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GE issues statement on release of last two final 'meaningful use' rules

We've reached a significant milestone with the release of the last two final rules providers will need to meet to demonstrate "meaningful use" of certified electronic health records (EHR), a significant step toward qualifying for the first phase of EHR incentives under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

15 Jul 2010

Lew chosen for OMB post as federal deficit tops $1 trillion

President Obama's pick to replace Peter Orszag to run the Office of Management and Budget is inheriting a federal deficit that has topped $1 trillion with three months left in the federal government's fiscal year.

15 Jul 2010

Support for health overhaul down; GOP asks Kagan if she would recuse herself from cases on new law

Support for the new health reform law has dropped seven percentage points in the last two months, though it remains higher than when the law was first signed in March. "Forty-nine percent of Americans now disapprove of the health care reform measure, according to the poll, which was conducted July 9-12. Thirty-six percent support the law. In a May CBS News poll, 47 percent disapproved of the new laws, while 43 percent approved. While the new poll shows a recent drop in support, the numbers have still improved overall since March, when 53 percent of Americans disapproved of the new laws and 32 percent said they approved of them."

15 Jul 2010

Florida Medicaid recipients make fewer trips to doctors; Calif. payments to health clinics in jeopardy; Texas addresses nursing shortage

Northeast Florida's Medicaid recipients are making fewer trips to the doctor for chronic illnesses since state officials outsourced the government-subsidized health insurance program to private managed care companies. But it remains unclear from the analysis performed by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, which oversees the state's Medicaid program, whether they're healthier for it. Medicaid reform was launched in 2006 in Duval and Broward counties to test whether HMOs could rein in the state's Medicaid spending.

15 Jul 2010

Final rules for e-health rewards unveiled

The federal government has issued new regulations defining the "meaningful use" of electronic medical records, a requirement doctors must fulfill in order to gain funds from a $27-billion pot set aside in the 2009 stimulus law, The New York Times reports. "A doctor can receive up to $44,000 under Medicare and $63,750 under Medicaid, while a hospital can receive millions of dollars, depending on its size."

15 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 14, 2010

Today's headlines reflect coverage of new federal rules related to "meaningful use" of electronic health records as well as the latest on the federal deficit, the White House's new HIV/AIDS strategy and other developments.

14 Jul 2010

PCMA issues statement on release of 'meaningful use' final rules in HITECH Act

Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt issued the following statement on the release of today's "meaningful use" final rules in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act:

14 Jul 2010

Study finds substantial regional variation in treatment practices for older adults with ESRD

There is substantial regional variation in treatment practices for care of older adults with end-stage renal disease, including receipt of hospice care and discontinuation of dialysis before death, according to a study in the July 14 issue of JAMA.

14 Jul 2010

Pelosi applauds Obama Administration's release of National HIV/AIDS Strategy

The National HIV/AIDS Strategy represents the nation's first comprehensive plan to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in this country. The strategy sets specific targets and provides detailed implementation information on the steps we must take to increase access to high quality HIV/AIDS care and treatment, decrease new HIV infections, and reduce HIV-related health disparities.

14 Jul 2010

AD may lead to increased risk of comorbid conditions, research shows

Pfizer Inc., together with its collaborator on the Alzheimer's Immunotherapy Program, Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy, presented new research this week at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease 2010 from two podium and four poster presentations.

14 Jul 2010

HHS Secretary, U.S. Attorney General to kick-off Miami fraud prevention summit

On Friday, July 16, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will kick off the first in a series of day-long summits bringing together a wide array of federal, state, and local partners, beneficiaries, providers, and other interested parties to discuss innovative ways to eliminate fraud within the U.S. health care system. The summit will include educational panels featuring law enforcement officials, consumer experts, providers, and key government agencies.

14 Jul 2010

NCCS supports two final rules issued by CMS, ONC for EHR incentive programs

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship announced its support of the two final rules issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology for the electronic health record incentive programs at a briefing hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today.

14 Jul 2010

No World Borders sponsors Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange conference

No World Borders, Inc., a leading health care IT and management consulting firm, today announced that it is a sponsor of the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) conference in Fairfax, today through July 15, 2010.

