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Piecemeal COBRA health insurance subsidy extensions puzzle laid-off workers

In this updated story, Kaiser Health News staff writer Jenny Gold tries to breakdown the recent confusion surrounding COBRA. "Every day, dozens of confused, laid-off workers call the privately-run COBRA Help Center in Long Island, N.Y., which administers COBRA group health insurance plans.

18 Mar 2010

Poll: More Americans oppose health bill, but Democratic faithful want action

A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds about half of those polled oppose the health care plan, "but core Democrats the party needs to show up and vote in November are strong backers," The Wall Street Journal reports.

18 Mar 2010

Massachusetts hospital costs not connected to quality of care, report finds

A new report from Massachusetts finds that the price of hospital care there is not necessarily related to quality.

18 Mar 2010

CIGNA International expands Global Access Health Network

CIGNA International, a world leader in expatriate benefits, has added 47,000 health care facilities to its network in Africa as part of its launch of CIGNALinks® Africa in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Morocco.

18 Mar 2010

Drug makers convene to discuss new strategies on how to improve patient care and reduce healthcare costs

Executives from pharmaceutical companies and health care payer and provider organizations convened at the "Selling Pharmaceuticals in 2015" forum in Philadelphia to discuss mutually beneficial partnerships that, if implemented, could replace the traditional model of selling drugs on price, features and benefits with a new model that focuses on quantifying and communicating total value.

18 Mar 2010

Healthcare professionals need expertise in nutrition and intestinal failure

The profession must take advantage of changes in medical education to ensure that all health professionals, but especially gut specialists, are given adequate training in nutrition, urge Dr Penny Nield and colleagues, in the launch issue of Frontline Gastroenterology, the new quarterly companion journal to Gut.

18 Mar 2010

House Democratic leader twisting arms of the rank-and-file; Tracking health reform vote tally

Democrats are pressuring fellow members to accept the health care reform legislation and are playing hardball to secure votes for the health reform package.

18 Mar 2010

Health overhaul supporters, critics duel on airwaves

McClatchy/Miami Herald: "As a historic vote on sweeping healthcare legislation nears, Democratic moderates in the House of Representatives face relentless pressure as they juggle personal pleas from President Barack Obama, a multimillion-dollar ad barrage and constituents who are fed up with the convoluted congressional process.

18 Mar 2010

AMGA to present Medical Group Preeminence Award to HealthTexas Provider Network

The American Medical Group Association announced it will present the Medical Group Preeminence Award on March 20 to HealthTexas Provider Network, an affiliate of Baylor Health Care System based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. The presentation will take place at the AMGA 2010 Annual Conference, being held March 18-20 at the New Orleans Marriott.

18 Mar 2010

Drugmakers are 'under-exposed' in emerging markets, report says

Growing markets for pharmaceuticals in China, Brazil, Russia and India are outpacing national markets in Europe and the U.S., but major drugmakers have been slow to expand in these markets and may lose opportunities, a new study finds, The New York Times reports. To put the shift in perspective, China will overtake both France and Germany next year in terms of drug spending, while Brazil will overtake Britain, according to the report by research firm IMS Health.

18 Mar 2010

Idaho Health Freedom Act does nothing to tackle state's health care crisis, says AARP

The health care crisis hundreds of thousands of Idahoans face every day may have just gone from bad to worse with the stroke of a pen. Today, Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter signed the Idaho Health Freedom Act into law, a bill strongly opposed by AARP.

18 Mar 2010

Democrats take aim at deficit targets, continue to wait for CBO numbers on health overhaul

"With Congress just days away from an expected vote, Democrats still hadn't settled on final language of the bill and until they do the Congressional Budget Office can't release an estimate for how much the complete package would cost." House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) said yesterday that "he hoped Democratic leaders would be able to lock down final details soon.

18 Mar 2010

Dems newly-favored tactic to advance health measure draws GOP rage

The latest strategy House Democratic leaders have considered for passing the health overhaul bill would allow lawmakers to approve a Senate-passed version of the bill without a direct vote, The Washington Post reports. Instead, a so-called "self-executing rule would say that the Senate's version of health-care legislation would be deemed approved if House members adopt a set of changes to that bill."

18 Mar 2010

Aetna, SBUH announce new agreement for hospital’s participation in Aetna network

Aetna and Stony Brook University Hospital are pleased to announce today a new agreement for the hospital’s participation in the Aetna network. The agreement is effective through April 30, 2011, and will enable Stony Brook physicians currently participating with Aetna to continue their participation uninterrupted.

18 Mar 2010

As Medicare pay shrinks, some California doctors hike patient fees

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver writes about a California cardiology group that has confronted steep Medicare cuts with a tactic that may irk patients who already face soaring health costs.

18 Mar 2010

Obama to appear on Fox News; Heath reform will be high on his topic list

New York Times: President Obama is scheduled to give an interview with Bret Baier of Fox News Wednesday evening. The interview comes "at the height of a week in which Democrats, including Mr. Obama, are pressing allies and lawmakers to push ahead to get the health care bill passed in the House despite solid Republican opposition and the lessening of public support for the legislation." The interview comes after Obama administration aides last year criticized Fox News for its political coverage and commentary (3/16).

17 Mar 2010

Cut looms for Medicare payments to doctors

Marketwatch/The Seattle Times reports on the looming 21 percent cut to physicians' Medicare payments. "The cut was to take effect March 1 until Congress delayed it by 30 days. The Senate then voted last Wednesday to postpone the cut an additional six months as part of a larger bill that extends unemployment benefits. The measure now moves to the House."

17 Mar 2010

Access MediQuip enhances Recall Management Service for implantable devices

Access MediQuip, LLC, the nation's first and largest provider of outsourced implantable medical device management solutions to the healthcare industry, announced today it has enhanced its proprietary Recall Management Service, "RMS," for its customers nationwide. The new release is designed to protect patients, inform and empower surgeons and facilities, and help payers improve quality while managing cost.

17 Mar 2010

Industry game changers to watch in healthcare IT

Whatever the outcome of healthcare reform, this much is clear: Information technology will play a critical role in the improvement and delivery of patient outcomes. So, will government contractors — they already are. So, who’s in the lead?

17 Mar 2010

Hospitals can save more than $1M annually by implementing Masimo Patient SafetyNet with SET pulse oximetry

Masimo, the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry™ and Measure-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, announced today that a new cost-effectiveness study shows that implementation of the Masimo Patient SafetyNet remote monitoring and clinician notification system with Masimo SET pulse oximetry saved one hospital $817,000 in its first year.

17 Mar 2010