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Employers increasingly see positives in wellness programs

More companies are starting or expanding wellness programs that aim to reduce their medical costs by improving their employees' health.

25 Apr 2014

Amedisys to pay $150 million to settle Medicare fraud case

Amedisys Inc., one of the nation's largest home health providers, will pay $150 million to settle claims that it exaggerated Medicare billings and had improper financial relations with referring physicians, the Department of Justice revealed. Meanwhile McClatchy is reporting that, based on an analysis of Medicare's list of banned providers, Miami is at the top for Medicare fraud.

25 Apr 2014

Vitamin D supplements may not prevent falls in older people, shows study

A new meta-analysis, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, concludes that there is no evidence to suggest that vitamin D supplements prevent falls, and that ongoing trials to test this theory are unlikely to change this result.

25 Apr 2014

State highlights: Ohio hospital merger struck down; Okla. abortion drug use limited; Calif. exchange and felons

A federal appeals court on Tuesday ordered a major health system in northwest Ohio to unwind its merger with a local hospital on antitrust grounds. The unanimous decision by a three-judge panel of the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati comes amid growing concerns about hospital mergers and their effect on prices against the backdrop of America's health care upheaval (Gershman, 4/22).

25 Apr 2014

Poll finds dislike of health law, but lack of support for its repeal

In the run up to the midterm congressional elections, this and other polls find hope for Democratic incumbents while also probing the difficulties that continue to make the health law unpopular among many Americans. Also in the headlines, new ads from Americans for Prosperity take on the overhaul.

25 Apr 2014

Biomedical engineer develops highly innovative technology to make blood transfusions safer

A biomedical engineer at the University of Houston (UH) is working to develop highly innovative technology to make blood transfusions safer. His work is supported by a $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

25 Apr 2014

Adolescents who find pleasure in pro-social activities are less likely to become depressed

It is better to give than to receive - at least if you're an adolescent and you enjoy giving, a new study suggests. The study found that 15- and 16-year-olds who find pleasure in pro-social activities, such as giving their money to family members, are less likely to become depressed than those who get a bigger thrill from taking risks or keeping the money for themselves.

25 Apr 2014

Va. lawmakers back at work, but not dealing with Medicaid impasse

Republicans in the General Assembly are opposed to expanding the program for low-income residents, but that could threaten the passage of a state budget. Meanwhile, news outlets look at the issue in North Carolina, Missouri and Arizona.

25 Apr 2014

Researchers launch detailed atlas with environment and health maps

Researchers have launched a detailed atlas with environment and health maps at a fine scale across England and Wales.

25 Apr 2014

Viewpoints: Health spending ready to start climbing again; Cruz's 'nightmare' comes true

Standing before a roomful of economists, policy makers and health care experts earlier this month, Amitabh Chandra, director of Health Policy Research at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, closed a presentation about the slowdown in health care spending over the last decade by citing an article in The New York Times.

25 Apr 2014

FSA project to map occurrence of norovirus in food premises

The University of Liverpool is leading a -2 million Food Standards Agency (FSA) project to map the occurrence of norovirus in food premises and industry workers.

25 Apr 2014

ASTRO’s guideline details use of adjuvant radiation therapy in treatment of endometrial cancer

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has issued a new guideline, "The Role of Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Endometrial Cancer: An ASTRO Evidence-Based Guideline," that details the use of adjuvant radiation therapy in the treatment of endometrial cancer.

25 Apr 2014

Researchers compare risk of traffic accident injury between men and women

Young men are more likely to injure themselves on the road or crossing a street than women, but among the elderly females are more vulnerable. This is according to a study on injuries and citizen mobility undertaken by researchers from the Barcelona Public Health Agency.

25 Apr 2014

Health law influences small business owners' decisions

The Wall Street Journal reports that even though the mandate was delayed requiring businesses with more than 50 employees to provide coverage for their workers, the overhaul is affecting how companies are run.

25 Apr 2014

Enhanced recovery approach used for colorectal surgery cut hospital stays

Changes in managing patients before, during and after colorectal surgery cut hospital stays by two days and reduced readmission rates, according to researchers who led a study of the approach at Duke University Hospital.

25 Apr 2014

Survey: Most Americans favor health law's birth control coverage mandate

Though this health law provision continues to be controversial and is the subject of various legal challenges, a recent survey conducted by University of Michigan researchers found that 69 percent of Americans support the requirement.

25 Apr 2014

Aetna raises earnings outlook

In other market news, coverage continues of the cost and effectiveness of Sovaldi, a new drug to treat hepatitis C, and the related earnings gained by Gilead Sciences, its manufacturer.

25 Apr 2014

Better educated people appear to recover from traumatic brain injury

Better-educated people appear to be significantly more likely to recover from a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), suggesting that a brain's "cognitive reserve" may play a role in helping people get back to their previous lives, new Johns Hopkins research shows.

25 Apr 2014