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Unions, Democratic leaders and White House reach agreement on 'Cadillac' health insurance plans

Los Angeles Times: "The White House and labor leaders agreed Thursday on a formula to tax high-cost insurance plans, removing one of the last obstacles to President Obama's healthcare overhaul, officials said." Organized labor had staunchly opposed the proposed "Cadillac" tax, but as part of the agreement, "reached after an intense round of negotiations this week, union leaders dropped their opposition ... in exchange for concessions to limit its scope."

17 Jan 2010

Cardiac Science and MEDENT announce new partnership deal

Cardiac Science Corporation, a global leader in automated external defibrillator (AED) and diagnostic cardiac monitoring devices that connect to electronic medical record (EMR) and hospital information systems, today announced a partnership with MEDENT, a leading provider of practice automation and EMR/EHR systems.

13 Jan 2010

U.S. Department of Labor sues Mid-States Express for misusing employees' retirement and health benefit plans

The U.S. Department of Labor has sued the owners of bankrupt Mid-States Express Inc. of Aurora, Ill., for allegedly failing to protect the interests of the participants and beneficiaries in the company's 401(k) and health plans. The department's lawsuit alleges that Bruce Hartmann failed to disclose to employees that their medical bills were not likely to be paid, even as the company continued to take deductions from their paychecks for medical coverage.

13 Jan 2010

Nancy Pelosi: Insurance companies funneled between $10M and $20M to fund deceptive television ads

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on a news report (http://undertheinfluence.nationaljournal.com/2010/01/health-insurers-funded-chamber.php) showing that the nation's largest insurance companies funneled between $10 million and $20 million through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to fund deceptive television ads opposing health insurance reform.

13 Jan 2010

ACP supports equality of Medicaid and Medicare rates for primary care services

The American College of Physicians (ACP) today was one of 118 organizations that joined to send a letter to House and Senate leaders supporting equality of Medicaid and Medicare rates for primary care services.

13 Jan 2010

Studies suggest ways to prevent post-surgical infections in hospitals

Two new studies are suggesting relatively simple ways in which hospitals can prevent many post-surgical infections by killing bacteria the patients themselves bring in, according to Monday's New York Times.

13 Jan 2010

Labor leaders confront Obama on 'Cadillac' tax proposal

Labor leaders were invited to the White House to discuss negotiations to merge the House- and Senate-passed health overhaul packages.

12 Jan 2010

First Edition: January 12, 2010

Today's news coverage details developments related to pending health reform plans with President Obama's meeting with organized labor regarding the 'Cadillac' tax claiming a lot of headlines.

12 Jan 2010

Administration, labor leaders set stage for today's meeting regarding proposed 'Cadillac' tax

The president is expected to meet Monday afternoon with labor leaders who oppose a tax on high-cost insurance premiums that the president has backed, The Associated Press/The New York Times reports.

12 Jan 2010

Jobs numbers in health sector defy recession, more growth expected

As most sectors of the economy shed jobs last month, health care companies continued to defy the pattern and hire more people in a trend that's spanned more than two years, Kaiser Health News reports. The main reason is that people are reluctant to skip health care services, even when times are tight, economists say. That factor, combined with an aging population allowed health care business to grow, albeit more slowly than normal, even as the broader economy flagged (Weaver, 1/8).

12 Jan 2010

Obama to meet with labor leaders to push 'Cadillac' tax in health overhaul legislation

"President Barack Obama, facing growing resistance among Democrats over his support for taxing health benefits, will confront U.S. labor leaders and House lawmakers this week on the issue."

11 Jan 2010

SEIU-UHW members call for NLRB to schedule elections early

Healthcare workers at 26 California hospitals and nursing homes are seeking elections to join more than 55,000 other union members who have already chosen to stay united in the Service Employees International Union - United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), rather than switch to an organization formed by the union's ousted leaders.

9 Jan 2010

Medicare, fraud and abuse remains top health law issues for 2010

Health care reform will change, if not send shock waves through, virtually the entire field of health care law. That is the consensus of 24 health law practitioners from BNA's Health Law Reporter advisory board, in a survey conducted in December 2009.

