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Interleukin Genetics receives two grants under QTDP program to advance obesity, osteoarthritis genetic research

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. today announced that on November 1, 2010 notification was received that it has been awarded two grants totaling $473,393 by the United States Government under the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (QTDP) Program to advance the Company's genetic research projects related to obesity and osteoarthritis.

9 Nov 2010

Insurer news: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to play 'significant' role in VA. implementation; Cigna report lauds consumer-directed plans

Marking its 75th year in business in Virginia, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is facing perhaps the biggest challenge in its history with the implementation of the national health care overhaul plan and the company's role in how the reform will be implemented in Virginia will be significant.

9 Nov 2010

Firms pursue new digital technologies to meet stimulus- and health law-fueled provider demand

The Washington Post: "A growing number of companies are joining five-year-old AFrame Digital in offering products that link heath care with mobile and other remote technologies in an effort to increase the quality and reduce the cost of medical treatment. Health-care legislation made heaps of money available to digitize medical records and bolster the industry's information technology, including programs to foster innovation" (Overly, 11/8).

9 Nov 2010

Feds crack down on fraud by issuing new Medicaid rules, helping medical students catch fraud

The Hill Healthwatch: "The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Friday proposed new rules for the use of private contractors that work for states to audit Medicaid payments. The Recovery Audit Contractors will function similarly to the way they do in the Medicare program, where they audit payments that may have been underpaid or overpaid, and recover overpayments or correct underpayments. … Under the new law, states must establish Medicaid RAC programs by submitting state plan amendments to CMS by December 31" (Pecquet, 11/5).

9 Nov 2010

Duke focuses on community health in N.C.; Baltimore mental health agency's practices raise questions; Mass. clinic’s efforts to curb diabetes highlighted

The Washington Post reports on Duke University's experiment with community health centers Duke University has been focusing closer attention on the neighborhood that surrounds it by forming a partnership with Durham's Federally Qualified Health Center.

9 Nov 2010

Seniors need to check options as Medicare advantage plans change, drop out

The exodus of dozens of Medicare Advantage plans from various counties or from the state entirely is leaving 40,588 seniors across Washington to wade through charts in search of new plans.

9 Nov 2010

CHCF invests $10-million to improve health care in California

The California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) has launched a $10-million investment fund targeting nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies with innovative services, devices, and technologies that can significantly reduce costs and improve access to care in California.

9 Nov 2010

Children of deployed parents more likely to suffer mental health problems

The New York Times: "Young children in military families are about 10 percent more likely to see a doctor for a mental difficulty when a parent is deployed than when the parent is home, researchers are reporting Monday in the most comprehensive study to date of such families' use of health insurance during wartime."

9 Nov 2010

Employers struggle with increasing costs to insure workers

This year, Carilion Clinic has paid approximately 80 percent of the health care premium costs for full-time employees. Beginning in 2011, the region's largest employer will decrease its contribution significantly, absorbing an average of 66 percent of the premium costs.

9 Nov 2010

Teens abuse prescription drugs more than illegal drugs

According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, teens abuse prescription medications more than all illegal drugs combined, excluding marijuana. Many teens are under the misconception that these highly addictive, easily accessible drugs are "safer" than illicit drugs.

9 Nov 2010

Hospitals in Tennessee, Oregon invest in new growth

News outlets report on the hospital markets in Tennessee and Oregon.

9 Nov 2010

Doctors abandon traditional practice for concierge medicine, hospital employment

The Palm Beach Post, on the growth of concierge medicine: "As health reform prepares to send another 32 million people into the already stressed health system, some say that concierge medicine is the future — where the wealthy see the best primary care doctors in a luxury setting, and everyone else makes do with clinics staffed by 'physician extenders' such as nurse practitioners.

8 Nov 2010

Government cutting premiums for Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan

The federal government is trying to spur enrollment in a new health insurance program for uninsured people with pre-existing medical conditions by slashing rates.

8 Nov 2010

Conservatives' conflict: Try for health law repeal – or revision

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports: "Even if Republicans could wave a magic wand and persuade enough Democrats to change the big federal health law in the next two years, the effort might hurt chances of eventually repealing it, some conservatives say" (Galewitz, 11/7).

8 Nov 2010

Republicans talk strategy to repeal – or revise – health law

Republicans do not have enough seats to marshal through a full repeal if Democrats remain steadfast in their support. Even if Republicans were able to sway enough Democrats to support their effort, it would face a certain veto from Obama.

8 Nov 2010

Health reform updates: Biotech grants, privacy issues and birth control coverage

Firms vying to tap the fund a $1 billion fund meant to catalyze research on new biologic treatments for cancer and other diseases may be disappointed in the outcome, The Washington Post reports. "[W]ith so many companies applying for a share of the money, many firms got much smaller allotments than requested and said the financial boost won't go as far as they had initially hoped.

8 Nov 2010

Pres. Obama, Indian PM Singh announce partnership to improve global food security

During a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, President Barack Obama announced a new partnership between U.S. and Indian agriculture sectors to help improve food security globally, Press Trust International/Livemint.com reports.

8 Nov 2010

Assaults on Victoria’s heath workers to be punished more severely under new laws

Victoria’s nursing and health care staff are among those most at risk of physical assault from violent patients and families and now the Victorian government has come up with new laws to protect them.

8 Nov 2010

Flaws in the selection process of surgical specialists

One of the Canberra orthopedic surgeons who missed out on being selected for a contract with ACT Health has alleged that the selection process is unfair. Two of the orthopedic surgeons were given contracts to work as visiting medical officers (VMO) in ACT Health. These doctors were colleagues of some members of the selection panel. The question of conflict of interest on these grounds was raised by the two unsuccessful candidates. One of them was Dr Paul Miniter.

8 Nov 2010

On health law, election postmortems continue

In an analysis in The Washington Post, Chris Cillizza asks: "How much did the health-care law passed this year have to do with Republicans winning back the House and gaining six seats in the Senate?" Polls shed a little - deeply contradictory - light on the question. A Democratic strategist argued it was a neutral issue in an election-night memo, saying only 18 percent of voters believed health care was the most important issue, and that Demcorats won those by an eight percentage point margin.

8 Nov 2010

Healthcare News

Interleukin Genetics receives two grants under QTDP program to advance obesity, osteoarthritis genetic research

Insurer news: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield to play 'significant' role in VA. implementation; Cigna report lauds consumer-directed plans

Firms pursue new digital technologies to meet stimulus- and health law-fueled provider demand

Feds crack down on fraud by issuing new Medicaid rules, helping medical students catch fraud

Duke focuses on community health in N.C.; Baltimore mental health agency's practices raise questions; Mass. clinic’s efforts to curb diabetes highlighted

Seniors need to check options as Medicare advantage plans change, drop out

CHCF invests $10-million to improve health care in California

Children of deployed parents more likely to suffer mental health problems

Employers struggle with increasing costs to insure workers

Teens abuse prescription drugs more than illegal drugs

Hospitals in Tennessee, Oregon invest in new growth

Doctors abandon traditional practice for concierge medicine, hospital employment

Government cutting premiums for Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan

Conservatives' conflict: Try for health law repeal – or revision

Republicans talk strategy to repeal – or revise – health law

Health reform updates: Biotech grants, privacy issues and birth control coverage

Pres. Obama, Indian PM Singh announce partnership to improve global food security

Assaults on Victoria’s heath workers to be punished more severely under new laws

Flaws in the selection process of surgical specialists

On health law, election postmortems continue

How agentic AI is reshaping laboratory workflows

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How industrial hygiene flow calibration supports defensible exposure data

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