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Hospital charges for uninsured inpatient care grows by 88%

The amount that hospitals charge the uninsured for inpatient care grew by 88 percent between 1998 and 2007, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The average charge for an uninsured hospital stay grew from $11,400 in 1998 to $21,400 in 2007 after adjusting for inflation.

7 Apr 2010

Doctors prepare to take recertification tests; California case examines patient safety

The Associated Press: "For the first time since leaving medical school, many doctors are having to take tests to renew board certification in their fields — 147 specialties from dermatology to obstetrics. Any doctor can deliver a baby, treat cancer, or declare himself a cardiologist. Certification means the doctor had special training in that field and passed an exam to prove knowledge of it.

7 Apr 2010

Infusion and injection therapy Medicare defraud scheme: Detroit-area resident pleads guilty

A Detroit-area resident pleaded guilty today for her role in an infusion and injection therapy scheme to defraud Medicare, announced the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services (HHS).

7 Apr 2010

Toronto Star examines cost of fighting maternal mortality, Canada's G8 initiative

Experts say that fighting maternal mortality will cost the world a total of $24 billion annually, or an additional $12 billion per year, the Toronto Star writes in an article about Canada's G8 maternal and child health initiative and a maternal health conference that is being planned ahead of the G8 meeting.

7 Apr 2010

Media outlets examine urbanization, health ahead of World Health Day

Several media outlets examine the health risks associated with rapid urbanization around the world - the theme of this year's World Health Day, to be marked on Wednesday.

7 Apr 2010

Obstacles in urban setting limits physical activity and promotes unhealthy food consumption

The conditions of urban environments have been linked to an escalation of noncommunicable diseases such as Type II diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. These diseases are preventable and manageable through exercise, which is why the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) is dedicated to stemming the tide of poor health and physical decline by providing distance fitness education to health and fitness professionals, as well as other interested individuals.

7 Apr 2010

Annual Medicare report delayed to reflect impact of health law, the AP reports

The Associated Press: "The Obama administration is delaying release of the annual report on the financial health of Social Security and Medicare so that the new report can reflect the impact of the recently passed health care overhaul." The AP says that, according to an administration official, the report "will be delayed until June 30, three months later than it usually comes out."

7 Apr 2010

Publicis Groupe announces acquisition of In-Sync

Publicis Groupe announced today that it has acquired Toronto-based In-Sync, a recognized thought leader in the customer insight space. In-Sync will become part of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG). In-Sync, with 75 employees, is a market research consultancy offering a fully integrated suite of innovative, quantitative and qualitative branded products to top biopharma companies worldwide. The acquisition of In-Sync will strengthen PHCG's edge by providing clients with greater customer insight in the healthcare space.

7 Apr 2010

Employers believe VBD improves employee health and productivity

A new study confirms that employers believe value-based design improves employee health and productivity. The Center for Health Value Innovation, the nation's premier information exchange for value-based design, today announced the results of a survey, "Value-Based Design 2009," conducted by Buck Consultants, a global employee benefits and human resources consulting firm.

7 Apr 2010

Wisconsin residents may switch health insurance due to reform; Florida lawmakers seek changes to Medicaid

Some 60,000 Wisconsin residents could be shifted in the coming years from the state's BadgerCare Plus health coverage for the poor to commercial plans, under the federal health reform law. That's just one option that Wisconsin officials will have as they work through the effects of the sweeping federal law on the state's own extensive Medicaid health programs.

7 Apr 2010

Soccer for Health

Led by Professors Peter Krustrup and Jens Bangsbo from the Department of Exercise and Sports Sciences, University of Copenhagen, the 3-year project covered several intervention studies involving both men, women and children, who were divided into soccer, running and control groups.

7 Apr 2010

Policy Roundup: Health law's effect on insurance plans, mandate enforcement issues

Kaiser Health News: "Consumers and employers who provide health insurance are scrambling to understand what will change in their premiums and benefits once provisions of the recently passed law go into effect." Some of the answers they seek are unclear because the legislation leaves out details the health department must fill in during the regulatory process.

7 Apr 2010

Financial stake in surgery centers motivates doctors to operate more often

When doctors become invested in an outpatient surgery center, they perform on average twice as many surgeries as doctors with no such financial stake, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Health System.

7 Apr 2010

Sebelius vows implementation of health law will be clear, transparent

"U.S. health officials aim to move swiftly and clearly to implement newly enacted healthcare reforms, the nation's health secretary said in remarks on Tuesday aimed at selling Americans on the benefits of the controversial changes," Reuters reports. In excerpts of a speech to be delivered today at the National Press Club, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius explained health officials would work "to be as clear and transparent as possible" as the law is implemented. "

7 Apr 2010

Medicare advantage insurers won't see increase in 2011

Payments for Medicare Advantage plans, which are operated by private health insurers, will be frozen at this year's rates in 2011, Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports.

7 Apr 2010

Adventist Medical Center expands emergency department

Adventist Medical Center (AMC), a southeast Portland, Ore., hospital serving the greater Portland and Vancouver, Wash., metropolitan area, has completed its third and final phase of its emergency department expansion. With this expansion, the hospital now has 32 beds in its emergency department, making it one of the largest in Portland. AMC is also one of the busiest emergency departments in the Portland metro area, serving more than 46,000 patients a year.

7 Apr 2010

20 regional cancer care units to get $560 million for upgrades

There is good news for millions of cancer patients across Australia. Prime Minister Rudd has announced a contribution of $560 million with the intention of upgrading and opening new cancer centers in regional and rural communities all over Australia.

7 Apr 2010

Large increase seen in Social Security disability applications

The Fiscal Times reports on the rapidly growing number of people applying for Social Security retirement benefits and federal disability insurance because of the poor economy and job market. "Last year, applications totaled 2.6 million for retirement benefits and over 3 million for disability benefits — both representing modest increases over the previous year.

7 Apr 2010

Flexible spending accounts getting slightly less flexible

Kaiser Health News staff writer Andrew Villegas writes about how FSA rules are going to be different.

7 Apr 2010

Insurers sue Mass. regulators over rejected rate hikes

Massachusetts insurers are suing the state government after regulators rejected proposed double-digit premium rate increases that would have gone into effect April 1. The move would spell hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for the six insurers that joined the suit, the firms said.

7 Apr 2010