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Diabetic retinopathy: 5.3M U.S adults suffer

Despite major progress in diagnosis and treatment, diabetic retinopathy remains the major cause of blindness in adults under 60 in the U.S., said Thomas C. Lee, director, Retina Institute in The Vision Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, associate professor of clinical ophthalmology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and attending physician at Doheny Eye Institute.

12 Feb 2010

HHS Secretary issues statement after receiving letter from WellPoint

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius issued the following statement after receiving a letter from WellPoint Incorporated. The letter came after Sebelius called on Anthem Blue Cross to publicly justify its decision to raise premiums for its California customers by as much as 39 percent. WellPoint Incorporated is the parent company of Anthem Blue Cross and earned $2.7 billion in the last quarter of 2009.

12 Feb 2010

Study analyzes physicians and Medicare insurance claims to investigate volume-offset behavior

Do physicians provide more services to Medicare patients to make up for lower Medicare fees? With almost 42 million people enrolled in Medicare in the United States in 2008, it's a question that could have a very costly answer.

12 Feb 2010

WellPoint defends 39% premium hike in letter to Sebelius

The Associated Press/Washington Post: WellPoint, the parent company of Anthem Blue Cross "is blaming the Great Recession and rising medical costs for its planned 39 percent rate increase for some California customers of its Anthem Blue Cross plan. But Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius isn't buying the explanation proffered in a letter delivered to her" today.

11 Feb 2010

Calif. budget cuts will hit adult day care centers, prison health care; Texas and Kansas weigh Medicaid cuts

Under the most recent cost-saving budget proposals, 327 adult day healthcare centers throughout California would be eliminated. Cuts could save the state $135 million in fiscal 2011, state projections show.

11 Feb 2010

Medica Foundation awards grants totaling $604,940 in second cycle of funding

The Medica Foundation wrapped up its 2009 giving with 17 program grants totaling $473,690 in its second cycle of funding in 2009. The Medica Foundation also awarded 19 General Health Improvement Grants totaling $131,250. Funding by the Medica Foundation totaled $604,940 in its second cycle; for all of 2009, its total funding was $1,353,000.

11 Feb 2010

UC experts recommend binational prevention efforts for TB and HIV infections

The results of an innovative study to understand what factors may influence who contracts tuberculosis (TB)/HIV co-infection in San Diego show a significant shift in the ethnic makeup of the disease, with the majority of cases now coming from the Hispanic community.

11 Feb 2010

Research finds Mexican-Americans as most physically active group in U.S.

When it comes to meeting national health goals for physical activity, Mexican-Americans are the most active group in America and may benefit from exercise that researchers typically have not measured, according to research by scholars at the University of Chicago and Arizona State University.

11 Feb 2010

Medicaid and budget issues: California, Nevada officials outline dire scenarios for health services

"California is going to have to pay a $51.8 billion bill for health and dental benefits for state retirees, says state Controller John Chiang in a report to the Legislature Tuesday. 'Even as we try to claw our way out of the recession and provide needed cash to the state's coffers, we cannot ignore the promise that we made to pay health and dental benefits for current state employees and retirees,' says Mr. Chiang" (2/9).

11 Feb 2010

STDUniversity.org launches interactive, personalized STD test recommendation

STDUniversity.org is the first website to provide an interactive, personalized STD test recommendation developed by academic and medical experts. This expert-based tool incorporates screening guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF).

10 Feb 2010

Autism Speaks: Ten most significant autism research achievements in 2009

Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization has released its annual list of the 10 most significant research achievements to have impacted autism during the previous year. Every year, Autism Speaks documents the progress made toward its mission to discover the causes and treatment for autism spectrum disorders, and compiles a list of the 10 most significant research achievements to have impacted autism during the previous year.

10 Feb 2010

Sebelius to GOP: 'Don't get wrong impression' about Obama health summit

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports: "A day after President Barack Obama invited Republicans in Congress to a bipartisan health care summit, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said no one should get the wrong impression.

10 Feb 2010

Elan announces fourth-quarter and full-year financial results ended December 31, 2009

Elan Corporation, plc today reported its fourth quarter and full-year 2009 financial results and provides financial guidance for 2010.

10 Feb 2010

Kansas to downsize hospitals for disabled; Nevada may cut enrollment in programs for mentally ill and seniors

Kansas Health Institute reports on downsizing at hospitals for the developmentally disabled: "Admissions to Kansas Neurological Institute will be halted this summer and restricted at Parsons State Hospital, the state's top welfare agency official said today.

10 Feb 2010

GOP wary of talks while both sides express low expectations for health care summit

News outlets are focusing on political reaction to President Obama's Feb. 25 bipartisan summit on health care reform.

9 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 9, 2010

Today's headlines reveal more reactions to President Obama's bi-partisan health care summit. Chief among them are low expectations.

9 Feb 2010

Anthem Blue Cross raises premium by 39%: HHS Secretary calls for detailed public justification

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today sent a letter to Anthem Blue Cross and called on the company to publicly justify its decision to raise premiums for its California customers by as much as 39 percent. In her letter, Sebelius notes that the parent company of Anthem Blue Cross, WellPoint Incorporated earned $2.7 billion in the last quarter of 2009.

9 Feb 2010

States deal with small budgets, Medicaid cuts

Virginian-Pilot: Area hospitals are preparing "for a round of Medicaid spending cuts that executives say could be the worst in decades and lead to more cutbacks in their organizations. Rising health care costs and a surge in the number of Medicaid patients have increased the state's obligation to the government health insurance program for the poor and disabled by $777.7 million over two years.

9 Feb 2010

Sebelius urges Anthem Blue Cross to justify rate hike

Los Angeles Times: Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "called on Anthem Blue Cross on Monday to justify its controversial new rate hikes of as much as 39% for individual policyholders." Sebelius "voiced concerns" in a letter to Anthem's president. The new rates "go into effect March 1 for many of the insurer's estimated 800,000 individual policyholders" (Helfand, 2/8).

9 Feb 2010

Novavax to discontinue collaboration agreement with ROVI Pharmaceuticals

Novavax, Inc. announced today that the company has decided to discontinue negotiations in its pursuit of the previously announced collaboration with ROVI Pharmaceuticals to develop Novavax's virus-like-particle (VLP)-based vaccines against influenza in the country of Spain.

8 Feb 2010