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Lawmakers have proposed 'witch's brew' of biotech bills

Lawmakers in recent months "have stirred up a witch's brew of initiatives that is cause for some concern -- not only for the biotech industry, but for all Americans," James Mullen, president and CEO of Biogen and chair of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, writes in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece.

1 May 2007

Community leaders engage lawmakers on the value Medicare Advantage

More than three dozen community leaders from across the country have come together to actively engage lawmakers on the value Medicare Advantage provides to vulnerable seniors in their communities.

1 May 2007

Florida Democrats ask CMS to explain overcharging of Medicare beneficiaries

Florida Democratic Reps. Robert Wexler, Alcee Hastings, Ron Klein and Debbie Wasserman Schultz last week sent a letter to CMS acting Administrator Leslie Norwalk requesting information regarding a computer glitch that withdrew money from some Medicare beneficiaries' Social Security checks, The Hill reports (Young, The Hill , 4/26).

30 Apr 2007

Many NYC pharmacies fail to cater for people with poor English

Despite widespread capacity to provide prescription medication labels in languages other than English, few New York City pharmacies do so and as a result, limited-English patients face serious risk of medication error, according to a study by The New York Academy of Medicine presented at the annual meeting of the Society for General Internal Medicine (SGIM) in Toronto, Ontario.

30 Apr 2007

Outdated policies are impediment for Americans with disabilities

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has helped increase awareness of barriers faced by people with disabilities, and advances in science and engineering have led to better assistive technologies that make it easier for individuals to lead productive, independent lives, outdated regulations too often impede access to health care coverage and assistive devices for many who need them, says a new report by the Institute of Medicine.

27 Apr 2007

No data to support leaving small polyps in place

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute is eager to increase the number of patients who receive screening for colon cancer.

27 Apr 2007

The aging brain and decision making

The human brain's ability to process information declines with age, but knowledge about the world through experiences tends to rise over time.

27 Apr 2007

Medicare reimbursements at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center to continue

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that reimbursements for Medicare heart transplant cases performed at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center will continue uninterrupted.

24 Apr 2007

AARP reaction to Medicare and Social Security Trustees reports

Regularly checking the financial health of critical programs such as Medicare and Social Security is wise. It gives Congress an idea of how much needs to be done to ensure these two programs continue to provide critically needed health and financial security for our nation's families, particularly older Americans and those with disabilities."

24 Apr 2007

Should government negotiate drug prices?

The following is written by Dr. Gary A. Puckrein, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of National Minority Quality Forum, on the topic of drug prices and the emerging majority:

20 Apr 2007

Regular ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms saves men's lives

Regular ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms can sharply reduce the likelihood of dying from a ruptured aneurysm among men age 65 and older, according to a new review of recent studies.

19 Apr 2007

Cell Therapeutics settles law suit with Government

Cell Therapeutics has announced that it has settled all government claims arising out of a Department of Justice investigation into allegations regarding alleged overpayments by Medicare to doctors who prescribed the anti-cancer drug, TRISENOX.

18 Apr 2007

Anemia treatment for patients with kidney disease can differ by dialysis facility type

Large, for-profit dialysis facilities appear to administer higher than necessary amounts of a medication for treating anemia in patients with kidney disease, compared to nonprofit facilities, according to a study in the April 18 issue of JAMA.

18 Apr 2007

Access to dermatologist improves melanoma-related health outcomes

Individuals whose melanoma is diagnosed by a dermatologist may be more likely to have early-stage cancer and to survive five years than those with melanoma diagnosed by a non-dermatologist, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology.

17 Apr 2007

AARP to track Senate vote on Medicare Rx bargaining bill

Today, AARP will be sending the following letter from CEO Bill Novelli to every member of the U.S. Senate alerting them that the association will be recording the upcoming Senate vote on a bill to allow Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices.

17 Apr 2007

Health disparities in access to healthcare

Minority individuals are much more likely to develop and die from cancer than the general U.S. population.

16 Apr 2007

Robotics in urology leads to decreased surgical and medical complications

Mani Menon, MD Detroit, Michigan, USA presented "The Role of Robotics in Urology" as the AUA Lecture at the plenary session of the EAU on Friday March 23, 2007.

15 Apr 2007

Health care reconsidered: Options for change

The Hamilton Project, an initiative at the Brookings Institution, hosted a forum, "Health Care Reconsidered: Options for Change," today at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. At the event, policy papers on reforming Medicare Part "D" (including closing the "donut hole" gap in prescription drug coverage), improving preventive care and promoting greater affordability through progressive cost-sharing were released by The Hamilton Project.

11 Apr 2007

Full impact of mental health and substance abuse disorders on U.S. community hospitals

Almost one-fourth of all stays in U.S. community hospitals for patients age 18 and older – 7.6 million of nearly 32 million stays – involved depressive, bipolar, schizophrenia and other mental health disorders or substance use related disorders in 2004, according to a new report by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

11 Apr 2007

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators offer lifesaving benefits, return to active life, and reduced cost

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine have discovered that implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) -- electric monitoring devices that deliver a lifesaving shock in the event of a cardiac arrest -- help patients with heart problems live longer more active lives.

7 Apr 2007