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Women with college degrees more likely to have health insurance

Attention college grads: Your degree may be the key to both a career and better health coverage. According to a new study of women's health insurance from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, women without a high school diploma were nearly four times more likely to be uninsured as women with a college degree.

18 Jun 2010

States want Congress to keep extra Medicaid money flowing

Illinois will face a $750 million shortfall in the fiscal year beginning in July if Congress doesn't extend increased Medicaid funding, originally part of last year's economic stimulus, Illinois Statehouse News reports. "The increased Medicaid reimbursements stand as a national issue as the recession lingers. Thirty states have crafted budgets for the fiscal year set to begin July 1 based on an extension of the increased payments, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures" (Massingale, 6/16).

18 Jun 2010

$FDA approves Jevtana in combination with prednisone for metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer$

FDA approves Jevtana in combination with prednisone for metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer

Sanofi-aventis announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing authorization for Jevtana® (cabazitaxel) Injection in combination with prednisone for the treatment of patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (mHRPC) previously treated with a docetaxel-containing treatment regimen.

18 Jun 2010

St. Jude Medical commences enrollment in LAPTOP-HF study

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced the first enrollment in its LAPTOP-HF (Left Atrial Pressure Monitoring to Optimize Heart Failure Therapy) study. The goal of the LAPTOP-HF study is to demonstrate that the new investigational left atrial pressure (LAP) management system safely and effectively improves outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF).

17 Jun 2010

One in three people with psoriasis do not receive proper treatment due to health insurance issues: Survey

Results from a new survey reveal that one in three people with psoriasis do not receive proper treatment for their disease due to health insurance issues—and many won't be helped by the new health care reform law.

17 Jun 2010

Chelsea presents Northera study data at International Congress on Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders

Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. announced that data from its pivotal studies of Northera™ (droxidopa) in symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension was presented during a poster session and featured in a symposium highlighting the role of norepinephrine (NE) deficiency in Parkinson's disease at the 14th International Congress on Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

17 Jun 2010

First Edition: June 17, 2010

Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey reports on states' progress with high-risk pools created as part of the health reform law: "The program, one of the highest profile provisions of the law, is designed to provide health insurance to people who have been denied coverage due to a pre-existing medical condition and have been without coverage for at least six months.

17 Jun 2010

No evidence on health benefits of oxygen inhalation during heart attack: Researchers

There is no evidence that the common practice of giving patients oxygen to inhale during a heart attack is beneficial, according to a new Cochrane Systematic Review. Until further research is carried out, the researchers say the possibility that giving oxygen may actually increase a patient's risk of dying cannot be ruled out.

17 Jun 2010

AMP raises ethical, laboratory practice concerns in whole genome sequencing at SACHGS meeting

Today, the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) presented public comments to the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health and Society (SACHGS) meeting focused on whole genome sequencing. In anticipation of advances in sequencing and its incorporation into clinical practice, AMP raised ethical and laboratory practice concerns for the Committee's consideration.

17 Jun 2010

FDA seeks public input on regulation of laboratory-developed tests

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced plans to hold a public meeting on July 19-20, 2010, to discuss how the agency will oversee laboratory-developed tests (LDTs).

17 Jun 2010

HHS Secretary announces series of new investments to strengthen primary care workforce

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced a series of new investments worth $250 million to increase the number of health care providers and strengthen the primary care workforce. The new investments were made possible by the Affordable Care Act. Sebelius was joined for the announcement by U.S. Representative Lois Capps, Health Resources and Services Administration Administrator Dr. Mary Wakefield, and HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard K. Koh.

17 Jun 2010

ASTRO urges MedPAC to recommend end to abuse of physician self-referral law in radiation oncology

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) commends the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) for highlighting concerns about physician self-referral in cancer care in its report released yesterday. We urge the commission to make recommendations to Congress to end abuses of the physician self-referral law in radiation oncology enabled by the "in-office ancillary services exception."

17 Jun 2010

Opinions: Maintain fight against HIV/AIDS; Ending PMTCT; Impact of U.S. health reform on foreign-trained physicians

Following a recent trip to the largest HIV/AIDS clinic in Uganda, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon reflects on the recent progress made in the fight against the disease in a McClatchy opinion piece. Though "Uganda was the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic. …Uganda is also a success story," Ban writes. "A decade ago, fewer than 10,000 people were on the new generation of antiretroviral drugs that suppress the disease and offer the promise of a normal life.

