Health Care News and Research

RSS

New poll illustrates difficult situations cancer patients face in affording needed health care

A new poll illustrates the difficulty that cancer patients, survivors and their families face in affording needed health care and paying for other basic necessities such as food and heat, underscoring the need to strongly implement the Affordable Care Act so that it works for people with cancer.

24 Jun 2010

MSD enters collaboration with Adcock Ingram to co-promote, distribute products in South Africa

Merck (Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada) today announced a strategic collaboration between MSD South Africa and Adcock Ingram, a publicly held South African company, to co-promote and distribute a number of established MSD products in South Africa. The products that will be jointly promoted by MSD and Adcock Ingram include over-the-counter (OTC) products and selected prescription medicines currently registered in South Africa by MSD and Schering-Plough.

24 Jun 2010

U.S. ranks low again on health care quality, efficiency and equality, study finds

"Americans spend twice as much as residents of other developed countries on healthcare, but get lower quality, less efficiency and have the least equitable system, according to a report released on Wednesday. The United States ranked last when compared to six other countries -- Britain, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand, the Commonwealth Fund report found. … Previous reports by the nonprofit Fund ... have been heavily used by policymakers and politicians pressing for healthcare reform."

24 Jun 2010

Florida obstetricians collaborate to lower premature and Cesarean birth rates

Much has been published of late, in medical journals as well as in the general media, concerning the national rise in both the Cesarean section and premature birth rates. While not directly connected, the two medical concerns have many interrelated variables. Nationally, the Cesarean section rate has risen to 32 percent of all births, while the rate of premature birth has climbed to just over 12 percent.

24 Jun 2010

Minn. Gov. decides to not expand Medicaid early; Ohio wrestles with increased Medicaid costs in overhaul; Kansas officials worry about 25% cut in health policy operating budget

"As expected, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has declined the opportunity for Minnesota to get an early shot at expanding Medicaid eligibility. The federal health plan calls for all states to expand Medicaid eligibility to low-income adults without children in 2014, but Minnesota was among a few states offered a chance to do it earlier." The legislature, however, passed a measure that would allow Pawlenty's successor next year to reverse his ruling (Kimball, 6/22).

24 Jun 2010

Miller-McCune examines debate over redistribution of some foreign aid funds from HIV/AIDS to other diseases

Through the lens of health conditions faced by people in Mbarara, Uganda, Miller-McCune examines the debate over redistributing some foreign aid funds from HIV/AIDS to fight other diseases.

24 Jun 2010

HHS launching health website for consumers next week

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz, working in collaboration with USA Today, writes about the soon-to-be launched federal health care site.

24 Jun 2010

White House unveils consumer protections in health law

New health-law-prompted regulations were released Tuesday, Kaiser Health News reports. The regulations could likely affect a small fraction of the country, but address key insurance concerns.

24 Jun 2010

States face less federal Medicaid money, more demand

The Wall Street Journal reports that state legislatures are grappling "with deficits totalling $127 billion over the next two fiscal years, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers. ... Of immediate concern to states is the hit they will take if Congress doesn't approve an additional $24 billion to help defray the cost of Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for the poor. Cost concerns prompted the House to jettison the Medicaid funding this month, and the Senate also is considering stripping out the provision."

24 Jun 2010

BCBSM launches new website to help people understand health care reform requirements, impacts

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan today launched a new website, www.bcbsm.com/healthreform, designed to help everyone in Michigan understand how national health care reform will affect them. As Michigan's leading health plan, BCBSM is committed to serving as a trusted source for information on reform and all issues related to health across the state.

24 Jun 2010

Today's OpEds: Extending jobless benefits; Medicare payment cuts; NY Times on premium increases

With critics still scare-mongering about the supposed cost of reform, insurers in several states have been seeking double-digit premium increases that look hard to justify as necessary to keep up with medical inflation.

24 Jun 2010

GOP continues attacks on health law, Boehner issues critical report

"Employers could lose their ability to change health plans or negotiate better rates and benefits under new healthcare reform regulations, the top GOP staffer on the Ways and Means Committee's health panel said Wednesday. Dan Elling, the Republican staff director for the health subcommittee, raised the issue during a CQ-Roll Call policy forum."

