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Medicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the states and federal government, and is managed by the states.

Move from paper to EMR: Time to start making the switch is now

The prospect of the U.S. healthcare system moving from paper to electronic medical records (EMR) has given rise to a host of thorny questions on matters of privacy, security, logistics and more. But according to EMR attorneys at the national law firm of LeClairRyan, the time to start making the switch is now–in part because the federal government will soon finalize important new guidelines on what healthcare providers need to do in order to "go digital."

4 Mar 2010

Patient advocates ask state legislators to reconsider budget cuts to state's Medicaid program

More than 20 patient advocates from across Virginia descended on the Capitol in Richmond today as part of the National Patient Advocate Foundation's Virginia State Lobby Day to ask state legislators to reconsider budget cuts to the state's Medicaid program with particular attention to maintaining full funding for children and pregnant women covered through FAMIS.

4 Mar 2010

Urinary catheterization of men and women: NAFC releases new consumer educational resource

The National Association For Continence (NAFC) has released a new consumer educational resource, focusing on catheterization procedures and care in the United States. The Urinary Catheterization of Men and Women pamphlet is the newest addition to NAFC's library of educational materials available to consumers seeking knowledge of management and treatment options for medical problems related to incontinence. It is also helpful as an educational supplement to nurses giving instructions to patients regarding their self-care.

4 Mar 2010

South Carolina, Oklahoma and Arkansas grapple with Medicaid cuts to help balance budget

States consider major cuts to Medicaid services and reimbursement rates to help fill gaps in the budget.

4 Mar 2010

GOP rejects Obama's compromise on health care, wants 'new approach'

USA Today: "President Obama offered to add a handful of Republican ideas to his 10-year, $950 billion health care plan Tuesday but was rebuffed and urged to start over.The letter from Obama to the GOP signalling his interest in four specific Republican health reform ideas was met with an icy reception from Republican leaders. ... 'We were surprised and disappointed with your latest proposal to simply paper a few of these common-sense proposals over an unsalvageable bill,' wrote Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky." (Wolf and Fritze, 3/2).

4 Mar 2010

Wasteful medical spending clogs health care industry

CNN: "Consider this: For every dollar the nation spends on health care, 50 cents is wasted. According to a 2008 report by Pricewaterhouse Cooper's Health Research Institute, wasteful spending accounts for $1.2 trillion of the $2.2 trillion spent on health care in the United States." CNN says the waste includes "costs associated with inefficient insurance claims processing, defensive medicine, preventable hospital readmissions, medical errors, and unnecessary emergency room visits."

4 Mar 2010

Obama to include GOP ideas in health proposal today

With President Barack Obama's release today of his latest health reform plan, he hopes to propel the dialogue forward as he also signals willingness to incorporate GOP ideas into his proposal.

4 Mar 2010

Negative results from latrepirdine Phase III clinical trial: Alzheimer's Association disappointed

"The Alzheimer's Association is disappointed to learn of the negative results from the Phase III clinical trial of latrepirdine (Dimebon)," said William Thies, Ph.D., Alzheimer's Association Chief Medical and Scientific Officer. "People with Alzheimer's, their families and caregivers desperately need more and better treatment options for this devastating, fatal brain disease."

4 Mar 2010

South Carolina kidney patients to meet lawmakers and urge passage of S. 1128 legislation

On Wednesday, March 3, kidney patients from across South Carolina will join the National Kidney Foundation Serving the Carolinas, South Carolina Region and Dialysis Patient Citizens in holding a briefing at the State Capitol Rotunda, followed by a series of meetings with lawmakers and staff, urging the passage of key legislation this year that would help approximately 500 South Carolina kidney failure patients and thousands of disabled South Carolinians who are struggling to access health insurance for the life-saving medical care they need.

3 Mar 2010

MSU risk assessment: Reliable method to assess lead-poisoning risk in children

As health departments across the United States seek a better way to determine which children should be tested for lead poisoning, a method created by Michigan State University scientists has proven to be more accurate and cost-effective than current strategies.

3 Mar 2010

Medicare coverage of CTC for seniors needed

President Obama, in his first routine physical exam as commander in chief, received a CT colonography (CTC), commonly known as a virtual colonoscopy, to screen him for colorectal cancer. However, Obama Administration officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) previously denied coverage of the same exam for seniors enrolled in Medicare, cutting off access for many to an exam proven to increase compliance with nationally accepted colon cancer screening guidelines.

3 Mar 2010

Adult day health programs help senior participants maintain their health and independence

A recent study by San Francisco’s Institute on Aging documents that adult day health programs play a vital role in helping senior participants maintain their health and independence. Since the 1970s, adult day health care has been promoted as an alternative to nursing home care for seniors with chronic illness, disability, or dementia.

