Healthcare News

RSS

Researchers investigate regional variation in Medicare spending

In the latest Health Policy Outlook from the American Enterprise Institute and the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at USC, Schaeffer Center researchers investigated whether geographic variations in utilization of health services and spending differed between Medicare and the private sector.

23 Jul 2010

NYC hospitals agree to pilot program to cut medical-malpractice costs

To cut medical-malpractice costs, five New York City hospitals have agreed to a pilot program to divulge medical mistakes early, offer settlements quickly and use special state 'health courts,' where judges will help negotiate agreements before cases go to trial. The program, funded for three years with $3 million from the federal government, aims to cut the $1.4 billion spent annually in New York State on medical-malpractice premiums, hospital and state officials say.

23 Jul 2010

HPM recognizes 19 Michigan health care providers for outstanding quality, service

The 19 Michigan health care providers were identified as the top primary care offices through a rigorous selection process that was based on Health Plan of Michigan's 2009 quality incentive plan. "We wanted to show our gratitude to our highest ranking health care providers for their excellence in quality and service," said Raymond D. Pitera, Vice President of Provider Service for Health Plan of Michigan. "We truly appreciate the access to quality services they provide to our Medicaid Members."

23 Jul 2010

GOP questions math of HHS' premium hike estimates; Abortion issue defining implementation

Senate Republican leaders are questioning an estimate by the Department of Health and Human Services that the effect of the new health law on insurance premiums will likely be less than 1 percent, The Hill reports.

23 Jul 2010

States still hoping for extra Medicaid money but also developing contingency plans

Kaiser Health News reports that states and hospital groups continue to lobby for a six-month extension of enhanced Medicaid money despite funding concerns and the lack of a way forward for such an extension.

23 Jul 2010

Most Americans with disabilities still struggle with lifestyle, economic issues: Survey

On the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a new survey sponsored by Kessler Foundation and National Organization on Disability finds that most Americans with disabilities are still struggling with many of the same lifestyle and economic issues they confronted in 1990 when the ADA became federal law.

23 Jul 2010

MAXIMUS operates health care appeal programs for state regulatory agencies

The United States Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury announced yesterday a new internal claims and appeals and external review process for group health plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

23 Jul 2010

Applications accepted for September 2010 CMPP examination

Applications are now being accepted for the September 2010 Certified Medical Publication Professional examination. Qualified candidates can take the three-hour exam during the September 1-30, 2010 testing window at approved locations around the globe.

23 Jul 2010

IPC signs agreement with UCSF to develop leadership training program for physician managers

IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., a leading national hospitalist physician group practice company, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with the University of California, San Francisco Division of Hospital Medicine and its Center for the Health Professions to develop a leadership training program for dozens of IPC's key physician managers.

23 Jul 2010

Achieving meaningful use of inpatient EHR is top priority of hospital executives: Survey

According to a survey of U.S. hospital executives released today by CSC, steps to meet meaningful use requirements were already a priority for hospitals before the final rules to establish an incentive program for electronic health records were announced by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on July 12.

23 Jul 2010

Vienna Declaration signed to support evidence-based drug policy for improving community health

Sandra Roelofs, First Lady of Georgia; George Tsereteli, Georgia's Deputy Chairman of Parliament; and Irakli Giorgobiani, Georgia's Vice Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs, today signed the Vienna Declaration, the official declaration of the XVIII International AIDS conference in Vienna, Austria.

23 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 23, 2010

Today's news coverage includes more details about the Obama administration's new rule on appealing rejections of health insurance claims and a new law to reign in improper government payments.

23 Jul 2010

New data on health insurance to be included in AHRQ's 2009 State Snapshots

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's annual release of state-by-state quality data has been expanded to include new data on health insurance, including data on health care quality categorized by source of payment, including private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid and those without insurance.

23 Jul 2010

Study focuses on health issues of PGDP workers

A five-year study into the causes of deaths of workers at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant shows significantly lower death rates from all causes and cancer in general when compared to the overall United States population. This is known by occupational health researchers as the "healthy worker effect". However, death from lymphatic and bone marrow cancers such as leukemia or multiple myeloma were slightly above national rates.

23 Jul 2010

AIDS 2010 calls for extension of human rights protections as central tenet of global response to AIDS

The appalling lack of access to scientifically proven interventions for key populations at risk -- including sex workers, men who have sex with men and people who use drugs - and the lagging scale up of simple and inexpensive treatment regimens to prevent vertical transmission of HIV reflect persistent, underlying human rights violations that threaten future progress on AIDS, according to organizers of the XVIII International AIDS Conference taking place in Vienna this week under the theme of Rights Here, Right Now.

23 Jul 2010

New appeal regulations empower consumers to better control their health care decisions

Today, the Obama Administration is announcing both new regulations to empower consumers to appeal decisions made by their health plans or insurance companies and the availability of resources that will be used to help give consumers more control of their health care decisions. These provisions of the Affordable Care Act will help support and protect consumers and help end some of the worst insurance company abuses.

23 Jul 2010

Senior Smart introduces online tool for seniors looking for quality assisted living facilities

In response to the "graying of America" phenomena, Senior Smart announced today the inception of http://www.assisted-living-info.org, an online tool that provides the perfect match between families and seniors actively looking for assisted living and quality assisted living facilities nationwide.

23 Jul 2010

New rules Thursday on appealing insurance claims, states take lead in health reform implementation

Kaiser Health News /The Washington Post obtained a summary of new rules to be released Thursday by the Obama administration that will make it easier for consumers to appeal the denials of their health insurance claims as the White House tries to "boost political support" for the new health law.

23 Jul 2010

CWRU introduces new dental health program for families

Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine announced a new program called Family First in which they will adopt nine families and care for multiple generations in a family unit.

23 Jul 2010

Maven Semantic announces updates to Bioinformatics medical professionals database

Maven Semantic announces updates to their Bioinformatics database.

23 Jul 2010

Healthcare News

Researchers investigate regional variation in Medicare spending

NYC hospitals agree to pilot program to cut medical-malpractice costs

HPM recognizes 19 Michigan health care providers for outstanding quality, service

GOP questions math of HHS' premium hike estimates; Abortion issue defining implementation

States still hoping for extra Medicaid money but also developing contingency plans

Most Americans with disabilities still struggle with lifestyle, economic issues: Survey

MAXIMUS operates health care appeal programs for state regulatory agencies

Applications accepted for September 2010 CMPP examination

IPC signs agreement with UCSF to develop leadership training program for physician managers

Achieving meaningful use of inpatient EHR is top priority of hospital executives: Survey

Vienna Declaration signed to support evidence-based drug policy for improving community health

First Edition: July 23, 2010

New data on health insurance to be included in AHRQ's 2009 State Snapshots

Study focuses on health issues of PGDP workers

AIDS 2010 calls for extension of human rights protections as central tenet of global response to AIDS

New appeal regulations empower consumers to better control their health care decisions

Senior Smart introduces online tool for seniors looking for quality assisted living facilities

New rules Thursday on appealing insurance claims, states take lead in health reform implementation

CWRU introduces new dental health program for families

Maven Semantic announces updates to Bioinformatics medical professionals database

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

How cohesin mechanics and nanotracker tech are redefining DNA research

Latest News