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Behavioral Innovations partners with insurance companies to mitigate financial burden on parents

Behavioral Innovations, the premier Dallas/Fort Worth provider of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for families of children with autism and other developmental disorders, announces its partnership with key insurance carriers to offer in-network insurance coverage for several ABA therapy programs. Behavioral Innovations is the first behavioral therapy center in the Metroplex to offer in-network insurance for select treatments - mitigating the financial burden on parents.

8 Jan 2010

Difficult to decipher: Tracking the funding sources for some health care interest groups

"Many of the Washington interest groups that are seeking to shape final health-care legislation in the coming weeks operate with opaque financing, often receiving hidden support from insurers, drugmakers or unions," The Washington Post reports.

8 Jan 2010

Senate retirements focus Democrats on election prospects and health bill impact

USA Today reports on the ripple effect of this week's retirement announcements by Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.: The "[t]wo Senate retirements have focused Democrats like a laser on their growing November election challenges, but a more pressing contest is less than two weeks away in an unlikely place: Massachusetts." Democrats are favored to retain the seat of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, but Republicans "have increasingly touted the Jan. 19 special election as an opportunity for an upset."

8 Jan 2010

Uninsured patients struggle to access health care as hospitals end programs

Several news outlets report on uninsured patients and access to health care.

7 Jan 2010

Democrats 'very close' to health bill agreement

Reuters: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "said on Wednesday congressional Democrats were close to agreement on merging their healthcare bills but still faced challenges in blending the two approaches.

7 Jan 2010

UAB issues updated guidelines for childhood and teen immunization schedule

The co-director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases is a member of the committee that this week issued updated guidelines for childhood and teen immunizations to include formal recommendations that children older than 6 months get the H1N1 influenza vaccine to guard against swine flu, and that combination vaccines are generally preferred over separate injections.

7 Jan 2010

Analysis: Medicare Part D has lessons for health reform

The Wall Street Journal: "Four years ago, the U.S. government offered subsidized prescription-drug insurance to 43 million elderly and disabled, the biggest expansion of government-backed health care in decades. Today, the program is working better than many expected."

7 Jan 2010

First Edition: January 7, 2010

Today's health policy news coverage focuses on the continuing efforts to blend together the House- and Senate-passed health reform bills and the key issues in play.

7 Jan 2010

Apoteket and Medco Health Solutions develop centralized prescription safety program

Apoteket, Sweden's largest pharmacy chain, and Medco Health Solutions, Inc. today announced that it has developed one of the first national centralized drug utilization review (DUR) programs outside of the United States to improve prescription safety by reducing adverse drug events and thereby reducing the risk of costly hospitalizations.

7 Jan 2010

Webinar features recent updates on meaningful use of certified EHR systems

Community oncologists, practice administrators and clinical staff interested in learning how the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), otherwise known as the stimulus package, can affect health care IT plans for community-based oncology practices are invited to attend a free webinar at 2 p.m. EST (11 a.m. PST) on Friday, Jan. 15, 2010. To register, visit www.MyOncologyServices.com/HIT. Registration is free, but space is limited.

From Elekta 7 Jan 2010

BUSM researchers develop mathematical methodology to reduce biologic variation in clinical status

Clinicians rely on laboratory tests to monitor the progression or remission of disease, or to identify pathologic alterations in physiology that may precede clinical events. Monitoring quantitative laboratory results represents a crucial component in the assessment of response to therapy.

7 Jan 2010

Board of Directors for Legacy continue efforts to preserve tobacco funds in Ohio

Today, the Board of Directors for Legacy(SM) - a national public health foundation devoted to tobacco cessation and prevention - announced it will continue efforts to preserve tobacco funds in Ohio, by taking the battle to the Supreme Court of Ohio.

7 Jan 2010

ACMGF and Luminex announce annual grant for genetic research

The American College of Medical Genetics Foundation/ACMGF (www.acmgfoundation.org) and Luminex Corporation have joined together to announce an annual grant for a project aimed at promoting safe and effective genetic testing and services.

From Luminex 7 Jan 2010

Cancer treatment-related toxicities have negative effect on quality of life, survivors' perspective

In a first-ever initiative, renowned health-care providers identify and describe how cancer treatment-related toxicities have a negative effect on quality of life from the perspective of patients and survivors.

7 Jan 2010

Authors explain why health care reform initiative should include CER

The current health care reform bills approved by the House and the Senate seek to expand health insurance coverage while containing costs; however, the proposed policy changes are not guaranteed to improve health for individuals or society, according to a "Perspective" article by faculty of Weill Cornell Medical College in the Jan. 6 New England Journal of Medicine.

7 Jan 2010

Concentra Urgent Care launches redesigned website to educate people on various health conditions

The launch of Concentra Urgent Care's redesigned Web site is just in time for the start of winter and those unexpected sniffles and sneezes that are common during the coming months. With a focus on ease-of-use for the consumer, the new site offers navigation features aimed at streamlining the online experience.

7 Jan 2010

Nancy Pelosi holds brief press availability after House Democrats' meeting

Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a brief press availability with Chairman Charles Rangel, Chairman Henry Waxman, Chairman George Miller, and Chairwoman Louise Slaughter following their meeting this afternoon with President Obama at the White House to discuss health care legislation.

7 Jan 2010

ISC-SHRM and BCBSIL announce new workplace wellness program

The Illinois State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management (ISC-SHRM) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) today announced a new awards program that recognizes employers who champion the health of their employees and strive to create a work culture that promotes physical activity.

7 Jan 2010

Drug companies still under great and growing pressure to bring more products to market

Although drug developers are improving R&D efficiency, in part by terminating more unpromising drugs earlier in development, their continued success will depend on how well they partner with other firms at specific points on the development spectrum, according to the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development.

7 Jan 2010

The Methodist Hospital offers web-based tool to help patients understand their health care better

The interactive program from Emmi Solutions describes and illustrates upcoming procedures for patients to help educate them on procedures such as cardiac bypass or knee replacement. It also helps patients understand how to manage chronic conditions like diabetes or heart failure.

7 Jan 2010

Health Care News and Research

Behavioral Innovations partners with insurance companies to mitigate financial burden on parents

Difficult to decipher: Tracking the funding sources for some health care interest groups

Senate retirements focus Democrats on election prospects and health bill impact

Uninsured patients struggle to access health care as hospitals end programs

Democrats 'very close' to health bill agreement

UAB issues updated guidelines for childhood and teen immunization schedule

Analysis: Medicare Part D has lessons for health reform

First Edition: January 7, 2010

Apoteket and Medco Health Solutions develop centralized prescription safety program

Webinar features recent updates on meaningful use of certified EHR systems

BUSM researchers develop mathematical methodology to reduce biologic variation in clinical status

Board of Directors for Legacy continue efforts to preserve tobacco funds in Ohio

ACMGF and Luminex announce annual grant for genetic research

Cancer treatment-related toxicities have negative effect on quality of life, survivors' perspective

Authors explain why health care reform initiative should include CER

Concentra Urgent Care launches redesigned website to educate people on various health conditions

Nancy Pelosi holds brief press availability after House Democrats' meeting

ISC-SHRM and BCBSIL announce new workplace wellness program

Drug companies still under great and growing pressure to bring more products to market

The Methodist Hospital offers web-based tool to help patients understand their health care better

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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