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Molina Healthcare announces preliminary results of fourth-quarter ended December 31, 2009

Molina Healthcare, Inc. announced today that, based on its preliminary unaudited analysis, it expects to report a loss per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2009 in the range of $0.10 to $0.25, and earnings for the year ended December 31, 2009, in the range of $1.12 to $1.26.

12 Jan 2010

Obama to meet with labor leaders to push 'Cadillac' tax in health overhaul legislation

"President Barack Obama, facing growing resistance among Democrats over his support for taxing health benefits, will confront U.S. labor leaders and House lawmakers this week on the issue."

11 Jan 2010

CMS study finds Senate health bill would increase costs less steeply than thought

A report from the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Services finds that the Senate health bill would increase health care spending less steeply than previously thought.

11 Jan 2010

First Edition: January 11, 2010

Today's headlines highlight Democrats' ongoing efforts to blend the House- and Senate-passed versions of health reform and Republican's continuing efforts to criticize the legislation.

11 Jan 2010

Allscripts introduces Allscripts Stimulus Program for physicians

Allscripts today introduced the Allscripts Stimulus Program, making it safe and easy for physicians to purchase and rapidly deploy Electronic Health Records that will qualify for significant federal incentives.

11 Jan 2010

RMMC selects Allscripts' EHR and Practice Management solutions

Allscripts announced today that Renaissance Medical Management Company (RMMC) has selected the company's Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Practice Management solution to automate and connect clinical and administrative processes for a minimum of 51 family practice and internal medicine physicians.

11 Jan 2010

Experts from Johns Hopkins Medicine comment on healthcare reform

Johns Hopkins Medicine has several experts who can discuss health care reform as evident in these two opinion pieces.

9 Jan 2010

Medicare, fraud and abuse remains top health law issues for 2010

Health care reform will change, if not send shock waves through, virtually the entire field of health care law. That is the consensus of 24 health law practitioners from BNA's Health Law Reporter advisory board, in a survey conducted in December 2009.

9 Jan 2010

Medicare Part D beneficiaries can now avail free review sessions at Walgreens pharmacy

Walgreens, the nation’s largest drugstore chain with more than 70,000 health service providers, is now offering free review sessions to Medicare Part D beneficiaries at all of its more than 7,100 pharmacies throughout the country.

9 Jan 2010

Reform will save and create millions of more jobs, says Speaker Pelosi

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on a new report released today by the Center for American Progress that shows that health insurance reform will create up to 4 million more jobs over the next decade than would be created without reform. The report finds that health care reform could increase the number of jobs in the United States by about 250,000 to 400,000 per year over the coming decade.

9 Jan 2010

House Democrats tussling on taxes, exchanges in health bill negotiations

The Washington Post: "Worried House Democrats held a caucus-wide conference call Thursday to strategize about health-care reform before lawmakers return to Washington next week. ... With Senate Democrats barely able to muster the 60 votes necessary to pass their own bill and President Obama leaning toward the Senate's position on some key issues, House Democrats are increasingly concerned that they could be marginalized at the bargaining table."

9 Jan 2010

HumanaOne expands individual Short Term health insurance product

In these difficult economic times, it is not unusual for people to find themselves temporarily without insurance, through no fault of their own. To fill this need, HumanaOne®, the individual health arm of Humana, is expanding its individual Short Term health insurance product to five additional states.

9 Jan 2010

Hospital error rates climb in California

Hospital error rates in California climbed by more than 300 cases last fiscal year after a 2006 law required public reporting of hospital errors in that state, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.

9 Jan 2010

ChiroCode Institute and Avazzia jointly promote advanced technology devices

ChiroCode Institute and Avazzia will jointly promote advanced technology devices that help chiropractors and other caregivers manage their patients' chronic pain. The Avazzia BEST Pro Sport device combines microcurrent transcutaneous stimulation with somatic bio-feedback to provide improved results while making obsolete existing TENS devices.

9 Jan 2010

Primer: House vs. Senate health bill

"Most of the two bills' provisions are similar, and the cost estimates are in the range Democrats have sought. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the House bill would reduce the federal deficit by $130 billion over the next 10 years, while the Senate would cut it $132 billion. Some difficult controversies remain.

9 Jan 2010

Study finds patients more likely to skip diabetes medicine while in the 'doughnut hole'

Consumers experiencing a gap in their Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage were more likely to forgo diabetes medications than those who had supplemental drug benefits.

9 Jan 2010

Today's opinions and editorials

Californians need to ask themselves why, when other states and the federal government are making children's health a priority, the Golden State may be adding another half-million children … to the ranks of the uninsured next year (1/7).

9 Jan 2010

One million seniors get more generous prescription drug benefits

As of Jan. 1, more than 1 million low-income seniors "are newly eligible for more generous prescription drug benefits under the 'extra help' program" in Medicare, The Associated Press reports.

9 Jan 2010

Health policy research roundup: Long-term care, diabetes disparities, health IT

Annals of Internal Medicine: Cultural Competency Training and Performance Reports to Improve Diabetes Care for Black Patients - In this study, researchers measure the effects cultural competency training and performance training for physicians has on the clinical outcomes for black patients with diabetes.

8 Jan 2010

Centene announces financial guidance for the year 2010

Centene Corporation announced today its 2010 financial guidance. As previously disclosed in our December 10, 2009 press release, the discussions below reflect anticipated start-up costs associated with the new Mississippi contract, announced pharmacy carve-outs in Indiana and Ohio, and the impact of January 2010 rate changes; but do not reflect the potential impact of federal healthcare reform.

8 Jan 2010