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UK to offer master's degree in music therapy

The University of Kentucky will be the first higher education institution in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to offer a graduate degree in music therapy. The program, housed at the UK School of Music, was officially approved by the state's Council on Postsecondary Education earlier in November and will start accepting graduate students in the spring of 2012.

18 Nov 2011

First Edition: November 17, 2011

In today's headlines, reports that the Supreme Court's review of the health law shocks Medicaid advocates and more on the continuing struggles of the super committee.

17 Nov 2011

Chemed board authorizes additional $100M stock repurchase program

Chemed Corporation announced today that the Board of Directors has formally authorized an additional $100 million for stock repurchase under Chemed's existing share repurchase program. These share repurchases will be funded through a combination of cash generated from operations as well as utilization of its revolving credit facility.

7 Nov 2011

Calif. Hospital Association sues over Medi-Cal provider cuts

The trade group for California's hospitals has sued state and federal officials to block a 10 percent cut in government reimbursements for health care providers who treat low-income patients. The California Hospital Association said in its suit, filed in federal district court in Los Angeles, that cuts to the Medi-Cal insurance program will threaten the ability of many hospitals to continue operating skilled nursing facilities.

4 Nov 2011

Home health payments will fall 2.3% in 2012

The pay cut for home health agencies was announced in a regulation that was issued Monday. Although this reduction is less than initially proposed and will be phased in over two years, industry voices described it as "severe."

2 Nov 2011

MSU to establish statewide Division of Geriatric Medicine

An unprecedented decade of economic demise and a population older than 80 percent of all other U.S. states is putting Michigan in a precarious spot: More aging residents needing health care with fewer resources to pay for it.

1 Nov 2011

Medicare costs rise as hospice use increases

The Orlando Sentinel reports that this increase tracks with other increases in costs from for-profit hospice organizations.

31 Oct 2011

Viewpoints: Super committee's secrecy; alternatives to CLASS; solving the drug shortage

The Congressional "super committee" charged with finding $1.5 trillion in debt savings through 2021 is under growing attack from both the left and the right for carrying out most of its work in secret. … History reveals the importance of extensive private talks for members of a bipartisan group to get to know one another and pursue compromises.

20 Oct 2011

Snowe breaks from GOP pack on health care spending issues

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, is one of two Republicans who did not sign on to the Finance Committee GOP recommendations for the super committee. Snowe reportedly took issue with calls to tighten Medicare eligibility requirements and to block grant the Medicaid program.

19 Oct 2011

Six new Bristol-Myers Squibb grants to reduce cancer disparities in CEE

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation today announced six new grants totaling more than $900,000 that focus on improving cancer awareness, prevention and care by developing cancer nursing skills and building nurse-community partnerships in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Russia.

15 Oct 2011

Experts to discuss current challenges in pediatric palliative care

In a two-hour seminar at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition in Boston, experts will discuss current challenges in this growing field, including building partnerships between hospitals, pediatricians and hospice services, and how to improve funding to promote better quality of care.

15 Oct 2011

Brown signs Calif. measures to aid children with autism, ban kids younger than 18 from using tanning beds

In other state news, Wisconsin last month began scrutinizing health insurance rate increases, Los Angeles County steps in ahead of health law's mandated coverage expansions and a Georgia report notes the state's progress in providing services for people with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

11 Oct 2011

Loyola participates in Pink Glove Dance competition to raise breast cancer awareness

Not since the likes of Fame, Flashdance or Fred Astaire has the Chicago area seen such dancing talent as is showcased in Loyola University Health System's new Pink Glove Dance video. This video is part of the Pink Glove Dance phenomenon that is sweeping the nation.

7 Oct 2011

NAHC statement on Senate Finance Committee report

Val J. Halamandaris, president of The National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC), issued the following statement regarding the Senate Finance Committee Report on Home Health Services.

3 Oct 2011

Amid budget woes, PEPFAR is a program worth saving

In this post in LA Progressive, Georgianne Nienaber, an investigative and political writer, examines the potential effects of reduced PEPFAR funding and highlights the non-denominational Christian ACTS clinic operating in South Africa as an example of a U.S. foreign aid success story.

1 Oct 2011

Walden University forms partnerships with five health systems

With an aging population placing major demands on healthcare systems and the nursing profession projected to grow significantly in the next few years, the need for educated healthcare professionals continues to increase.

27 Sep 2011

Lung Flute provides relief to Buffalo-area patients with COPD

An easy-to-use device developed by a local biomedical company is providing relief to Buffalo-area patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

7 Sep 2011

ACS' Commission on Cancer releases new standards to directly address patient concerns

A patient-centered approach is at the forefront of new accreditation standards for hospital cancer programs released today by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons.

2 Sep 2011

Palliative, hospice care can lessen the suffering cancer brings to patients and families

Being diagnosed with cancer can be devastating, and the treatment can take its toll in physical, emotional, social, and even spiritual ways. Palliative care providers can lessen the suffering cancer brings to patients and their families—both during treatment and at the end of life. Many people don't realize that palliative care to treat symptoms and improve a patient's quality of life can and should be given throughout their illness, not just at the end of life.

24 Aug 2011

Ensign acquires Whittier Hills, Ukiah healthcare center in California

The Ensign Group, Inc., announced today that it has acquired the underlying real estate and other operating assets of Whittier Hills Healthcare Center, a 160-bed skilled nursing facility in Whittier, California and Ukiah Healthcare Center, a 57-bed skilled nursing facility in Ukiah, California.

24 Aug 2011