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What is the formula for sustainable healthcare reform?

A new report, released today by the Manhattan Institute's Center for Medical Progress and authored Douglas Holtz-Eakin, the former Director of the Congressional Budget Office, makes the fiscal and political case for bipartisan healthcare reform.

18 May 2009

General Motors, United Auto Workers nearing deal to use company stock for half of VEBA obligation, sources say

General Motors and the United Auto Workers are close to finalizing a deal that would reduce the automaker's cash obligation to a retiree health care trust fund, according to people with knowledge of the matter, the Wall Street Journal reports.

15 May 2009

Senate Finance Committee holds second closed-door meeting on health care reform; details of House Energy and Commerce Committee overhaul plan leaked

The Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday both worked on health care proposals aimed at overhauling the U.S. health care system, CQ Today reports.

15 May 2009

Urgent Care Centers: Between the ER and the family doctor

Urgent care centers (UCCs) are providing an alternative to emergency room treatment. A study published in the open access journal BMC Health Services Research has shown that UCCs tend to be open well outside of office hours and offer a wider range of services than primary care offices.

14 May 2009

Editorial says, Obama is “right to push for health care reform”

President Obama is "right to push for [health care] reform now, despite calls to postpone efforts solely on the economic recovery," a Philadelphia Inquirer editorial states.

14 May 2009

Senate Finance Committee to discuss public plan options; House Energy and Commerce Committee discusses state, regional plans

The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday will meet to discuss the inclusion of a public insurance plan in its health care reform legislation, the Des Moines Register reports (Beaumont, Des Moines Register, 5/14). Supporters of the public plan say it would allow middle-income workers a choice between their employer coverage and coverage offered by the government. The insurance industry and Republican lawmakers oppose such a plan.

14 May 2009

Independent pharmacists raise concerns over letters from CVS Caremark indicating members must pay higher copayments at non-CVS pharmacies

An unidentified trade group representing independent pharmacies on Wednesday plans to send to Federal Trade Commission Chair Jon Leibowitz a series of letters from pharmacy benefits manager CVS Caremark that indicate the PBM charges higher copayment rates for some of its members who opt to fill their prescriptions at pharmacies other than CVS, the Wall Street Journal reports.

13 May 2009

Medicare will not cover virtual colonoscopies, CMS Says

CMS on Tuesday announced a final decision to end Medicare coverage for virtual colonoscopies, also known as CT colonographies, the Wall Street Journal reports (Yoest, Wall Street Journal, 5/13).

13 May 2009

Medicare hospital fund will be insolvent by 2017, two years earlier than expected, trustees say

The trust fund that Medicare uses to pay for beneficiaries' hospital care will be insolvent by 2017, as the program since last year has been paying out more than it collects in taxes and interest, in part due to the worsening economy, according to a Medicare Payment Advisory Commission report issued Tuesday, the Washington Times reports.

13 May 2009

Medicare information for caregivers now available on NIHSeniorHealth

If you're caring for an older friend or family member, you've probably had questions about Medicare, the federal health insurance program for adults 65 and older and people under age 65 with disabilities.

13 May 2009

Health industry groups pledge to reduce spending; some health advocates express skepticism about plan

As President Obama on Monday met with health care industry groups regarding their pledge to reduce $2 trillion in expected health care spending increases over the next 10 years, many health care advocates expressed skepticism about the promise, the Hartford Courant reports (Levick, Hartford Courant, 5/12).

12 May 2009

Obama calls for additional taxes to offset budgeting mistakes that overstated revenue for health reform

The Obama administration on Monday proposed $58 billion worth of new taxes in response to findings that returns from the original funding mechanism for President Obama's health care plan were overstated, the AP/Boston Globe reports (Ohlemacher, AP/Boston Globe, 5/11).

12 May 2009

Healthy living helps older, overweight cancer survivors reduce functional decline

A home-based diet and exercise program reduced the rate of functional decline among older, overweight long-term survivors of colorectal, breast and prostate cancer, according to a study in the May 13 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical.

