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Federal deadline on state health insurance 'pools' sparks confrontations

States must tell the federal government whether they will help run new insurance pools for high-risk patients by Friday, which could set up political confrontations, The New York Times reports.

3 May 2010

Modern Healthcare reports on health IT implementation meeting

Modern Healthcare: "Since passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act early last year, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has had its hands full doing what its name implies—stage managing a massive national health IT promotional production.

3 May 2010

Boston hospital program prepares doctors for emergency medical situations

WBUR/NPR reports on a hospital program that replicates the scenario in Haiti to better prepare doctors for emergency medical situations.

3 May 2010

Mass. report on insurers' financial health provides mixed portrait

"A long-awaited state report to be released today will probably add fuel to the debate about surging health costs by portraying a mixed financial picture of Massachusetts health insurers. The state's eight health insurers finished 2008 with a total surplus of $2.5 billion, a more than four-fold increase from 1999 when the study period began, according to a 17-page executive summary of the report from the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy that was obtained by the Globe."

3 May 2010

Dietary protein for overall health

The importance of high-quality protein foods in overall health was among the topics discussed this week at Experimental Biology 2010 in Anaheim, Calif. Researchers from a variety of institutions discussed studies that looked at varying levels of dietary protein intake to promote health throughout life including the role of protein in weight loss and muscle maintenance.

3 May 2010

Schwarzenegger expresses support for health law while Reid uses reform as campaign issue

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Thursday announced his support of the health reform law, even as other Republicans around the United States look for ways to roll back the measure's reach.

3 May 2010

CPMC establishes new Bryan Hemming Cancer Care Center

Being diagnosed with cancer can be devastating for anyone, bringing with it a series of life-changing challenges, both physical and emotional. That's why California Pacific Medical Center is delighted to announce the opening of the Bryan Hemming Cancer Care Center, a one-of-a-kind space offering a wide range of essential support services for patients and their loved ones, all under one roof.

3 May 2010

Wellpoint cancels 39-percent rate hikes in California

Anthem Blue Cross, a California-based unit of WellPoint withdrew its request to hike rates by up to 39 percent for some policyholders after state regulators concluded its plan included "all kinds of methodological mistakes," the Los Angeles Times reports.

3 May 2010

Studies prompt attention to streamlining medical billing

The Wall Street Journal reports on two different studies published recently that focus on the billing practices of doctors. One, in the New England Journal of Medicine quantifies the work done in billing at a small primary care practice.

3 May 2010

Adequate primary care is associated with fewer ear and throat surgeries among children

The availability of surgeons may increase the likelihood that children will receive optional ear and throat surgeries, while the availability of primary care providers, such as pediatricians and family physicians, may decrease the likelihood of children undergoing these procedures, according to research to be presented Saturday, May 1 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

3 May 2010

Today's opinions: Ending rescissions, exploring issues of doctor payments and the Oklahoma abortion law

In all the recent discussions about health care reform, what had heretofore played out only beyond earshot of the exam room suddenly was very public: the tangled, uneasy and often antagonistic relationship between practicing doctors and the insurance companies who pay for the services they deliver (Dr. Pauline Chen, 4/29).

30 Apr 2010

MCA to welcome wounded veterans for free vision treatment, Hero's Night Out

Motorcycle Charity Associates announced today that they will welcome a lucky group of wounded veterans to Los Angeles for free vision treatment and a "Hero's Night Out" at the 2nd Annual Stars & Stripes event taking place on the grounds of the Playboy Mansion on Saturday, May 15th.

30 Apr 2010

States struggle to maintain Medicaid programs before health law expansions kick in

"The Tennessee Senate on Thursday approved a bill to allow state hospitals to pay a fee to avoid $659 million in TennCare cuts. Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen had originally proposed cutting $201 million from the state's expanded Medicaid program to help balance the states [sic] budget. Those cuts would be averted through the hospital assessment" (4/29).

30 Apr 2010

Officials face challenges in writing new health law regulations

Obama administration officials face a "monumental task" in writing new regulations to the health care law while keeping one eye on public perception ahead of November's midterm elections.

30 Apr 2010

Florida Senate approves new abortion restrictions

A controversial bill that would require women to undergo ultrasounds before they can have abortions received final approval in the Senate late Thursday, setting up an epic struggle in the House today, the last day of the session. The bill also affects Florida women's coverage in the new federal health exchanges to go into effect in 2014.

30 Apr 2010

Premier Purchasing Partners announces new agreements for exam gloves

Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, today announced new agreements for exam gloves have been awarded to Cardinal Health of Waukegan, Ill.; Digitcare Corporation of Los Angeles, a minority business enterprise; Innovative Healthcare Corporation of Sand Springs, Okla., a veteran business enterprise; Kimberly-Clark Corporation of Roswell, Ga.; Medgluv Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a minority business enterprise; Medline Industries Inc. of Mundelein, Ill.; and Tronex Company of Parsippany, N.J., a minority business enterprise.

30 Apr 2010

Florida Congress members introduce bill to stiffen Medicare fraud laws

Two members of Congress from Florida, emphasizing that "criminal penalties for Medicare fraud must be updated," have introduced legislation that would "double fines, increase background checks and even study how biometric technology could help ensure the appropriate use of program services." Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., and Ron Klein, D-Fla., said the bill "will help crack down on Medicare fraud, protecting seniors and taxpayers alike.

30 Apr 2010

Registration for 2010 Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology opens

Starting today, aspiring scientists and mathematicians nationwide can register for the 2010 Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology, the premiere original research competition for high school students in the United States. In just six months, submitted projects will be judged and the countdown to the national finals in Washington, D.C. will begin.

30 Apr 2010

ViaSmart introduces PowerCaddy and TechTote for patient safety

ViaSmart announces its latest products, the PowerCaddy and the TechTote. Designed specifically to assist health care professionals in positively identifying both the patient and the specimen collected, the PowerCaddy carries and protects a PDA (hand-held computer) and a mobile printer in a lightweight, durable tote.

30 Apr 2010

Study offers link between force of acceleration in roller coasters and common ear injury

The sharp turns, ups and downs, and high speeds of today's roller coasters bring a lot of thrills, but if you're not careful, the ride could also cause damage to your ears, say physicians at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

30 Apr 2010