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Study calls for improved decision-making in using feeding tubes in dementia patients

Researchers from Brown University and Harvard Medical School are calling for improved decision-making in the use of feeding tubes for hospitalized nursing home residents with advanced dementia.

10 Feb 2010

Proposed 2010-11 Rendell budget preserves essential health care and safety net services

Governor Edward G. Rendell's proposed 2010-11 budget maintains essential health care and other safety net services during the economic recovery by better managing programs, attacking waste and reducing unnecessary spending.

10 Feb 2010

Elan announces fourth-quarter and full-year financial results ended December 31, 2009

Elan Corporation, plc today reported its fourth quarter and full-year 2009 financial results and provides financial guidance for 2010.

10 Feb 2010

Today's OpEds: Questioning transparency, the bipartisan summit and starting anew

Hours of health care debate were broadcast on C-SPAN for the dozen or so Americans who were watching. Some of the negotiations were not broadcast, but why demand of the health reform bill a level of transparency not required of any other legislation? Does anyone know what is in the most recent farm bill, which costs two-thirds as much as the health reform legislation will? (Timothy Stoltzfus Jost, 2/9).

10 Feb 2010

FDA announces initiative to reduce cancer risk from medical imaging procedures

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced an initiative to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure from three types of medical imaging procedures: computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine studies, and fluoroscopy.

10 Feb 2010

Idaho Health Freedom Act: Passage will lead to loss of $1.6 billion in federal health care funding

As the Idaho House approved legislation today laying the groundwork to oppose a non-existent federal health care law, the long-term effects of the move could be felt for years to come. AARP is calling the Idaho Health Freedom Act (House Bill 391) a disastrous and problem-riddled piece of legislation that, if signed into law, could see Idaho lose nearly $1.6 billion in federal health care funding for the state and cost thousands of jobs.

10 Feb 2010

GOP wary of talks while both sides express low expectations for health care summit

News outlets are focusing on political reaction to President Obama's Feb. 25 bipartisan summit on health care reform.

9 Feb 2010

As health overhaul stalls, hospitals face rising cost of uncompensated care

For American hospitals, "the cost of doing nothing in Washington translates into tens of billions of dollars each year in medical bills that go unpaid by patients with little or no insurance," The New York Times reports.

9 Feb 2010

Genworth Financial launches suite of long term care insurance plans for AARP members

Long term care costs in Washington continue to rise at a rate outpacing inflation in much of the state, putting significant financial pressure on those in or near retirement. As a leader in the long term care insurance industry, Genworth offers a suite of insurance products to help people proactively plan for their future. Now, AARP® members that reside in Washington can take advantage of a new program designed to simplify the process of purchasing affordable long term care insurance.

9 Feb 2010

Triple-S Management reports consolidated revenues of $516.9 million for fourth-quarter 2009

Triple-S Management Corporation, the largest managed care company in Puerto Rico, today announced consolidated revenues of $516.9 million and operating income of $34.2 million for the three months ended December 31, 2009.

9 Feb 2010

Third-quarter fiscal 2010 results announced by Clinical Data

Clinical Data, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLDA) today announced the Company’s operational and financial results for its third fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2009, confirming its plans to submit a new drug application (NDA) for vilazodone for the treatment of depression this quarter.

9 Feb 2010

Coventry Health Care reports revenues of $3.4 billion for fourth-quarter 2009

Coventry Health Care, Inc. today reported consolidated operating results for the quarter ended December 31, 2009. Operating revenues totaled $3.4 billion for the quarter with net earnings of $109.1 million, or $0.74 earnings per diluted share (EPS). For the year ended December 31, 2009, total revenues from continuing operations were $13.9 billion with net earnings from continuing operations of $315.3 million, or $2.14 per diluted share.

9 Feb 2010

Centene announces fourth quarter and full year 2009 financial results

Centene Corporation today announced its financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2009. The results of operations for our New Jersey health plan, University Health Plans, are classified as discontinued operations.

9 Feb 2010

Picis introduces LYNX C/Point revenue management solution for chemotherapy clinics

Picis today announced the immediate availability of an enhancement to its Picis LYNX C/Point® revenue management solution designed specifically for hospital-owned chemotherapy clinics.

9 Feb 2010

P4P reimbursement program does not necessarily translate to patients, says RAND study

Although the idea of pay-for-performance (P4P) is popular among healthcare policy makers and private insurers, the results do not necessarily translate to the patient.

9 Feb 2010

Racial disparities continue in U.S. cancer screening practices

The incidence of advanced breast cancer diagnosis among black women remained 30 percent to 90 percent higher compared to white women between 1992 and 2004, according to new findings by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. In addition, the disparity in the incidence of advance colorectal cancer actually widened over this time period as rates fell among whites but increased slightly among blacks.

9 Feb 2010

Skilled Healthcare Group announces fourth-quarter and full-year 2009 results

Skilled Healthcare Group, Inc. today reported consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31, 2009 of $759.8 million, an increase of 3.6 percent compared to 2008. Consolidated revenues were $189.0 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2009, compared to $189.8 million for the three-month period ended December 31, 2008.

9 Feb 2010

Study: Medicare bladder cancer treatment policy raises health costs

Reuters: "Medicare's move in 2005 to pay doctors to do bladder cancer surgery in their offices rather than in hospitals dramatically raised the number of procedures and overall health costs, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

9 Feb 2010

States deal with small budgets, Medicaid cuts

Virginian-Pilot: Area hospitals are preparing "for a round of Medicaid spending cuts that executives say could be the worst in decades and lead to more cutbacks in their organizations. Rising health care costs and a surge in the number of Medicaid patients have increased the state's obligation to the government health insurance program for the poor and disabled by $777.7 million over two years.

9 Feb 2010

Obama invites Republicans to share ideas at televised health reform summit

The New York Times reports that the President's inivitation is for a half-day televised summit February 25. It is "a high-profile gambit that will allow Americans to watch as Democrats and Republicans try to break their political impasse." The move is seen as a way for Obama to force Republicans to help govern and to "put more scrutiny on Republican initiatives" on health care.

9 Feb 2010

Medicare News and Research

Study calls for improved decision-making in using feeding tubes in dementia patients

Proposed 2010-11 Rendell budget preserves essential health care and safety net services

Elan announces fourth-quarter and full-year financial results ended December 31, 2009

Today's OpEds: Questioning transparency, the bipartisan summit and starting anew

FDA announces initiative to reduce cancer risk from medical imaging procedures

Idaho Health Freedom Act: Passage will lead to loss of $1.6 billion in federal health care funding

GOP wary of talks while both sides express low expectations for health care summit

As health overhaul stalls, hospitals face rising cost of uncompensated care

Genworth Financial launches suite of long term care insurance plans for AARP members

Triple-S Management reports consolidated revenues of $516.9 million for fourth-quarter 2009

Third-quarter fiscal 2010 results announced by Clinical Data

Coventry Health Care reports revenues of $3.4 billion for fourth-quarter 2009

Centene announces fourth quarter and full year 2009 financial results

Picis introduces LYNX C/Point revenue management solution for chemotherapy clinics

P4P reimbursement program does not necessarily translate to patients, says RAND study

Racial disparities continue in U.S. cancer screening practices

Skilled Healthcare Group announces fourth-quarter and full-year 2009 results

Study: Medicare bladder cancer treatment policy raises health costs

States deal with small budgets, Medicaid cuts

Obama invites Republicans to share ideas at televised health reform summit

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