Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Health law politics cause sparks to fly among GOP presidential hopefuls

In the background, Republicans on Capitol Hill are renewing their criticisms of the health law's Independent Payment Advisory Board as a "rationing" panel. Also reverberating — how candidates are handling the GOP anti-abortion pledge, and findings from a new poll suggest Americans are leery of the Medicare plan advanced by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.

24 Jun 2011

State roundup: N.Y. and union reach deal on benefits

The state's largest public-employee union, acknowledging the pressures on government workers around the nation, agreed on Wednesday to major wage and benefits concessions in a pact to avoid sweeping layoffs. The five-year agreement ... includes a three-year wage freeze, the first furloughs ever for state workers and an increase in the amount employees must pay toward their health insurance.

24 Jun 2011

FDA clears GE Healthcare's new mobile x-ray platform

GE Healthcare today announced FDA clearance of Optima XR220amx, Optima XR200amx and Brivo XR285amx - a new platform of user-friendly, mobile x-ray systems offering improvements from its predecessors in reliability, accessibility and flexibility to help address the increasingly specialized radiographic needs of patients.

24 Jun 2011

Some drug mixtures may be fatal for elderly: study

British scientists warn that well known brands of hay fever tablets, painkillers and sleeping pills pose a previously unknown threat to elderly people’s health when taken together. Many are available over the counter at pharmacies as well as being prescribed by GPs, nurses and chemists they said.

23 Jun 2011

RACGP welcomes Senate Inquiry into mental health funding cuts

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has welcomed the move yesterday to hold a Senate Inquiry into the Federal Government’s decision to cut the Medicare patient rebates for GP mental health services in the 2011‐2012 Federal Budget. The Senate Inquiry comes after strong and consistent lobbying on the issue by the RACGP and our colleagues within United General Practice Australia (UGPA).

23 Jun 2011

Reductions in obesity-related medical costs offset cost of gastric banding surgery within 2.25 years

Allergan, Inc. today announced a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases that found the cost of a gastric banding weight-loss surgery procedure, such as Allergan's LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Banding System, was offset by reductions in obesity-related medical costs within 2.25 years for surgery eligible patients with diabetes, and within four years of the procedure for all surgery eligible patients.

23 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 23, 2011

In today's headlines, reports that the Department of Health and Human Services will scale back the health law's rules on patient health care appeals.

23 Jun 2011

Insight into future development of global pharmaceutical industry

Alacrita, which is changing the face of life science consulting, has published an insight into the future development of the global pharmaceutical industry.

23 Jun 2011

Policy news: Speculation surrounds soon-to-be released exchange regs

Meanwhile, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Donald Berwick takes a message about accountable care organizations on the road, selling the model in Minneapolis to nurses, doctors and other health professionals.

23 Jun 2011

Debt-reduction package continues to take shape

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said the goal of trimming $2 trillion from the federal budget in the next 10 years will not be enough to change the rate of growth of the nation's debt. In the background, negotiators continue to "bear down" on the remaining "serious" issues.

23 Jun 2011

State roundup: Okla. caps 'non-economic damages' in lawsuits

With Republicans in control of the Oklahoma governorship and the Legislature for the first time ever, they swiftly passed a series of changes to the civil justice system. Lawmakers put a cap of $350,000 on the amount of money that plaintiffs can recoup for so-called "non-economic damages," such as the pain and suffering caused by medical malpractice, faulty products or other forms of professional negligence.

23 Jun 2011

Loyola offers powerful new MRI machine without usual inconveniences

Loyola University Health System now offers a powerful new MRI machine that can scan a leg or an arm without many of the usual inconveniences.

23 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 22, 2011

Today's headlines include an exclusive AP report detailing a "twist" in the health law that would allow millions of middle class Americans -- mainly early retirees -- access to Medicaid.

22 Jun 2011

Upgraded midwifery services could save up to 3.6M lives in developing countries

Up to 3.6 million lives could be saved every year if midwifery services were upgraded in 58 developing countries by 2015, according to a major new report released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in partnership with the University of Southampton and 28 other organisations worldwide.

22 Jun 2011

Sanofi, Medco and UBC to use real-world evidence for quality patient care

Sanofi, Medco Health Solutions, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, United BioSource Corporation (UBC), announced they have entered into a global, multi-year agreement to support the real-world evidence assessments during Sanofi product development and pre-/post-approval processes that support improvements in the overall quality of patient care.

22 Jun 2011

Controversy surrounding McKinsey insurance survey continues

Though the consulting firm released its methodology, its findings continue to draw debate and criticism. Meanwhile, Avalere released a study of its own, which seems to contradict the McKinsey report.

22 Jun 2011

Doctors stick with support for individual mandate

The American Medical Association's House of Delegates — after a lengthy debate — voted to maintain its support for the health law's individual mandate.

22 Jun 2011

State-level Medicaid cuts could have impact beyond federal reductions

In related news, Minnesota Public Radio reports on how the well-being of rural health providers is linked to Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement.

22 Jun 2011

Bureau of Labor Statistics: U.S. will need to add 580,000 nurses by 2018

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the U.S. will need to add 580,000 nurses to the workforce by 2018. Moreover, these nurses will need higher skill levels than current nurses possess.

22 Jun 2011

AMA removes support for ‘sin tax’ on sugary drinks

The American Medical Association (AMA) Tuesday afternoon removed its support from taxes on sugar-sweetened soft drinks, saying the concept needs more study. The AMA's policy-making House of Delegates this week debated the idea of supporting state and local taxation of “beverages with added sweeteners” as a way of fighting the nation's obesity epidemic and improving related education of the public.

22 Jun 2011