Medicaid News and Research

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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.

Rural doctors, administrators push for health reform to include safeguards against Rx drug abuse

An increase in prescription drug fraud has caused doctors and hospital administrators to call for legislation to provide stronger safeguards. They say that such measures are especially important to protect government programs such as Medicaid and that heath reform proposals should increase coverage for drug treatment and rehabilitation. They note that prescription drug abuse and Medicaid fraud are especially sensitive issues in rural areas that struggle to attract providers.

21 Oct 2009

Some Medicare recipients will see jump in premium costs next year

"The basic Medicare premium will shoot up next year by 15 percent, to $110.50 a month, federal officials said Monday," The New York Times reports. "The increase means that monthly premiums would top $100 for the first time, a stark indication of the rise in medical costs that is driving the debate in Congress about a broad overhaul of the health care system."

21 Oct 2009

Senate health bill negotiators discussing, debating versions of public option

Senator Max Baucus says there is still the possibility for some sort of public option in the Senate health bill, though he doubts it can get 60 votes, as Majority Leader Harry Reid negotiates to shape the final legislation.

21 Oct 2009

Computerized decision support solution from GE Healthcare

As part of GE’s healthymagination commitment, GE Healthcare today announced a new solution that puts clinical data and treatment practices in the hands of doctors and clinicians in real-time so that they can make informed decisions right at the point of care.

20 Oct 2009

Eclipsys supports healthcare providers to meet the goal of ARRA

To support healthcare organizations in making the appropriate technology decisions to maximize federal stimulus dollar opportunity, Eclipsys Corporation®, The Outcomes Company®, today announced the multiple superior outcomes its client organizations are achieving today.

20 Oct 2009

Pfizer announces fiscal 2009 third-quarter results

Pfizer Inc. today reported financial results for third-quarter 2009. Revenues were $11.6 billion, a decrease of 3% compared with $12.0 billion in the year-ago quarter.

20 Oct 2009

Meeting to discuss latest information on anti-aging medicine and euthanasia

America's foremost authorities on aging will share the latest information on "death panels," anti-aging medicine, health care reform, and other current topics at The Gerontological Society of America's upcoming 62nd Annual Scientific Meeting. This four day event - the country's largest interdisciplinary conference in the field of aging - will take place from November 18 to 22 in Atlanta, GA. Media representatives can register free of charge.

20 Oct 2009

Unitedhealth announces third quarter results; reports growth in revenues and net earnings

UnitedHealth Group reported third quarter results today, including growth in revenues and net earnings and a continued strong financial position.

20 Oct 2009

Conference to discuss the pent-up demand for home based eldercare personal robots

GeckoSystems Intl. Corp. announced today that during their first annual "Mobile Robots in Motion" conference November 4-5, 2009, attendees will be able to learn and discuss the basis for GeckoSystems' belief that pent-up demand exists for their cost effective, home based eldercare personal robots.

20 Oct 2009

Pharmacy services still in demand despite recession

Despite the onset of an economic recession during 2008, pharmacy services were still in demand due to their value in the health care delivery system. The average community pharmacy saw its total sales increase by 7.6% to $3.9 million.

20 Oct 2009

Aspect Medical Systems to present a complete family of BIS monitoring technologies at ASA meeting

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Annual Meeting will feature 62 scientific presentations that reference BIS® monitoring when it convenes on October 17-21, 2009 in New Orleans. BIS-related research will cover a broad range of applications for BIS monitoring, including initial results from studies conducted as part of a comparative effectiveness research collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic as well as findings from a study evaluating use of a Composite Variability Index (CVI) that is based on BIS parameters.

20 Oct 2009

Alabama Supreme Court rules in favor of Novartis Pharmaceuticals

The Alabama Supreme Court today overturned a jury verdict against Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NPC), and directed entry of judgment in favor of NPC. NPC is pleased that the Alabama Supreme Court has found in our favor, which demonstrates that the State of Alabama's claims were unfounded.

20 Oct 2009

CMS requested for coverage of two FDG PET scans during the initial treatment

Seven medical imaging groups wrote a joint letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to formally request coverage of two fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans for a patient during the initial treatment evaluation. Currently, CMS covers only one FDG-PET study during initial treatment-a limitation that the groups believe is contrary to good clinical practice under certain circumstances.

20 Oct 2009

Four Pharma companies underpay Medicaid rebate obligations, pay $124M to resolve allegations

Mylan Pharmaceuticals, UDL Laboratories, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and Ortho McNeil Pharmaceutical have entered into settlement agreements for a total of $124 million to resolve claims that they violated the False Claims Act by failing to pay appropriate rebates to state Medicaid programs for drugs paid for by those programs, the Justice Department announced today.

20 Oct 2009

West Virginia nears dental crisis over stagnant Medicaid payments

West Virginia's Medicaid patients are nearing a crisis when it comes to access to dental care, West Virginia Public Broadcasting reports. Medicaid's reimbursement rates for dentistry haven't increased since 1991, and West Virginia cut rates in 1994 by 30 percent, causing fewer and fewer dentists to accept payment from the public program for low-income patients.

19 Oct 2009

More details emerging on health reform's proposed changes to Medicare

The Dallas Morning News reports on some of health reform's proposed changes to Medicare and local consumer reactions. "The 10.4 million beneficiaries with private insurers' Medicare Advantage plans will still get coverage at least comparable to regular Medicare, but some will see fewer extra benefits or higher out-of-pocket costs. For most of Medicare's 45 million beneficiaries, an overhaul will improve coverage by beefing up drug benefits, preserving access to physicians, paying for more preventive care and putting Medicare on firmer financial footing."

19 Oct 2009

Health providers make cuts, changes and gambles in face-off with economy

News reports this weekend highlight several developments as medical providers respond to changing economic forces, and in some cases, clashes of personality.

19 Oct 2009

Medicaid expansion could hit struggling state budgets

"The government programs that provide health care to the poor would expand to cover nearly one in five Americans under health insurance legislation pending in Congress, putting pressure on federal and state budgets," USA Today reports.

19 Oct 2009

Vangent announces launch of the Health Information Exchange Open Source software tool

Vangent, Inc., a leading global provider of information management and strategic business process outsourcing solutions, announced today that it will provide an open source software tool known as Health Information Exchange Open Source (HIEOS™) making possible secure exchange of health information from multiple and disparate system and data sources.

19 Oct 2009

Clearcount Medical Solutions raises $3.4 million

ClearCount Medical Solutions, an innovator of patient safety solutions for the operating room, announced today the close of its $3.4M Series B financing round. The company plans to use the funds to drive sales and product development of its RFID-based solutions designed to prevent retained surgical sponges.

19 Oct 2009