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'60 Minutes' examines 'astronomical price' of many cancer drugs

The CBS news magazine aired a segment Sunday that looked into why the drugs cost so much and whether they're really more effective than less-expensive alternatives.

7 Oct 2014

UA med students to follow patients through health care system as part of TLC2 program

Third-year medical students at The University of Alabama have an opportunity to follow a patient over time through the health care system as part of an innovative new program being piloted this year.

7 Oct 2014

Acacia Pharma reports positive results from APD421 Phase 3 studies for management of PONV

Acacia Pharma announces positive Phase 3 results with APD421 for the management of post-operative nausea & vomiting (PONV). The data generated demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of PONV with APD421 compared to placebo in adult surgical patients at moderate to high risk of suffering PONV (PONV is defined as any episode of emesis or use of antiemetic rescue medication in the first 24 hours after surgery).

7 Oct 2014

State highlights: Ohio Medicaid and senior annuities; Mich. extends Medicaid dental coverage for kids

A war is being waged in Ohio over whether elderly couples with one person in a nursing home can buy an annuity to keep the other from going broke -- and still apply for public assistance. Elder-law attorneys say the state isn't following federal laws regarding Medicaid-compliant annuities, and that's hurting middle-class seniors who worked hard and saved for a rainy day. Several courts seem to agree, with one judge recently putting the state on notice that it could lose millions of dollars in federal funding if it doesn't change its ways (Pyle, 10/6).

7 Oct 2014

Will Supreme Court hear another health law challenge?

As the court begins its new term, the justices will be asked to consider another challenge to the Affordable Care Act about whether individuals can qualify for federal subsidies if they live in a state with a federal, rather than a state-run, insurance marketplace.

7 Oct 2014

Medicare open enrollment brings lots of choices

For millions of older Americans, it is time to sift through the mind-boggling array of Medicare plans. There is an average of 29 drug plans to digest, and about 18 options for Medicare Advantage, the plans delivered through private insurers. Then there are the 10 supplemental plans that cover what traditional Medicare does not. The choices can be paralyzing for anyone, and they can be even more challenging as you age. ... Here are some ideas on how to approach the decision-making process (Bernard, 10/3).

7 Oct 2014

Many nursing homes still lack fire sprinklers

More than 50,000 people are living in nursing homes without adequate fire sprinkler systems, a year after the deadline set by the federal government, according to The Associated Press. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal looks at lawyers who specialize in suing for-profit nursing homes for abuse and neglect.

7 Oct 2014

Researchers launch landmark new program to explore potential impact of medical marijuana

Thanks to a $500,000 gift from international best-selling author and mental health advocate Patricia Cornwell, McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School researchers will launch a landmark new program that will more fully explore the potential impact of medical marijuana on cognition, brain structure and function.

7 Oct 2014

Only 40% of Canadians exercise to cope with stress, study finds

A research study out of McMaster University has found that only 40 per cent of Canadians exercise to cope with stress.

7 Oct 2014

Indiana gov. pitches Obama on his brand of Medicaid expansion

Gov. Mike Pence discussed his proposal to expand Medicaid directly with President Barack Obama on Friday. The Republican governor is seeking a federal waiver to be able to require low-income recipients to pay a nominal fee toward their premiums.

7 Oct 2014

Debate over California's Proposition 45

The ballot initiative would give the elected state insurance commissioner the power to regulate health insurance rates for small businesses and individuals. Proponents say it would make the rate-setting process more transparent. But a coalition of hospitals, doctors and health plans contend it would give too much power to one person.

7 Oct 2014

Closures force Texas abortion center staff, patients to reassess options

The decision last week by a federal appeals court closed many of the remaining abortion clinics in Texas and left some women scrambling for services.

7 Oct 2014

Calif. won't challenge 2015 rate increases

The state's regulators didn't raise concerns about premium increases for the 10 plans in California's online marketplace. In addition, enrollment efforts make news in Missouri and Minnesota.

7 Oct 2014

Viewpoints: Health costs and income inequality; vital matters when approaching life's end

Government data show that health costs are the biggest driver of income inequality in America today. Most employers pay workers a combination of wages and benefits, the most important of which is health coverage. Economic theory says that when employers' costs for benefits like health coverage rise, they will hold back on salary increases to keep total compensation costs in check. That's exactly what seems to have happened: Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that from June 2004 to June 2014 compensation increased by 28 percent while employer health-insurance costs rose by 51 percent. Consequently, average wages grew by just 24 percent (Mark J. Warshawsky and Andrew G. Biggs, 10/6).

7 Oct 2014

Correcting flaws in the Ebola response

How hospital and health workers react to suspected cases of Ebola going forward is the subject of much scrutiny. But, even as public health and many elected officials urge calm, some potential 2016 presidential candidates say President Obama isn't doing enough to keep the disease out of the U.S.

6 Oct 2014

Democrats spotlight women's health issues

The issue is figuring prominently in races in Colorado and New Hampshire, where Democratic incumbents are highlighting their differences with Republican challengers.

6 Oct 2014

As new Obamacare enrollment period approaches, challenges loom

Officials hope to renew coverage for the 15 million people who signed up last year as well as expand the pool by another 10 million, but there are concerns about consumer costs and choices.

6 Oct 2014

Wal-Mart stores to offer health insurance

DirectHealth.com will set up counters in Walmart stores where consumers can compare and purchase health plans.

6 Oct 2014

Canada announces deployment of second mobile lab team to West Africa

The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, with Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Gregory Taylor, announced the deployment of a second mobile lab team to West Africa.

6 Oct 2014

Doctors prescribe more analgaesia to women than to men, study finds

Regardless of the pain type, age and social class, women are more likely to be prescribed analgaesia than men. This is confirmed by a study conducted by several members of the Research Group on Public Health at the University of Alicante and funded by the Women's Institute, which recently received the XXIV Award of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology for the best original article published in the journal Gaceta Sanitaria in 2013.

6 Oct 2014