Medicare News and Research

RSS

Bravo Health to open its first Advanced Care Center in Philadelphia

Bravo Health today announced that the first Bravo Health Advanced Care Center (the Center) will open in Philadelphia in January 2010. The Center, an innovative, state-of-the-art outpatient physician practice designed to meet the health care needs of Bravo Health members, will be located in a new building being constructed at 1010 W. Lehigh Avenue in North Philadelphia.

16 Nov 2009

Both sides puzzle over abortion amendment in House health bill

Newspapers continue to report on the Stupak amendment to the House health bill and how it will affect access to abortion.

16 Nov 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

Many liberals remain angry and disappointed that single-payer legislation never stood a chance in Washington. To them, a government-run health-care system seemed an obvious way to put patients ahead of profits. But a single-payer system would have put us at the mercy of whomever happened to take control of Washington (Maggie Mahar, 11/15).

16 Nov 2009

2009 report: False Medicare claims cost government more than $47 billion

The Associated Press: "The government paid more than $47 billion in questionable Medicare claims including medical treatment showing little relation to a patient's condition, wasting taxpayer dollars at a rate nearly three times the previous year.

16 Nov 2009

Cambridge Heart announces financial results for the third quarter of 2009

Cambridge Heart, Inc., today reported results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2009. The following financial and strategic items highlight the Company’s activity for the third quarter.

16 Nov 2009

HIRC recognizes CDPHP for offering best disease management program in upstate New York

Health Dialog Services Corporation, a leading provider of healthcare decision programs, today announced that its client, Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Inc. (CDPHP®), has been recognized by the Health Industries Research Cos. (HIRC) for offering the best disease management program in upstate New York.

16 Nov 2009

Genetic test for familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy launched by PGxHealth

PGxHealth, a division of Clinical Data, Inc., today announced the launch of its genetic test for familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy, an inherited heart disease which is the leading cause of heart transplants and a possible cause of sudden cardiac death.

16 Nov 2009

PhotoMedex to host free seminar to fight against psoriasis with XTRAC Excimer Lasers

PhotoMedex, Inc. a leading provider of advanced dermatology, clinical skincare and medical laser products, is hosting a free seminar in Indianapolis, IN on November 17, 2009.

16 Nov 2009

First Edition: October 16, 2009

News reports continue to focus on the landmines that exist within health reform proposals.

16 Nov 2009

HealthPartners' health plans ranked top in Minnesota

HealthPartners is among the top 25 best private health plans in the nation and the top ranked plan in Minnesota according to U.S. News & World Report/NCQA “America's Best Health Insurance Plans 2009-10.” The report measures how well health plans perform on 50 measures of health care and member satisfaction. Two hundred thirty nine health plans from across the nation are included in the report. The top 50 health plans, including HealthPartners, are listed in the Nov. 16, 2009 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.

16 Nov 2009

Concuity announces the new release of ClearContracts 9.0

Concuity, a healthcare division of Trintech (Nasdaq: TTPA) and a leading provider of Revenue Cycle Management technology and services, announced the new release of ClearContracts(TM) 9.0. Used by the largest and most sophisticated hospital systems in the U.S., ClearContracts(TM) is a web-based suite of software that enables healthcare providers to meet all of their managed care and revenue recovery goals.

16 Nov 2009

AMA calls for swift passage of the H.R. 3961

Urging swift passage of a bill to repeal the broken Medicare physician payment formula that threatens seniors' access to care, the AMA added a new dimension to its Medicare campaign today with radio ads airing in markets across the nation. In addition to the ads, the AMA is activating its nationwide grassroots network of patients and physicians and intensifying communication to physicians through online and social media.

16 Nov 2009

Medicare open enrollment starts Sunday, premiums will rise 11 percent on average

U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News reports that seniors who participate in Medicare Part D's will likely notice significant changes during this year's open enrollment period, which begins Nov. 15. "Monthly premiums will rise 11 percent to $38.94, on average, according to an analysis published by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. That's up 50 percent from 2006, the first year that Medicare Part D drug benefits were offered."

16 Nov 2009

Feds overlooked Medicare scam warnings, The AP reports

The Associated Press reports that the Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services "received roughly 30 warnings from inspectors (on suspected Medicare fraud) over three years during the Bush and Obama administrations but didn't respond to half of them, even after repeated letters." The news story was based on records received from Sen. Chuck Grassley's office.

16 Nov 2009

CMS report on House health bill: Many more insured means more, not less, spending

The Associated Press: "Overall spending on health care would rise as a result of legislation approved a week ago by the House, and billions of dollars in projected savings contained in the measure will be difficult to maintain, according to a report by a top official at the agency that oversees Medicare.

16 Nov 2009

CCH issues a special Briefing on employer and Medicaid-related provisions

CCH has issued a special Briefing on the employer and Medicare- and Medicaid-related provisions in the House version of health care reform, detailing provisions of the legislation approved on November 7.

16 Nov 2009

Health reform: Senate prepares for CBO estimate; GOP on attack

News outlets covering the health reform debate noted that Republicans are continuing their arguments against Democratic legislation and outlined what might happen in the coming week in the Senate.

16 Nov 2009

GeckoSystems starts in home evaluation trials for CareBot

GeckoSystems Intl. Corp. (http://www.geckosystems.com/) announced today that they are starting limited in home evaluation trials for their first product, a personal companion home care robot, the CareBot™.

16 Nov 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

Unless you find more realistic ways of paying for the promises included in the bill, you are simply setting up the public for more frustration -- and yourselves for a political backlash (David Broder, 11/13).

13 Nov 2009

Insurer recruits employees to oppose health bills, angers consumer group

"In an aggressive new effort to influence the congressional health care debate, UnitedHealth Group this week e-mailed its 75,000 U.S. employees, urging them to contact their senators and providing two form letters attacking specific legislative proposals," the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

13 Nov 2009