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Changes in CMS reimbursement to accelerate demand for cardiac PET imaging

Positron Corporation a molecular imaging solutions company focused on Nuclear Cardiology, expects the evolution from cardiac SPECT to cardiac PET imaging will be greatly accelerated with the recent changes in reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) set for 2010.

13 Nov 2009

Cardiac Science and Cambridge Heart team up to develop MTWA module

Cardiac Science Corporation [NASDAQ: CSCX], a global leader in automated external defibrillator (AED) and diagnostic cardiac monitoring devices, and Cambridge Heart, Inc., [OTCBB-CAMH], a developer of noninvasive diagnostic tests for cardiac disease, with a focus on identifying those at risk for sudden cardiac arrest, today announced a partnership pursuant to a Development, Supply and Distribution Agreement Cambridge Heart previously announced on June 23, 2009.

13 Nov 2009

CMS approves FDG PET for initial staging of cervical cancer

SNM applauds the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services- (CMS) decision to expand coverage of FDG PET for the initial staging of cervical cancer without previously imposed restrictions.

13 Nov 2009

Healthcare Innovative Solutions and MOSS collaborate to build Health Information Exchanges

Healthcare Innovative Solutions, a full-service clinical consulting firm, today announced a partnership with Misys Open Source Solutions (MOSS), a division of Misys plc, to provide the healthcare community with the consultancy services and open source technology necessary to build Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) -- technological infrastructures that enable the exchange of health information across disparate systems.

13 Nov 2009

Kaiser NW to pay $1.83M for settling False Claims Act liability

Kaiser Foundation Hospitals - Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest and Northwest Permanente P.C., Physicians & Surgeons (collectively, Kaiser NW) has agreed to pay the United States $1,830,322.41 to settle False Claims Act liability, the Justice Department announced today.

13 Nov 2009

African-Americans more likely to die from colorectal cancer than Caucasians, says new study

New research published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that African-American patients with colorectal cancer are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease and are less likely to undergo surgical procedures compared with Caucasians, suggesting that improvements in screening and rates of operation may reduce differences in colorectal cancer outcomes for African-Americans.

13 Nov 2009

Senators won't grow deficit without a cost-cutting commission

Congress may outsource its tough budgetary decisions, if moderate, deficit-anxious lawmakers their way. "Several U.S. senators said on Tuesday they probably could force Congress to cede some control to a bipartisan commission that would tackle the United States' looming budget crisis," Reuters reports.

13 Nov 2009

BMC and Clear One Health Plans team up to offer first Focused Patient Care Model

Bend Memorial Clinic (BMC), the largest provider of quality, comprehensive and convenient physician healthcare in Central Oregon, has joined with Clear One Health Plans to offer the region’s first Focused Patient Care Model, similar to a Medical Home Model, beginning January 1, 2010. BMC’s team of more than 100 physicians and other providers care for approximately 3,800 Clear One Medicare Advantage members all of whom will qualify for the program.

13 Nov 2009

Timeline, vote counting continue to be central To Senate health overhaul

The Associated Press reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is considering higher payroll taxes on "upper-income earners to help finance health care legislation.

13 Nov 2009

Details emerge for possible Medicare payroll tax in Senate health bill

Bloomberg: "White House Budget Director Peter Orszag said a proposal to apply Medicare taxes to capital gains earned by wealthy Americans as part of health-overhaul legislation is 'in play' in order to scale back a proposed levy on high-end insurance plans." Orszag made these comments while speaking at the Bloomberg Washington Summit today.

12 Nov 2009

Humana CEO: No no regrets about sending warning letters to Medicare customers

Humana's CEO says he does not regret sending Medicare customers a letter warning that health care reform could hurt their benefits. The letters caused government officials to probe whether the insurer violated federal regulations in September.

12 Nov 2009

AARP leader provides powerful voice for seniors and health care

John Rother tries to dispel myths and quell fears that seniors may have about health care reform as a leader at the powerful lobby and senior group AARP.

12 Nov 2009

Making end-of-life wishes known is rare; more hospice care could save Medicare money

Because Medicare beneficiaries account "for the vast majority of U.S. deaths" the treatment people receive "in the last year of life accounts for roughly a quarter of Medicare's budget." Dr. Joel Policzer, a medical director for a hospice, says that often "a dying elderly patient may have wanted less invasive care. But it doesn't happen.

12 Nov 2009

Activists worry immigration arguments will hamper hispanic health care

The Washington Post reports that Hispanic lawmakers and groups are "scrambling to develop a strategy to counter what they see as efforts to shortchange immigrants in health bills on Capitol Hill."

12 Nov 2009

American Medical Alert announces operating results for the third quarter of 2009

American Medical Alert Corp. a provider of healthcare communication services and advanced telehealth monitoring technologies, today announced operating results for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009.

12 Nov 2009

Medical Facilities announces financial results for the third quarter of 2009

Medical Facilities Corporation, today reported its financial results for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2009. All amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars unless indicated otherwise.

12 Nov 2009

54% of Americans are inconsistent in taking prescriptions, reveals survey

A new survey finds that 54 percent of Americans say they do not consistently take prescriptions as instructed even though 87 percent believe prescription medicines are important to their health – pointing to a growing public health problem.

12 Nov 2009

New strategies required to curb health care spending: Study

Slowing the growth in U.S. health care spending will most likely require adoption of an array of strategies as well as an improved approach to moving promising strategies into widespread use, according to a new analysis by the RAND Corporation.

12 Nov 2009

U.S. News & World Report rates HealthPlus' plans as one of the nation's best for the fifth year in a row

For the fifth year in a row, HealthPlus of Michigan's commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans are recognized by U.S. News & World Report/NCQA as among the nation's best.

12 Nov 2009

Health care legislation not fair to Hispanic small businesses and families

A number of Hispanic organizations have united to address major problems with the health care legislation passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and urge the Senate to come up with a bipartisan solution for real healthcare reform. They are especially concerned the health care legislation will create a greater tax burden and unfair government mandates on Hispanic small businesses and families. During this critical health care debate, these organizations want their voices to be heard and believe that the current approach will lead to loss of jobs and reduced wages for Hispanic workers.

12 Nov 2009