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New Kerry television ad attacking George Bush on Medicare

The Kerry-Edwards campaign Saturday unveiled a new television ad attacking George Bush on the biggest hike in Medicare’s history.

5 Sep 2004

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced the Medicare premium amounts

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced the Medicare premium, deductible and coinsurance amounts to be paid by Medicare beneficiaries in 2005.

4 Sep 2004

Chemotherapy experts refute ASCO recommendations on use of drug sensitivity and resistance assays

A group of leading chemotherapy experts assembled as the Clinical Oncologists for Individualized Therapy (COFIT) refute the findings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) technology assessment panel regarding the use of chemotherapy sensitivity and resistance assays (CSRAs).

1 Sep 2004

Extension of Australia's Medicare safety net will ease the financial burden on pregnant women

Australian Medical Association President, Dr Bill Glasson, said yesterday that the Government’s decision to extend the Medicare safety net to cover out-of-hospital private obstetrics services would ease the financial burden on pregnant women and their families.

1 Sep 2004

Australian broadband for health suppliers chosen

The Australian Government has announced a list of approved suppliers to implement its $35 million broadband initiative.

31 Aug 2004

Medicare approves University of Kentucky lung transplants

University of Kentucky Hospital Transplant Center recently received approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for payment by Medicare for lung transplants. With this approval, all solid lung transplants performed at UK are now Medicare approved.

30 Aug 2004

Payments to rural hospices are projected to increase $23 million in 2005

For 2005 there is an overall projected increase of $60 million dollars to hospice providers, an increase of 1 percent for all hospices.

26 Aug 2004

U.S. to vigorously defend against Vermont's lawsuit on importing drugs from Canada

The lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief based on FDA's denial of the State of Vermont's December 4, 2003, citizen petition requesting that the Vermont State Employee Medical Benefit Plan (VSEMBP) be allowed to establish a program for the importation of prescription drugs from Canada.

25 Aug 2004

$Longer rehabilitation by six months helps elderly patients to more fully recover from hip fractures$

Longer rehabilitation by six months helps elderly patients to more fully recover from hip fractures

Extending supervised outpatient rehabilitation by six months helps elderly patients more fully recover from hip fractures, according to the first controlled study of its kind. The study also showed for the first time that these patients, previously thought to be too frail for weight training, can benefit from progressive resistance exercise training.

20 Aug 2004

Independent analysis of the Medicare-approved drug discount cards has found that average seniors will save

A newly released independent analysis of the Medicare-approved drug discount cards has found that average seniors participating in the new program will save over $1,200, on average, for their prescription drug purchases ¨C before the full Medicare drug benefit goes into effect in 2006.

20 Aug 2004

Two more drugs added to Medicare demonstration program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced it is adding two more drugs to the list of drugs covered under a Medicare demonstration program providing substantial savings to beneficiaries with serious diseases, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

17 Aug 2004

Canadians are unhappy with the current Medicare system

A vast majority of Canadians polled assigned the health care system an overall B grade. Almost all Canadians feel sustainability of the health care system hinges on guaranteeing timely access to health care services. Two-thirds agree with making increased federal funds conditional on improved monitoring and accountability

16 Aug 2004

66,000 elderly California residents or people with disabilities will continue their home and community-based services

The Independence Plus program, created by President Bush, helps states to achieve the goals established in President Bush’s New Freedom Initiative.

13 Aug 2004

Concern over media coverage surrounding the Tronado microwave treatment of cancer

The Australian Medical Association (WA) today expressed concern over media coverage surrounding the Tronado microwave treatment of cancer.

13 Aug 2004

John Kerry outlines plan to bring down the costs of prescription drugs

Armed with the endorsement of the Alliance for Retired Americans, Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry Wednesday outlined his plan to bring down the costs of prescription drugs as part of his overall plan to make health care more affordable for all Americans.

11 Aug 2004

New survey shows that more people on Medicare dislike a new drug benefit law

A new survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health shows that more people on Medicare dislike a new law that adds a drug benefit to the Medicare program.

11 Aug 2004

Many U.S. surgeons are not doing adequate numbers of operations for primary breast cancer to optimize patient survival

The study, published August 9, 2004 in the online edition of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, demonstrates that fewer surgeries per year negatively impacted patient standard of care. A free abstract of the study is available at CANCER Online.

9 Aug 2004

Physicians treating blacks more often reported that they lacked sufficient access to major health care resources

If you are a black Medicare patient in the United States, you are more likely than a white Medicare patient to be treated by a primary care physician who reports being unable to provide consistently high-quality medical care to all patients.

5 Aug 2004

Public meeting to discuss development of standards for drug classes

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that it will host a public meeting to discuss development of standards for drug classes and categories under the new Medicare prescription drug benefit.

3 Aug 2004

Michigan settlement with pharmaceutical manufacturer Schering Plough

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox announced today a settlement with pharmaceutical manufacturer Schering Plough over its underpayment of Medicaid Drug Rebates on the antihistamine drug Claritin, netting more than $2.6 million for Michigan’s Medicaid program.