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Viatronix V3D-Colon software used for the President's colon cancer screening exam

Viatronix Incorporated, a Stony Brook, New York, based company announced that its V3D-Colon software is used at the National Naval Medical Center where the President's annual physical was done. "Our software is being utilized at several DOD facilities since the landmark Virtual Colonoscopy clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine back in December 2003," said Zaffar Hayat, President of Viatronix Incorporated.

9 Mar 2010

Black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure less likely to receive hospice care

Black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure appear less likely to receive hospice care than white patients with the same condition, according to a report in the March 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

9 Mar 2010

Consumer Watchdog calls for national freeze on health insurance rates and rate regulation

Consumer Watchdog called on President Obama to impose a national freeze on health insurance rates before health reform takes effect to protect consumers from premium hikes like the 39% increase recently announced by Anthem Blue Cross in California. The rate freeze is one of five tools Consumer Watchdog urged the president to include as part of his proposed fixes to the Senate health care bill.

9 Mar 2010

Positive results from international study of Oncotype DX breast cancer RS

Genomic Health, Inc. today announced the publication of positive results from a large international study which demonstrated that the Oncotype DX® breast cancer Recurrence Score® (RS) result is a significant independent predictor of distant recurrence in both node-negative and node-positive, hormone receptor-positive, postmenopausal breast cancer patients who are treated with either anastrozole or tamoxifen.

9 Mar 2010

States trying to keep health care systems afloat

States are having to make budgetary decisions about their health care systems as federal legislation and funding continue to be tied up in Congress.

9 Mar 2010

Medica Research Institute launched for applying innovation to healthcare delivery

Medica today announced the launch of the Medica Research Institute as a non-profit company that will serve as the research arm within the broader organization. Built on the principals of systematic investigation, some potential areas of study include health services research, comparative effectiveness research and clinical trial studies.

9 Mar 2010

Obama rallies Pa. audience, challenges insurers in health reform speech

"Trying to rally the public and put more pressure on Congress to act quickly, President Obama on Monday took to the road to castigate insurance companies and urged voters to lobby for passage of the healthcare overhaul," the Los Angeles Times reports.

8 Mar 2010

Positive interim results from NxStage Medical's FREEDOM study in RLS

NxStage Medical, Inc., a leading manufacturer of innovative dialysis products, today announced the latest interim results from its ongoing FREEDOM study, which show the significant improvement of overall sleep quality and marked improvement in Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) experienced by patients after four months of daily home hemodialysis therapy with the NxStage System One™.

8 Mar 2010

Democrats pressure Stupak on abortion; Split threatening health bill

A split among Democrats on abortion is threatening to derail efforts to overhaul the nation's health care system.

8 Mar 2010

Medicare payment issues raise questions, concerns

Medicare payment issues including rising costs, caps on physical therapy and other outpatient services for some patients are in the news.

8 Mar 2010

ISSP model can help payers realize oncology savings of $16.3M for every 10,000 Medicare beneficiaries

New Century Infusion Solutions, Inc. (NCIS), the first Oncology Benefit Management (OBM) company, is pleased to announce the publication of a white paper by the Lewin Group: “Medicare Cancer Care Coordination Using The Integrated Single Specialty Provider (ISSP) Model.” The report estimates that over a 10-year horizon, a payer could realize oncology savings of “$16.3 million for every 10,000 Medicare beneficiaries included in the ISSP arrangement.”

6 Mar 2010

Homecare advocates discuss the value and cost-effectiveness of home-based care

More than 250 providers of home medical equipment and services from across the U.S. met with members of Congress this week during the American Association for Homecare's Washington Legislative Conference.

6 Mar 2010

Research Roundup: Childhood obesity, insurance coverage in cancer trials, hospitals stays and need for nursing homes

Health Affairs this month is devoted to the topic of childhood obesity, with the first study of the group - National, State, And Local Disparities In Childhood Obesity - pointing out that "new data from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health show that the percentage of children ages 10-17 who are overweight ... remained stable, while the national prevalence of obesity (BMI in the ninety-fifth percentile and higher) grew significantly, from 14.8 percent in 2003 to 16.4 percent in 2007.

