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Passage of health reform bill promotes clinical and community prevention plans

The passage of HR 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, introduces important funding and provisions that could transform the nation's illness-oriented, reactive medical care model to a more proactive, wellness-oriented approach.

2 Apr 2010

Substantial number of older Americans need others to make decisions about end of life care

More than one in four elderly Americans lacked the capacity to make their own medical care decisions at the end of life, according to a study of 3,746 people to be published April 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Apr 2010

U.S. Court finds Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' Seasonique patent valid and enforceable

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada has granted Teva's Motion for Summary Judgment with respect to the validity of U.S. Patent No. 7,320,969. In March 2008, Duramed, now Teva Women's Health, brought suit in the District of Nevada against Watson alleging infringement of Teva's patent as a result of Watson's filing of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Seasonique®.

2 Apr 2010

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' Gemzar patent litigation: U.S. court issues decision

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana issued a decision yesterday on two patents for Gemzar® (gemcitabine); the compound patent expiring on November 15, 2010, and a method of use patent expiring on May 7, 2013.

2 Apr 2010

States examine how they may be impacted by reform, Medicaid expansion

Kaiser Health News: "Starting today, states can choose to take the first steps toward the massive expansion of insurance coverage that is the health overhaul's chief goal. And for some states, that move could have the benefit of reviving funding for state-run programs that insure low-income adults. As of April 1, states can apply for federal funding to expand their Medicaid programs to cover low-income people earning up to 133 percent of the poverty level, or $14,404 for an individual and $29,326.50 for a family of four.

2 Apr 2010

Reform promotes patient safety by creating payment incentives, making mistakes public

The Albany Times Union: "More than a million Americans are harmed each year as a result of their medical care — not their underlying condition — and an estimated 100,000 die. Another 100,000 people die from hospital-acquired infections. In addition to expanding coverage to the uninsured, the health reform law attacks the problem of medical errors on two fronts: It establishes new payment incentives for safer care, and makes some mistakes public."

2 Apr 2010

More big companies report charges spurred by health law

News regarding the health law's early impact on large companies - millions of dollars in lost tax exemptions - is continuing to emerge.

2 Apr 2010

Implementation outreach aims to educate the public on health care changes

USA Today reports on "Enroll America" a private campaign aimed at "making it easy for Americans who qualify for Medicaid or private insurance subsidies to sign up" in the wake of health care reform changes. The effort has been prompted by difficulties and confusion that occurred four years ago after a Medicare prescription law encountered major glitches in implementation.

2 Apr 2010

Seniors worry about Medicare reforms, especially changes to Medicare Advantage

The Associated Press: "While Democrats hail the sweeping legislation as the greatest expansion of the social safety net since Medicare, they also fear that seniors won't see it that way for this fall's elections. Indeed, Republicans have portrayed the overhaul as a raid on Medicare — a bedrock of retirement security — to provide money to pay for covering younger, uninsured workers and their families.

1 Apr 2010

Law enforcement officials seek, find Medicare fraud

The Palm Beach Post: To pay for the health reform bill, Medicare fraud is "ripe for plucking, top South Florida prosecutors say."

1 Apr 2010

Democratic, Republican Attorneys General continue health reform lawsuit battle

Politico: Some of the Democratic attorneys general who have refused to join Republican counterparts in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new health law, now "have become reluctant combatants, dragged into the fray by GOP governors and legislators who insist that their reluctance to join the case is a clear attempt to protect their national party's interests."

1 Apr 2010

Leaders join forces to help young athletes play safe and stay healthy

Today, leaders in healthcare, wellness, safety and fitness came together to launch the STOP Sports Injuries campaign. The campaign will educate athletes, parents, trainers, coaches and healthcare providers about the rapid increase in youth sports injuries, the necessary steps to help reverse the trend and the need to keep young athletes healthy.

1 Apr 2010

Patient-safety incidents: 10% died

Nearly one million patient-safety incidents occurred among Medicare patients over the years 2006, 2007, 2008, a figure virtually unchanged since last year's annual study of patient safety by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. In all, the incidents were associated with $8.9 billion in costs. One in ten patients -- 99,180 individuals -- experiencing a patient-safety incident died as a result, the study found.

1 Apr 2010

Hybrid concierge practice models stress prevention and wellness

The nation's leading provider of hybrid concierge medicine, Concierge Choice Physicians, sees historic opportunities for patients and physicians under the recently enacted healthcare law. Hybrid concierge practice models emphasize prevention and wellness and give physicians a way to offer a concierge option while continuing to care for all of their patients.

1 Apr 2010

Derma Sciences reports 69% increase in Advanced Wound Care sales for fourth-quarter 2009

Derma Sciences, Inc., a specialty medical device/pharmaceutical company focused on advanced wound care, reported financial and operating results today for the three months and fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.

1 Apr 2010

Soligenix's revenues for 2009 increase by 22%

Soligenix, Inc., a late-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced its financial results for 2009.

1 Apr 2010

Americans looking more closely at health-care reform

Health care is on the minds of most Americans today. And according to Euro RSCG Worldwide's Spring 2010 "U.S. Mind and Mood Report," 67.6 percent of men and 61.5 percent of women are more interested in the subject than they were during the previous 12 to 18 months.

1 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 1, 2010

According to today's headlines, President Obama will head to Maine to continue efforts to sell the new health reform law. Meanwhile, his administration is ramping up education plans and efforts to smooth the shift.

1 Apr 2010

Health care law: Planned, well-financed lobbying strategy leads to impressive list of wins for U.S. drug industry

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc.. The U.S. drug industry fended off price curbs and other hefty restrictions in The President's health care law even as it prepares for plenty of new business when an estimated 32 million uninsured Americans gain health coverage. Lobbyists beat back proposals to allow importation of low-cost medicines and to have Medicare negotiate drug prices with companies.

1 Apr 2010

Advocates urge Representatives to support Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment Act

On March 30-31, 2010, advocates from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico called their Representatives in Congress, urging them to support the Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment Act (H.R. 1189) during the annual Congressional Butt-In.

1 Apr 2010

Medicare News and Research

Passage of health reform bill promotes clinical and community prevention plans

Substantial number of older Americans need others to make decisions about end of life care

U.S. Court finds Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' Seasonique patent valid and enforceable

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' Gemzar patent litigation: U.S. court issues decision

States examine how they may be impacted by reform, Medicaid expansion

Reform promotes patient safety by creating payment incentives, making mistakes public

More big companies report charges spurred by health law

Implementation outreach aims to educate the public on health care changes

Seniors worry about Medicare reforms, especially changes to Medicare Advantage

Law enforcement officials seek, find Medicare fraud

Democratic, Republican Attorneys General continue health reform lawsuit battle

Leaders join forces to help young athletes play safe and stay healthy

Patient-safety incidents: 10% died

Hybrid concierge practice models stress prevention and wellness

Derma Sciences reports 69% increase in Advanced Wound Care sales for fourth-quarter 2009

Soligenix's revenues for 2009 increase by 22%

Americans looking more closely at health-care reform

First Edition: April 1, 2010

Health care law: Planned, well-financed lobbying strategy leads to impressive list of wins for U.S. drug industry

Advocates urge Representatives to support Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment Act

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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