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COBRA subsidy extension Senate vote expected today

Congressional Quarterly: A 65 percent subsidy that helped laid-off Americans pay for their COBRA health insurance premiums expired March 31, just before the Congressional recess. Now, one of the first orders of business is voting on legislation that would extend that subsidy. "With 15 million Americans unemployed, some advocates for the jobless say Congress should not only be extending the COBRA subsidies but expanding them — either with more-generous subsidies or by changing the law to make more people eligible."

12 Apr 2010

More states coping with primary care shortage

In a major feature, The Tennessean reports that the "nation is short 16,663 primary care doctors, and by 2025 that number will reach nearly 140,000, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians."

12 Apr 2010

With health debate resolved, investors see continued health sector growth

After months of uncertainty during the health-overhaul debate, financial analysts and mutual fund managers are feeling more stable and seeing upsides from the new law, The New York Times reports. "There does not seem to be any onerous cost control," one analyst said. Another added, "There is just an expansion of coverage [and] not a lot of surprises."

12 Apr 2010

Biomedical Systems selects Global 360's Process360 BPM suite for improving report, image communication

Global 360, a leading provider of Process and Document Management solutions, today announced that Biomedical Systems, a global leader in centralized diagnostic testing for the pharmaceutical and medical device industry, has chosen Global 360 to improve how critical reports and images are communicated and reported to its customers. In the process, the company will also save thousands on courier costs, satisfy a "going green" initiative, and mitigate risk, helping satisfy auditors and regulators.

12 Apr 2010

Today's Opinions and Editorials: Immigration as a solution; Health care comparative shopping; and Medicare Advantage competitive pricing

Forty years ago there were five workers for every retiree. Now there are three. Within a couple of decades, there will be only two workers per retiree. There's no way just two workers will be able or willing to pay enough payroll taxes to keep benefits flowing to every retiree (Robert Reich, 4/11).

12 Apr 2010

CHI selects RelayHealth RevRunner healthcare solution

RelayHealth announced today that Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), the nation's second-largest Catholic healthcare system, has chosen RelayHealth RevRunner to verify patient eligibility for healthcare benefits.

12 Apr 2010

EHSI expects new iPhone 4.0 OS to benefit MedAnywhere application

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc. enthusiastically welcomed a highly anticipated report that Apple has unveiled the new iPhone 4.0 Operating System, which the Company believes will greatly benefit the MedAnywhere medical app currently in development. Specifically, new multitasking ability can be applied so that a physician can initiate patient monitoring subroutines without having to exit the MedAnywhere live communications portal.

12 Apr 2010

Verizon Wireless, BL Healthcare to jointly trial solutions for delivery of remote healthcare applications

Verizon Wireless today announced an initiative with BL Healthcare and a number of customers and third-party providers to jointly trial next-generation solutions for the delivery of remote healthcare applications and services to patients. This initiative will provide a unique approach for addressing issues associated with access to quality healthcare and rising healthcare costs.

12 Apr 2010

Orszag says new Medicare payment board will help lower deficit

"An Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) established under the healthcare reform act will help to ensure the nation's future fiscal health, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag said Thursday," McKnight's Long Term Care News & Assisted Living reports. "If set up correctly, the Medicare payment board will contribute to a reduction in national health costs and the federal deficit, Orszag said before the Economic Club of Washington last week, according to the Bureau of National Affairs.

12 Apr 2010

Vancouver Coastal Health implements Kronos' workforce management solutions

Following a rapid implementation, 8,000 Vancouver Coastal Health employees are now live with workforce management solutions from Kronos® Incorporated. A regional healthcare provider serving 25 percent of British Columbia's population, Vancouver Coastal Health is continuing to implement Kronos for its entire workforce of 21,000+ employees. Kronos will be used in 556 locations.

12 Apr 2010

How will the health overhaul affect you?

Nonprofit and advocacy Web sites, online "chats" with government officials, and hotlines for lawmakers are getting barraged with questions about how the health law will affect Americans, Kaiser Health News reports. "No matter which source they turn to, consumers are asking about every element of the bill. People who don't have health care coverage want to know how they can enroll in the high-risk pools that are scheduled to be up and running within 90 days.

12 Apr 2010

Aetna hit with penalty, suspended from signing up new Medicare members

The Wall Street Journal: Medicare officials have suspended the Aetna insurance company from enrolling new members for "its Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription-drug plans because the insurer didn't comply with rules about changing drug-plan designs, the government said." The sanctions come after the government says the Connecticut-based insurance company did not "meet requirements to make sure seniors could continue on their medications during changes to the Aetna plans in 2009 and those offered this year."

12 Apr 2010

Americans asking: 'How will health reform help me?'

Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey writes about the questions stemming from the new health reform law: "David wanted to know how the new health care overhaul law would impact retiree health care coverage.

12 Apr 2010

Over 12,000 participants already registered for 25th Anniversary EAU Congress

The upcoming 25th Anniversary EAU Congress in Barcelona from April 16 to 20 promises to be one of the EAU's biggest meetings in recent years with around 12,100 participants already registered to attend the annual urological event.

12 Apr 2010

Eclipsys introduces Sunrise Enterprise 5.5 integrated software solutions for healthcare industry

Eclipsys Corporation, The Outcomes Company® today announced the availability of Sunrise Enterprise™ 5.5 — a rich suite of integrated software solutions that serves to differentiate Eclipsys™ and its client base within the healthcare industry.

12 Apr 2010

Automated UV radiation helps decontaminate healthcare-associated pathogens

Attendees of the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infection were offered a record 37 presentations on the critical role of contaminated environmental surfaces in the transmission of pathogens in healthcare settings.

12 Apr 2010

Alere Health to lead series of key panel discussions at World Health Care Congress

Highlighting what employers and health plans can do to increase participation and results in health and wellness programs, Alere Health, LLC, a leader in personal health support solutions, will be leading a series of key panel discussions with prominent Alere clients including Blue Shield of California, Tufts Health Plan and Union Bank at the 7th annual World Health Care Congress.

12 Apr 2010

Largest Canadian paediatric academic health sciences centre adopts Medworxx Learning Management System

Medworxx Inc., provider of healthcare solutions for patient flow, compliance and education, is pleased to announce that The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has adopted the Medworxx Learning Management System. The Medworxx Learning Management System (LMS) will be the eLearning platform for all of SickKids' 5000 employees, supporting their blended learning model comprised of online training, classroom training, and on the job training.

12 Apr 2010

Dangers of BPA: South Florida children need protection

Something must be done to protect the children of South Florida from this dangerous chemical says one student ready to bring the facts to the Broward County Commission. The government's recent announcement that the EPA is considering the addition of Bisphenol-A (BPA) to their list of "Chemicals of Concern," is a step in the right direction, but long overdue, according to high school junior and BPA researcher, Wendi Oppenheim.

12 Apr 2010

CCP introduces Concierge Choice Cardiology for non-invasive cardiologists

The nation's leader in hybrid concierge medicine, Concierge Choice Physicians, has introduced the first targeted and viable concierge program for non-invasive cardiologists who also provide other internal medicine services to patients. Called Concierge Choice Cardiology, the new program employs the CCP hybrid model to offset many of the economic and professional challenges that recent changes in reimbursement rates have created.

12 Apr 2010