6 Mar 2010

Health reform fact check: Republicans have used reconciliation, Obama bill will bring down health costs

Several news organization have "fact checks" on the reconciliation procedure and health reform provisions.

6 Mar 2010

Legislation requires hospitals to disclose prices in Wisconsin

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "The frustration of finding out what hospitals and doctors charge for common services -- from routine office visits to diagnostic tests and surgical procedures -- could soon get a lot easier in Wisconsin. The state Senate and Assembly have passed legislation that will require hospitals to disclose average prices for the 75 most common inpatient services and 75 most common outpatient services based on their contracts with commercial health plans.

6 Mar 2010

Hewitt Associates acquires retiree medical insurance company

Hewitt Associates, a global human resources consulting and outsourcing company, today announced it has acquired Senior Educators Ltd., a trusted, Web-based retiree medical insurance exchange that provides unbiased assistance to Medicare recipients seeking high-quality, affordable supplemental insurance products.

6 Mar 2010

Obama seeks to mollify Democrats on health overhaul plan, costs

President Barack Obama intensified his push for health care reform by lobbying small groups of Democratic lawmakers Thursday.

5 Mar 2010

Bristol-Myers Squibb to review key accomplishments at meeting with investment community

During a meeting with the investment community today, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company will provide a comprehensive business overview, highlight positive pipeline developments and provide 2013 minimum non-GAAP earnings per share guidance.

5 Mar 2010

UC researchers find CT scan screening of non-smoking women is cost-effective

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have found that it is cost-effective to do CT scan screening of non-smoking women, ages 25-54, who come to the emergency room for the first time with a collapsed lung in order to diagnose and treat those with lymphangioleiomyomatosis, or LAM.

5 Mar 2010

Dialysis patients gather to encourage state lawmakers to support Medigap legislation

More than 50 dialysis patients, family members and kidney care advocates from across South Carolina gathered at the state Capitol today with the National Kidney Foundation Serving the Carolinas, South Carolina Region (NKF) and Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) to encourage state lawmakers to support Medigap legislation (S. 1128, sponsored by Senators Harvey Peeler (R-Cherokee) and Phillip Shoopman (R-Greenville), and H. 4552, sponsored by Representatives Joan Brady (R-Richland), Bill Sandifer (R-Seneca) and Kristopher Crawford (R-Florence)).

5 Mar 2010

Medicare News and Research

Viatronix V3D-Colon software used for the President's colon cancer screening exam

Black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure less likely to receive hospice care

Consumer Watchdog calls for national freeze on health insurance rates and rate regulation

Positive results from international study of Oncotype DX breast cancer RS

States trying to keep health care systems afloat

Medica Research Institute launched for applying innovation to healthcare delivery

Obama rallies Pa. audience, challenges insurers in health reform speech

Positive interim results from NxStage Medical's FREEDOM study in RLS

Democrats pressure Stupak on abortion; Split threatening health bill

Medicare payment issues raise questions, concerns

ISSP model can help payers realize oncology savings of $16.3M for every 10,000 Medicare beneficiaries

Homecare advocates discuss the value and cost-effectiveness of home-based care

Research Roundup: Childhood obesity, insurance coverage in cancer trials, hospitals stays and need for nursing homes

Health reform fact check: Republicans have used reconciliation, Obama bill will bring down health costs

Legislation requires hospitals to disclose prices in Wisconsin

Hewitt Associates acquires retiree medical insurance company

Obama seeks to mollify Democrats on health overhaul plan, costs

Bristol-Myers Squibb to review key accomplishments at meeting with investment community

UC researchers find CT scan screening of non-smoking women is cost-effective

Dialysis patients gather to encourage state lawmakers to support Medigap legislation

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