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BioPharm Asia first-quarter revenues increase 41.6% to $32.1 million

BioPharm Asia, Inc., a producer, distributor and retailer of medical products in China, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

18 May 2010

Medicare cuts for physicians loom, yet again

A 21 percent reduction in Medicare reimbursements that has loomed over physicians all year will go into effect on June 1, unless Congress acts to further delay the cuts, CNNMoney reports. "If the proposed cuts go through, physicians are worried their practices will be so strapped that they'll have to drop some of the 43 million Americans who are covered under Medicare."

17 May 2010

KHN Column: The health care cost problem we refuse to see

In his latest Kaiser Health News column, Austin Frakt writes: "I agree with those who think the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act doesn't do enough soon enough to control the rate of increase in health insurance premiums.

17 May 2010

Today's Opinions and Editorials: Support for Berwick and health reform's next tests

He is well-qualified to make the many crucial decisions surrounding Medicare and Medicaid, and could end up being one of the most significant appointees in the administration (5/17).

17 May 2010

Hospitals to get more bargaining clout for medical devices

The Wall Street Journal: "Hospitals lack leverage when negotiating prices for high-cost implants like defibrillators and replacement hips because individual doctors, rather than hospitals, typically select the products they use in their patients. Since these doctors often aren't hospital employees, they have little incentive to bargain-hunt.

17 May 2010

IRS to announce tax credit rules for small business health premiums

The Associated Press: "Pitching President Barack Obama's health care law to skeptical business owners, the IRS on Monday will announce ground rules for small firms wishing to claim a new federal tax credit for health insurance." The tax credit, which was created by the new health overhaul law, "covers up to 35 percent of the premiums that certain small businesses pay on behalf of their workers.

17 May 2010

Dartmouth to start health care delivery research center

"Dartmouth College is getting $35 million to open a center it hopes will help the nation take the next big steps in health care reform: improving quality while lowering costs," The Associated Press reports.

17 May 2010

Freescale Semiconductor receives ZigBee Certification for wireless health and wellness solutions

Freescale Semiconductor today announced it has received ZigBee Certified product status for its ZigBee Health Care wireless health and wellness processing platforms. The ZigBee Certified products status is awarded to products that have been tested and met criteria for interoperability that enable wireless devices to securely and reliably monitor and manage noncritical, low-acuity health care services.

17 May 2010

First Edition: May 17, 2010

Today's headlines highlight stories about efforts to advance the implementation of federal health reforms as well as the sweeping measure's political impact in primary races across the country.

17 May 2010

Polypill to be tested in new heart disease trial

Researchers will be exploring whether a new, very low cost, one-a-day combined 'polypill' could reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems across the world, in a major new international trial that launches today.

17 May 2010

Large number of people do not see health-care provider for skin cancer screening: Survey

Despite the fact that skin cancer is the only cancer that can be seen on the surface of the skin, a new survey by the American Academy of Dermatology reports that a large number of people are not taking the time to examine their skin for any changes that could be warning signs of skin cancer or seeing a health-care provider for a skin cancer screening.

17 May 2010

UHS reaches definitive agreement to acquire PSI for $2.0 billion

Universal Health Services, Inc. and Psychiatric Solutions, Inc. announced today that they have reached a definitive agreement whereby UHS will acquire PSI for a price of $33.75 per share in cash, or approximately $2.0 billion.

17 May 2010

New data from MVP trial on ICDs shows health care use burden

Medtronic, Inc. today released new data from the MVP trial that implantable defibrillator patients receiving anti-tachycardia pacing were less likely to have health care utilization after treatment as compared to those receiving shock therapy.

17 May 2010

Dartmouth College receives $35M to establish The Dartmouth Center for Health Care Delivery Science

Dartmouth College has received a $35 million commitment to establish The Dartmouth Center for Health Care Delivery Science, President Jim Yong Kim announced today. The anonymous gift will advance a new field of study, harnessing the knowledge and expertise of faculty across multiple disciplines from the arts and sciences as well as from the medical, business and engineering schools.

17 May 2010

Small business lobby, others join states' lawsuit against health law

"A national business lobbying group on Friday joined 20 U.S. states in a lawsuit challenging President Barack Obama's overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system. The joint lawsuit led by Florida and now grouping 20 states was filed on March 23 by mostly Republican attorneys general." The suit claims the law "violates state government rights in the U.S. Constitution and will force massive new spending on hard-pressed state governments" (Brown, 5/14).

17 May 2010

Novel internet-based strategy effective in patients with severe prednisone dependent asthma

Patients with severe asthma who use an internet-supported strategy and daily monitoring of exhaled nitric oxide were able to control their asthma with lower overall dosing of oral corticosteroids than patients who underwent usual care, according to research from the Netherlands.

17 May 2010

Anti-abortion groups use health law in efforts to restrict insurance coverage

Abortion opponents fought passage of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul to the bitter end, and now that it's the law, they're using it to limit coverage by private insurers. An obscure part of the law allows states to restrict abortion coverage by private plans operating in new insurance markets.

17 May 2010

Better health care for the indigenous population

A report from Melbourne University says that Indigenous Australians are six times more likely than other Australians to be blind and more than a third of this population has never had an eye examination. Now a substantial number of optometrists will be sent to remote Aboriginal communities under a $6.5 million federal program.

16 May 2010

BizXchange facilitates B2B barter transactions for health care

Doubt was cast on the legitimacy of using barter for health care services on April 21, when Republican Senate candidate Sue Lowden commented that in the "olden days" people paid doctors with "a chicken" or other goods. BizXchange, a barter exchange company with offices in Seattle, San Francisco and Dubai, has been offering its more than 2,000 members health care services via barter for the last eight years. Members have spent nearly $4 million on health care related services since BizX was founded in 2002.

15 May 2010

CEDF small business loan guarantee program to stem improper disposal of needles, prescription drugs

Connecticut waterways may be safer from biomedical waste, thanks to an innovative Community Economic Development Fund small business loan guarantee program. CEDF, with loan-program partners, Connecticut's Department of Economic and Community and the City of West Haven have guaranteed a small business loan to a West Haven company that stems improper disposal of needles and prescription drugs.

15 May 2010