long list of problems affecting the American health care system, the shortage of general practitioners and overabundance of specialists is usually ranked near the top. There is truth to this: only 32 percent of physicians practice primary care medicine. As a result, patients have to wait longer to see their doctors and are more likely to be seen by nurse practitioners and physician assistants instead. However, pediatrics has the opposite problem: a growing shortage of pediatric subspecialists (Dennis Rosen, 7/22).

23 Jul 2010

Researchers investigate regional variation in Medicare spending

In the latest Health Policy Outlook from the American Enterprise Institute and the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC, Schaeffer Center researchers investigated whether geographic variations in utilization of health services and spending differed between Medicare and the private sector.

23 Jul 2010

Medicare News and Research

Report finds geographic variation in the use of carotid endarterectomy, carotid stenting

Insurers, young, uninsured all prepare for different changes under health reform

Federal prosecutors drop long-standing fraud charges against doctor from the Philippines

Australian medical devices market to grow at 9% CAGR in 2009-2012

Safety-net hospitals fear fiscal effects of health overhaul

Teva second-quarter net sales increase 12% to $3.8 billion

Aurora Health Care ranked among top 20% of top U.S. health systems

Today's OpEds: Health reform and long-term care; Health care incentives; Reasons for optimism or repeal and replace?

St. John Providence Health System to migrate to eClinicalWorks comprehensive EHR solution

Insight Imaging acquires eight imaging centers

Experts available for comment on new medicare contracts that drive health care hookups

It's back: House Democrats argue anew for public option

Teva comments on FDA's approval of generic Lovenox injection

Md. Democrats tout crackdown on Medicaid fraud; Four plead not guilty in Calif. Medicare fraud case

Research roundup: Hospital emergency room HIV screenings; Medical device reviews; Health law impact on docs and hospitals

Ohio sets up high risk pool; Four drug companies come under scrutiny for payments to Pittsburgh doctors, nurses

CMS awards Jurisdiction 15 Medicare Parts A and B Administrative Contract to CGS

Obama signs legislation to cut improper government spending, largely in Medicare and Medicaid

Today's OpEds: Varying points on the nation's doctor shortage, benefits of negative studies, and what about universal health care?

Researchers investigate regional variation in Medicare spending

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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