24 Jun 2010

Americans spend more on health and get poorer care: Report

According to a Commonwealth Fund report released this Wednesday, Americans spend nearly twice as much as people from other developed countries on healthcare but get lower quality of care, less efficiency and have the least equitable health care system. The comparison was drawn with six other countries, Britain, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand, and the United States ranked last. The report collected data from nationally representative patient and physician surveys in these seven countries in 2007, 2008, and 2009.

23 Jun 2010

Several hospitals seek buyers or mergers to strengthen their bottom lines

The Boston Globe: Massachusetts officials are holding public comment sessions on a proposed sale of chain of hospitals in the state, and "scores of local officials, state representatives, community leaders, and employees and retirees of Caritas hospitals in Eastern Massachusetts have paraded to the podium to praise Caritas management and the private equity firm, Cerberus Capital Management, that has pledged to preserve the chain of six hospitals, at least for three years."

23 Jun 2010

San Francisco dentist recognized with Presidential Award at SCDA's annual national meeting

Dr. David Blende of San Francisco was recognized for his many years of service to the Special Care Dentistry Association when the organization presented Dr. Blende with their Presidential Award. The Awards Ceremony took place Sunday, March 28, 2010, at the SCDA's annual national meeting at the Swissotel in Chicago.

23 Jun 2010

First Edition: June 23, 2010

Today's health policy headlines focus on President Obama's Tuesday meeting with health insurance executives and the administration's new version of the "Patient's Bill of Rights."

23 Jun 2010

US lags in health system performance

Despite having the most expensive health care system, the United States ranks last overall compared to six other industrialized countries-Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom-on measures of health system performance in five areas: quality, efficiency, access to care, equity and the ability to lead long, healthy, productive lives, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report.

23 Jun 2010

Only doctors familiar with local health services should provide out of hours primary care: Experts

Only doctors familiar with local health services should provide out of hours primary care, argue two experts, following the death of a patient given an overdose of diamorphine by an out of hours doctor.

23 Jun 2010

UnitedHealthcare, Centura Health announce official launch of Connected Care in Colorado

UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group company, and Centura Health, Colorado's largest health care provider, announced the official launch of Connected Care, giving patients in four rural Colorado communities expanded access to physicians and specialists using advanced telehealth technology.

23 Jun 2010

Recent objections would eliminate use of routine breast cancer screening mammograms: Authors

The firestorm that followed the November 2009 release of guidelines that would have reduced use of screening mammograms in women aged 40 to 49 highlights challenges for implementing the findings of comparative effectiveness research, according to a new analysis. Meeting such challenges - which may become more common due to increased funding for CER - requires better communication to the public and stakeholders about evidence and its connection to health care quality and efficiency.

23 Jun 2010

Health Care News and Research

New poll illustrates difficult situations cancer patients face in affording needed health care

MSD enters collaboration with Adcock Ingram to co-promote, distribute products in South Africa

U.S. ranks low again on health care quality, efficiency and equality, study finds

Florida obstetricians collaborate to lower premature and Cesarean birth rates

Minn. Gov. decides to not expand Medicaid early; Ohio wrestles with increased Medicaid costs in overhaul; Kansas officials worry about 25% cut in health policy operating budget

Miller-McCune examines debate over redistribution of some foreign aid funds from HIV/AIDS to other diseases

HHS launching health website for consumers next week

White House unveils consumer protections in health law

States face less federal Medicaid money, more demand

BCBSM launches new website to help people understand health care reform requirements, impacts

Today's OpEds: Extending jobless benefits; Medicare payment cuts; NY Times on premium increases

GOP continues attacks on health law, Boehner issues critical report

Americans spend more on health and get poorer care: Report

Several hospitals seek buyers or mergers to strengthen their bottom lines

San Francisco dentist recognized with Presidential Award at SCDA's annual national meeting

First Edition: June 23, 2010

US lags in health system performance

Only doctors familiar with local health services should provide out of hours primary care: Experts

UnitedHealthcare, Centura Health announce official launch of Connected Care in Colorado

Recent objections would eliminate use of routine breast cancer screening mammograms: Authors

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

Latest News