12 May 2009

Early Alzheimer's diagnosis could reduce fiscal burden

Early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease could save millions or even billions of dollars while simultaneously improving care, according to new work by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers.

12 May 2009

Hospitals' efforts to reduce readmissions not recognized under current payment model

Hospitals' efforts to reduce the portion of patients who are readmitted for follow-up care are proving successful in many cases, but even though the moves often result in savings for insurers, the hospitals do not necessarily benefit financially, the New York Times reports. Because insurer payments are based on treatments provided rather than the health of patients, hospitals can "actually lose money by providing better care," the Times reports.

12 May 2009

HHS will release guidance on 'meaningful use' of health IT this summer, Blumenthal says

HHS soon will issue guidance and specifications on the definition of "meaningful use" of health information technology, National Coordinator for Health IT David Blumenthal said on Friday, CongressDaily reports (Noyes, CongressDaily, 5/8). "Meaningful use is very much on our mind," he said, adding, "We hope to provide a direction and some specifications in the late spring, early summer" (Goldstein, "Health Blog," Wall Street Journal, 5/8).

12 May 2009

Health industry members vow to reduce spending by $2 trillion over next 10 years; savings could help finance reform

Leading health care industry groups on Monday are expected to pledge to President Obama that they will attempt to reduce $2 trillion in expected health care spending increases over the next 10 years, Obama administration officials said on Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reports (Adamy, Wall Street Journal, 5/11).

12 May 2009

Senior Medicare beneficiaries give their coverage higher ratings than do those with ESI

Elderly Medicare beneficiaries are more satisfied with their health care, and experience fewer problems accessing and paying for care, than Americans with employer-sponsored insurance (ESI), according to a study by Commonwealth Fund researchers published today on the Health Affairs Web site.

12 May 2009

Two government reports show little progress in improving patient safety; reducing racial, ethnic health disparities

The U.S. has not made substantial improvement in narrowing health care disparities among racial and ethnic groups, nor has it improved quality of care, according to two Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports released on Wednesday by HHS, Politico reports (Allen, Politico, 5/6).

7 May 2009

Obama to propose $17 billion in budget cuts

President Obama on Thursday will propose a detailed fiscal year 2010 budget that reduces or eliminates 121 programs to save an additional $17 billion, the New York Times reports (Calmes, New York Times, 5/7).

7 May 2009

Medicare News and Research

What is the formula for sustainable healthcare reform?

General Motors, United Auto Workers nearing deal to use company stock for half of VEBA obligation, sources say

Senate Finance Committee holds second closed-door meeting on health care reform; details of House Energy and Commerce Committee overhaul plan leaked

Urgent Care Centers: Between the ER and the family doctor

Editorial says, Obama is “right to push for health care reform”

Senate Finance Committee to discuss public plan options; House Energy and Commerce Committee discusses state, regional plans

Independent pharmacists raise concerns over letters from CVS Caremark indicating members must pay higher copayments at non-CVS pharmacies

Medicare will not cover virtual colonoscopies, CMS Says

Medicare hospital fund will be insolvent by 2017, two years earlier than expected, trustees say

Medicare information for caregivers now available on NIHSeniorHealth

Health industry groups pledge to reduce spending; some health advocates express skepticism about plan

Obama calls for additional taxes to offset budgeting mistakes that overstated revenue for health reform

Healthy living helps older, overweight cancer survivors reduce functional decline

Early Alzheimer's diagnosis could reduce fiscal burden

Hospitals' efforts to reduce readmissions not recognized under current payment model

HHS will release guidance on 'meaningful use' of health IT this summer, Blumenthal says

Health industry members vow to reduce spending by $2 trillion over next 10 years; savings could help finance reform

Senior Medicare beneficiaries give their coverage higher ratings than do those with ESI

Two government reports show little progress in improving patient safety; reducing racial, ethnic health disparities

Obama to propose $17 billion in budget cuts

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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