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State roundup: Ariz. high court to hear Medicaid funding challenge

The Arizona Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a challenge to state Medicaid cuts. The court put the matter on its Feb. 15 agenda and will decide then whether to take the case and hear oral arguments. Three public-interest law groups challenged an enrollment freeze for childless adults in the state's Medicaid program, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. A lower-court judge and an Arizona appeals-court panel upheld the cuts.

21 Dec 2011

etHIN chooses OptumInsight's health information exchange technology

The East Tennessee Health Information Network (etHIN) has selected OptumInsight's health information exchange (HIE) technology to help physicians, hospitals and other health care providers in the region improve patient care coordination and quality.

20 Dec 2011

BAHN to participate as Pioneer Accountable Care Organization

Montefiore Medical Center announced today that its Bronx Accountable Healthcare Network (BAHN), has been selected to participate as a Pioneer Accountable Care Organization (ACO), a transformative new initiative sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center.

20 Dec 2011

Cognitive function may be a better indicator of impact of aging on an economy

Cognitive function may be a better indicator of the impact of aging on an economy than age-distribution, with chronological age imposing less of a social and economic burden if the population is "functionally" younger, according to a study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

20 Dec 2011

Toshiba, AHRA announce recipients of fourth annual Putting Patients First grant program

Helping hospitals, imaging centers and health systems develop or improve existing education and patient care initiatives in diagnostic imaging, AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. announced the seven recipients of the fourth annual Putting Patients First grant program.

19 Dec 2011

Role of local advocates, NGOs important in Malawi's health system

In this post in the Health Affairs blog, Martha Kwataine, executive director for the Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) and head of the Access to Medicines Campaign in Malawi, examines the role of local advocates and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country's health system.

16 Dec 2011

Much in play for health interests as congress works on payroll tax cut measure

A two-year fix to the formula that sets Medicare payments for physicians was included in yesterday's House-passed version of this bill. Still, the fix's future is not certain. Meanwhile, other health interests are trying to protect their own funding, which has so far been targeted as a way to pay for the payroll tax holiday extension.

15 Dec 2011

Administration report finds 2.5 million young adults gain health insurance coverage

A report to be released today by the Obama administration finds that the number of people between the ages of 19 and 25 who have gained coverage exceeds earlier estimates.

15 Dec 2011

MCC invests $122M in Lesotho health system to address key challenges, including HIV, TB

"The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), through its partnership with the Millennium Challenge Account-Lesotho, is helping Lesotho address key challenges in its health sector through a $122 million investment in health infrastructure and health systems," IIP Digital reports.

9 Dec 2011

The latest on the payroll tax break extension and 'doc fix'

Top House Republicans hope to win rank-and-file GOP support for a measure renewing this year's Social Security payroll tax cut and extending benefits for the long-term unemployed. House GOP lawmakers were meeting privately Thursday to seek agreement on legislation that leaders want to bring to a vote next week. They would also include language heading off a 27 percent cut in Medicare reimbursements to doctors.

9 Dec 2011

State health spending gap widens

A government report released Wednesday offers the first snapshot of state-by-state health care spending since the recession, as well as a look at where provisions of the 2010 health law could have their greatest effect.

9 Dec 2011

New automated storage and pharmacy-grade refrigeration system from Talyst

Talyst, a leader in pharmacy automation, announced its new automated storage and pharmacy-grade refrigeration system, refrigerated AutoCarousel HD. The new technology ensures medications are kept at a safe temperature in the central pharmacy, while reducing energy costs and enhancing efficiency.

5 Dec 2011

NASA-developed technology for treatment of hardened arteries in the heart

NASA has signed a patent license agreement that will allow a California company use of NASA-developed technology that could be used to treat hardened arteries in the heart.

3 Dec 2011

Hospital mergers with health systems, insurers and other hospitals trigger disputes

The legal back and forth over public records continues in Kentucky as the Jefferson County attorney's office, which represents Louisville, filed a lawsuit against the University of Louisville demanding the release of documents related to the pending three-hospital merger involving the university's hospital.

2 Dec 2011

Strengthening family planning services through investment, integration

In this post on Management Sciences for Health's (MSH) "Global Health Impact" blog, MSH President and CEO Jonathan Quick discusses how investing in family planning services and integrating those services into other health care initiatives can save money over the long term and strengthen health systems.

30 Nov 2011

Quick impact interventions have not benefited health MDGs equally

Serious global discussions have begun in the lead-up to the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) deadline of 2015. Governments and international agencies are asking what has been achieved, what still needs to be done and how best to proceed after the deadline.

29 Nov 2011

African countries lose billions of dollars training doctors who then leave for developed nations, study says

Nine African countries -- Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe – "have lost approximately $2 billion in their investment in doctors who have subsequently migrated abroad," with South Africa and Zimbabwe suffering "the greatest economic losses," according to a study published Friday in BMJ, VOA's "Breaking News" blog reports (11/25).

29 Nov 2011

Sub-Saharan African countries lose billions of dollars due to migration of doctors

Sub-Saharan African countries that train and invest in their doctors end up losing billions of dollars as the clinicians leave to work in developed nations, finds research published on bmj.com today.

24 Nov 2011

State roundup: Calif. retirees to retain health benefits; Emory, MinuteClinic partner in Ga.; Free services in Md.

Health benefits for government retirees may not be eliminated if state and local governments had clearly promised workers those benefits, the California Supreme Court ruled in an Orange County case Monday. The unanimous ruling is expected to make it more difficult for state and local governments to shave costs by cutting health benefits to retirees if elected officials in previous years made it clear that those benefits would last a lifetime.

23 Nov 2011

Lancet examines WHO Euro Health 2020 initiative

The Lancet examines Health 2020, "a 'process of consultation' between WHO Euro and its 53 diverse member states" that "will build partnerships to tackle the complex determinants and drivers of health and health equity."

19 Nov 2011