Medicare News and Research

RSS

ASCEND program helps achieve rapid improvements in supply chain performance

Hospitals and health systems participating in the Premier healthcare alliance’s ASCEND (Accelerated Supply Chain Endeavor) program have reduced their supply expenses in recently launched categories by up to 24 percent since May 2009.

11 Sep 2009

HHS, Ad Council and Warner Bros unite to address childhood obesity

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Ad Council today launched a new series of public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to address childhood overweight and obesity.

11 Sep 2009

Proposal calls for Medicare coverage of HIV screening

A new government proposal calls for Medicare beneficiaries to receive coverage for Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection screening.

11 Sep 2009

NCOA supports Obama for improving Medicare’s delivery system

NCOA applauds President Obama's call for universal health care. Older Americans with Medicare know first-hand the benefits of universal coverage -- and they should be in the forefront of efforts to secure the same rights for their children and grandchildren.

11 Sep 2009

Gastroenterologists applaud President's call for screening tests coverage

Gastrointestinal specialists from the American College of Gastroenterology applaud President Obama's call to cover preventive screening tests, such as breast cancer exams and colonoscopy. In his health care speech to a joint session of Congress last night, the President argued that "there's no reason we shouldn't be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer before they get worse. That makes sense."

11 Sep 2009

New uninsured number: Up to 46.3 million in mid-2008

The Associated Press: "The Census Bureau reports that the number of people lacking health insurance rose to 46.3 million in 2008. That's up from 45.7 million in 2007, due to a continuing erosion of employer-provided insurance. Still, the level remained just below the peak of 47 million who were uninsured in 2006, because of the growth of government insurance programs such as Medicaid for the poor" (Yen, 9/10).

11 Sep 2009

KidneyTel system helps manage health issues faced by kidney patients

Kidney patients often have a number of serious chronic health issues in addition to their kidney disease. Fresenius Medical Care, the world’s leading renal therapies company, has developed the KidneyTel system to provide an integrated care solution to assist patients, their families and their providers in managing the full range of health issues that kidney patients face on a daily basis.

11 Sep 2009

Medicare reimbursement cuts will affect cancer care system

The Community Oncology Alliance (COA), a national non-profit organization that represents oncologists and other cancer care providers, strongly opposes cuts in Medicare reimbursement for cancer care outlined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

11 Sep 2009

Obama: 'Time for bickering is over' on health care reform

"Obama said the changes he has in mind would cost about $900 billion over [a] decade, 'less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans' passed during the Bush administration."

11 Sep 2009

Today's editorials and opinions

At Last, Firing Back On Health Reform The Washington Post [T]he most striking aspect of the address may have been its call to battle: The days of taking incoming fire without any return volleys are over (E.J. Dionne, Jr., 9/10).

10 Sep 2009

Labs grumble over co-pays, new fees for Medicare lab work

Roll Call reports that big labs — including ones like Quest Diagnostics — are unhappy with a Senate Finance Committee proposal to increase taxes for labs that perform Medicare services.

10 Sep 2009

Fact checks on Obama's health care speech

Several news organizations offered fact checks of President Obama's health care speech to Congress and the nation.

10 Sep 2009

Analyses of Obama speech generally agree: He reframed the debate without specifics

President Obama used his speech to highlight the major themes of his push at health care reform, but in reframing the debate, he also left out the specifics of his preferences according to a number of news stories analyzing the event.

10 Sep 2009

Number of uninsured may jump to 50 million

"The number of people in the U.S. lacking health insurance may have grown as much as 9 percent to 50 million people last year, adding fuel to President Barack Obama's push for overhauling the system," Bloomberg reports. "The likely increase was driven by a jump in U.S. unemployment, said Ana Gupte, a Sanford Bernstein & Co. Inc. analyst in New York who follows UnitedHealth Group Inc. and WellPoint Inc., the top two U.S. health insurers.

10 Sep 2009

U.S. public health officials recommend early flu vaccination

With increased influenza activity anticipated this fall, U.S. public health officials and other leading medical experts today urged Americans to be vigilant and get immunized early for protection against seasonal influenza - a threat to Americans' health each and every year.

10 Sep 2009

Baucus readies reform move, with or without Republicans

Sen. Max Baucus is readying his Senate Finance Committee to move a health care reform bill to the full Senate, with or without the support of Republicans negotiating their position.

10 Sep 2009

Continucare Corporation announces fourth quarter and full-year results

Continucare Corporation (NYSE Amex:CNU) today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2009.

10 Sep 2009

Amedisys in negotiations with Hackensack University Medical Center to acquire its home health operations

Amedisys, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED), one of America's leading home health and hospice nursing companies, today announced that it is in discussions to acquire the home health operations of Hackensack University Medical Center.

10 Sep 2009

NHSA and Together Rx Access collaborate to improve prescription access

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) and Together Rx Access announced today a collaboration to launch the Together Rx Access(R) FOR HEAD START Card to help eligible uninsured individuals and families associated with Head Start access immediate and meaningful savings on prescription medicines and products right at their neighborhood pharmacies.

10 Sep 2009

Healthcare reform explained

A bevy of legislation is flooding Capitol Hill on healthcare reform. With President Obama’s speech kicking debate on these initiatives into high gear, Eric Zimmerman, a partner in the Health Law Department of leading law firm McDermott Will & Emery, weighs in on the issues:

10 Sep 2009