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AACE applauds legislation for preservation of access to osteoporosis testing for Medicare beneficiaries

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) applauds the introduction of legislation in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate that will preserve patient access to osteoporosis testing and treatment services under the Medicare program.

27 May 2011

Despite Senate vote on House-passed budget, Ryan presses forward on debt reduction

House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan was unbowed Thursday after the expected, but nonetheless stinging, rejection of his budget and Medicare proposal by the Senate. Ryan told NPR reporters he would do it all over again.

27 May 2011

CMS announces dollars doled out to encourage docs, hospitals to adopt electronic health records

The Boston Globe reports on Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which is one of the facilities that received one of these grants.

27 May 2011

Candidate Pawlenty says he would sign Ryan budget plan

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, now a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, praised the courage and leadership displayed by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., with his budget plan.

27 May 2011

Report: Budget impact of health law defunding unclear

A new analysis by the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation found the actual impact of GOP proposals to defund the health law "unclear" because too many variables are involved in the calculation.

27 May 2011

States struggle to rein in medical costs

About half of all states are cutting public health care, an area that is already stretched thin by previous cuts in 31 states and a spike in Medicaid enrollment induced by high unemployment. Services for mental health, abused children, the elderly and the underinsured are the primary targets (Hube, 5/27).

27 May 2011

New Web portal makes FDA's enforcement and compliance-related activities more accessible

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it is disclosing more information about inspections and court actions, and now has a Web portal on its enforcement activities as part of Phase II of the agency's Transparency Initiative. These actions are being taken to make FDA's enforcement and compliance-related activities more accessible, downloadable, and searchable online.

27 May 2011

Roundup: Calif., Iowa hope to streamline mental health care delivery; Wis. battle with public employee unions continues

Over and over yesterday, in two separate Health and Human Services budget subcommittee hearings, officials insisted that eliminating the California Department of Mental Health was not a diminishment of services, but rather a reorganization.

27 May 2011

Preparticipation cardiac screening required for college athletes

Sudden cardiac death in young athletes who had not previously exhibited symptoms is a relatively rare yet tragic event. This occurs in around 60-80 young athletes annually in the United States.

27 May 2011

Fallout from NY-26 election makes Dems gleeful, Republicans defensive

The results from the special congressional election in New York earlier this week have caused Democrats to feel that their political fortunes may be turning on the issues of the GOP proposal to revamp Medicare. Republicans are scrambling to refine their message.

27 May 2011

Blue Cross and Blue Shield FEP pharmacy benefit management program awarded to CVS Caremark

CVS Caremark Corporation today announced that it has been awarded a three-year contract to provide integrated pharmacy benefit services for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Government-wide Service Benefit Plan, also known as the Federal Employee Program (FEP), based on the best overall value.

27 May 2011

Kenya considers how PEPFAR technical guidance on MSM squares with laws against homosexuality

PEPFAR's recent release of its "Technical Guidance on Combination HIV Prevention" (.pdf) for men who have sex with men (MSM) "could force countries like Kenya who are strongly opposed to men having sex with men to backtrack," Nairobi Star/allAfrica.com reports. Because homosexual acts are illegal in some countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, "there are no policies or services targeting HIV interventions towards them," according to the publication.

27 May 2011

Nature special issue focuses on vaccines

The May 26 issue of Nature explores vaccines, which the journal says "are responsible for some of the world's greatest public health triumphs." Though new vaccines for deadly diseases have been developed in the past 10 years, and more are in development, "funding is tight, and unfounded doubts about the safety of vaccines persist." The issue features stories on polio, measles, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, as well as issues surrounding vaccine rejection and hysteria about risk.

27 May 2011

Ten changes medical oncologists can do to flatten costs, improve care

The cost of cancer care is threatening to bankrupt our healthcare system. New drugs are prolonging life, but at staggering costs. This coupled with aging baby boomers and an increasing population mean the U.S. will spend $173 billion annually on cancer care by the year 2020. This trend is not sustainable; however, there are evidence-based ways to maintain or improve the quality of care while saving money for the new therapies being discovered every day.

27 May 2011

Everyone has an opinion about Dems' NY victory impact on Medicare, politics

Sooner or later, Democrats will have to admit that Medicare cannot keep running as it is — its medical costs are out of control ... not all Medicare cuts are the same.

27 May 2011

California's largest non-profit insurer releases details of executive pay

For the first time, California's largest nonprofit health insurer has released the salaries of its 10 highest-paid executives in response to a new state law intended to keep health care insurance costs under control.

27 May 2011

Switching to a newer electronic health record system reduces prescription errors

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the government is investing billions of dollars to encourage health care providers to use electronic health record systems. Many providers will probably switch from older systems to new systems to qualify for the federal incentives, but whether the upgrade improves patient care and safety has remained an open question.

27 May 2011

Senate Democrats force a vote on House-passed Republican budget, put GOP in hot seat

Just a day after Democrats claimed an upset win in the New York special election to fill a historically Republican-controlled congressional seat, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., held a vote on the GOP budget as a means to force Republicans to go on the record with their support. They responded by standing by the plan to revamp Medicare.

27 May 2011

WGO to focus on diarrheal disease prevention, management during World Digestive Health Day

Diarrheal disease, a common gastrointestinal problem with potentially fatal implications in the developing world is the focus of World Digestive Health Day on May 29. Infections that cause diarrhea are serious public health challenges, both in the United States and globally.

27 May 2011

First Edition: May 27, 2011

Kaiser Health News' Insuring Your Health columnist Michelle Andrews talks with Jackie Judd about the provisions in the health law that provide for free preventive tests. While the law doesn't apply to all insurance plans, it should cut costs for many people.

27 May 2011

Healthcare News

AACE applauds legislation for preservation of access to osteoporosis testing for Medicare beneficiaries

Despite Senate vote on House-passed budget, Ryan presses forward on debt reduction

CMS announces dollars doled out to encourage docs, hospitals to adopt electronic health records

Candidate Pawlenty says he would sign Ryan budget plan

Report: Budget impact of health law defunding unclear

States struggle to rein in medical costs

New Web portal makes FDA's enforcement and compliance-related activities more accessible

Roundup: Calif., Iowa hope to streamline mental health care delivery; Wis. battle with public employee unions continues

Preparticipation cardiac screening required for college athletes

Fallout from NY-26 election makes Dems gleeful, Republicans defensive

Blue Cross and Blue Shield FEP pharmacy benefit management program awarded to CVS Caremark

Kenya considers how PEPFAR technical guidance on MSM squares with laws against homosexuality

Nature special issue focuses on vaccines

Ten changes medical oncologists can do to flatten costs, improve care

Everyone has an opinion about Dems' NY victory impact on Medicare, politics

California's largest non-profit insurer releases details of executive pay

Switching to a newer electronic health record system reduces prescription errors

Senate Democrats force a vote on House-passed Republican budget, put GOP in hot seat

WGO to focus on diarrheal disease prevention, management during World Digestive Health Day

First Edition: May 27, 2011

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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