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Medicare often overpays for wheelchairs, durable medical equipment

(Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Sun-Sentinel: Medicare continues to pay high prices - often three times the cost on the private market - for power wheelchairs and other high-cost equipment. "As for the prices, the government is well aware that Medicare often pays too much. The Medicare reimbursement rate for wheelchairs ranges from $490 to $1,750 for the 13-month rental period, depending on the type of chair.

1 Dec 2010

Underwood-Memorial Hospital joins Jefferson Neuroscience Network as New Jersey participant

Underwood-Memorial Hospital of Woodbury, New Jersey has joined the Jefferson Neuroscience Network (JNN) as one of the first New Jersey participants. Through this collaboration, Jefferson and Underwood will provide some of the most sophisticated care and expertise available to patients with time-sensitive neurovascular diseases.

1 Dec 2010

Health law causing ripples in Congress, insurance industry, among doctors

The Washington Post: "One of the most significant savings envisioned in the new health- care law - limiting payments to the private health plans that cover 11 million older Americans under Medicare - is, so far, bringing little of the turbulence that the insurance industry and many Republicans predicted. ... Early clues to the actual effects have now materialized, as elderly Americans may sign up for a health plan for 2011 during an enrollment period through the end of the year, and the warnings of swift, serious damage to the program are not borne out.

1 Dec 2010

Living Donor Paired Exchange becomes first Canada-wide organ donation registry

Yesterday, the Living Donor Paired Exchange performed the first match run to include kidney patients and donors from all across Canada. In doing so, it became the first Canada-wide organ donation registry.

1 Dec 2010

Flawed health care system fuels low life expectancy rank for U.S., researchers say

The U.S. spends more on health care than any other nation but ranks 49th in life expectancy which has led researchers to conclude that the problem is the health care system.

1 Dec 2010

The complexity involved in efforts to dismantle the health law

The last time lawmakers repealed a major piece of health care legislation was more than 20 years ago, when vehement opposition to a 1988 measure providing new Medicare prescription drug coverage in exchange for higher income taxes led to repeal 16 months later, CQ HealthBeat reports. Polls are more evenly divided on the newest health care overhaul, and due to the law's unprecedented complexity, "efforts to unwind the measure are as fragmented as the health care system itself."

1 Dec 2010

Quality issues persist at hospitals, plastic surgery centers; use of CT scans in ER increases

Despite intensive efforts to improve patient safety, a six-year study at 10 North Carolina hospitals showed no decline in so-called patient harms, which included medical errors and unavoidable mistakes.

1 Dec 2010

Deficit plans target politically-protected Medicare program

The politically-sacrosanct Medicare program is in the crosshairs of proposals to cut the deficit, prompting possible battles between seniors' advocates and debt-conscious lawmakers, Kaiser Health News reports.

30 Nov 2010

Medical records and medical device interests gain attention from big names, congressional delegation

The Hill: "The new lobby shop of former Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) and his son Tom has registered its first client. The San Francisco-based tech company Resilient Networks Systems has hired Tauzin Consultants to help lobby on the deployment of electronic medical records under the healthcare reform law among other issues, according to lobbying disclosure records.

30 Nov 2010

Lame duck update: Congress delays Medicare payment cuts, fails to roll back health law's 1099 provision

Congress on Monday agreed to delay for one month a cut in Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors, giving a short-term reprieve to a looming crisis over treatment of the nation's elderly.

30 Nov 2010

Health care models: Accountable Care Organizations, medical homes

Kansas Health Institute News Service examines accountable care organizations (ACOs): "In an effort to combat the lack of coordination that is widely recognized as a major shortcoming of the current health system, the new federal health reform law includes provisions intended to encourage wider use of Accountable Care Organizations or ACOs."

30 Nov 2010

Medicaid cuts hurt Miss. Residents, Calif. appeals federal order to reduce prison population amid health concerns

Parents across Mississippi say they are frustrated with state Medicaid officials as programs are downsized and benefits canceled.

30 Nov 2010

Goosby, Emanuel address progress, potential roadblocks ahead for introduction of microbicides in developing countries

The growing evidence supporting the promise of new HIV prevention products, like microbicides, requires that groups start planning now for how best to roll-out prevention interventions in the future, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Eric Goosby and Special Advisor on Health Policy to the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget Ezekiel Emanuel said Monday during a USAID Microbicide Stakeholders Meeting in Washington.

