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DialysisPPO files provisional patent for dialysis cost containment

DialysisPPO, a Pennsylvania Corporation providing cost containment solutions to the health plan market, has filed a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) covering its business method that enables health plans to significantly lower their exposure to the high cost of dialysis services while simultaneously improving the benefits to plan participants.

2 Jun 2008

Prime Healthcare to acquire three hospitals from Tenet Healthcare

Prime Healthcare Services has acquired the 151-bed Encino Campus of Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center from Tenet Healthcare Corporation ("Tenet") effective June 1 and will operate the hospital as Encino Hospital Medical Center.

2 Jun 2008

Study identifies most costly adverse events in children's hospitals

A large study of health records from 38 American children's hospitals has measured adverse events that most increase length of stay and overall cost. The researchers say their findings provide useful targets for hospital programs aimed at preventing harm to young patients.

2 Jun 2008

Maine Democratic Rep. Allen proposes mix of public, private health plans to achieve universal coverage

U.S. Rep. Tom Allen (D-Maine) on Wednesday announced a health care proposal that would aim to provide health coverage for all U.S. residents using a combination of public and private plans, the Portland Press Herald reports. Allen is running against sitting Sen. Susan Collins (R).

30 May 2008

Consumers Union to launch hospital ratings service

Consumers Union, the not-for-profit group that publishes Consumer Reports magazine, plans to offer a new online service that will rate hospitals, the Wall Street Journal reports.

30 May 2008

More aggressive hospital care does not lead to improved patient outcomes in all cases, study finds

More aggressive hospital care -- such as higher numbers of tests and procedures and longer stays -- does not lead to improved patient outcomes in all cases, according to a study released on Thursday, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports.

30 May 2008

Maine Democratic Rep. Allen proposes mix of public, private health plans to achieve universal coverage

30 May 2008

Brand-name prescription drug companies reached 14 deals with generic manufacturers to delay sale of generics in FY 2007

Brand-name prescription drug makers in fiscal year 2007 reached 14 agreements with generic drug makers to delay market entry of generic medications, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission, Reuters reports (Bartz, Reuters, 5/23).

28 May 2008

CQ's Carey discusses Medicare legislation, Medicaid regulations, bipartisan health care summit

Mary Agnes Carey, associate editor of CQ HealthBeat, discusses Senate Democrats' plans to craft legislation that would stop a scheduled reduction in Medicare physician payments; a provision in a supplemental war spending bill that would block for one year new Medicaid regulations; and a bicameral, bipartisan health policy summit set for June in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ."

28 May 2008

New Kaiser Daily health blog watch

While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics.

28 May 2008

Health Care Coalition pushes for e-prescribing legislation

The technical standards necessary to establish a national electronic prescribing system already have been adopted by physicians and pharmacy software companies, according to a letter to lawmakers from a coalition of health care providers, insurance companies, academics and pharmacies, CQ HealthBeat reports.

28 May 2008

Bush should call on Congress to reduce PEPFAR funding in reauthorization legislation, opinion piece says

"When considering" bills that would reauthorize the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Congress "must think hard about our priorities," Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) writes in a Washington Times opinion piece.

28 May 2008

Medical errors - Is healthcare getting worse or better?

Most would say worse. And one of the many reasons is medical errors. Most Americans say the quality of care has not improved, and dissatisfaction among patients and caregivers has increased. The perceptions exist despite the efforts across the country to reduce medical errors.

28 May 2008

FDA will monitor medical records of Medicare beneficiaries to identify potential prescription drug, medical device safety problems

HHS on Thursday announced the creation of a new program that will allow FDA, state agencies and academic researchers to use medical record data to ensure drugs and medical devices are safe for consumers after they enter the market, the Washington Post reports (Stein, Washington Post, 5/23).

25 May 2008

Federal Government should use pre-emption to strengthen citizens' protections, editorial says

"Since the conservative ascendancy in Washington," many of those who once thought federal laws "trampl[ed]" on states' rights have now "begun burying" states' rights -- "not to protect citizens' rights, but to take them away" by using the pre-emption rule, Adam Cohen writes in New York Times opinion piece.

25 May 2008

Anti-rejection drug sirolimus may increase risk of diabetes after kidney transplant

For patients undergoing kidney transplantation, treatment with the anti-rejection drug sirolimus may lead to an increased risk of diabetes, reports a study in the July Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

22 May 2008

Two Penn studies show drug-eluting stents outperform bare metal stents

The more than ten million Americans who've received drug-eluting stents to open their blocked coronary arteries have a bright future, according to new research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

22 May 2008

Pharmaceutical, medical device industries have shifted campaign contributions to Democratic candidates

Pharmaceutical and medical device companies have contributed more to the campaigns of Democratic candidates than Republican candidates in the current election cycle, a "sharp reversal" from previous cycles and "one more sign of the campaign difficulties the GOP could face this November," the AP/Miami Herald reports.

22 May 2008

Kaiser Family Foundation creates new online tool that provides latest health policy facts and data

The Kaiser Family Foundation today launched Kaiser Fast Facts, a new component of its kff.org Web site, featuring QuickTakes and Kaiser Slides – two new tools providing direct access to facts, data and slides about the nation's health care system and programs, in an easy-to-use format.

22 May 2008

Senate Finance Committee Democrats to move forward with Medicare package that includes Medicare Advantage plan cuts

Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Wednesday said he will move forward with a Medicare package developed by Democrats that likely will be opposed by Republicans and the Bush administration, CQ Today reports.

22 May 2008

Medicare News and Research

DialysisPPO files provisional patent for dialysis cost containment

Prime Healthcare to acquire three hospitals from Tenet Healthcare

Study identifies most costly adverse events in children's hospitals

Maine Democratic Rep. Allen proposes mix of public, private health plans to achieve universal coverage

Consumers Union to launch hospital ratings service

More aggressive hospital care does not lead to improved patient outcomes in all cases, study finds

Maine Democratic Rep. Allen proposes mix of public, private health plans to achieve universal coverage

Brand-name prescription drug companies reached 14 deals with generic manufacturers to delay sale of generics in FY 2007

CQ's Carey discusses Medicare legislation, Medicaid regulations, bipartisan health care summit

New Kaiser Daily health blog watch

Health Care Coalition pushes for e-prescribing legislation

Bush should call on Congress to reduce PEPFAR funding in reauthorization legislation, opinion piece says

Medical errors - Is healthcare getting worse or better?

FDA will monitor medical records of Medicare beneficiaries to identify potential prescription drug, medical device safety problems

Federal Government should use pre-emption to strengthen citizens' protections, editorial says

Anti-rejection drug sirolimus may increase risk of diabetes after kidney transplant

Two Penn studies show drug-eluting stents outperform bare metal stents

Pharmaceutical, medical device industries have shifted campaign contributions to Democratic candidates

Kaiser Family Foundation creates new online tool that provides latest health policy facts and data

Senate Finance Committee Democrats to move forward with Medicare package that includes Medicare Advantage plan cuts

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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