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Today's opinions and editorials: Health reform's paperwork and accountability in Medicare

Without the support of the AMA it is quite possible that the health-care reform initiative would have failed. So why the effort to silence other doctors? (Hal Scherz, 5/7).

7 May 2010

Kent State University receives four-year, $2.7M grant to study cognitive status of heart failure patients

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $2.7-million grant to Kent State University for a collaborative research project with Case Western Reserve University School of Nursing, Summa Health System in Akron and University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland to study cognitive impairment in heart failure patients.

7 May 2010

MFA reports continued growth in number of new policies issued

The latest Medicare Supplement membership figures show continued growth in the number of new policies being issued, according to Mark Farrah Associates. The number of policies issued in the last three years increased by 1.25% in 2009 when compared to the 2008 base. Growth slacked off somewhat compared to 2008 when carriers had experienced 2.67% growth in new policies. Nonetheless, this is encouraging as Medigap carriers are positioning to introduce new Plans M and N on June 1, 2010.

7 May 2010

HCA's first-quarter 2010 revenues increased to $7.544 billion

HCA Inc. today announced financial and operating results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

7 May 2010

BioSpecifics Technologies total revenues for first-quarter increase to $2.7M

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp., a biopharmaceutical company developing first in class collagenase-based products, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. The Company also highlighted key commercial and regulatory progress during the quarter, and provided its expected milestones for the remainder of 2010.

7 May 2010

New changes to 'Extra Help' program enables more people save on prescription drug costs

Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for "Extra Help" may be eligible to pay no more than $2.50 for generic drugs and $6.30 for each brand name drug thanks to changes to Medicare's Low-Income Subsidy Program for Part D prescription drug costs (also known as LIS or "Extra Help") that take effect this year. These changes make it easier than ever for people on Medicare with limited incomes to save on their drug costs.

7 May 2010

M-3 Information introduces iPhone application for depression, anxiety disorders

M-3 Information entered the smart phone application environment by offering the M-3 Checklist, a scientifically validated screen for depression and anxiety disorders, at the iTunes store on Friday, April 30, 2010. Adapted from M-3 Information's existing mymoodmonitor.com website, this mobile version, called mym3, provides the same validated mental health questionnaire optimized for smart phones. A first in iPhone applications, mym3 is designed to create a bridge between user responses and recommendations set forth in the content-rich M3 website application.

7 May 2010

DUSA Pharmaceuticals receives notice of allowance for patent covering blue light technology

DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.®, a dermatology company that is developing and marketing Levulan® Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a notice of allowance for a key patent related to its proprietary PDT light source, the BLU-U®, Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy Illuminator.

7 May 2010

CML HealthCare reports 2.3% decrease in first-quarter 2010 revenue

CML HealthCare Income Fund, today reported its financial results for the three month period ended March 31, 2010.

7 May 2010

Florida health agency will use voice recognition to crack down on health fraud

The Associated Press/Miami Herald: Florida health officials announced they will "begin using voice recognition technology to verify whether patients in Miami-Dade County are actually receiving home health care services the state is being billed for."

7 May 2010

The doctor pay fix: Medicare's Groundhog Day

NPR reports on the delayed fix for Medicare physician payments, "Medicare's version of Groundhog Day."

7 May 2010

IASIS Healthcare second-quarter net revenue up 7.9% to $624.5 million

IASIS Healthcare® LLC today announced financial and operating results for the fiscal second quarter and six months ended March 31, 2010.

7 May 2010

Doctors seeing patients in groups

The Denver Post: "Jeff Wilson saw a doctor recently about his high cholesterol — and five other patients with the same problem came to his appointment. It was a 'group visit,' a growing trend in health care that allows doctors to reach more patients and patients to get more face time with their physician, even if they have to share it."

7 May 2010

DJOFL net sales increases 10.3% to $240.1 million for first-quarter 2010

DJO Incorporated a global provider of medical device solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health and pain management, today announced financial results for its operating subsidiary, DJO Finance LLC ("DJOFL"), for the first quarter of 2010, ended April 3, 2010.

6 May 2010

Gentiva Health Services first-quarter total net revenues up 7.5% to $297.1 million

Gentiva Health Services, Inc., a leading provider of home health and hospice services, today reported first quarter 2010 results.

6 May 2010

Biovail reports 27% increase in first-quarter 2010 total revenues

Biovail Corporation today announced its financial results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2010.

6 May 2010

PTNS performed using Urgent PC Neuromodulation System to receive category 1 CPT reimbursement code

Uroplasty, Inc., a medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets innovative proprietary products to treat voiding dysfunctions, announced today that it has been informed that percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS), the procedure performed using the Uroplasty Urgent PC Neuromodulation System, will receive a category 1 CPT reimbursement code. This is expected to occur when those codes are published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is expected in October 2010.

6 May 2010

MRO releases software upgrades for Audit Tracker Online

MRO Corp., a leading provider of disclosure management applications and services for healthcare organizations, today announced the launch of software upgrades for Audit Tracker Online. The upgrades to MRO's request management program offer hospitals and health systems enhanced performance and functionality in effectively managing payer audits and denials from initial medical records request through appeals and payment resolution.

6 May 2010

Three more people plead guilty in Onward durable medical equipment Medicare fraud scheme

Houston-area residents Basil Kalu and Ju-Ying Qian, and Louisiana resident Darnell Willis pleaded guilty today in connection with their roles in a durable medical equipment Medicare fraud scheme, the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services (HHS) announced.

6 May 2010

Premier healthcare alliance to host series of Healthcare Reform Executive Briefings

To prepare healthcare providers for the strategic implications of reform and the tools needed for future success, the Premier healthcare alliance will host a series of Healthcare Reform Executive Briefings.

6 May 2010

Medicare News and Research

Today's opinions and editorials: Health reform's paperwork and accountability in Medicare

Kent State University receives four-year, $2.7M grant to study cognitive status of heart failure patients

MFA reports continued growth in number of new policies issued

HCA's first-quarter 2010 revenues increased to $7.544 billion

BioSpecifics Technologies total revenues for first-quarter increase to $2.7M

New changes to 'Extra Help' program enables more people save on prescription drug costs

M-3 Information introduces iPhone application for depression, anxiety disorders

DUSA Pharmaceuticals receives notice of allowance for patent covering blue light technology

CML HealthCare reports 2.3% decrease in first-quarter 2010 revenue

Florida health agency will use voice recognition to crack down on health fraud

The doctor pay fix: Medicare's Groundhog Day

IASIS Healthcare second-quarter net revenue up 7.9% to $624.5 million

Doctors seeing patients in groups

DJOFL net sales increases 10.3% to $240.1 million for first-quarter 2010

Gentiva Health Services first-quarter total net revenues up 7.5% to $297.1 million

Biovail reports 27% increase in first-quarter 2010 total revenues

PTNS performed using Urgent PC Neuromodulation System to receive category 1 CPT reimbursement code

MRO releases software upgrades for Audit Tracker Online

Three more people plead guilty in Onward durable medical equipment Medicare fraud scheme

Premier healthcare alliance to host series of Healthcare Reform Executive Briefings

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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