3 Mar 2010

MRG: Preliminary results from CREST will increase growth in carotid stenting procedures

According to Millennium Research Group (MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, recent preliminary results from the CREST (Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy versus Stenting Trial) will support growth in carotid stenting procedures of more than 10% over the next five years. The results were announced last week at the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2010.

3 Mar 2010

Obama says he's willing to explore ideas raised by GOP during health summit

ABC News Political Punch: In a letter to Congressional leaders President Obama signaled Tuesday afternoon he is "open to several provisions raised by GOP lawmakers during last week's bipartisan health care reform summit, including medical malpractice reform, combating fraud," and the removal of a provisions that would have allowed the federal government to pay for Nebraska's Medicaid expansion and another that would have protected Florida seniors from cuts to the Medicare Advantage program (3/2).

3 Mar 2010

State roundup: Mass. hospital controversy, Iowa and Utah consider coverage expansions

The state appealed to the federal government yesterday to help Massachusetts hospitals that care for disproportionately high numbers of lower-income patients who receive state-sponsored health insurance. Governor Deval Patrick is asking the Obama administration for $216 million for Cambridge Health Alliance, the state's only public acute-care hospital, and another $115 million for six private hospitals with high Medicaid patient populations

3 Mar 2010

Health care costs for retiring Americans average $260,000 and can exceed $500,000

Health care costs for retiring Americans, including nursing home care, average $260,000 and can exceed $500,000, according to new research conducted by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College and underwritten by Prudential Financial.

3 Mar 2010

Sen. Nelson signals support for health overhaul bill; Hoyer offers alternative way to move legislation forward

Speaking at a conference hosted by the Federation of American Hospitals Tuesday, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., who withheld his support for a healthcare overhaul bill until just before the Senate passed it in December, "strongly hinted that he is prepared to back the final push to finish the job this spring," The Hill reports. "'Doing nothing on healthcare reform might seem like a reasonable option to some, but in my opinion it's not. Our nation's healthcare crisis will only get worse the longer we delay,' Nelson said.

3 Mar 2010

GOP Senators worry about backlash from COBRA extension filibuster

Los Angeles Times' D.C. Now: "Sen. Jim Bunning, the Republican from Kentucky whom Democrats love to blame for preventing passage of an extension of unemployment benefits, again blocked the Senate from taking up the measure on Tuesday." He says he supports the legislation's goals but will oppose it "until it is fully funded without increasing the federal deficit. In a one-person filibuster [that started last Thursday], Bunning has blocked the bill that, in addition to extending benefits, would also ... prevent a big cut in Medicare payments to doctors" (Muskal, 3/2).

3 Mar 2010

APTA: CMS announces dates for holding claims

(U.S. Physical Therapy) The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) reported on its website (APTA.org) on Friday, February 26, 2010 that “The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will hold claims for the first 10 business days of March. The hold will apply to claims with dates of service of March 1, 2010 through March 12, 2010. Claims with dates of service of January 1, 2010-February 28, 2010 will continue to be paid based on the 0% update approved by Congress.

2 Mar 2010

Merck's Isentress HIV/AIDS drug pricing: CalSTRS and CalPERS express concern

Today AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) announced that the two largest public pension funds in the nation, the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), have sent letters to Merck and Co. Pharmaceuticals expressing concern over the company’s pricing for its key HIV/AIDS drug, Isentress—now the most expensive first-line AIDS treatment in the U.S.

2 Mar 2010

Medicaid News and Research

Move from paper to EMR: Time to start making the switch is now

Patient advocates ask state legislators to reconsider budget cuts to state's Medicaid program

Urinary catheterization of men and women: NAFC releases new consumer educational resource

South Carolina, Oklahoma and Arkansas grapple with Medicaid cuts to help balance budget

GOP rejects Obama's compromise on health care, wants 'new approach'

Wasteful medical spending clogs health care industry

Obama to include GOP ideas in health proposal today

Negative results from latrepirdine Phase III clinical trial: Alzheimer's Association disappointed

South Carolina kidney patients to meet lawmakers and urge passage of S. 1128 legislation

MSU risk assessment: Reliable method to assess lead-poisoning risk in children

Medicare coverage of CTC for seniors needed

Adult day health programs help senior participants maintain their health and independence

MRG: Preliminary results from CREST will increase growth in carotid stenting procedures

Obama says he's willing to explore ideas raised by GOP during health summit

State roundup: Mass. hospital controversy, Iowa and Utah consider coverage expansions

Health care costs for retiring Americans average $260,000 and can exceed $500,000

Sen. Nelson signals support for health overhaul bill; Hoyer offers alternative way to move legislation forward

GOP Senators worry about backlash from COBRA extension filibuster

APTA: CMS announces dates for holding claims

Merck's Isentress HIV/AIDS drug pricing: CalSTRS and CalPERS express concern

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