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ADA conference to highlight oral health solutions for disabled and older adults

The American Dental Association (ADA) is extending invitations to those concerned about the oral health of vulnerable older adults and people with disabilities to attend a national conference and help shape the future of oral health care for this underserved and growing population.

22 Sep 2010

Senate approves global clean water legislation

"The U.S. Senate Monday approved a bill intended to help 100 million people around the world gain access to clean water and sanitation," United Press International reports (9/20).

22 Sep 2010

Study evaluates effects of psychological program to improve teachers' mental health

With respect to the Symptoms Check List-27, the values of the GSI (Global Severity Index) and of 3 subscales (those for depressive, dysthymic and mistrust symptoms), compared with the control group, improved significantly upon participation in the group program.

22 Sep 2010

Clinton Global Initiative meeting kicks off, U.S. will commit to Clean Cookstove project

"World leaders, CEOs, non-governmental organizations and philanthropists" are gathering this week at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) annual meeting, "[t]imed to coincide with the beginning of the United Nations General Assembly," WNYC News reports (Herman, 9/20).

22 Sep 2010

Some insurers to end child-only policies rather than comply with health law

Major insurers plan to discontinue child-only health plans rather than issue coverage under such plans for children with preexisting conditions, something they would have to do beginning Sept. 23 as part of the health law, The Washington Post reports. WellPoint, Cigna and CoventryOne are among the insurers that will end the plans. Those children already covered under the plans would be able to continue, and the companies "will accept children with preexisting conditions in new family policies" (Aizenman, 9/20).

22 Sep 2010

Republicans plan to chip away at health law; Senators call for insurance rate hearings

The New York Times: Republicans are hopeful they can pick up enough seats in November's midterm elections to chip away at the new health law. "This goal, though not fleshed out in a detailed legislative proposal, is much more than a campaign slogan. That conclusion emerged from interviews with a wide range of Republican lawmakers, who said they were determined to chip away at the law if they could not dismantle it." Republicans are expected to release specifics of the plan Thursday.

22 Sep 2010

Sebelius: Medicare Advantage premium costs to decline slightly in 2011

The Associated Press: "Seniors enrolled in popular private health insurance plans through Medicare will pay a little less on average next year, the Obama administration said Tuesday. The average monthly premium in so-called Medicare Advantage plans will dip to $35.69 in 2011, a 45-cent reduction from $36.14 this year, Medicare officials said."

22 Sep 2010

Obesity hurts wallets and health, especially in women

The Associated Press: Obese women incur higher costs, both to their health and wallets, than men, according to a new study by researchers at George Washington University. "George Washington University researchers added in things like employee sick days, lost productivity, even the need for extra gasoline — and found the annual cost of being obese is $4,879 for a woman and $2,646 for a man.

22 Sep 2010

Few insurers provide coverage for weight loss treatment

Reporting for Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with The Washington Post, Sandra G. Boodman writes: "After her weight hit the obese range, her cholesterol level nudged the danger zone and her doctor urged her to lose weight, Melissa Moss, veteran of a decade of failed diets, decided she needed intensive help.

22 Sep 2010

Health overhaul details trigger uncertainty, debate

The Orlando Sentinel: "It's one of the most overlooked pieces of health-care overhaul, but a plan to help companies pay health-care costs for early retirees has proved popular in Florida, where 69 companies and government agencies have applied for federal help.

22 Sep 2010

AIG Co. caught selling 'bogus' health plans

Minneapolis Star Tribune: A subsidiary of American International Group — known as AIG — has been fined $100,000 by Minnesota regulators for selling "bogus" health policies and is now ordered to repay its customers.

22 Sep 2010

A slow, steady move to health IT

Reuters: More physicians are using health IT. "U.S. doctors increasingly are ditching pen and paper and sending prescriptions to pharmacies electronically, lured by up to $27 billion in government funds aimed at speeding the switch to electronic medical records. There are now 200,000 doctors who use e-prescribing, or roughly one in three office-based doctors." E-prescribing is only one piece of the health IT puzzle doctors must solve to get their share of the funds (Steenhuysen, 9/21).

