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Obama says he's willing to explore ideas raised by GOP during health summit

ABC News Political Punch: In a letter to Congressional leaders President Obama signaled Tuesday afternoon he is "open to several provisions raised by GOP lawmakers during last week's bipartisan health care reform summit, including medical malpractice reform, combating fraud," and the removal of a provisions that would have allowed the federal government to pay for Nebraska's Medicaid expansion and another that would have protected Florida seniors from cuts to the Medicare Advantage program (3/2).

3 Mar 2010

ICU survivors face high risk of death in following years, says study

An analysis of Medicare data indicates that elderly patients who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) and survive to be discharged from the hospital have a high rate of death in the following three years, and that, in particular, patients who receive mechanical ventilation have a substantially increased rate of death compared with both hospital and general population controls in the first several months after hospital discharge, according to a study in the March 3 issue of JAMA.

3 Mar 2010

Aurora Health Care establishes new clinic for treating chronic vulvar pain

It is a sensitive subject for many women. The issue is chronic vulvar pain, and it impacts one out of six women at some point in their lives. However, most women are unaware of their treatment options.

3 Mar 2010

California consumer group sues Anthem Blue Cross for changing policies and then raising rates

Consumer Watchdog and other plaintiffs are suing Anthem Blue Cross, the California insurer that recently told policyholders it would hike premiums by 39 percent, the Los Angeles Times reports. The paper says the suit, which could gain class-action status, alleges that Anthem has violated "state law by closing certain policies to new members while illegally offering remaining customers alternative plans with fewer benefits at higher rates" (Helfand, 3/2).

3 Mar 2010

ASGE and TV actor encourage African-Americans to undergo screening for colon cancer

CSI: New York actor Hill Harper has joined forces with the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), representing doctors who specialize in endoscopy and colon cancer screening, in a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) to encourage African-Americans to undergo screening for colon cancer

3 Mar 2010

State roundup: Mass. hospital controversy, Iowa and Utah consider coverage expansions

The state appealed to the federal government yesterday to help Massachusetts hospitals that care for disproportionately high numbers of lower-income patients who receive state-sponsored health insurance. Governor Deval Patrick is asking the Obama administration for $216 million for Cambridge Health Alliance, the state's only public acute-care hospital, and another $115 million for six private hospitals with high Medicaid patient populations

3 Mar 2010

Health care costs for retiring Americans average $260,000 and can exceed $500,000

Health care costs for retiring Americans, including nursing home care, average $260,000 and can exceed $500,000, according to new research conducted by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College and underwritten by Prudential Financial.

3 Mar 2010

Aprima Medical Software introduces computer-based EHR/PM training program

Aprima Medical Software, a leading developer of electronic health record (EHR), practice management (PM) and revenue cycle management solutions for medical practices, today announced the release of Aprima's Learning Management System (LMS), a series of computer-based educational modules that allows customers to become proficient with its software.

3 Mar 2010

Sen. Nelson signals support for health overhaul bill; Hoyer offers alternative way to move legislation forward

Speaking at a conference hosted by the Federation of American Hospitals Tuesday, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., who withheld his support for a healthcare overhaul bill until just before the Senate passed it in December, "strongly hinted that he is prepared to back the final push to finish the job this spring," The Hill reports. "'Doing nothing on healthcare reform might seem like a reasonable option to some, but in my opinion it's not. Our nation's healthcare crisis will only get worse the longer we delay,' Nelson said.

3 Mar 2010

Nancy Pelosi holds press availability on health insurance reform in the Capitol

Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a press availability this afternoon on health insurance reform in the Capitol.

3 Mar 2010

GE Healthcare to showcase next-generation eHealth Solutions platform at 2010 HIMSS conference

GE Healthcare today announced the launch of its next-generation eHealth Solutions platform – an infrastructure offering that includes expanded services for health information exchange, a clinical portal and a patient health management system.

3 Mar 2010

Major tech firms join ranks of health IT squad

"The race to streamline online access to medical records turned into a stampede this week as leading high-tech vendors trumpeted new initiatives at the Health Information and Management Systems Society" (HIMSS) trade show in Atlanta," InternetNews.com/Datamation reports, adding that Dell, Google, IBM, Microsoft and others are touting "new and pending deals designed to help consumers, doctors and hospital move to more easily accessible, but also secure, medical histories and information online" (Needle, 3/1).

