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SCAN members in Maricopa County now have access to three local hospitals

SCAN Health Plan Arizona announced today that Scottsdale Healthcare joined the health plan's provider network, effective immediately.

9 Oct 2009

Generic medicines and mail-service pharmacies are viable options for reducing health care costs

Many consumers looking for ways to reduce their health care costs are taking potentially dangerous steps such as foregoing prescription drug medications altogether or skipping necessary refills, according to a new survey from Consumer Reports.

9 Oct 2009

Public plan debated as health proposals come closer to floor votes, unions pressure lawmakers

Unions and some lawmakers are continuing their efforts to have a government-run public plan included in health reform legislation.

9 Oct 2009

Series of national television public service advertisements to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu virus

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is joining with The Ad Council to launch a series of national television public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to encourage Americans to take steps to protect themselves from the 2009 H1N1 flu virus.

9 Oct 2009

Harborside Healthcare to pay $1.375M to resolve kickback allegations

Harborside Healthcare and HHC Nutrition Services will pay the United States $1.375 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that the company received kickbacks and assistance under the guise of a sham durable medical equipment (DME) provider, the Justice Department announced today.

9 Oct 2009

CBO: Over 10 years, finance health reform bill will cost $829 billion but reduce deficit

The Congressional Budget Office yesterday released its updated cost estimates for the health bill being considered by the Senate Finance Committee.

9 Oct 2009

Coburn opposes Medicare Part B premiums freeze, Mccain calls drug pact 'unsavory'

Health care news is emerging from the Senate besides the Finance Committee bill.

9 Oct 2009

Children's Hospital Boston conference explores innovative ways to transform the national Health IT system

As government, industry and academic leaders work to transform the nation's health information system, there is increasing interest in the notion of a national health information network in which consumers can actively engage, and which can provide the foundation for an "iPhone-like" ecosystem of applications to compete on price and value.

9 Oct 2009

Today's editorials and opinions

As Congress debates the costs of reforming our health-care system, it should consider one significant collateral cost of not acting: maintaining the world's highest rate of incarceration (Tracy Velazquez, 10/7).

9 Oct 2009

NAMM to provide Humana members with convenient access to quality care

North American Medical Management California, Inc. (NAMM) and Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) announced today a long-term agreement enabling Humana’s Medicare Advantage health maintenance organization (HMO) members to receive medical care through PrimeCare Medical Network, Inc. (PrimeCare), an affiliate of NAMM and operating in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

9 Oct 2009

GOP continues health reform opposition, quotes concerned Democrats

"Congressional Republicans fired back Wednesday at the White House public relations campaign for health-care reform, highlighting concerns voiced by two Democratic governors about a possible expansion of Medicaid," The Washington Post reports. The cost of Medicaid is "already driving states to the fiscal brink."

8 Oct 2009

Study indicates key credentials of practitioners need to be verified regularly

An observational study conducted by Medversant Technologies, LLC, (www.medversant.com), the nation’s exclusive provider of AutoVerifi™ technology (U.S. Patent 7,529,682) that continuously monitors Web-based credentials verification solutions for hospitals, health plans, state Medicaid programs, and other healthcare settings, determined that of 29,845 healthcare practitioners with professed current medical licensure, 1.9 percent were practicing without a license and 18.7 percent were flagged with one or more “adverse findings” – including malpractice, expired license, and credentials falsification.

8 Oct 2009

UPMC's Chief Financial Officer to be the guest speaker at 25th anniversary celebrations of Rainbow Kitchen

Rainbow Kitchen celebrates its 25th year of service to the Pittsburgh community this month, at a time when a new period of economic hardship means that the help the organization provides to families and individuals is needed more than ever.

8 Oct 2009

Insurer denies out-of-network liver transplants, lawsuit filed

A trial beginning next week targeting the nation's largest health insurer and its California subsidiary for allegedly automatically denying requests for out-of-network liver transplants will help shed light on the need for stronger health reform than is currently being considered, according to Consumer Watchdog. The group urged President Obama, White House representatives, and the national news media to follow the trial.

8 Oct 2009

NCG Medical takes part in new CCHIT certification program

NCG Medical announces Perfect Care EHR®'s participation in The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology's (CCHIT®) new certification program.

8 Oct 2009

Medsphere Systems urges hospitals to meet EHR implementation deadline to avail maximum federal funding

Medsphere Systems Corporation, the leading provider of open source healthcare IT solutions, today announced that hospitals that sign a contract before December 31, 2009 to implement the OpenVista open source electronic health record (EHR) are guaranteed to achieve full implementation and meet federal meaningful use standards by January 31, 2011.

8 Oct 2009

New web-based tool to strengthen informed patient consent process launched

Krames, the leader in patient education, has announced the release of Krames Patient Consent, a comprehensive web-based tool designed to strengthen and streamline every aspect of the informed consent process.

8 Oct 2009

Senate Finance health reform bill still facing challenges from Committee Democrats

Chairman Max Baucus is trying to hold his own party together on the health reform package soon to be considered by the Senate Finance Committee even as the impact on the deficit and taxes make some Democrats question the measure.

8 Oct 2009

Rite Aid pharmacists provide regular seasonal flu shots to help prevent flu

Patients have more options than ever this year at their local Rite Aid pharmacy to help prevent the flu. More than 2,000 Rite Aid certified immunizing pharmacists in more than 1,500 Rite Aid stores have been giving regular seasonal flu shots and will continue to do so throughout the flu season.

8 Oct 2009

Annual benefits open enrollment period for AvMed Health Plans begins

It's that time of year again. The annual benefits open enrollment period for the majority of AvMed Health Plans' large group clients, (50 or more eligible employees), began September 1 and will continue through mid-December 2009.

8 Oct 2009

Medicare News and Research

SCAN members in Maricopa County now have access to three local hospitals

Generic medicines and mail-service pharmacies are viable options for reducing health care costs

Public plan debated as health proposals come closer to floor votes, unions pressure lawmakers

Series of national television public service advertisements to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu virus

Harborside Healthcare to pay $1.375M to resolve kickback allegations

CBO: Over 10 years, finance health reform bill will cost $829 billion but reduce deficit

Coburn opposes Medicare Part B premiums freeze, Mccain calls drug pact 'unsavory'

Children's Hospital Boston conference explores innovative ways to transform the national Health IT system

Today's editorials and opinions

NAMM to provide Humana members with convenient access to quality care

GOP continues health reform opposition, quotes concerned Democrats

Study indicates key credentials of practitioners need to be verified regularly

UPMC's Chief Financial Officer to be the guest speaker at 25th anniversary celebrations of Rainbow Kitchen

Insurer denies out-of-network liver transplants, lawsuit filed

NCG Medical takes part in new CCHIT certification program

Medsphere Systems urges hospitals to meet EHR implementation deadline to avail maximum federal funding

New web-based tool to strengthen informed patient consent process launched

Senate Finance health reform bill still facing challenges from Committee Democrats

Rite Aid pharmacists provide regular seasonal flu shots to help prevent flu

Annual benefits open enrollment period for AvMed Health Plans begins

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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