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Insurance customers have intentions to switch their Medicare coverage, finds study

A new study has found that 27% of Medicare Advantage and Supplemental Medicare insurance customers have a current intention to shop for and possibly switch their Medicare coverage.

1 Dec 2009

Verisk Health announces the release of DxCG Risk Solutions 3.0

Verisk Health, Inc., a global leader in healthcare data analytics, today announced the release of DxCG Risk Solutions 3.0, a suite of risk adjustment and predictive modeling products that enable organizations to analyze, predict, manage, and minimize healthcare risk and costs associated with commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid populations.

1 Dec 2009

New Medicare advantage plans for affordable and quality health care

HealthPlus of Michigan today announced the launch of two new HealthPlus MedicarePlus plans designed for Medicare-eligible people looking for affordable benefit choices and convenient access to quality health care.

1 Dec 2009

Senate health debate begins, Reid warns of weekend work

The Associated Press: The Senate opened debate Monday on landmark health care legislation that would extend coverage to millions of uninsured and ban onerous insurance practices, with Democrats vowing to work weekends to deliver on President Barack Obama's domestic initiative by year's end.

30 Nov 2009

South Florida Medicare fraud offers lesson for national health care reform

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that leaders in Washington are studying South Florida and its highest-in-the-nation rate of Medicare fraud for "lessons on how to stem Medicare fraud to help pay for a health care overhaul."

30 Nov 2009

Senate Democrats face rocky road on the way to the health reform finish line

"The 60 votes aren't there any more," The Associated Press reports: "With the Senate set to begin debate Monday on health care overhaul, the all-hands-on-deck Democratic coalition that allowed the bill to advance is fracturing already. Yet majority Democrats will need 60 votes again to finish."

30 Nov 2009

Massachusetts may require colleges to insure students; Hawaii plans to opt out of health overhaul

News outlets report on a proposal in Massachusetts to require colleges and universities to insure students, an insurer in Massachusetts that is expected to try to alter the "fee for service" model and a plan in Hawaii to opt out of the national health care overhaul.

30 Nov 2009

Details of the policies inside the Senate's health overhaul bill

Hot-button provisions in the Senate health Bill, such as the public option, cost controls and subsidies to expand coverage continue to get a lot of attention, while some interesting details have gone with little notice.

30 Nov 2009

Today's selection of opinions and editorials

As things stand, it's a wonder that so many people are fighting so much over something so toothless (11/30).

30 Nov 2009

Medicare prescription drug plan premiums to average 11 percent rise in 2010

Premiums for Medicare Part D plans will rise an average of 11 percent next year, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The cost for all Medicare prescription plans has increased 50 percent nationally since 2006.

30 Nov 2009

Top Maryland hospitals worry about effects of health reform

Leaders at Maryland's top hospitals worry about efforts to cut hospital costs in the health care reform proposals.

30 Nov 2009

Centene announces new program to educate children on the importance of active and healthy lifestyle

Centene Corporation today announced the creation of a program called Kids' Club, aimed at educating its child members on a variety of health topics. Centene's health plans are reaching out directly to children with newsletters, contests and other innovative events, such as readings with the author of "The Adventures of Thumbs Up Johnnie(TM)."

30 Nov 2009

Royal Philips Electronics demonstrates its portfolio of dose radiation managing products

Royal Philips Electronics today announced its response to an industry need by showing its portfolio of products designed to manage dose radiation at this year's 95th annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago.

From Philips Healthcare 30 Nov 2009

Rural beneficiaries more likely to undergo joint replacement surgeries than urban recipients

Southern Illinois University researchers determined Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas were 27% more likely than urban recipients to have total knee or hip replacement surgeries.

30 Nov 2009

Public option expected to dominate Senate debate on health reform this week

The Associated Press: "... the all-hands-on-deck Democratic coalition that allowed the bill to advance is fracturing already. ... Some Democratic senators say they'll jump ship from the bill without tighter restrictions on abortion coverage. Others say they'll go unless a government plan to compete with private insurance companies gets tossed overboard.

29 Nov 2009

Many amendments to massive Senate health bill expected

The Senate is scheduled to begin debate Monday on health care, and according to some news organizations, they have their work cut out for themselves.

27 Nov 2009

Researchers predict diabetes cases to double and cost to triple in the next 25 years

The diabetes population in the United States will almost double over the next 25 years and annual medical spending on the disease is projected to hit $336 billion, up from $113 billion today, according to a study published in the December issue of Diabetes Care. The National Changing Diabetes® Program (NCDP), a program of Novo Nordisk, commissioned the analysis by a team from the University of Chicago.

27 Nov 2009

White House advisers: Senate reform bill controls health costs

In a pre-Thanksgiving conference call with reporters, senior Obama administration officials praised cost controls in the Senate health reform bill.

26 Nov 2009

Prevent Health Care Fraud Act of 2009: American Association for Homecare endorses bill

The American Association for Homecare endorses the new "Prevent Health Care Fraud Act of 2009," S. 2128, which is designed to substantially improve tools and resources available to prevent fraud in Medicare. The bill was introduced by Sen. George LeMieux (R-Fla.).

26 Nov 2009

Senators away for holiday continue health debate at home

Senators away for the Thanksgiving holiday are continuing the health care reform debate with constituents and are facing far less vitriol than during the August recess.

25 Nov 2009

Medicare News and Research

Insurance customers have intentions to switch their Medicare coverage, finds study

Verisk Health announces the release of DxCG Risk Solutions 3.0

New Medicare advantage plans for affordable and quality health care

Senate health debate begins, Reid warns of weekend work

South Florida Medicare fraud offers lesson for national health care reform

Senate Democrats face rocky road on the way to the health reform finish line

Massachusetts may require colleges to insure students; Hawaii plans to opt out of health overhaul

Details of the policies inside the Senate's health overhaul bill

Today's selection of opinions and editorials

Medicare prescription drug plan premiums to average 11 percent rise in 2010

Top Maryland hospitals worry about effects of health reform

Centene announces new program to educate children on the importance of active and healthy lifestyle

Royal Philips Electronics demonstrates its portfolio of dose radiation managing products

Rural beneficiaries more likely to undergo joint replacement surgeries than urban recipients

Public option expected to dominate Senate debate on health reform this week

Many amendments to massive Senate health bill expected

Researchers predict diabetes cases to double and cost to triple in the next 25 years

White House advisers: Senate reform bill controls health costs

Prevent Health Care Fraud Act of 2009: American Association for Homecare endorses bill

Senators away for holiday continue health debate at home

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