Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

House, Senate lawmakers race to find compromise, but differ on key issues

"Facing an electorate more worried about jobs and the economy than healthcare, House and Senate Democrats have stepped up efforts to get a compromise bill to President Obama by the end of the month," the Los Angeles Times reports. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, summarized the message she gleaned from holiday meetings with local voters: "Get it over with." Political fatigue has set the stage for a push by Democrats to send a bill to Obama by the month's end, which means resolving a list of thorny issues. Industry and interest groups - despite Democrats' race with the clock - are also stepping up last-minute lobbying efforts (Levey and Hook, 1/13).

18 Jan 2010

New study indicates a decline in biomedical research; Autism Speaks urges government to increase research funding

As the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports on the actual decline in U.S. biomedical research funding, Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, again called on the federal government to immediately step up its efforts - and dramatically increase research funding - to address the growing national autism public health crisis.

18 Jan 2010

Covidien files patent infringement lawsuit against Ethicon Endo-Surgery

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that, through its family of companies, a lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut against Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, relating to Ethicon’s Harmonic® line of ultrasonic surgical products.

18 Jan 2010

Multiple issues still on the table in House-Senate health bill negotiations

Reports explored contentious policies in the House and Senate versions of the health-overhaul legislation that are part of the final negotiations.

18 Jan 2010

Democrats appear to reach deal on 'Cadillac' tax

The New York Times is reporting that Democratic congressional leaders and President Barack Obama "have reached a tentative deal on a proposed excise tax on high-cost, employer-sponsored insurance plans to be included in the final version of major health care legislation, according to officials familiar with the talks." Details of the compromise were not available.

18 Jan 2010

Proposed tax expansions could help pay for health reform

Democratic congressional leaders are considering a new strategy to help finance their ambitious healthcare plan -- applying the Medicare payroll tax not just to wages but to capital gains, dividends and other forms of unearned income.

18 Jan 2010

H.I.G. Capital acquires Allion Healthcare

H.I.G. Capital, LLC, a leading global private equity firm, today announced that an affiliate has closed its previously announced acquisition of Allion Healthcare, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALLI).

18 Jan 2010

States threaten lawsuit over Nebraska's Medicaid deal in Senate health bill

Several news outlets report on a possible lawsuit against the Medicaid compromise for Nebraska that Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., brokered with Senate leaders.

18 Jan 2010

Study raises concerns about drug-resistant HIV

The emergence of drug-resistant strains of HIV could one day threaten efforts to control the global HIV pandemic, according to a study published online Thursday in the journal Science, HealthDay News/U.S. News & World Report reports. The researchers based their findings on "a mathematical model that tracks the transmission of multiple strains of HIV" in San Francisco, the news service writes (1/14).

18 Jan 2010

Democrats endure political anxieties as health talks continue

"President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats stand within days if not hours of striking final deals on historic health care legislation after key labor unions won concessions and pledged their support," The Associated Press reports. "Dozens of issues still needed to be finalized to reconcile bills passed separately by the House and Senate, but several lawmakers said that in the wake of the deal on the insurance plan tax, they felt a logjam had been broken" (Werner, 1/15).

18 Jan 2010

Protectus Medical Devices and Moll Industries sign manufacturing agreement

Protectus Medical Devices, Inc. ("Protectus Medical Devices"), a developer and marketer of innovative medical devices, today announced the signing of a three-year manufacturing agreement with Moll Industries, Inc. to provide injection molded plastic manufacturing services for the Protectus Safety Syringe.

17 Jan 2010

California health information organization closes after losing state bid

A California nonprofit meant to facilitate health information exchange has closed its doors after losing a bid to become the state's main exchange organization, Modern Healthcare reports. Board members for California Regional Health Information Organization, or CalRHIO, voted to disband after their company failed to win contracts with the state or negotiate a partnership that would fulfill state requirements.

17 Jan 2010

AMGA reports significant growth in 2009; 2010 paves way for another successful year

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) announced significant growth in 2009, during which it added 40 new member groups, representing more than 9,700 physicians treating 11 million patients.

17 Jan 2010

Unions, Democratic leaders and White House reach agreement on 'Cadillac' health insurance plans

Los Angeles Times: "The White House and labor leaders agreed Thursday on a formula to tax high-cost insurance plans, removing one of the last obstacles to President Obama's healthcare overhaul, officials said." Organized labor had staunchly opposed the proposed "Cadillac" tax, but as part of the agreement, "reached after an intense round of negotiations this week, union leaders dropped their opposition ... in exchange for concessions to limit its scope."

17 Jan 2010

New analytic application offers new insights to employers on their health benefits

A new analytic application from Thomson Reuters and HighRoads gives large employers new insights into how the design of their health benefits influence employees’ health care choices — and health care costs.

13 Jan 2010

Americans for Responsible Heath Care launches independent television ad campaign

Americans for Responsible Heath Care is launching an independent television advertisement campaign in the Boston media market to educate Americans about the dangerous health care proposal being debated in Congress.

13 Jan 2010

RN Union launches nationwide disaster relief program to assist Haiti residents

The nation’s largest organization of registered nurses tonight activated its nationwide disaster relief program to recruit nurse volunteers to provide assistance to residents of earthquake devastated Haiti, the National Nurses United announced Tuesday night.

13 Jan 2010

MedPro Safety Products to acquire product development rights for passive safety intravenous catheter

MedPro Safety Products, Inc., a leading developer of transformational technologies that enable safer medication delivery and blood collection, has agreed to acquire product development rights for a unique, fully passive safety intravenous catheter from a company owned by Hooman Asbaghi and Don Millerd.

13 Jan 2010

Era of rapid expansion in biomedical research funding began in 1990's ends

After a decade of remarkable growth, total annual funding for biomedical research in the U.S. has decelerated and may have even fallen when adjusted for inflation. That is the conclusion of a study today published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

13 Jan 2010

NCCN to present recommendations on REMS in cancer care at Oncology Summit

Risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS), which can be required by the FDA for drugs or biologics with significant toxicity and/or risks, are emerging as a priority topic for a variety of individuals. The goal of REMS to mitigate known or potential drug risks must be balanced with concerns that such programs may be overly complex and burdensome to physicians and other healthcare providers.

13 Jan 2010