Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

On Capitol Hill, both parties see political advantage in Rep. Ryan's newest plan

The budget proposal offered last week by the Wisconsin Republican would revamp the Medicare system.

27 Mar 2012

Chronically ill Central American immigrants struggle to pay for health care

The national recession didn't just hit people living in the U.S. - it's made it more difficult for people to pay for medical bills in poor countries like Honduras, according to a new University of Michigan study.

27 Mar 2012

State roundup: Wash. state exchange bill now law

Gov. Chris Gregoire on Friday signed into law a bill setting rules for insurers preparing for the state's online-insurance exchange. ... The state exchanges for individual and small-group plans are set to go live on Jan. 1, 2014. ... State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said that his office is committed to getting the exchange in place on schedule. "If we slowed down to be anxious, we'd be in trouble," Kreidler said. "It's the health law, and we're proceeding as quickly and as prudently as we can."

27 Mar 2012

Viewpoints: Walter Dellinger's health care myths; A 'moment of truth' or end of health reform?

Commentators from around the country offer their views of the historic case being heard at the Supreme Court today.

27 Mar 2012

High court hears first day of health law arguments; Justices appear skeptical of jurisdictional question

Early reports provide insights into what went on inside the Court as justices contemplated whether the Anti-Injuction Act would preclude their review of the legal challenges to the individual mandate.

27 Mar 2012

Almost half of women on parole or probation experience mental illness

A new report released at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Advisory Committee for Women's Services meeting shows that women aged 18 to 49 on probation or parole are nearly twice as likely to experience mental illness as other women.

27 Mar 2012

AGS selects Regenstrief Institute pharmacoepidemiologist for New Investigator Award

Regenstrief Institute investigator Noll Campbell, PharmD, has been chosen by the American Geriatrics Society to receive a Merck/American Geriatrics Society 2012 New Investigator Award. He is the first doctor of pharmacy to receive this award, which is designed to recognize individuals who are committed to a career in aging research.

27 Mar 2012

GE Healthcare, DiaGenic enter research collaboration to develop blood-based test for MCI

DiaGenic ASA today announced a research agreement to collaborate with GE Healthcare to develop a blood-based test using DiaGenic's peripheral gene expression profiling in patients with mild cognitive impairment, a disorder associated with risk for Alzheimer's Disease.

27 Mar 2012

Intravenous immune globulin effective treatment for GBS, CIDP

Intravenous immune globulin (IVIg) is an effective treatment for certain disorders of the nerve and muscles, including Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and a form of neuropathy called chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), according to a guideline issued by the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Mar 2012

CCTA can safely and rapidly identify candidates for discharge from EDs

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) -- a non-invasive way to look inside arteries that supply blood to the heart -- can quickly and reliably determine which patients complaining of chest pain at an emergency department can safely be sent home, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

27 Mar 2012

Angioplasty can be safely and effectively performed at community hospitals

New evidence shows that with appropriate preparation, angioplasty can be safely and effectively performed at community hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery units, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

27 Mar 2012

Medtronic Resolute DES found effective through two years

According to new clinical data presented today at ACC.12 -- the 61st Annual Scientific Session & Expo of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) -- the Resolute drug-eluting stent (DES) from Medtronic, Inc. maintains a powerful and persistent treatment effect for a wide variety of patients with coronary artery disease, including those with diabetes mellitus, through two years of follow-up.

From Medtronic 27 Mar 2012

Setting the scene: Court arguments offer different kind of drama

With no Twitter, cameras or telephones allowing reports from inside the court, much of the action will take place on the outside. A range of groups have planned demonstrations. All the while, the lawyers involved in the arguments have been busy with "moot court" practice sessions; spectators have been waiting in line in hopes of getting a seat; and stakeholders, such as the health care industry, are anxiously watching for clues to the outcome.

26 Mar 2012

Valeant signs agreement to acquire Natur Produkt

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. announced today that Valeant has signed an agreement to acquire Natur Produkt International, JSC, a specialty pharmaceutical company in Russia.

26 Mar 2012

UPMC Health Plan offers WebMD Digital Health Assistants program

UPMC Health Plan is the first health plan in the nation to offer the WebMD Digital Health Assistants, virtual health coaching programs that help support and sustain health improvement, while fostering healthy lifestyle behaviors.

26 Mar 2012

Minimally invasive treatments could target ‘hunger hormone’

A minimally invasive treatment may target hunger at its source, another uses X-ray visible embolic beads to block arteries to the stomach and suppress hunger and a third explores the use of stem cells to repair vertebral disc degeneration. Initial results from all these studies were reported at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 37th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.

26 Mar 2012

Amped up health law debate creeps into presidential, congressional races

Mitt Romney raises his attack on the Democrats' health care law while GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum assails Romney for championing the Massachusetts health law -- and takes the fight to the steps of the Supreme Court.

26 Mar 2012

Medica Foundation awards $2.5 million in grants to 104 recipients

The Medica Foundation in 2011 awarded $2.5 million in grants to 104 recipients across five funding priority areas. The awards include $1 million in longitudinal grants to five Minnesota organizations. Those grant amounts range from $100,000 to $300,000 each and are designed to provide funding to the recipients over a three-year period.

26 Mar 2012

Spectator point-by-point guides to the Supreme Court's health law review

As the health law's challengers and defenders head to court, media outlets take big-picture looks at how the upcoming three days of arguments could play out, provide primers that detail the key aspects of the issues in play as well and give a heads up on what to watch for.

26 Mar 2012

FDA approves Teva's QNASL nasal aerosol corticosteroid

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved QNASL Nasal Aerosol, a new, "dry" nasal aerosol corticosteroid that treats seasonal nasal and year-round nasal allergy symptoms in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older.

26 Mar 2012