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AtriCure announces definitive agreement with DOJ regarding surgical ablation devices

AtriCure, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATRC), a medical device company and a leader in cardiac surgical ablation systems, today announced that it has executed a definitive agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services to resolve the issues raised in the DOJ’s investigation and the related qui tam complaint regarding the marketing of the Company’s surgical ablation devices.

3 Feb 2010

Cognosante and Fox Systems announce merger

Fox Systems, a leader in Medicaid and HIPAA, and Cognosante, a leader in health information interoperability, today announced that the two companies have merged effective January 1, 2010. The combined company will be known as Cognosante, LLC, with Fox Systems operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cognosante.

3 Feb 2010

Ohio changes Medicaid drug program, N.C. weighs cuts in Medicaid personal care services

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Ohio's seven Medicaid managed care plans this month will make changes in the prescription drug plans that cover about 1.5 million people, although many of those beneficiaries will not face increased costs.

3 Feb 2010

ALEC commends Kansas legislators for filing Health Care Freedom Amendment

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) — the nation's largest nonpartisan individual membership association of state legislators — congratulates Kansas State Senator Mary Pilcher Cook and Representatives Peggy Mast and Brenda Landwehr for filing the Kansas Health Care Freedom Amendment, which would protect the right of individuals to make their own health care choices.

3 Feb 2010

Entelos awarded U.S. patent for apparatus and methods of assessing metabolic substrate utilization

Entelos, Inc., a simulation and modeling company focused on human health, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted U.S. Patent No. 7,654,955 entitled “Apparatus and Methods for Assessing Metabolic Substrate Utilization” to the Company. These methods further strengthen the Entelos® Metabolism PhysioLab® platform and leverage insights about human physiology that can lead to improved diagnosis, clinical testing, and personalized treatment across a highly variable patient population.

2 Feb 2010

HHS appoints new members to Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today the appointment of 24 new members to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). The PACHA’s chair, Dr. Helene Gayle, was appointed in August 2009.

2 Feb 2010

New online ratings provide patients with easy access to hospital infection rates

Far too many hospitals expose patients to deadly central-line bloodstream infections despite the availability of a simple life-saving checklist proven to prevent hospital acquired infections, says a new investigative article in the March issue of Consumer Reports.

2 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 2, 2010

Today's health policy headlines focus on highlights of President Obama's fiscal 2011 budget request and how it treats health-related programs. Meanwhile, in the background, health reform chatter continues.

2 Feb 2010

Long-term harmful effects of BPA exposure: Cereplast lauds FDA's demand for additional study

Cereplast, Inc., manufacturer of proprietary bio-based sustainable plastics, applauds the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for demanding increased study of the long-term effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure.

2 Feb 2010

Additional components of NDMS activated to help U.S. hospitals provide care to Haiti earthquake survivors

As part of the ongoing medical response to the Haiti earthquake, USAID, the agency coordinating the U.S. Government response, announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has activated additional components of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) to help U.S. hospitals provide care to critically ill survivors.

2 Feb 2010

Lawmakers seek details of Obama's closed-door meetings with health industry groups

"In a rare display of bipartisanship,… Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said he'd help Dr. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) seek information on the names of representatives from the pharmaceutical, device, hospital, doctor, and insurance sectors, who met with White House officials regarding healthcare reform," Medpage Today/ABC News reports.

2 Feb 2010

Health and Human Services would get boost under Obama's 2011 budget plan

News outlets report on how Health and Human Services fares under Obama's 2011 budget request.

1 Feb 2010

New mental health coverage rules promise to end some discrimination

Reuters: Employer-provided group health plans must offer the same level of coverage for mental illness and drug abuse treatment as for other ailments, according to federal regulations issued on Friday.

31 Jan 2010

Humedica to participate in 7th Annual Healthcare Conference

Humedica, a next-generation clinical informatics company, today announced that it will be presenting at Harvard Business School’s 7th Annual Healthcare Conference: “Policy Reform: An Inflection Point for Healthcare Management?” on Saturday, January 30, 2010.

30 Jan 2010

New rules providing parity for consumers enrolled in group health plans for treatment of mental disorders issued

The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury today jointly issued new rules providing parity for consumers enrolled in group health plans who need treatment for mental health or substance use disorders.

30 Jan 2010

Single payer bill passes Calif. Senate; Other states consider smaller health care changes

California's state Senate Thursday voted for a bill creating a single-payer health system Thursday.

30 Jan 2010

Surgeon General's report lays out recommendations to address childhood obesity

"As many as one in three children are overweight or obese, according to a new report" released yesterday by U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin.

30 Jan 2010

National summit on coordinated effort to fight health care fraud

Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today joined private sector leaders, law enforcement personnel and health care experts for a landmark National Summit on Health Care Fraud. The summit is the first national gathering on health care fraud between law enforcement and the private and public sectors and is part of the Obama Administration's coordinated effort to fight health care fraud.

29 Jan 2010

Experimental vaccine protects mice and monkeys against chikungunya virus

An experimental vaccine developed using non-infectious virus-like particles (VLP) has protected macaques and mice against chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne pathogen that has infected millions of people in Africa and Asia and causes debilitating pain, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found.

29 Jan 2010

ECRI Institute publishes Health Devices guidance article for hospitals

Electronic health records (EHRs) are the future of medical record keeping. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes incentive payments for hospitals that adopt an EHR, but the timetable for implementation is especially tight.

29 Jan 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

AtriCure announces definitive agreement with DOJ regarding surgical ablation devices

Cognosante and Fox Systems announce merger

Ohio changes Medicaid drug program, N.C. weighs cuts in Medicaid personal care services

ALEC commends Kansas legislators for filing Health Care Freedom Amendment

Entelos awarded U.S. patent for apparatus and methods of assessing metabolic substrate utilization

HHS appoints new members to Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS

New online ratings provide patients with easy access to hospital infection rates

First Edition: February 2, 2010

Long-term harmful effects of BPA exposure: Cereplast lauds FDA's demand for additional study

Additional components of NDMS activated to help U.S. hospitals provide care to Haiti earthquake survivors

Lawmakers seek details of Obama's closed-door meetings with health industry groups

Health and Human Services would get boost under Obama's 2011 budget plan

New mental health coverage rules promise to end some discrimination

Humedica to participate in 7th Annual Healthcare Conference

New rules providing parity for consumers enrolled in group health plans for treatment of mental disorders issued

Single payer bill passes Calif. Senate; Other states consider smaller health care changes

Surgeon General's report lays out recommendations to address childhood obesity

National summit on coordinated effort to fight health care fraud

Experimental vaccine protects mice and monkeys against chikungunya virus

ECRI Institute publishes Health Devices guidance article for hospitals

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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