Healthcare News

RSS

Hospital error resulted in 17 cancer patients wrongly told they were clear

A National Health Service (NHS) hospital in Britain has admitted that due to an administrative error, 17 cancer patients were given the all-clear only to be later told that they still had cancer.

3 Aug 2008

House votes to extend medical leave coverage for college students

The House on Wednesday by voice vote approved a bill (HR 2851) that would allow college students who take medical leave to continue to receive health insurance under the policies of their parents, the AP/Boston Globe reports (AP/Boston Globe, 7/30).

3 Aug 2008

Court refuses to halt 10% cut to Medi-Cal payments for physicians, dentists

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Tuesday ruled that the court does not have the authority to block a 10% cut to Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal payments that went into effect on July 1 and that the issue must be handled by the state Legislature or federal government, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program.

3 Aug 2008

Participation in Connecticut Charter Oak Health Plan off to slow start

Fewer than 3,000 primary care physicians and one hospital are currently participating in Connecticut's Charter Oak Health Plan for uninsured adults, which began accepting applications in July, the Hartford Courant reports.

3 Aug 2008

Kaiser roundup of health policy-related blog posts

While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics.

3 Aug 2008

Presidential candidate Nader promotes single-payer health care plan

Presidential candidate Ralph Nader (I) on Thursday criticized the U.S.'s two-party political system, which he says has been beholden to corporate interests that are preventing residents from accessing health care through a universal health care system, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

3 Aug 2008

Medical profession must dissociate itself from torture and actively investigate and sanction offenders

Doctors who assist in torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment should face prosecution and licensing punishments, says an editorial on BMJ.com.

31 Jul 2008

The Kenneth B. Schwartz Center, ASTRO partner to raise awareness of cancer survivorship

As part of its continued effort to give back to the cancer communities in the cities visited during its annual scientific meeting, the Fairfax, Va.-based American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) is partnering with the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center to raise awareness of cancer survivorship. The Kenneth B. Schwartz Center conducts pioneering programs to educate, train and support caregivers in the art of compassionate healthcare.

31 Jul 2008

Increase in number of homeless Australians receiving help

A new report says there has been a significant increase in the number of people receiving help from the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP), a federal and state government initiative aimed at providing services and housing to Australians who are homeless.

31 Jul 2008

Top Doc slams cancer treatment in Australia

One of Australia's top cancer specialists says the standard of treatment for cancer victims in the country leaves a lot to be desired.

30 Jul 2008

Shocking deaths of six people with learning disabilities details unnecessary suffering at the hands of the NHS

An inquiry into the deaths of six patients with learning disabilities while being treated by the National Health Service (NHS) has revealed shocking details.

30 Jul 2008

Doctors don't change their routine during longer consultations

Some patients might feel like they spend more time in the waiting room than actually talking with their doctor, but a new review of studies suggests that these consultations would not be much different if patients had more face time with their physicians.

29 Jul 2008

Senate Republicans to begin campaign against Medicare fraud

Senate Republicans have begun "piecing together a crusade" against Medicare fraud in an effort to make the issue an important part of the health care reform debate in the next Congress, CongressDaily reports.

29 Jul 2008

CQ's Armstrong discusses Medicare 'trigger' bill, health IT legislation, tobacco regulation, mental health parity measure

Drew Armstrong, a health reporter for CQ HealthBeat, discusses House efforts to delay action on a Medicare "trigger" bill, health information technology legislation, an FDA tobacco regulation bill and steps toward passing mental health parity legislation in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ."

29 Jul 2008

Florida Medicaid Healthy Behaviors Incentive Program has low participation, many unaware of program, study finds

Many Florida Medicaid beneficiaries who are eligible for a pilot program that rewards them for healthy behaviors are not participating, according to a study released on Thursday by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, the Florida Times-Union reports.

29 Jul 2008

San Jose Mercury News examines health care advocacy business

The AP/San Jose Mercury News on Thursday examined the growth in the number of businesses that are "offering some form of advocacy services to medical consumers."

29 Jul 2008

New report examines donor funding for health in low and middle income countries

With the U.S. poised to reauthorize the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and almost triple its financing over the next five years, a new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation looks at trends in health funding provided by donor governments to low- and middle- income countries.

28 Jul 2008

$38.6 million to WA Royal Flying Doctor Service - a raw deal for those living in the bush

The West Australian Government's commitment of $38.6 million to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RDS) has been slammed by the the Rural Doctors' Association of WA as a raw deal for those living in the bush.

28 Jul 2008

Former cancer patient says radiation bungle shows flaw in the health system

Assurances from the Australian Medical Association (AMA) that cancer patients at the Royal Adelaide Hospital are at a minimal risk from an inadvertent 5 per cent reduction in their prescribed radiation dosage between 2004 to 2006, may reassure some but many former patients will still be worried.

28 Jul 2008

Patient liaison is the focus of a new medical centre

"I was completely stunned. Nearly everything he was saying to me was going right over the top of my head. I could see his lips moving but I could not process or absorb his words"- a patient on hearing her doctor diagnose breast cancer.

28 Jul 2008