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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

Berwick, Blumenthal may form dream team at CMS

Healthcare IT News: "If Donald Berwick, MD, is confirmed as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, he and David Blumenthal, MD, the national coordinator for health IT, would be a 'dream team' in pursuing a coherent national healthcare and health IT strategy. At least that's the assessment of Kerry Weems, who spent 25 years in senior roles at the Health and Human Services Department and was acting administrator of CMS from Sept. 2007 until the Obama administration took over.

7 Apr 2010

Today's OpEds: Harkin, Coleman, Leavitt and others

Despite all the talk recently about how our nation has become divided and ungovernable, we have proved not only that we are governable, but also that we still have the capacity to act with boldness and vision (Sen. Tom Harkin, 4/6).

7 Apr 2010

At home, congressional Dems face voters on health bill, Rep. Issa investigating 'deals'

Before Congress left town for the spring recess, Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged rank-and-file Democrats to return home and tout the benefits of the landmark health care bill, Politico reports.

7 Apr 2010

Changes coming to insurance plans

Kaiser Health News staff writer Julie Appleby sets out to clarify how the new health law might change consumers' current health insurance premiums and benefits.

6 Apr 2010

Health care reform will have negative effect on cardiology patients, practices: American cardiologists

American cardiologists believe that recently passed health care reform will have a negative effect on both their cardiology patients and their practices, according to a new survey.

6 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 6, 2010

Among today's headlines is news about a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts insurers who are seeking to reverse the state insurance commissioner's decision and allow them to raise rates.

6 Apr 2010

Social groups can influence individuals’ drinking habits: Study

A new study found that the influence of your friends and people you have connections with can affect your health just as much as your family history or your genetic background. According to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine the drinking habits of the people in your extended social group can determine if you're likely to drink heavily or not at all.

6 Apr 2010

NIH Chief Francis Collins: Medical research 'ought to tell us what works'

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jennifer Evans talked to physician-geneticist Francis Collins, a person "who isn't afraid to think big about science. For over a decade, Collins led the Human Genome Project, overseeing the federal government's race to map people's DNA.

6 Apr 2010

MHS to deploy NextGen EHR and NextGen HIE management solutions

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. and a leading provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions, today announced an agreement with Mercy Health System to deploy NextGen® EHR and NextGensm Health Information Exchange.

6 Apr 2010

Oncologists to provide overview on new neuro-oncology guidelines

John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center will bring together top neuro-oncologists from around the country for an all day symposium to address new treatment updates and review management of complex cases across a broad array of neuro-oncology specialties.

6 Apr 2010

ITI to lead multi-university consortium to improve patient outcomes

The U.S. health care community has increasingly been adopting the use of electronic medical records and other electronic health information systems, but serious concerns about the security and privacy of those systems have been raised.

6 Apr 2010

Next phase of health reform in the U.S. to focus on individualized care: PwC

The next phase of health reform in the United States will reflect a concerted effort to keep people well, out of the hospital and more actively engaged in managing their own health, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

6 Apr 2010

Sechrist Industries to design 1000th Model 3200 monoplace hyperbaric chamber

The one-thousandth Model 3200 monoplace hyperbaric chamber to be designed and manufactured by HBO leader, Sechrist Industries, will be delivered to the Medical Center of Plano in Plano, Texas. The milestone, achieved by no other hyperbaric technology company, attests to the increasing demand for hyperbaric oxygenation in a wide variety of indications.

6 Apr 2010