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Medicare expenditures less for POHs compared to non-POHs, says new study

The cost to Medicare of a patient receiving treatment at a physician owned and operated hospitals is "4.6 to 6.00% lower" than hospitals not run by physicians, according to a new study by Oxford Outcomes, an internationally respected research agency.

18 Dec 2009

Fine print of Senate health reform bill would lead to pre-emption of state patient protection laws

Key members of the U.S. House of Representatives have sent a warning to Senate and House leaders that the fine print of the Senate health reform bill would strip many states, including California and Maine, of hard-won patient rights and benefit requirements, reported Consumer Watchdog.

18 Dec 2009

Medicare buy-in can provide significant savings for seniors, says 2008 CBO report

A briefly considered "Medicare buy-in" proposal for 55- to 64-year-olds was apparently killed in the Senate this week by self-styled moderates who claimed it would be too costly for taxpayers.

18 Dec 2009

New issue brief discussing importance of strengthening independent Medicare commission released

Today, The Concord Coalition released a new issue brief discussing the importance of strengthening the independent Medicare commission created in the Senate legislation currently being debated.

18 Dec 2009

Survey indicates low EMR use among U.S. physicians

Washington can encourage physicians to buy electronic medical record systems, but it is the vendors and hospitals that affiliate with physicians that will ultimately determine if they go electronic, according to a new report from healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information.

18 Dec 2009

LaserBand signs agreement to provide patient ID wristbands for Premier’s ASCEND members

LaserBand LLC, a worldwide leader in patient identification wristbands, was announced as the sole source provider of proprietary patient identification (ID) wristbands and related products for Premier’s ASCEND (Accelerated Supply Chain Endeavor) members.

18 Dec 2009

IASIS Healthcare achieves DNV accreditation

IASIS Healthcare® LLC today announced the completion of a system-wide initiative to accredit all 16 of its hospitals through DNV Healthcare, the only Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved accreditation program that integrates the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System.

18 Dec 2009

Duane Reade offers H1N1 immunization vaccines for New York residents

Duane Reade, the largest drug store chain in New York City, today announced plans for its H1N1 immunization program as part of the Company's commitment to meet the health and wellness needs of New Yorkers and to be a destination for their flu related needs.

18 Dec 2009

Hydrocephalus Association awards stimulus grants for research initiative

The Hydrocephalus Association has announced research grants to scientists at five medical centers, in a new initiative to address the shortfall in progress in the treatment of hydrocephalus, a condition affecting one million Americans.

17 Dec 2009

Sen. Nelson rejects abortion compromise

Reuters: "Democratic hopes for passing a broad healthcare overhaul in the U.S. Senate by Christmas took a hit on Thursday when a party holdout, Ben Nelson, rejected a compromise on abortion aimed at winning his vote. ... Democrats have no margin of error -- they control exactly 60 votes and face so far unified Republican opposition.

17 Dec 2009

HHS money targets chronic disease management for seniors

McKnight's Long Term Care News "The Department of Health and Human Services is disbursing $27 million in stimulus package funds to bolster care and prevention of chronic conditions among the elderly through the HHS Administration on Aging (AoA), it said Wednesday.

17 Dec 2009

Senate health reform vote by Christmas in doubt as sides draw lines

Politico: "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's plan to pass the Senate health care reform bill by Christmas looked increasingly in doubt Wednesday, as Republicans launched an offensive to stall the legislation and Democrats had yet to strike a 60-vote compromise.

17 Dec 2009

Reform issues in play: Selling insurance across state lines, Medicare’s doughnut hole

News outlets report on some of the major health policy issues being considered by the Senate, including a proposal to let insurers sell plans across state lines and an effort to close the Medicare "doughnut hole."

17 Dec 2009

Federal tech panel still defining electronic health records terminology

The mid-December "milestone" for a federal advisory panel to come up with a definition of "meaningful use" of electronic medical records has come and gone, Modern Healthcare reports. That definition is to be used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to determine who is eligible for a share of $34 billion in subsidies provided as part of the February stimulus bill. The members of the federal panel began shaping their definition in May.

17 Dec 2009

Lieberman's health care move still reverberating

Politico: "Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) is taking a thrashing from his former Democratic colleagues and liberal activists for forcing a Medicare expansion out of the health bill. But in the end, Lieberman may have done President Barack Obama one of the biggest favors in the health care debate. That's because any bill with the Medicare buy-in would have drawn fierce opposition from doctors and hospitals, two groups Obama has worked hard to keep on board.

17 Dec 2009