22 Sep 2010

AMA launches new online tool to strengthen the financial health of physician practices

The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced a new online tool designed to help physician practices prepare for billing and payment audits by insurers and federal contractors. The AMA’s Practice Analysis Tools for Healthcare (AMA PATH™) puts self-auditing tools in the hands of physicians, allowing them to develop and evaluate fee schedules and billing safeguards without hiring an expensive consultant.

21 Sep 2010

Rising Medicare premiums and no cost-of-living adjustment can reduce Social Security payments

The combination of rising Medicare premiums and no annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) would reduce Social Security payments for about 23 million of the nation's seniors in 2011, according to The Senior Citizens League. This figure represents two-thirds of the 37 million seniors who receive Social Security benefits.

21 Sep 2010

Greenway announces advanced allergy module in integrated EHR solution

Greenway Medical Technologies, Inc. today announced the most advanced allergy module available in an integrated electronic health record (EHR) solution for ear, nose and throat (ENT) and allergy physician practices. Developed in conjunction with a leading ENT and allergy testing and treatment practice, the Greenway® Allergy Module for PrimeSuite® provides unmatched allergy testing, serum creation, allergy shot record, lot maintenance and reporting functionality for today's ENT and allergy practice groups.

21 Sep 2010

New provincial framework released to improve patient safety for Albertans

A new provincial framework released today will guide, direct and support continuous and measureable improvement of patient safety for Albertans. The purpose of the framework is to develop and advance patient safety strategies in Alberta's health care system with the goal of creating a safer system.

21 Sep 2010

Lehigh Valley Health Network automates IRB processes with Click Commerce eResearch Portal software

Click Commerce, the pioneer in customer-configurable solutions for the business of research, announced today that Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) will use the company's eResearch Portal software to automate its Institutional Review Board (IRB) processes, which monitor the safe and ethical conduct of research involving human subjects.

21 Sep 2010

HealthWarehouse.com, Columbia Medical Associates announce partnership to provide generic prescription medications

HealthWarehouse.com, Inc., a leading retail mail-order online pharmacy and Columbia Medical Associates, an outpatient clinic system offering medical services in the Spokane, Washington metropolitan area, announced a partnership to offer patients a 30-day supply of more than 300 generic prescription medications for $3.50 with free home delivery.

21 Sep 2010

Richmond Hill Children's Clinic patients to have real-time access to PHRs at mypatientaccess.ca

Canadian Patient Access Inc. and Nightingale Informatix Corporation, an application service provider (ASP) of electronic medical records (EMR) software and related services today announce that mypatientaccess.ca, Canada's first secure, interactive patient portal will soon be made available to parents of more than 10,000 pediatric patients treated at the Richmond Hill Children's Clinic (Richmond Hill, ON).

21 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 21, 2010

In today's headlines, news about major insurers' plans to stop offering child-only health policies in advance of new rules.

21 Sep 2010

Healthcare News

ADA conference to highlight oral health solutions for disabled and older adults

Senate approves global clean water legislation

Study evaluates effects of psychological program to improve teachers' mental health

Clinton Global Initiative meeting kicks off, U.S. will commit to Clean Cookstove project

Some insurers to end child-only policies rather than comply with health law

Republicans plan to chip away at health law; Senators call for insurance rate hearings

Sebelius: Medicare Advantage premium costs to decline slightly in 2011

Obesity hurts wallets and health, especially in women

Few insurers provide coverage for weight loss treatment

Health overhaul details trigger uncertainty, debate

AIG Co. caught selling 'bogus' health plans

A slow, steady move to health IT

AMA launches new online tool to strengthen the financial health of physician practices

Rising Medicare premiums and no cost-of-living adjustment can reduce Social Security payments

Greenway announces advanced allergy module in integrated EHR solution

New provincial framework released to improve patient safety for Albertans

Lehigh Valley Health Network automates IRB processes with Click Commerce eResearch Portal software

HealthWarehouse.com, Columbia Medical Associates announce partnership to provide generic prescription medications

Richmond Hill Children's Clinic patients to have real-time access to PHRs at mypatientaccess.ca

First Edition: September 21, 2010

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

PhD researcher at LifeArc

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research

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