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Feeding tube use more likely at big, for-profit hospitals

Larger, for-profit hospitals may be using too many feeding tubes on patients with advanced dementia without improving the quality of their care, a study finds, according to HealthDay News/Business Week. "Our results suggest that decisions about feeding tubes are more about which hospital you go to than a decision-making process that really elicits and supports patient choice," said the physician who led the study, which appears in today's Journal of the American Medical Association.

11 Feb 2010

Doctor, executive who pled guilty to Medicare fraud leave ailing practices behind them

Health care providers with employees who committed Medicare fraud also face consequences.

10 Feb 2010

'A troubling picture' of long-term care hospitals

"Lawsuits, state inspections and federal statistics paint a troubling picture of the care offered at some hospitals," writes The New York Times in an investigation of long-term care hospitals that dominates the front page.

10 Feb 2010

NeuroMetrix announces 2009 fourth quarter financial results

NeuroMetrix, Inc., a health care company transforming patient care through neurotechnology, today announced its financial results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2009.

10 Feb 2010

DTM programs increase adherence to injectable medications and treatment persistence in MS patients

A new study reveals that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients enrolled in a seven-month disease therapy management (DTM) program show greater adherence to injectable MS medications and treatment persistence than patients who receive injectable MS medications through a community pharmacy.

10 Feb 2010

Enrollment for SCAN Health Plan Arizona exceeds projections in Maricopa County

More than 6,300 Maricopa County residents selected SCAN Health Plan Arizona as their Medicare Advantage Plan (MAPD) for 2010, far exceeding SCAN's enrollment projections. Eligible individuals may continue to join SCAN until March 31, 2010.

10 Feb 2010

Renowned experts explore latest key development in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging at 2010 SNM summit

Educators, researchers, physicians, technologists and medical experts from across the country converged on Albuquerque, N.M., last week to explore topics in nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, nanomedicine and clinical trials during SNM's 2010 Conjoint Mid-Winter Meetings.

10 Feb 2010

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

Medicare News and Research

Feeding tube use more likely at big, for-profit hospitals

Doctor, executive who pled guilty to Medicare fraud leave ailing practices behind them

'A troubling picture' of long-term care hospitals

NeuroMetrix announces 2009 fourth quarter financial results

DTM programs increase adherence to injectable medications and treatment persistence in MS patients

Enrollment for SCAN Health Plan Arizona exceeds projections in Maricopa County

Renowned experts explore latest key development in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging at 2010 SNM summit

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

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