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Idaho Health Freedom Act does nothing to tackle state's health care crisis, says AARP

The health care crisis hundreds of thousands of Idahoans face every day may have just gone from bad to worse with the stroke of a pen. Today, Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter signed the Idaho Health Freedom Act into law, a bill strongly opposed by AARP.

18 Mar 2010

Democrats take aim at deficit targets, continue to wait for CBO numbers on health overhaul

"With Congress just days away from an expected vote, Democrats still hadn't settled on final language of the bill and until they do the Congressional Budget Office can't release an estimate for how much the complete package would cost." House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) said yesterday that "he hoped Democratic leaders would be able to lock down final details soon.

18 Mar 2010

I-SPY 2: The Biomarkers Consortium launches clinical trial for high risk, fast-growing breast cancers

The Biomarkers Consortium, a unique public-private partnership that includes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and major pharmaceutical companies, led by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), today announced the launch of a highly anticipated clinical trial to help screen promising new drugs being developed for women with high risk, fast-growing breast cancers—women for whom an improvement over standard treatment could dramatically change the odds of survival.

18 Mar 2010

As Medicare pay shrinks, some California doctors hike patient fees

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver writes about a California cardiology group that has confronted steep Medicare cuts with a tactic that may irk patients who already face soaring health costs.

18 Mar 2010

Cut looms for Medicare payments to doctors

Marketwatch/The Seattle Times reports on the looming 21 percent cut to physicians' Medicare payments. "The cut was to take effect March 1 until Congress delayed it by 30 days. The Senate then voted last Wednesday to postpone the cut an additional six months as part of a larger bill that extends unemployment benefits. The measure now moves to the House."

17 Mar 2010

Full Medicare coverage for IVF: CFAS felicitates Quebec government

The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) congratulates Premier Jean Charest and his Government on their announcement of full Medicare coverage for in-vitro fertilization treatments in Quebec.

17 Mar 2010

New chemotherapy agents improve survival time for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

New chemotherapy agents appear associated with improvements in survival time for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer but at substantial cost.

17 Mar 2010

First Edition: March 17, 2010

Today's news continues to focus on Democratic leaders' efforts to finalize their health reform package and gather the votes necessary to gain House passage.

17 Mar 2010

Systemic underfunding of CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis puts millions of Americans' health at risk

Warning that "systemic underfunding of the Centers for Disease Control's Division of Viral Hepatitis puts millions of Americans' health and well-being at risk," the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable today called on the Administration to work with Congress to take decisive action this year to fix the funding failure for viral hepatitis screening, surveillance, and early intervention programs.

17 Mar 2010

EBRI analysis shows increasing number of older Americans are staying in work force

Reflecting the changing economic landscape, more older workers are staying in the work force, but increasingly in part-time rather than full-time jobs, according to new research released today by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).

17 Mar 2010

Consumers are becoming more price-sensitive toward brand-name drugs

The results of a new Pharma Insight study released today by Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of scientific information and analytics to the pharmaceutical and biotech fields, is not exactly what the doctor ordered. The company's annual analysis of the U.S. pharma market suggests that the economy has led to increased patient participation in decisions about prescription drugs.

17 Mar 2010

MedSolutions launches oncology management program for cancer patients

MedSolutions (www.medsolutions.com), a leading provider of medical cost management services, today announced the launch of its oncology management program, which uses evidence-based guidelines to ensure appropriate use of diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy and drugs for cancer patients.

17 Mar 2010

Obama makes a final overhaul pitch in Ohio

With a possible deciding vote on health care overhaul legislation nearing, President Obama traveled Monday to Ohio to make a last-minute plea for political "courage" to pass the legislation, The Washington Post reports. "Making an impassioned pitch in a part of the country where unemployment runs high and insurance coverage is uncertain, Obama said in a speech at a senior center here, 'I don't know about the politics, but I know what's the right thing to do'" (Slevin and Branigin, 3/15).

17 Mar 2010

EHR Association submits responses on two regulations that implement healthcare IT incentive provisions of ARRA

The HIMSS Electronic Health Record Association has submitted its detailed responses on two major regulations that implement healthcare IT incentive provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

16 Mar 2010

APHA urges Congress to finalize health reform legislation

"The American Public Health Association supports Congress as it seeks to finalize comprehensive health reform legislation this week. The measure before Congress and the plans to strengthen it represent the greatest opportunity our nation has had to improve our health system and strengthen public health. We cannot squander this moment.

16 Mar 2010

HHS announces awards to help states facilitate health information exchange and advance health IT

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced awards to help states facilitate health information exchange and advance health information technology (health IT). Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, today’s awards are part of the $2 billion effort to achieve widespread meaningful use of health IT and provide use of an electronic health record by every citizen by the year 2014.

16 Mar 2010

Roche Diagnostics named sole source supplier for Premier's blood glucose monitoring devices

Roche Diagnostics announced today that it has been awarded contracts for blood glucose monitoring and clinical chemistry/immunoassay lab analyzers from Premier Purchasing Partners, L.P., Inc., the group purchasing unit of Premier, Inc. Roche was also named the sole source supplier for blood glucose in Premier's exclusive ASCEND supply chain performance program.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 16 Mar 2010

Debate on end-of-life care

With skyrocketing Medicare costs contributing to record-setting budget deficits, does the United States need to ration costly end-of-life care? This compelling topic will be the focus of an upcoming debate produced by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, in partnership with MacNeil/Lehrer Productions and The National Press Club.

16 Mar 2010

Metabolic drugs top the list of prescription drug expenses for elderly Medicare beneficiaries

Purchases of cholesterol and diabetes prescription drugs by elderly Medicare beneficiaries reached nearly $19 billion in 2007 - about one-fourth of the approximately $82 billion spent for medications for the elderly, according to the latest AHRQ News and Numbers.

16 Mar 2010

President delivers emotional speech, pushes for reform in Ohio

The Associated Press: "With a fresh sense of urgency, President Barack Obama sought to reassure seniors Monday about health care legislation approaching a final vote in Congress, pledging it would make preventive care cost-free and close a gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage. 'This proposal adds almost a decade of solvency to Medicare,' Obama said in a visit to a senior center."

16 Mar 2010

Medicare News and Research

Idaho Health Freedom Act does nothing to tackle state's health care crisis, says AARP

Democrats take aim at deficit targets, continue to wait for CBO numbers on health overhaul

I-SPY 2: The Biomarkers Consortium launches clinical trial for high risk, fast-growing breast cancers

As Medicare pay shrinks, some California doctors hike patient fees

Cut looms for Medicare payments to doctors

Full Medicare coverage for IVF: CFAS felicitates Quebec government

New chemotherapy agents improve survival time for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

First Edition: March 17, 2010

Systemic underfunding of CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis puts millions of Americans' health at risk

EBRI analysis shows increasing number of older Americans are staying in work force

Consumers are becoming more price-sensitive toward brand-name drugs

MedSolutions launches oncology management program for cancer patients

Obama makes a final overhaul pitch in Ohio

EHR Association submits responses on two regulations that implement healthcare IT incentive provisions of ARRA

APHA urges Congress to finalize health reform legislation

HHS announces awards to help states facilitate health information exchange and advance health IT

Roche Diagnostics named sole source supplier for Premier's blood glucose monitoring devices

Debate on end-of-life care

Metabolic drugs top the list of prescription drug expenses for elderly Medicare beneficiaries

President delivers emotional speech, pushes for reform in Ohio

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