30 Nov 2010

California's largest insurers fined nearly $5 million

Los Angeles Times: "California's seven largest health plans were fined nearly $5 million in total Monday for failing to properly pay medical claims submitted by thousands of doctors and hospitals over the last three years. Insurance regulators said the companies also would pay 'tens of millions of dollars' in restitution to medical providers whose claims were underpaid or incorrectly rejected.

30 Nov 2010

Today's OpEds: Transforming Cal. Safety Net; medical loss ratio; employee health benefits; nurses' role in future

It's time to prepare for the newly insured - and those left behind under reform. Estimates suggest that more than 8 million Californians may be uninsured today, and health care reform, once fully implemented in 2014, may provide coverage for the majority of those currently uninsured.

30 Nov 2010

Queensland allied health workers go on strike over pay issues

Nearly 10,000 allied health professionals of Queensland health have gone on strike for 24 hours from midnight (AEST) over a pay dispute with the government. The health workers include occupational therapists, social workers, radiographers, pharmacists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, theatre technicians and dental workers. They feel that the government’s proposed 7.5 per cent pay increase over three years is not enough.

30 Nov 2010

Internists plead Congress to avert scheduled Medicare SGR cut

The American College of Physicians (ACP) today is sending a video to Congressional leaders and others that features internists - speaking in their own words (http://www.acponline.org/advocacy/video/sgr.htm) - issuing a heartfelt plea for Congress to avert the scheduled Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) cut and work toward putting an end to the repeated cycle of cuts. The 3-minute and 25-second video emphasizes how patients, in particular, will be hurt by the scheduled cuts.

30 Nov 2010

Canadians at increased risk for flu complications not aware of all the facts

It starts with a headache, chills or that all-over-achy feeling. It comes on quickly, yet too many Canadians ignore the rapid onset of flu symptoms. But for the millions of Canadians at increased risk for developing serious complications from the flu, including people 65 and older, pregnant women and those with chronic medical conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, heart disease and diabetes, this 'laissez faire' attitude could be putting their health in jeopardy.

30 Nov 2010

Ascension Health to deploy MedAssets' suite of charge integrity solutions

Ascension Health, the nation's largest Catholic and non-profit health system, signed a long-term agreement to deploy MedAssets' suite of charge integrity solutions and consulting services to drive best practices and standardize the management of its charge and acquisition cost data at more than 65 of its acute care locations.

30 Nov 2010

Largest remote health monitoring project in the world launched in China

Canada-based IDEAL LIFE and China's Shandong NovaTech Biological Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer and medical products distribution network in China, announced the launch of the largest remote health monitoring project in the world, bringing wireless, remote health monitoring to the People's Republic of China.

30 Nov 2010

Healthcare News

Medicare often overpays for wheelchairs, durable medical equipment

Underwood-Memorial Hospital joins Jefferson Neuroscience Network as New Jersey participant

Health law causing ripples in Congress, insurance industry, among doctors

Living Donor Paired Exchange becomes first Canada-wide organ donation registry

Flawed health care system fuels low life expectancy rank for U.S., researchers say

The complexity involved in efforts to dismantle the health law

Quality issues persist at hospitals, plastic surgery centers; use of CT scans in ER increases

Deficit plans target politically-protected Medicare program

Medical records and medical device interests gain attention from big names, congressional delegation

Lame duck update: Congress delays Medicare payment cuts, fails to roll back health law's 1099 provision

Health care models: Accountable Care Organizations, medical homes

Medicaid cuts hurt Miss. Residents, Calif. appeals federal order to reduce prison population amid health concerns

Goosby, Emanuel address progress, potential roadblocks ahead for introduction of microbicides in developing countries

California's largest insurers fined nearly $5 million

Today's OpEds: Transforming Cal. Safety Net; medical loss ratio; employee health benefits; nurses' role in future

Queensland allied health workers go on strike over pay issues

Internists plead Congress to avert scheduled Medicare SGR cut

Canadians at increased risk for flu complications not aware of all the facts

Ascension Health to deploy MedAssets' suite of charge integrity solutions

Largest remote health monitoring project in the world launched in China

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

PhD researcher at LifeArc

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research

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