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e-Volution-TREAT system simplifies mental health care planning in Ontario and beyond

Mental health, the second leading cause of disability and premature death in Canada, impacts the lives of every Canadian, much like technology. Mental health and technology are now being brought together with an innovative tool developed by University of Toronto Bloomberg nursing researchers in collaboration with Toronto-based software development company HInext and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

13 May 2010

Study: When incentive payments are removed, quality of health care suffers

Los Angeles Times: Researchers in Britain teamed with Kaiser Permanente in Northern California "to see what happened in Northern California when the health giant stopped rewarding doctors who screened patients for diabetic retinopathy and cervical cancer."

13 May 2010

Additional benefits of LAIAs over long-acting human insulin not been proven

It has so far not been proven that the long-acting insulin analogues (LAIAs) insulin detemir (trade name: Levemir) and insulin glargine (trade name: Lantus), which are approved for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, offer patients an additional benefit versus long-acting human insulin. This applies to adults as well as to children and adolescents. This is the result of the final report published by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) on 19 April 2010.

13 May 2010

Florida weighs next steps for small business insurance exchange; N.J. considers COBRA eligibility expansion; Other highlights

When Republican lawmakers created the Florida Health Choices program in 2008, they billed it as a way to deregulate the health-care market for small businesses. Two years later, Florida Health Choices has still not started offering coverage, and its leaders and lawmakers face a philosophical choice that could determine whether the program survives.

13 May 2010

Prescription costs more likely to keep Hispanics away from pharmacy counter: Study

Drug costs could prevent some people from filling their prescriptions, which can interfere with optimal health care. A new study of Medicare beneficiaries finds that cost concerns are more likely keep Hispanics away from the pharmacy counter than non-Hispanics.

13 May 2010

Proposed cuts in Medicare payments impact access to healthcare: Poll

An independent poll recently conducted on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) shows that an alarming number of physicians will stop seeing Medicare beneficiaries if current payment policies are not reformed.

13 May 2010

Missouri to hold August vote on insurance mandate

KWMU/St. Louis Public Radio: "Missouri will be the first state to let citizens vote on whether to defy the federal health care law signed by President Obama. The Missouri House today passed legislation authorizing a referendum stating that citizens and employers cannot be forced to participate in any public or private health care system. It's designed to challenge the new health care law that requires most Americans to have health insurance or face fines" (Griffin, 5/11).

13 May 2010

FDA warns of side effects from swallowing Benadryl Extra Strength Itch Stopping Gel

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about potentially serious side effects from mistakenly swallowing Benadryl Extra Strength Itch Stopping Gel, an over-the-counter (OTC) product that should only be used on the skin.

13 May 2010

Justice Department responds to health law's first legal challenge

The Obama administration late Tuesday filed a response to one of the first lawsuits against the new health overhaul, "saying it was constitutional and any challenge was premature," Reuters reports.

13 May 2010

AHF targets BMS over pricing and policies for its HIV/AIDS drug

AIDS Healthcare Foundation will host a protest Wednesday morning, May 12th at 10:30am targeting New York-based Bristol Myers Squibb Co. over the pricing and policies for its key HIV/AIDS drug, Reyataz, one of the most expensive first-line AIDS treatment in the US, during the Bank of America-Merrill Lynch 2010 Health Care Conference.

13 May 2010

U.S. expands HIV/AIDS programs in Caribbean

Representatives from the U.S. and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Tuesday signed an agreement to expand PEPFAR programs to 12 other Caribbean nations during a gathering in Georgetown, Guyana, Agence France-Presse reports (5/11).

13 May 2010

FDA should apply equal rigor in assessing food claims and drug approvals, says new report

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration should apply the same rigor to evaluating the science behind claims of foods' and nutritional supplements' health benefits as it devotes to assessing medication and medical technology approvals, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

13 May 2010

Family medical costs surge to new high

Families' health care costs continued to rise last year, Modern Healthcare reports. "Total healthcare costs for a typical family of four increased $1,303 or 7.8% over the past year, according to the Milliman Medical Index, the highest total dollar increase in the history of the actuarial firm's annual study.