14 Jul 2010

In N.J., patients who receive free AIDS meds to face stricter income limits; some W. Va. state employees will no longer receive monthly insurance subsidies

The (Bergen County, N.J.) Record: "New Jersey will no longer provide free AIDS medications for 950 people who are HIV-positive, under a little-noticed provision of the state budget enacted this month.

14 Jul 2010

Experts discuss long-term viability of cost containment measures in health care reform bill

Leading experts in health policy and the economics of health care gathered in Washington, D.C. today to discuss the long-term viability of cost containment measures in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, such as prevention and disease management, in an environment with increasing downward fiscal pressures.

14 Jul 2010

Evidence-based guidelines could help prevent dangerous radiation overdoses, says MedSolutions

Utilization management programs that use evidence-based guidelines to ensure appropriate use of diagnostic imaging tests could help prevent dangerous radiation overdoses like the one highlighted in a recent New England Journal of Medicine editorial, said MedSolutions, a leading provider of medical management services.

14 Jul 2010

Medicaid stalemate, pay-for-delay ban among health care items under debate

"Several states are preparing to make deep cuts to Medicaid as a federal stalemate over funding for the poor drags on—even as states face mandates to expand the program under the new health-care law." Efforts to extend provisions of the stimulus programs that provided extra federal money to state Medicaid programs remain in limbo; the enhanced funding is set to expire at the end of the year.

14 Jul 2010

Slow-starting high risk pools look for bigger wave of enrollees, other reform issues

States have seen a "slow trickle" of enrollees for new federally funded high-risk pools but are expecting more to begin enrolling as word spreads about the coverage option, Politico reports.

14 Jul 2010

K-V announces resubmission to FDA's Complete Response action letter for Gestiva

K-V Pharmaceutical Company, a specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that it has been informed by Hologic, Inc. that a resubmission to the FDA's Complete Response action letter received in January 2009 has been submitted for Gestiva™ (hydroxyprogesterone caproate injection), 250 mg/mL.

14 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: The Berwick backlash; HIV screening a part of routine care; And why Congress should provide Medicaid help to states

As is well-known, Congress has a constitutional duty to examine presidential nominees like Dr. Berwick. But apparently, the prospect of giving the American people an opportunity to hear this nominee defend his past praise for government-run systems that ration healthcare was worrisome enough for the administration that it sought to ignore congressional oversight altogether (Sen. Mitch McConnell, 7/12).

14 Jul 2010

Medicare News and Research

GE issues statement on release of last two final 'meaningful use' rules

Lew chosen for OMB post as federal deficit tops $1 trillion

Support for health overhaul down; GOP asks Kagan if she would recuse herself from cases on new law

Florida Medicaid recipients make fewer trips to doctors; Calif. payments to health clinics in jeopardy; Texas addresses nursing shortage

Final rules for e-health rewards unveiled

First Edition: July 14, 2010

PCMA issues statement on release of 'meaningful use' final rules in HITECH Act

Study finds substantial regional variation in treatment practices for older adults with ESRD

Pelosi applauds Obama Administration's release of National HIV/AIDS Strategy

AD may lead to increased risk of comorbid conditions, research shows

HHS Secretary, U.S. Attorney General to kick-off Miami fraud prevention summit

NCCS supports two final rules issued by CMS, ONC for EHR incentive programs

No World Borders sponsors Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange conference

In N.J., patients who receive free AIDS meds to face stricter income limits; some W. Va. state employees will no longer receive monthly insurance subsidies

Experts discuss long-term viability of cost containment measures in health care reform bill

Evidence-based guidelines could help prevent dangerous radiation overdoses, says MedSolutions

Medicaid stalemate, pay-for-delay ban among health care items under debate

Slow-starting high risk pools look for bigger wave of enrollees, other reform issues

K-V announces resubmission to FDA's Complete Response action letter for Gestiva

Today's OpEds: The Berwick backlash; HIV screening a part of routine care; And why Congress should provide Medicaid help to states

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