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Longer looks: Berwick calls for leaders to rise above 'political catechism'; Convincing the healthy to feel sick

Between July 2010 and December 2011, Dr. Donald Berwick was head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency that runs the government's health insurance programs. In a sane world, he would be still. But Senate Republicans refused even to let his confirmation come up for a vote ... A pediatrician by training and a widely respected expert in health care policy, Berwick should have been a lock for the CMS job. But he was a backer of Obamacare; a believer in data and science; a proponent of universal health care.

6 Apr 2012

TJUH medical oncologist to receive ASCO Humanitarian Award

Edith Mitchell, M.D., FACP, a medical oncologist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center (KCC) and Clinical Professor of Medicine and Medical Oncology in the Department of Medical Oncology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, has been named the 2012 recipient of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Humanitarian Award for her personification of the society's mission and values, and for going above and beyond the call of duty in providing outstanding patient care.

6 Apr 2012

U.S. suspends $13M in aid to Mali following coup; U.N. Security Council expresses concern over humanitarian crisis in Mali, Sahel region

"The United States is suspending at least $13 million of its roughly $140 million in annual aid to Mali following last month's coup in the West African nation, the State Department said on Wednesday," Reuters reports, noting the "suspension affects U.S. assistance for Mali's ministry of health, public school construction and the government's efforts to boost agricultural production."

6 Apr 2012

U.S. spending on prescription drugs, doctor visits levels off

A study by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics found that seniors citizens especially are filling fewer prescriptions as out-of-pocket costs increase.

6 Apr 2012

Race pits Obamacare against Romneycare

News outlets analyze how health policy positions taken by GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama are playing on the campaign trail.

6 Apr 2012

Perspectives: Obama's initial sharp comments on court were overbearing -- and so was appeals court response

I chided President Obama this week for his remarks on the Supreme Court and the role of "unelected" judges. The president, wisely, has since chosen to clarify his statement, and express his (correct) view -- that courts should be hesitant to overturn acts of Congress -- in a much more appropriate way. Now the problematic behavior is coming from the other branch, with a federal appeals court going out of it way to pick a fight with the president. Talk about judicial activism -- this is a judicial temper tantrum.

6 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: Support for drug benefit merger; Health reform comes too slowly for some patients; Pinpointing Romney's views on mandate

It seems counterintuitive, but the Federal Trade Commission has just decided that a $29 billion merger of two of the three largest companies that manage pharmaceutical benefits for employers and health plans - Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions - would not substantially lessen competition. That judgment deserves credence because of the thoroughness of the F.T.C.'s eight-month inquiry and the willingness of the agency to oppose other mergers when the evidence warrants.

6 Apr 2012

WHO drafts treaty to fight illicit tobacco trade; WTO demands Obama administration drop ban on flavored cigarettes

"Nations have crafted a draft treaty to fight a booming trade in illicit tobacco products that's costing governments as much as $50 billion a year in lost tax revenue, officials said Wednesday," the Associated Press/Washington Post reports.

6 Apr 2012

State roundup: Advocates in Va. back shifting disability care from state institutions; New Vt. law overhauls mental health system; Aetna mistakenly tells thousands in Calif. their doctors were dropped

A state agency that looks out for the rights of people with disabilities is advocating for a proposed settlement that would shift the care of Virginians with intellectual disabilities from state-run institutions.

6 Apr 2012

Poor mental health can lead to heart problems and death in dialysis patients

Dialysis patients whose mental health deteriorates over time have an increased risk of developing heart problems and dying prematurely, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

6 Apr 2012

Study reveals economics behind high U.S. teen birth rates

New research reveals the surprising economics behind the high U.S. teen birth rates, and why Texas teens are giving birth at triple the rate of Massachusetts youth: high income inequality and low opportunity cost.

6 Apr 2012

FuelCo campaign raises $20,000 to benefit cure-focused work of DRI

In six short weeks, FuelCo, which operates various retail and convenience stores throughout Connecticut and New York, sold $20,000 worth of scannable cards recently to benefit the cure-focused work of the Diabetes Research Institute.

6 Apr 2012

Sweetheart Ball raises $280,000 to benefit cancer programs and services

The Fifteenth Annual Sweetheart Ball was held on Saturday, February 25, at Eagle Oaks Golf and Country Club in Farmingdale and raised a record breaking $280,000.

6 Apr 2012

Susan G. Komen Community Health Advisor program kicks off April 12 in Cleveland

More than 110,000 minority and medically underserved women in Northeast Ohio and across the nation will soon have new health resources through a landmark program that trains volunteers to provide breast cancer education and healthcare support in local communities.

6 Apr 2012

Costs for all types of medical plans are expected to increase by 9.9% for 2012

Costs for all types of medical plans are expected to increase by 9.9 percent for 2012, according to a survey by Buck Consultants, A Xerox Company.

6 Apr 2012

SelectHealth announces 2012 Select 25 award recipients

SelectHealth is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2012 Select 25 award. The nonprofit health insurance carrier will give $2,500 to each of the 25 winners to assist them in their efforts to improve health and wellness, or to serve populations with special needs.

6 Apr 2012

Steps to reduce risk of social media sites among teenagers

While social media has made connecting and communicating with anyone at any time as easy as pie, it also has altered teen's social skills and behaviors. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace have proven to be great tools to expedite the development of empathy, encourage task-switching or even bring somewhat shy individuals a little more out of their shells. However, social media sites have also fostered a host of psychological and behavioral problems.

6 Apr 2012

Allscripts Wand now available for EHR users

Allscripts announced the much-anticipated release of Allscripts Wand, which provides users of Allscripts Electronic Health Records a unique, native iPad application that extends the most commonly used functions of Allscripts Professional and Enterprise solutions.

6 Apr 2012

African-Americans and Hispanics with MDD less likely to get antidepressants

African-Americans and Hispanics with major depressive disorder are less likely to get antidepressants than Caucasian patients, and Medicare and Medicaid patients are less likely to get the newest generation of antidepressants.

6 Apr 2012

NEA Itching for a Cure 5K Walk to take place on April 28

The National Eczema Association (NEA) is proud to announce the FIRST ever walk for eczema: Itching for a Cure. The NEA Itching for a Cure 5K Walk will take place Saturday, April 28, 2012, in Asheville, North Carolina, on the University of North Carolina-Asheville campus.

6 Apr 2012