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As House lawmakers near vote, controversies linger

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her top lieutenants said Thursday that they are close to corralling the 218 votes they need to move forward with comprehensive legislation that would include a version of the public option prized by liberals as a fundamental pillar of reform," the Washington Post reports (Montgomery and Murray, 10/23).

24 Oct 2009

Ontario Health Coalition names recipients of the Dan Benedict, Ethel Meade and Volunteer Awards

Each year the Ontario Health Coalition gives awards to those who have made an exceptional contribution to the protection of public health care.

23 Oct 2009

Continucare acquires two additional centers

Continucare Corporation (NYSE Amex:CNU) announced today that it has expanded its sleep diagnostic division with the acquisition of two additional centers. Seredor Corporation, Continucare’s newly established subsidiary, has purchased the assets of Sleep Disorder Solutions, Inc., a full service operator of sleep diagnostic centers, with sleep diagnostic centers in South Miami and Pembroke Pines, Florida.

23 Oct 2009

H.R. 3790 wins praises in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers and the American Association for Homecare praised a bipartisan bill in Congress, H.R. 3790, to eliminate the misguided and deeply flawed "competitive" bidding program for durable medical equipment and services in Medicare. The bidding process in this controversial program began on October 21 in the Pittsburgh metropolitan statistical areas and seven other MSAs across the U.S.

23 Oct 2009

Bill eliminating the flawed medical equipment bidding process in the Riverside-San Bernardino area lauded

The California Association of Medical Product Suppliers and the American Association for Homecare praised a bipartisan bill in Congress, H.R. 3790, to eliminate the misguided and deeply flawed "competitive" bidding program for durable medical equipment and services in Medicare.

23 Oct 2009

Quality of U.S. health care was virtually stagnant in 2008, says NCQA report

A report released today by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) finds that the quality of U.S. health care was virtually stagnant in 2008, a disturbing slowdown after a decade of improvements. The across-the-board trend was seen in care provided to people with private insurance coverage as well as in Medicare and Medicaid.

23 Oct 2009

Texas and U.S. homecare groups praise bipartisan bill; say bidding program may reduce quality patient care

The Texas Alliance for Home Care Services and the American Association for Homecare praised a bipartisan bill in Congress, H.R. 3790, to eliminate the deeply flawed "competitive" bidding program for durable medical equipment and services in Medicare.

23 Oct 2009

New Category I CPT code for AspirinWorks Test Kit

Corgenix Medical Corporation, a worldwide developer and marketer of diagnostic test kits, announced today that a new Category I Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code has been published by the American Medical Association (AMA) for the AspirinWorks Test Kit.

23 Oct 2009

Some Senate Democrats help republicans defeat $247 billion Medicare payment 'doctor fix'

"Democrats lost a big test vote on health care legislation on Wednesday as the Senate blocked action on a bill to increase Medicare payments to doctors at a cost of $247 billion over 10 years," the The New York Times reports. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, "needed 60 votes to proceed. He won only 47. And he could not blame Republicans.

23 Oct 2009

Some seniors could be cushioned from proposed cuts in Medicare Advantage funding

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports on how some seniors would be shielded from planned cuts to the Medicare Advantage program currently included in the Senate Finance Committee's health overhaul legislation.

23 Oct 2009

Obama administration disputes government report on reform's higher costs

Administration officials quickly rejected a new analysis that found "the nation's medical costs will keep spiraling upward even faster than they are now under Democratic legislation pending in the House," the Associated Press reports.

23 Oct 2009

White House leaning towards public option with state opt out provision, Sen. Nelson says

"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and the White House are leaning towards including a national public option -- with a provision for states to opt out of it -- in the Senate health care bill, Sen. Ben. Nelson (D-Neb.) said Thursday" after a briefing with Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Politico's Live Pulse blog reports.

23 Oct 2009

Twenty charged with Medicare fraud; and such crimes are emerging as a new area for gang activity

Federal authorities have charged 20 people with Medicare fraud in seven different cases. Those charged alledgedly bilked the government out of about $26 million in unneeded or undelivered medical equipment in California and Las Vegas.

23 Oct 2009

BNA launches Health IT Law & Industry Report

To help clarify and analyze the framework of regulation, compliance, and federal and state privacy laws that will govern the more than $30 billion in stimulus funding for health information technology (HIT), specialized news and information publisher BNA has launched the Health IT Law & Industry Report.

23 Oct 2009

Report: Quality of care for insured Americans slipped in 2008

CNNMoney reports that for the first time in more than 10 years, the "overall quality of health care" for Americans insured through commercial and public plans appears to have slipped.

23 Oct 2009

Lumetra awarded a Veterans Health Administration Protected Clinical Peer Review Services contract

Lumetra is pleased to announce that the Department of Veterans Affairs has awarded the California-based healthcare consulting organization a contract for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Protected Clinical Peer Review Services. Effective on September 30, 2009, the contract is for a one-year period, with the VHA having the choice to exercise four option years.

23 Oct 2009

Leaders confident they have support for a public option in final House health bill

There are 256 Democrats in the House, but some moderates have balked at inclusion of a public plan, "especially one linked to Medicare rates," CQ Politics reports (10/21).

23 Oct 2009

Caregiving is a major public health issue in the U.S, says expert

The demand for at-home caregiving will increase dramatically in the United States in the years ahead, said Richard Schulz, Ph.D., an internationally known expert on caregiving from the University of Pittsburgh.

22 Oct 2009

Bristol-Myers Squibb reports strong sales and earnings growth for third quarter 2009

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company today reported strong sales and earnings growth for the third quarter 2009.

22 Oct 2009

H.R. 3790 to reduce Medicare spending; preserve access to quality care

The Ohio Association of Medical Equipment Services and the American Association for Homecare praised a bipartisan bill in Congress, H.R. 3790, to eliminate the misguided, flawed "competitive" bidding program for durable medical equipment and services in Medicare.

22 Oct 2009

Medicare News and Research

As House lawmakers near vote, controversies linger

Ontario Health Coalition names recipients of the Dan Benedict, Ethel Meade and Volunteer Awards

Continucare acquires two additional centers

H.R. 3790 wins praises in Pennsylvania

Bill eliminating the flawed medical equipment bidding process in the Riverside-San Bernardino area lauded

Quality of U.S. health care was virtually stagnant in 2008, says NCQA report

Texas and U.S. homecare groups praise bipartisan bill; say bidding program may reduce quality patient care

New Category I CPT code for AspirinWorks Test Kit

Some Senate Democrats help republicans defeat $247 billion Medicare payment 'doctor fix'

Some seniors could be cushioned from proposed cuts in Medicare Advantage funding

Obama administration disputes government report on reform's higher costs

White House leaning towards public option with state opt out provision, Sen. Nelson says

Twenty charged with Medicare fraud; and such crimes are emerging as a new area for gang activity

BNA launches Health IT Law & Industry Report

Report: Quality of care for insured Americans slipped in 2008

Lumetra awarded a Veterans Health Administration Protected Clinical Peer Review Services contract

Leaders confident they have support for a public option in final House health bill

Caregiving is a major public health issue in the U.S, says expert

Bristol-Myers Squibb reports strong sales and earnings growth for third quarter 2009

H.R. 3790 to reduce Medicare spending; preserve access to quality care

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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