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Poll finds very mixed views on morning-after pill; black/white breast cancer disparities widen

Several stories this morning examine tricky problems in women's health care.

23 Dec 2013

Alternative Quality Contract model improves quality of care for sickest pediatric patients

Within two years of implementation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' Alternative Quality Contract (AQC) had a small but significant positive effect on the quality of pediatric care, according to a new study from Boston Children's Hospital. The results were published online Dec. 23 in Pediatrics.

23 Dec 2013

Special combination of yoga and nutrition helps young cancer patients manage disease

At St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the centuries-old practice of yoga is combined with nutrition education to help young cancer patients manage their disease today and lay the foundation for a healthy future.

23 Dec 2013

Manchin says health law could be heading toward 'meltdown'

President Barack Obama's healthcare law could have a "meltdown" and make it difficult for his Democratic Party to keep control of the U.S. Senate next year if ongoing problems with the program are not resolved, a Democratic senator said on Sunday.

23 Dec 2013

Get ready to pay more for health coverage, but it may not be just health law's fault

Although many blame the health law for all recent health care cost increases, trends that bump up the cost of care were in place before the law was enacted and are being driven up even more by routine costs, some say.

23 Dec 2013

Psychiatrist offers tips for dealing with holiday stress and sadness problems of the season

During the holidays, the goal should be to set the course somewhere "between Hallmark and heartache," a Vanderbilt psychiatrist says. In other words, don't strive for the perfect (you won't achieve it), and recognize and deal head-on with some of the stressors of the season.

23 Dec 2013

Report: Examine high-billing docs' Medicare billing to root out fraud

A report from the Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general to be released Friday will call for closer scrutiny of doctors' total billing. Elsewhere, ProPublica looks at how ineffective federal oversight is in looking for fraud in Medicare prescribing.

23 Dec 2013

Medicaid expansion plans in Pa., Wis. under scrutiny

Pennsylvania advocates challenge the penalties and premium costs in Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed Medicaid expansion plan. Meanwhile, more than 70,000 low-income Wisconsin adults would keep their state BadgerCare Plus coverage for three months and a larger and poorer group would wait the same 90 days to enter the program, under a GOP plan expected to become law in Wisconsin.

22 Dec 2013

States report surges in health plan sign-ups; California at the front of the pack

The increase has ranged from 30 percent to 40 percent, reports ABC News. In California, an estimated 50,000 people picked a health plan in the first week of December. News outlets also reported on the latest developments in Maryland, Oregon and Minnesota.

22 Dec 2013

People with canceled plans exempted from insurance mandate

In addition, the administration said Thursday that those with canceled plans will be able to buy bare-bones catastrophic plans, regardless of their age, under a hardship exemption.

22 Dec 2013

Monthly pharmacist appointments help patients solve medication-related problems

Patients are more likely to take chronic medications when they meet monthly with pharmacists to coordinate medication schedules and treatments, according to a Virginia Commonwealth University study.

22 Dec 2013

SLU nursing faculty, students receive special training to operate Closed Point of Dispensing

In the case of a bioterror attack, Saint Louis University will operate a medication dispensing station for students, faculty, staff and their families, offering quick access to medicines and easing the burden on local health departments so they can serve residents who lack similar access to lifesaving drugs.

22 Dec 2013

Obama's aides stay on despite exhaustion, health law woes

President Obama's aides are largely staying attached to his administration to help bolster the President's approval ratings amid the health law's considerable problems. In the meantime, the law's proponents are pushing new ways of selling the law.

22 Dec 2013

Despite repairs to health website, concerns remain and lagging enrollment could create problems

The Associated Press examines concerns that young people may not sign up for coverage as part of the law, while other news organizations report on a new poll, some of the problems insurers face and security issues.

21 Dec 2013

Texas Children's Hospital recognized as first Accredited Pediatric Heart Failure Institute in Texas

Texas Children's Hospital is proud to be named the first Accredited Pediatric Heart Failure Institute in Texas by The Healthcare Accreditation Colloquium. The Colloquium made the announcement following nearly a year of work and an in-depth onsite review on Dec. 16.

21 Dec 2013

500,000 with canceled health plans still lack coverage

An estimated 500,000 people who received cancellation notices have not yet signed up for new coverage, administration officials said Thursday. That's far fewer than the millions that health law critics said would lack insurance after their old policies were terminated because they didn't meet new standards under the health law.

21 Dec 2013

TeamHealth Holdings announces acquisition of Professional Anesthesia Services

TeamHealth Holdings Inc., one of the nation's largest providers of outsourced physician staffing solutions for hospitals, announced the acquisition of the operations of Professional Anesthesia Services, LLP. Based in Omaha, Neb., Professional Anesthesia Services' physicians and certified registered nurse anesthetists manage more than 18,000 cases annually through anesthesia management services for Bergan Mercy Medical Center and three ambulatory surgery centers.

20 Dec 2013

New MDA Endurance Program aims to find treatments and cures for muscle disease

The Muscular Dystrophy Association today announced the formation and launch of MDA Team Momentum, a new nationwide endurance program designed to help support MDA's mission to find treatments and cures for muscle disease.

20 Dec 2013

Study reveals that pharmacy staff misleads teens on emergency contraception

Despite the fact that emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after pill, has been available since 2003, many teens still face barriers to obtaining the medication, a safe and effective way to prevent up to 74 percent of pregnancies following the failure of birth control or after unprotected sex.

20 Dec 2013

Key questions to ask about bone marrow transplants

Those who have leukemia, lymphoma or other blood cancer diseases might have heard about bone marrow transplant as a potential treatment. As with any serious procedure, it is important to have all questions answered by a physician before any decision is made.

20 Dec 2013

Healthcare News

Poll finds very mixed views on morning-after pill; black/white breast cancer disparities widen

Alternative Quality Contract model improves quality of care for sickest pediatric patients

Special combination of yoga and nutrition helps young cancer patients manage disease

Manchin says health law could be heading toward 'meltdown'

Get ready to pay more for health coverage, but it may not be just health law's fault

Psychiatrist offers tips for dealing with holiday stress and sadness problems of the season

Report: Examine high-billing docs' Medicare billing to root out fraud

Medicaid expansion plans in Pa., Wis. under scrutiny

States report surges in health plan sign-ups; California at the front of the pack

People with canceled plans exempted from insurance mandate

Monthly pharmacist appointments help patients solve medication-related problems

SLU nursing faculty, students receive special training to operate Closed Point of Dispensing

Obama's aides stay on despite exhaustion, health law woes

Despite repairs to health website, concerns remain and lagging enrollment could create problems

Texas Children's Hospital recognized as first Accredited Pediatric Heart Failure Institute in Texas

500,000 with canceled health plans still lack coverage

TeamHealth Holdings announces acquisition of Professional Anesthesia Services

New MDA Endurance Program aims to find treatments and cures for muscle disease

Study reveals that pharmacy staff misleads teens on emergency contraception

Key questions to ask about bone marrow transplants

Advancing Menopause Care: Non-Hormonal Treatments for Vasomotor Symptoms

Building quality into drug development for safer, faster medicines

How Pulp Fixin Is Turning Paper into High-Performance Sustainable Labware

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