9 Jan 2010

Renowned physician highlights digital medical devices at International CES 2010

Dr. Eric J. Topol, chief academic officer of Scripps Health and chief medical officer of the West Wireless Health Institute (WWHI), will join Qualcomm chairman and CEO Dr. Paul E. Jacobs during Jacobs' keynote at International CES on Friday, January 8, 2010, to highlight a variety of digital medical devices that offer physicians and consumers the ability to remotely monitor fitness, sleep, vital signs and pre-natal activity.

9 Jan 2010

House Democrats tussling on taxes, exchanges in health bill negotiations

The Washington Post: "Worried House Democrats held a caucus-wide conference call Thursday to strategize about health-care reform before lawmakers return to Washington next week. ... With Senate Democrats barely able to muster the 60 votes necessary to pass their own bill and President Obama leaning toward the Senate's position on some key issues, House Democrats are increasingly concerned that they could be marginalized at the bargaining table."

9 Jan 2010

Boston Scientific's PROMUS Everolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent System receives Japanese marketing approval

Boston Scientific Corporation announced today that it has received approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) to market its PROMUS® Everolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent System for the treatment of coronary artery disease. The Company plans to launch the product as soon as reimbursement approval is granted, which is expected in the coming weeks.

9 Jan 2010

Hurdles to clear in the Senate's reform endgame, and possible 2010 consequences

President Barack Obama met Thursday with Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn., the chairmen who steered the Senate's version of the health overhaul through the finance and health committees, Roll Call reports. It is one sign of Obama becoming an increasingly active participant as the debate nears its endgame (Drucker and Koffler, 1/7).

8 Jan 2010

Japanese MHLW approves Abbott's XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System

Abbott announced today that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has approved its XIENCE V® Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System for the treatment of coronary artery disease.

8 Jan 2010

Chamber of Commerce unleashes new health reform warning ads; other stakeholders emphasize affordability

"Business groups are continuing their air war against the health care overhaul efforts as Congressional Democrats inch closer to crafting the final plan." The coalition is led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which released new TV spots Thursday.

8 Jan 2010

Medsphere Systems announces new partnerships to promote EHR systems in healthcare facilities

Medsphere Systems Corporation, the leading provider of open source healthcare enterprise solutions, announced new partnerships with Network Infrastructure Technologies (NIT) Health, Inc., The Acacia Group LLC and M*D and suResources, Inc., to promote, implement and support the company's OpenVista electronic health record (EHR) solution among healthcare facilities throughout the country.

8 Jan 2010

Labor News and Research

Unions, Democratic leaders and White House reach agreement on 'Cadillac' health insurance plans

Cardiac Science and MEDENT announce new partnership deal

U.S. Department of Labor sues Mid-States Express for misusing employees' retirement and health benefit plans

Nancy Pelosi: Insurance companies funneled between $10M and $20M to fund deceptive television ads

ACP supports equality of Medicaid and Medicare rates for primary care services

Studies suggest ways to prevent post-surgical infections in hospitals

Labor leaders confront Obama on 'Cadillac' tax proposal

First Edition: January 12, 2010

Administration, labor leaders set stage for today's meeting regarding proposed 'Cadillac' tax

Jobs numbers in health sector defy recession, more growth expected

Obama to meet with labor leaders to push 'Cadillac' tax in health overhaul legislation

SEIU-UHW members call for NLRB to schedule elections early

Medicare, fraud and abuse remains top health law issues for 2010

Renowned physician highlights digital medical devices at International CES 2010

House Democrats tussling on taxes, exchanges in health bill negotiations

Boston Scientific's PROMUS Everolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent System receives Japanese marketing approval

Hurdles to clear in the Senate's reform endgame, and possible 2010 consequences

Japanese MHLW approves Abbott's XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System

Chamber of Commerce unleashes new health reform warning ads; other stakeholders emphasize affordability

Medsphere Systems announces new partnerships to promote EHR systems in healthcare facilities

Achieving and maintaining ISO 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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