3 Mar 2010

Increasing health costs hurt coverage of medical workers, too

Even members of the health industry are feeling the pain of increasing health costs as they insure their employees, according to the Detroit News. "To combat rising costs, major health organizations are trimming medical benefits, tacking on surcharges for smoking and passing more out-of-pocket costs onto workers. Nurses, technicians and hospital workers are paying higher copayments and deductibles. … For many health providers, these cost-containing moves come out of necessity. They, too, have seen business taper off as a result of the recession, with many of their own patients losing coverage because of job losses."

3 Mar 2010

Concentra expands customer base and reach with the acquisition of Health Now

Effective March 1, Concentra, a national provider of urgent care services, has expanded its customer base and reach with the acquisition of the assets of Cherry Hill Health Care Associates, P.A. in Pennsauken, N.J.

3 Mar 2010

GOP Senators worry about backlash from COBRA extension filibuster

Los Angeles Times' D.C. Now: "Sen. Jim Bunning, the Republican from Kentucky whom Democrats love to blame for preventing passage of an extension of unemployment benefits, again blocked the Senate from taking up the measure on Tuesday." He says he supports the legislation's goals but will oppose it "until it is fully funded without increasing the federal deficit. In a one-person filibuster [that started last Thursday], Bunning has blocked the bill that, in addition to extending benefits, would also ... prevent a big cut in Medicare payments to doctors" (Muskal, 3/2).

3 Mar 2010

Bunning continues block of COBRA subsidy extension, Medicare 'doc fix'

Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., is blocking a bill that would temporarily extend unemployment benefits and federal subsidies for some health insurance benefits.

2 Mar 2010

Doctors issue warnings about reduced access as Congressional inaction cuts Medicare pay

A political deadlock in the Senate has triggered a 21 percent Medicare pay reduction to doctors who say they may have to limit care for older Americans unless the reduction is reversed.

2 Mar 2010

Aesyntix Health offers web-based reimbursement solution for dermatology industry

Aesyntix Health, Inc., a leading provider of solutions for dermatologists, today announced it will be offering the first-ever payer benchmarking for the Dermatology industry.

2 Mar 2010

GOP, Dems continue battle over using 'reconciliation' to move health reform forward

Democrats are defending the use of the budget reconciliation in a health care overhaul as "nothing extraordinary" while Republicans are accusing them of "trying to ram through legislation using a parliamentary trick that Republicans say was never designed for such a big bill," The Wall Street Journal reports.

2 Mar 2010

Catholic Charities in Washington, D.C., limits spouses' health insurance

The Washington Post: Employees at Catholic Charities were told Monday that the social services organization is changing its health coverage to avoid offering benefits to same-sex partners of its workers. ... Starting Tuesday, Catholic Charities will not offer benefits to spouses of new employees or to spouses of current employees who are not already enrolled in the plan. A letter describing the change in health benefits was e-mailed to employees Monday, two days before same-sex marriage will become legal in the District."

2 Mar 2010

Healthcare News

Obama says he's willing to explore ideas raised by GOP during health summit

ICU survivors face high risk of death in following years, says study

Aurora Health Care establishes new clinic for treating chronic vulvar pain

California consumer group sues Anthem Blue Cross for changing policies and then raising rates

ASGE and TV actor encourage African-Americans to undergo screening for colon cancer

State roundup: Mass. hospital controversy, Iowa and Utah consider coverage expansions

Health care costs for retiring Americans average $260,000 and can exceed $500,000

Aprima Medical Software introduces computer-based EHR/PM training program

Sen. Nelson signals support for health overhaul bill; Hoyer offers alternative way to move legislation forward

Nancy Pelosi holds press availability on health insurance reform in the Capitol

GE Healthcare to showcase next-generation eHealth Solutions platform at 2010 HIMSS conference

Major tech firms join ranks of health IT squad

Increasing health costs hurt coverage of medical workers, too

Concentra expands customer base and reach with the acquisition of Health Now

GOP Senators worry about backlash from COBRA extension filibuster

Bunning continues block of COBRA subsidy extension, Medicare 'doc fix'

Doctors issue warnings about reduced access as Congressional inaction cuts Medicare pay

Aesyntix Health offers web-based reimbursement solution for dermatology industry

GOP, Dems continue battle over using 'reconciliation' to move health reform forward

Catholic Charities in Washington, D.C., limits spouses' health insurance

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