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The drawbacks of employer-provided health insurance

Many people assume insurance offered by their employer is a better deal than they can get on their own. But while the premiums can be lower, such policies have drawbacks.

10 Jan 2012

Cases of totally drug-resistant TB reported in India

"For the first time in India, 12 people have been detected with totally drug-resistant lung tuberculosis (TDR-TB), a condition in which patients do not respond to any TB medication" and for which the mortality rate is 100 percent, the Hindustan Times reports.

10 Jan 2012

Haiti faces 'largest' cholera epidemic in modern history, PAHO says

"Almost two years after the devastating 7.0 earthquake destroyed much of Port-au-Prince, full recovery appears to be years away," the Miami Herald reports, noting that "thousands of people continue to live in makeshift shelters and tents and rubble from dilapidated buildings still line some streets."

10 Jan 2012

Cardiologist measures risk factors associated with CR

The cardiologist Aitor Jim-nez has managed to gather and characterise in detail 110 cases of cardiac rupture (CR), after spending 22 years (1978-2000) gathering data at the Hospital de Cruces, near Bilbao. It is one of the broadest anatomical series described in this respect. CR is the most serious complication of acute myocardial infarction; it is not very common, but when it does occur, it is mortal in practically all cases. So prevention, although difficult, seems more feasible than cure.

10 Jan 2012

Nutrition, agricultural development programs improving lives of poor Hondurans

In this post in the U.S. Department of State's "DipNote" blog, Ertharin Cousin, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome, examines how improved nutrition and agricultural development are helping to bring Hondurans out of poverty and hunger.

10 Jan 2012

CMS increases NLA for T-SPOT.TB test's CPT code 86481

Oxford Immunotec, Inc. announces that, following a reconsideration request made by the company, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has increased the national limitation amount (NLA) for the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code 86481 which is used for the T-SPOT.TB test.

10 Jan 2012

'Where is my Memory? Cognitive Changes in MS' teleconference to be held on Jan. 24

John DeLuca, PhD, VP for Research at Kessler Foundation, will conduct a teleconference, "Where is my Memory? Cognitive Changes in MS," on Tues., January 24, 6:30-7:30 pm. Dr. DeLuca is well known for his neuropsychology research in cognition and multiple sclerosis and is a licensed psychologist in New Jersey and New York.

10 Jan 2012

Capsules: Millions find Walgreens no longer in their prescription networks

Now on KHN's blog, KQED's Sarah Varney, reporting as part of a partnership with Kaiser Health News, NPR and KQED, filed a story about how millions of consumers are realizing the Walgreens is no longer part of their prescription drug network.

10 Jan 2012

Walgreens-Express Scripts split has consumers checking their insurance cards

As the clock ticked down on the pending divorce of Walgreen Co. and one of its largest customers, rivals of the drugstore giant raced to woo millions of soon-to-be-displaced consumers whose medications wouldn't be covered by insurance at its stores come Jan. 1. CVS Caremark, Rite Aid and other small- to medium-size drugstores launched advertising campaigns and beefed up staff in anticipation of adding tens of millions of new prescriptions should Walgreen and Express Scripts Inc. fail to come to terms on a new contract starting in 2012.

10 Jan 2012

Calif. discloses hospital infection rates; Kansas City health center gets facelift

The California Department of Public Health has issued an annual report which for the first time allows residents to compare patient infection rates at hospitals across the state. The state released the infection data for 2009 and 2010 on Friday. Hospitals had sued the state to limit surgical infection reporting but the court ruled against the hospitals and required disclosures for 29 different surgical procedures.

10 Jan 2012

Health law implementation: What's ahead in 2012?

Fox Business reports on what it sees as the five major health law elements in the pipeline this year. Meanwhile, other coverage focuses on the final round of health plan waivers issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, more about accountable care organizations, explanations of why private exchanges might catch on and details of the health law's contraception policies.

10 Jan 2012

Keck Futures Initiative accepts nominations for 2012 Communication Awards

The Keck Futures Initiative - a program of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine - is accepting nominations for the 2012 Communication Awards for excellence in reporting and communicating science, engineering, and medicine to the public during 2011.

10 Jan 2012

China considering loosening family planning policy, Al Jazeera's '101 East' reports

Al Jazeera's "101 East" reports on how, "as China faces social dilemmas such as a widening gender imbalance, it is considering loosening its so-called one-child policy."

10 Jan 2012

Congressional delegation visits Africa to assess impact of U.S.-sponsored projects

A Congressional delegation consisting of six senators and one representative arrived in Africa on Thursday for an eight-day trip that "includes oversight of Department of Defense, Department of State, and USAID activities in Africa," the Daily Republic reports.

10 Jan 2012

Experts want young athletes to become more aware of warning signs of concussion

Concussion in youth sports is a serious issue, as young athletes' brains are more susceptible to injuries. These injuries can become more serious as players suffer repeated incidents. Sports related concussions have generated a significant amount of attention, with numerous well-known school and professional athletes out of the game due to concussion.

10 Jan 2012

Scientists analyze effect of nationwide tax on sweetened beverages

Every year, Americans drink 13.8 billion gallons of soda, fruit punch, sweet tea, sports drinks, and other sweetened beverages—a mass consumption of sugar that is fueling soaring obesity and diabetes rates in the United States. Now a group of scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (SFGH) and Columbia University have analyzed the effect of a nationwide tax on these sugary drinks.

10 Jan 2012

Viewpoints: Santorum's record on health care; Forcing care on the mentally ill

In Iowa, the Republican presidential contenders tried to outdo one another in attacking reproductive rights as they sought the support of caucusgoers from the religious right. In New Hampshire, where voters are less socially conservative, the candidates have focused more on economic issues.

10 Jan 2012

Researchers create SketchUp program to help kids with autism

These days, we hear a lot about the disorder of autism, but researchers at the University of Utah have created a program that helps kids with autism focus on building their skills and utilizing an aptitude for visual-spatial thinking, computers and other electronic media.

10 Jan 2012

AAN, Wolters Kluwer Health announce launch of Neurology Today for the iPad

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and Wolters Kluwer Health today announced the launch of Neurology Today for the iPad, a digital app of the most widely read newspaper for neurologists.

10 Jan 2012

RUMC moves 200 patients into new 14-story hospital building

After more than seven years of planning and three years of construction, Rush University Medical Center successfully moved approximately 200 patients into the Tower, Rush's new, 14-story, state-of-the-art hospital building, located at Ashland Avenue and the Eisenhower Expressway.

10 Jan 2012