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Medicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the states and federal government, and is managed by the states.

Cindy Mann to lead Center for Medicaid and State Operations

CQ HealthBeat reports on reactions to Cindy Mann’s appointment as Director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations, noting that liberals are hailing her appointment and "saying she'll counter steps taken by the Bush administration to tighten eligibility and alter benefits."

2 Jun 2009

Local groups react to proposed changes in Medicare and Medicaid

Local news coverage details concerns about Medicare and Medicaid spending reductions that could affect senior and nursing care.

2 Jun 2009

Daschle gives health reform 50-50 chance of passing

Even as President Barack Obama set August as a "make-or-break" deadline for overhauling the health care system, Tom Daschle, initally tapped by Obama to run the reform effort, predicted a "50-50 chance that something's going to pass."

2 Jun 2009

Inflammatory bowel disease on the rise in specific populations

Researchers are making great strides in understanding the development and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, a chronic inflammatory condition of the digestive tract that affects more than a half million Americans, according to several studies being presented at Digestive Disease Week® 2009 (DDW®). DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians and researchers in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.

1 Jun 2009

Sen. Kennedy circulates draft of health reform legislation

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) is circulating an outline of health care overhaul legislation that includes a requirement that all individuals obtain coverage and requires contributions from employers, the Washington Post reports.

31 May 2009

California official details proposed health care cuts in Schwarzenegger's budget plan

California Department of Finance Chief Deputy Director Ana Matosantos on Tuesday discussed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) plans to address the state budget deficit in part by cutting Medi-Cal spending and eliminating Healthy Families, the Sacramento Bee reports.

27 May 2009

Pledges to reduce health care costs, spending growth could violate antitrust laws, lawyers say

U.S. antitrust laws could affect health care industry groups' efforts to work together to rein in health care costs, the New York Times reports (Pear, New York Times, 5/27).

27 May 2009

Financial contracts to care for sick or aging relatives adding legal twist to family health care

Financial contracts to care for sick or aging relatives - nearly unthinkable just a decade ago - are drawing new interest as everyday Americans wrestle with the time and expense of providing long-term health care, a University of Illinois legal expert says.

27 May 2009

Rep. Wolf says entitlement programs could affect U.S. bond rating

Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) on Friday in a letter to President Obama said that the U.S. could lose its triple-A bond rating if Congress does not act quickly to overhaul U.S. entitlement programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, and reduce federal debt, the AP/Detroit News reports.

26 May 2009

Obama says he is 'absolutely committed' to health reform

During a C-SPAN interview on Saturday, President Obama said he remains "absolutely committed" to overhauling the U.S. health care system despite obstacles that might surface during reform efforts, the Los Angeles Times reports (Dorning, Los Angeles Times, 5/24).

26 May 2009

Comparison key to lower drug costs, better outcomes

Patients can expect significant savings and better outcomes from their prescription medications when health care professionals use comparative effectiveness research, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

22 May 2009

Health information technology lobby group rallies support for certification group; critics question group's ties

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society has asked HHS to give the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology authorization to determine which electronic health records systems can receive funding from the economic stimulus package, the Washington Post reports. In a letter dated April 27 to HHS officials, HIMSS officials wrote, "To ensure continuity, recognize CCHIT as the certifying body" of EHRs.

22 May 2009

Department of Justice, HHS boosts number of investigators, prosecutors looking at Medicare, Medicaid fraud

HHS and the Department of Justice on Wednesday launched the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team to detect and prevent fraud in Medicare and Medicaid, the Washington Post reports (Johnson, Washington Post, 5/21).

22 May 2009

Senate Finance Committee discusses funding for health reform in final 'walk through' meeting

The Senate Finance Committee met Wednesday to discuss potential funding mechanisms for health reform legislation but indicated that no concrete decisions had been reached, The Hill reports.

22 May 2009

Republicans introduce health reform plan that would provide tax credits to purchase health coverage, establish state insurance exchanges

Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Reps. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Wednesday introduced the Patients' Choice Act (S 1099, HR 2520), a counter proposal to Democratic health care reform plans that would create state-based health insurance exchanges and provide U.S. residents tax credits to subsidize coverage premiums, Roll Call reports (Drucker [1], Roll Call, 5/20).

22 May 2009

Republicans to introduce health reform plan that would establish state health insurance exchanges, provide tax credits

Congressional Republicans are releasing two health care reform proposals -- one from conservatives and one from moderates -- as alternatives to plans by Democrats, CQ Today reports (Wayne, CQ Today, 5/19).

20 May 2009

Atherotech receives patent for ApoB measurement for determining heart disease risk

Atherotech, Inc., developer of the VAP Cholesterol Test, has announced it has received a patent on its method to derive and report apolipoprotein B100 (apoB) using the Vertical Auto Profile (VAP) technology. The patent recognizes the unique ability of the VAP Cholesterol Test to accurately report apoB, the next milestone in heart disease risk assessment.

19 May 2009

Sixteen States, DOJ join whistle-blower lawsuits alleging Wyeth defrauded Medicaid programs

The U.S. Department of Justice and 16 states have joined two whistle-blower lawsuits filed in federal District Court in Massachusetts alleging that Wyeth defrauded the government by not offering the same discounts on two medications to Medicaid that it offered to hospitals, the Wall Street Journal reports.

19 May 2009

Los Angeles Times examines increase in Caesarean births, related rise in risk, cost

Caesarean sections -- which are performed in 31% of births, up from 4.5% in 1965 -- often are considered an unnecessary risk and "an example of how the intensive and expensive U.S. brand of medicine has failed to deliver better results and may, in fact, be doing more harm than good," the Los Angeles Times reports.

19 May 2009

Senate Finance Committee releases policy paper describing options to pay for health overhaul

Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Monday released a 41-page document outlining policy options for financing health care reform, The Hill reports (Young, The Hill, 5/18).

19 May 2009

Medicaid News and Research

Cindy Mann to lead Center for Medicaid and State Operations

Local groups react to proposed changes in Medicare and Medicaid

Daschle gives health reform 50-50 chance of passing

Inflammatory bowel disease on the rise in specific populations

Sen. Kennedy circulates draft of health reform legislation

California official details proposed health care cuts in Schwarzenegger's budget plan

Pledges to reduce health care costs, spending growth could violate antitrust laws, lawyers say

Financial contracts to care for sick or aging relatives adding legal twist to family health care

Rep. Wolf says entitlement programs could affect U.S. bond rating

Obama says he is 'absolutely committed' to health reform

Comparison key to lower drug costs, better outcomes

Health information technology lobby group rallies support for certification group; critics question group's ties

Department of Justice, HHS boosts number of investigators, prosecutors looking at Medicare, Medicaid fraud

Senate Finance Committee discusses funding for health reform in final 'walk through' meeting

Republicans introduce health reform plan that would provide tax credits to purchase health coverage, establish state insurance exchanges

Republicans to introduce health reform plan that would establish state health insurance exchanges, provide tax credits

Atherotech receives patent for ApoB measurement for determining heart disease risk

Sixteen States, DOJ join whistle-blower lawsuits alleging Wyeth defrauded Medicaid programs

Los Angeles Times examines increase in Caesarean births, related rise in risk, cost

Senate Finance Committee releases policy paper describing options to pay for health overhaul

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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