Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Medicaid enrollment increases by 3 million since health law enrollment began

The number is not yet complete because some states have not reported their numbers and it doesn't include March sign-ups.

8 Apr 2014

UIC receives grant to improve wellness and preventive care for adults with developmental disabilities

The University of Illinois at Chicago has received a five-year, $4.4 million federal grant to find ways to improve wellness and preventive care for adults with developmental disabilities.

8 Apr 2014

Survey: Number of uninsured Americans hits new low

A national survey by Gallup-Healthways finds the share of Americans without health insurance has dropped to the lowest level since before President Barack Obama took office.

8 Apr 2014

Pradaxa receives FDA approval for treatment and reduction of risk of recurrence of DVT and PE

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Pradaxa® (dabigatran etexilate mesylate) for the treatment of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients who have been treated with a parenteral anticoagulant for five to 10 days, and to reduce the risk of recurrent DVT and PE in patients who have been previously treated. DVT and PE are collectively referred to as venous thromboembolism (VTE).

8 Apr 2014

Medicare advantage cuts pose political threat

The cuts to Medicare Advantage, expected to be included in planned 2015 payments to be unveiled Monday, end what proponents call a windfall to insurers. But they have drawn protests not just from insurers but from Democrats who fear the GOP will use them as political fodder in the midterm elections.

8 Apr 2014

Researchers demonstrate power of Droplet Digital PCR at 2014 AACR annual meeting

Helping doctors monitor their melanoma patients' progress in response to treatment is just one of the many exciting applications of Bio-Rad's Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR-) technology being showcased at the 2014 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting taking place in San Diego, CA from April 5-9.

7 Apr 2014

First Edition: April 7, 2014

Today's headlines include stories about the next round of health law challenges the Obama administration faces as well as the new Medicare Advantage rates scheduled to be announced today.

7 Apr 2014

Research roundup: Mental health parity; nurses' workload; can restaurants reduce portion size?

Historically, health insurance covered mental health care differently than other medical care. Recent laws have begun bringing them into balance. ... Congress passed the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) in 2008. ... the MHPAEA applied to large group health plans, both fully and self-insured, and included a cost exemption.

7 Apr 2014

Viewpoints: Debate rolls on about enrollment numbers; Ryan's plan 'squeezes seniors'

You can forgive a little football-spiking, even if Obamacare is far from the end zone. The White House this week announced that the number of people who enrolled in new individual health-care insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act topped 7 million and could still rise.

7 Apr 2014

GI Dynamics establishes reimbursement coverage for EndoBarrier Therapy for treatment of type 2 diabetes, obesity

GI Dynamics, Inc. today announced that Clalit Health Services, Israel's largest and one of the world's largest health maintenance organization, has established a reimbursement coverage policy for EndoBarrier Therapy, an endoscopically-delivered device therapy approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

7 Apr 2014

Fluke Biomedical unveils new electrical safety analyzer

Fluke Biomedical unveiled the latest addition to its Electrical Safety portfolio, the ESA609 Electrical Safety Analyzer, pairing portability and ruggedness with industry leading quality assurance.

7 Apr 2014

Calif.'s Latino enrollment soared in final days; hand-wringing continues over Md.'s online marketplace

Enrollment by Latinos in California's healthcare insurance exchange surged in the final month of sign-ups after an intensive push to reach that key population.

7 Apr 2014

State exchange officials air difficulties, lessons during Capitol Hill hearing

A House panel heard testimony from officials from five states -- Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Oregon -- that faced problems during the health law's open enrollment period and from California, which has had success.

7 Apr 2014

Docs, hospitals 'wade into world of social services'

A pair of stories examines a program that provides services beyond medical care to improve people's well-being.

7 Apr 2014

Study: Indoor tanning may be marker of eating disorder-related behaviors

High school students who use indoor tanning also have higher rates of unhealthy weight control behaviors-such as taking diet pills or vomiting to lose weight, reports a study in the April Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, the official journal of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.

7 Apr 2014

Casting doubt on the employer mandate's future

Recent comments made by Obama administration allies triggered assurances from White House spokesman Jay Carney.

7 Apr 2014

Buying health insurance no longer a year-round option

The Associated Press reports that those who purchase coverage directly from insurers must do it within open enrollment periods, unless they experience a life-changing event such as a move or a job change.

7 Apr 2014

Harvard Medical School researcher receives 2014 Richard King Trainee Award

Huma Q. Rana, MD of Harvard Medical School's Dana Farber Cancer Institute is the recipient of the 2014 Richard King Trainee Award. This award was instituted five years ago by the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine to encourage ABMG or genetic counseling trainees in their careers and to foster the publication of the highest quality research in ACMG's peer-reviewed journal, Genetics in Medicine (GIM).

7 Apr 2014

Bjond raises $3.25M in Series A financing to accelerate its flagship software

Today Bjond, Inc. announced that it closed $3.25 million in Series A financing. Draper Triangle Ventures led the round, joined by co-investors TriStar Technology Ventures and Hopen Life Science Ventures.

4 Apr 2014

Treatment for opioid overdose now available for use by non-medical personnel

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first naloxone treatment specifically designed to be given by family members or caregivers to treat a person with opioid overdose.

4 Apr 2014