17 Jun 2010

Officials discuss ways to improve quality measures in health care

Officials from Highmark Inc., Pinnacle Health System and Penn State Hershey Medical Center today discussed ways to improve quality measures in health care that will ultimately result in better patient care, improved health outcomes and ways to save valuable health care dollars.

17 Jun 2010

Rand Paul, who opposed federal 'handouts,' is criticized for taking Medicare patients; Other health politics news

Rand Paul, a Kentucky GOP Senate candidate, sees Medicare and Medicaid patients, even as he opposes federal "handouts" and is facing criticism from his Democratic opponent for not releasing his Medicare billing records, The Associated Press reported.

17 Jun 2010

AACC receives $6.6M grant to fund development of open-source delivery platform for healthcare careers

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that the American Association of Community Colleges will receive a $6.6 million grant to fund development of Healthcare Virtual Career Platform: Healthcare Career Central, an open-source delivery platform that will manage an individual's entry into any of more than 200 healthcare careers – from career exploration, to skills assessment, training and job placement.

17 Jun 2010

VOA News examines countdown to 2015 report calling for additional 700,000 midwives to reduce maternal, newborn deaths worldwide

VOA News examines the Countdown to 2015 report, which says that a lack of trained birth attendants is contributing to more than two million stillbirths, maternal and newborn deaths annually (Smith, 6/15).

17 Jun 2010

State round-up: Calif. orders review of insurers' planned rate hikes; S.D. targets young smokers

"California health insurance regulators have ordered independent reviews of rate hikes being sought by four of the state's largest insurers, a move that could lead to smaller increases for consumers. The action comes after an outside analysis found significant errors in a recent rate filing by Anthem Blue Cross, leading it to cancel increases of as much as 39% for hundreds of thousands of policyholders. , to be announced Wednesday by The California Department of Insurance's findings are to be announced Wednesday" (Helfand, 6/16).

17 Jun 2010

States push for additional Medicaid funding with budget cuts on the horizon

Inside Health Policy reports that Democrats and hospital groups are pushing hard for the Senate to increase Medicaid payments as part of the "tax extenders" bill. "Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) told a crowd of hospital stakeholders that the enhanced Medicaid funding, which failed to make its way into health reform, is by no means a lock, despite the pleas of even some Republican governors for its passage."

17 Jun 2010

PVAHCS receives 2010 Silver Anvil Award from PRSA

Led by the Phoenix VA Health Care System, the VA Veterans Day Parade in Phoenix received the prestigious Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America. The Silver Anvil, which recognizes outstanding achievement in strategic public relations planning and implementation, was presented during the Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony held June 3 in New York City.

17 Jun 2010

Health Care News and Research

Women with college degrees more likely to have health insurance

States want Congress to keep extra Medicaid money flowing

FDA approves Jevtana in combination with prednisone for metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer

St. Jude Medical commences enrollment in LAPTOP-HF study

One in three people with psoriasis do not receive proper treatment due to health insurance issues: Survey

Chelsea presents Northera study data at International Congress on Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders

First Edition: June 17, 2010

No evidence on health benefits of oxygen inhalation during heart attack: Researchers

AMP raises ethical, laboratory practice concerns in whole genome sequencing at SACHGS meeting

FDA seeks public input on regulation of laboratory-developed tests

HHS Secretary announces series of new investments to strengthen primary care workforce

ASTRO urges MedPAC to recommend end to abuse of physician self-referral law in radiation oncology

Opinions: Maintain fight against HIV/AIDS; Ending PMTCT; Impact of U.S. health reform on foreign-trained physicians

Officials discuss ways to improve quality measures in health care

Rand Paul, who opposed federal 'handouts,' is criticized for taking Medicare patients; Other health politics news

AACC receives $6.6M grant to fund development of open-source delivery platform for healthcare careers

VOA News examines countdown to 2015 report calling for additional 700,000 midwives to reduce maternal, newborn deaths worldwide

State round-up: Calif. orders review of insurers' planned rate hikes; S.D. targets young smokers

States push for additional Medicaid funding with budget cuts on the horizon

PVAHCS receives 2010 Silver Anvil Award from PRSA

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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