13 May 2010

CBO raises cost estimate for health law, sparking political reaction

The Associated Press: "President Barack Obama's new health care law could potentially add at least $115 billion more to government health care spending over the next 10 years, congressional budget referees said Tuesday," to beyond $1 trillion. "The Congressional Budget Office said the added spending includes $10 billion to $20 billion in administrative costs to federal agencies carrying out the law, as well as $34 billion for community health centers and $39 billion for Indian health care" (Alonso-Zaldivar, 5/11).

13 May 2010

With campaign season taking off, White House offers Democrats help on selling health law

White House officials prepared a plan Tuesday to help Democrats sell the health reform law during the midterm election season that will focus on early deliverables to win over a skeptical public.

13 May 2010

Today's OpEds: Mass. health reform and small business; Mccain's ideas not in Obama plan; Wellpoint's impact on law

The Commonwealth's 2006 health care reform was supposed to help address rising health insurance costs for small businesses. It hasn't — and small businesses are paying the price (Jim Stergios and Amy Lischko, 5/12).

13 May 2010

Study evaluates cost-utility of MARS treatment in ALF patients

Numerous studies have documented the favorable effects of MARS albumin dialysis treatment on clinical and laboratory parameters and survival in liver failure patients. However, to ensure that limited resources are utilized in an ethical manner, the subjective feelings of the patient in terms of health-related quality of life and costs should also be taken into account.

13 May 2010

More for mental health and first nurse led clinic

Tuesday’s budget saw the Australian government allocate $7.4 billion for health. Many critics have brought to notice that only $200 million has gone towards mental health. The Rudd government has denied such accusations.

12 May 2010

Medical fraud: 'Unless you're very, very aggressive, you're going to lose a lot of money'

Kaiser Health News staff writer Andrew Villegas reports that "every year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services loses an estimated $65 billion to criminals who defraud the health care system, according to Lou Saccoccio, executive director of the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association.

12 May 2010

Washington Post event: Health reform and its implications

In this Kaiser Health News video, Washington Post staff writers, David Hilzenrath, Amy Goldstein, Ceci Connolly, Alec MacGillis and David Brown, also contributors to the Post's new book, Landmark: The Inside Story Of America's New Health Care Law And What It Means For Us All, discuss the new health care law and its implications.

12 May 2010

Health Care News and Research

e-Volution-TREAT system simplifies mental health care planning in Ontario and beyond

Study: When incentive payments are removed, quality of health care suffers

Additional benefits of LAIAs over long-acting human insulin not been proven

Florida weighs next steps for small business insurance exchange; N.J. considers COBRA eligibility expansion; Other highlights

Prescription costs more likely to keep Hispanics away from pharmacy counter: Study

Proposed cuts in Medicare payments impact access to healthcare: Poll

Missouri to hold August vote on insurance mandate

FDA warns of side effects from swallowing Benadryl Extra Strength Itch Stopping Gel

Justice Department responds to health law's first legal challenge

AHF targets BMS over pricing and policies for its HIV/AIDS drug

U.S. expands HIV/AIDS programs in Caribbean

FDA should apply equal rigor in assessing food claims and drug approvals, says new report

Family medical costs surge to new high

CBO raises cost estimate for health law, sparking political reaction

With campaign season taking off, White House offers Democrats help on selling health law

Today's OpEds: Mass. health reform and small business; Mccain's ideas not in Obama plan; Wellpoint's impact on law

Study evaluates cost-utility of MARS treatment in ALF patients

More for mental health and first nurse led clinic

Medical fraud: 'Unless you're very, very aggressive, you're going to lose a lot of money'

Washington Post event: Health reform and its implications

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

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