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Senator Bob Dole urges a 'fresh start' on the issue of health care reform

In today's Washington Post, Senator Bob Dole urges a 'fresh start' on the issue of health care reform and said it is "the vital issue of our time, and Obama should be out front with his specific plan on this make-or-break issue."

1 Sep 2009

Touchstone Health Partnership appoints Bryan D. Birch as President and Chief Executive Officer

Touchstone Health Partnership, a managed care company primarily operating in the Medicare Advantage Program, today announced the appointment of Bryan D. Birch as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Birch brings over 20 years of experience in the health services and managed care sector.

1 Sep 2009

Race, gender and insurance status influence liver transplant decisions

Patient race, gender and insurance status influence decisions about who will go on to receive liver transplants, according to a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study.

1 Sep 2009

Obama's aging czar calls issue 'A unifying topic'

"Kathy Greenlee, assistant secretary for aging in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the country's top authority on issues facing the massively expanding population of older Americans."

1 Sep 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

Dr. Obama's Toughest Patient The Washington Post

1 Sep 2009

Ways to save money without letting health care suffer

Recent reports show that more and more people are cutting back on their health care or medicines to save money. But cutting back to save money isn't always the best solution, especially when it comes to doctor's appointments and required medicines

1 Sep 2009

Daxor's signed trial agreement with Pacific Cardiology to provide the BVA-100 instrument

Daxor Corporation, a medical instrumentation and biotechnology company, today announced the receipt of a signed trial agreement from Pacific Cardiology, LLC of Honolulu, Hawaii. This will provide Pacific Cardiology with a Blood Volume Analyzer-100 (BVA-100), an instrument which enables semi-automated measurement of a patient's total blood volume, red blood cell volume and plasma volume.

1 Sep 2009

Low level exposure to carbon dioxide leads to increased risk of hospitalization in older people

Exposure to carbon monoxide, even at levels well below national limits, is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for the elderly with heart problems, according to a study published today in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

1 Sep 2009

Hospital executives worry about reform uncertainties

Federal authorities are conducting a thorough investigation of Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Care Center in Connecticut. Hartford Business Journal Online reports: "The failure of an oxygenator — medical equipment often used in cardiac surgery in conjunction with a heart-lung machine — triggered a complaint by the state of Connecticut to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid [Services] (CMS), said Roseanne Pawelec, an agency spokeswoman.

1 Sep 2009

Hospital executives worry about reform uncertainties

Hospital executives worry about uncertainties in reform. The Washington Post reports: "Anxiety is running high among hospital executives as they ponder the ever-changing proposals on Capitol Hill. Wary of changes to payment formulas and fiercely protective of their franchise, industry groups are spending millions to lobby Congress.

1 Sep 2009

Explainers and fact checks on health reform bills

Several news organizations published explainers on health reform.

1 Sep 2009

CT and PET scans carry a very real risk of radiation exposure

Thomas Dehn, M.D., FACR, executive vice president and chief medical officer of National Imaging Associates, a Magellan Health Services (Nasdaq: MGLN) company, today issued the following statement about the New England Journal of Medicine study published on Aug. 27 regarding patient exposure to ionizing radiation in imaging procedures.

1 Sep 2009

Senior citizens in Nevada to be affected by the recent House bill

A new American Health Care Association analysis of the pending House health reform bill, combined with the impact of a recently-enacted Medicare regulation cutting Medicare-funded nursing home care by $12 billion over 10 years, finds seniors in Nevada requiring nursing and rehabilitative care will face total funding cuts of $186 million over that same time period. Nationally, the study finds, seniors' Medicare cuts will total $44 billion over 10 years, prompting Nevada’s long term care community to warn that seniors' care needs are endangered by the House bill, as are the jobs of almost 200 caregivers in Nevada alone.

31 Aug 2009

Rite Aid pharmacies to offer regular seasonal flu shots throughout the flu season

Many Rite Aid pharmacists have already been giving regular seasonal flu shots following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advice that anyone who wishes to reduce the risk of getting the regular seasonal flu get a flu shot as soon as they are available.

31 Aug 2009

Walgreens to provide flue shots faster and easier this season

Walgreens (NYSE:WAG)(NASDAQ:WAG) is making it faster and easier to get a flu shot this season. The nation’s largest drugstore chain today announced it will begin offering seasonal flu shots on Sept. 1 at more than 7,000 points of care nationwide, including nearly all of its stores in 50 states and almost 350 in-store Take Care Clinics.

31 Aug 2009

Health Net urges Americans to have their blood cholesterol measured

Tomorrow, September 1, marks the start of National Cholesterol Education Month. In support of this educational effort, Health Net, Inc., (NYSE: HNT) is encouraging those who haven't yet done so, to have their blood cholesterol measured and, if it's high, to embark on a cholesterol-lowering program.

31 Aug 2009

Mark Farrah Associates partners with Strenuus to launch Medicare Benefits Analyzer

Mark Farrah Associates (MFA) announces the addition of Medicare Benefits Analyzer to its online product portfolio. “We are very pleased to be partnering with Strenuus to launch this new product.

31 Aug 2009

First Edition: August 31, 2009

Today's headlines hint that summer's almost over, but the heat will still be on for health reform.

31 Aug 2009

Emotions still running high in health care reform debate

In the first, NPR notes: Conservative political activists associated with the so-called 'Tea Party' protests have started a cross-country bus convoy dubbed the Tea Party Express. They plan to stop in 33 cities. Tea Party Express organizer Mark Williams, also a conservative talk show host, said there is a lot of dissatisfaction in the country right now focused on issues from health care reform to the national debt.

30 Aug 2009

Leading experts in health and health care reform to take part in symposium

With the nation facing a $9 trillion deficit over the next 10 years, according to government estimates, the future of health care reform depends upon a neglected but critical leg of the equation: cost. Some of the nation’s leading experts in health and health care reform will provide insights into this issue when they converge in Nashville Saturday for a nonpartisan public discussion.

29 Aug 2009