Medicare News and Research

RSS

President Obama praises BPC's plan for reforming health care

In today's remarks at the House Republican Issues Conference, President Obama praised the Bipartisan Policy Center's (BPC) plan for reforming health care, entitled: "Crossing Our Lines: Working Together to Reform the U.S. Health System," as a bipartisan health care proposal that is worthy of consideration by both Republicans and Democrats.

30 Jan 2010

FMCNA ships dialysis machines and supplies for Haiti relief efforts

Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), the world's largest integrated provider of products and services for individuals undergoing dialysis because of chronic kidney failure, is donating and delivering dialysis supplies to Haitians, at a time when relief supplies continue to be slow to reach those in need following a devastating earthquake and aftershock.

30 Jan 2010

Vanguard Health Systems extends consent payment deadline

Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. ("Vanguard") announced today that in connection with the previously announced tender offers and consent solicitations (the "Tender Offers" and "Consent Solicitations") by Vanguard Health Holding Company II, LLC ("VHS Holdco II") and Vanguard Health Holding Company I, LLC ("VHS Holdco I"), the early tender period in respect of each of the Tender Offers will be extended to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 29, 2010 (the "New Consent Payment Deadline").

30 Jan 2010

Governor Otter vows to fight Idaho's health care reform

As members of Congress figure out the next steps to take to tackle health care reform, Idaho's health care woes continue to grow worse by the day. It's time for Idaho's state and federal lawmakers to step up to the plate for Idaho's families, businesses, and retirees to deliver solutions as opposed to more roadblocks to addressing this critical issue.

30 Jan 2010

Mass. probe finds discrepancies in health care payments; Experts examine Mayo Clinic as model for reform

The Boston Globe reports on discrepancies in payments for health care providers.

30 Jan 2010

HCA reports fiscal 2009 fourth quarter and year-end financial results

HCA today announced preliminary financial and operating results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2009. The financial results are subject to finalization associated with the Company's year-end financial and accounting procedures.

30 Jan 2010

Research roundup: Raising seniors' co-pays increases costs; The stimulus and safety net providers

New England Journal of Medicine: Increased Ambulatory Care Copayments And Hospitalizations Among The Elderly - This study examines the consequences of increasing copayments for outpatient care of Medicare enrollees in managed-care plans. "As compared with matched control plans in which copayments for ambulatory care were unchanged, Medicare plans that increased these copayments by an average of 95% for primary care and 74% for specialty care had a reduction in the number of outpatient visits but an increase in hospital admissions, in the number of days of hospital care, and in the proportion of enrollees who used hospital care," the authors write.

30 Jan 2010

Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center honored with HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence

Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center has been identified by HealthGrades as a 2010 recipient of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence. HealthGrades awards this title to facilities that rank in the top five percent in overall clinical performance.

30 Jan 2010

Single payer bill passes Calif. Senate; Other states consider smaller health care changes

California's state Senate Thursday voted for a bill creating a single-payer health system Thursday.

30 Jan 2010

Vanguard Health Systems closes $950M 8% Senior Notes offering

Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. ("Vanguard") announced the closing today of the private placement offering of $950.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8% Senior Notes due 2018 (the "Notes") co-issued by Vanguard's subsidiaries, Vanguard Health Holding Company II, LLC ("VHS Holdco II") and Vanguard Holding Company II, Inc. ("VHS Holdco II Inc." and, together with VHS Holdco II, the "Issuers").

30 Jan 2010

Republicans tout alternative health care reform plans, react to Dems

Following President Barack Obama's challenge to "let me know" if they had better ideas for a health overhaul, Rep. John Boehner, the House Republican leader, said that their plan, rejected last November by the Democratic majority in the House, would satisfy Obama's goals to "bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured" and improve Medicare, BusinessWeek reports. "The Republican ideas ... may have a bigger role in defining party differences this election year than in crafting a compromise on the health bill. That's because the gap between the two approaches is so wide."

30 Jan 2010

Healthcare Services Group declares cash dividend

Healthcare Services Group, Inc.: Our Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $ .21 per common share, payable on March 5, 2010 to shareholders of record at the close of business February 12, 2010. This dividend represents a 5% increase over the dividend declared for the 2009 third quarter and a 24% increase over the 2008 same period payment.

30 Jan 2010

White House wants to scale up war on Medicare fraud

The White House plans to ask Congress to increase funding for fighting Medicare fraud by 80 percent, in hopes of curbing billions of dollars in abuses, Dow Jones Newswires/NASDAQ reports. Already, "The administration has stepped up enforcement and prevention efforts targeting Medicare claims. Rather than rely on tips, it has begun combining Medicare claims data into a single, searchable database, making it easier to pinpoint suspicious claims among the more than $1 billion spent on such claims each day" (Burns, 1/28).

30 Jan 2010

Today's opinions and editorials

By not acknowledging America's concerns about health reform Wednesday night, the president appeared inflexible and incapable of real compromise (Dr. Marc Siegel, 1/28).

30 Jan 2010

Claims by Obama, leading Republican gain fact-checker attention

"Proponents of reform have lost control over the message because people think it's too complicated to understand. Confused about important details of the proposals, the public is susceptible to misrepresentations by opponents," CBS News reports.

29 Jan 2010

First Edition: January 29, 2010

Today's news highlights the Democrats' continuing struggle to find a way forward on health reform.

29 Jan 2010

National summit on coordinated effort to fight health care fraud

Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today joined private sector leaders, law enforcement personnel and health care experts for a landmark National Summit on Health Care Fraud. The summit is the first national gathering on health care fraud between law enforcement and the private and public sectors and is part of the Obama Administration's coordinated effort to fight health care fraud.

29 Jan 2010

Lebanon Cardiology Associates and The Good Samaritan Hospital team up to implement hypothermia protocol for improved cardiac care

Lebanon Cardiology Associates teamed with The Good Samaritan Hospital to implement one of the top 15% performing emergency cardiac catheterization teams treating heart attacks in the United States.

29 Jan 2010

ACP urges Congress to reach agreement on comprehensive health reform legislation

The American College of Physicians (ACP) today urged Congressional leaders to "reach agreement on a legislative pathway to provide affordable care to all Americans and ensure that they have access to primary care physicians and other specialties facing shortages."

29 Jan 2010

Thoratec reports revenues of $373.9M for fiscal 2009

Thoratec Corporation, a world leader in device-based mechanical circulatory support therapies to save, support and restore failing hearts, said today that a 30 percent growth in revenues from its Cardiovascular Division in fiscal 2009 led to a 19 percent increase in total 2009 revenues versus those in fiscal 2008.

29 Jan 2010