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People with disabilities may be unable to afford Medicare Advantage plan under healthcare provisions

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 are the most powerful developments in decades affecting healthcare coverage for people with disabilities, according to Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare plan selection services.

15 Apr 2010

Research report focuses on key influencers within employer health care market

Health Industries Research Companies' Employer & Coalition Service has released its spring 2010 market research. HIRC finds that employers are increasingly concerned about cancer medications and report sustained interest in health, wellness, and disease management initiatives.

15 Apr 2010

52% migraine sufferers found relief from headache with Aspirin: review

Nearly 9 million people in UK suffer from debilitating headaches called migraine and this leads to a severe impairment in quality of life and affects productivity. The headaches associated with an attack may last for several days often bringing nausea and a general feeling of uneasiness in presence of lights and sounds.

15 Apr 2010

Provista, ARMSRx form partnership to provide pharmacy benefit services

Provista, LLC announced today that it has partnered with Administered Risk Management Services Rx, LLC (ARMSRx), a pharmacy benefit consulting firm that specializes in delivering superior results and ongoing support to the administration and management of prescription drug benefit programs and afford Provista members with the highest-quality pharmaceutical care at the lowest possible cost.

13 Apr 2010

Physicians warn parents on dangers of prescription drug abuse among children

With reports of increased prescription drug overdoses in emergency departments, the nation's emergency physicians are issuing a strong warning to parents about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs, which are now the second most abused drugs, after marijuana. Hospital visits caused by accidental and unintentional prescription drug overdoses went up 37 percent between 1999 and 2006, according to new data released by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

13 Apr 2010

Aetna hit with penalty, suspended from signing up new Medicare members

The Wall Street Journal: Medicare officials have suspended the Aetna insurance company from enrolling new members for "its Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription-drug plans because the insurer didn't comply with rules about changing drug-plan designs, the government said." The sanctions come after the government says the Connecticut-based insurance company did not "meet requirements to make sure seniors could continue on their medications during changes to the Aetna plans in 2009 and those offered this year."

12 Apr 2010

Meijer adds Metformin Immediate Release to free medication program

With diabetes affecting the lives of millions of people throughout the Midwest, Meijer announced plans today to begin offering Metformin Immediate Release, the most commonly prescribed treatment for type 2 diabetes, at no cost to those with a medical prescription. Meijer's program will include doses prescribed in 500mg, 850mg and 1000mg tablets.

12 Apr 2010

Complicating doctors' work: Prescription drug scams and excessive paper work

News outlets examine two issues affecting doctors' work: patients fraudulently seeking prescriptions and overwhelming paper work.

12 Apr 2010

Brains on Bikes raises funds for brain cancer research and support

Anne Feeley, a 55-year-old mother and brain cancer survivor, began a 3,781-mile ride across the country today to raise money and awareness for brain cancer research and support.

12 Apr 2010

Medical clinic for the sole purpose of committing Medicare fraud

Miami residents Jose and Denisse Martinez were each sentenced today to three years in prison for their role in running a Canton, Mich.,-based drug infusion clinic designed to defraud Medicare, announced the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services (HHS). U.S. District Court Judge Victoria Roberts also ordered Jose and Denisse Martinez to pay $649,000 in restitution, jointly with co-defendants, and to each serve three years of supervised release following their prison terms.

12 Apr 2010

Ness Technologies led consortium to provide Electronic Healthcare Services system for Slovak Republic

Ness Technologies, Inc., a global provider of information technology solutions and services, announced today that Ness, as the leader of a consortium with its partner Lynx, Ltd., has won a public tender with the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic to provide the first phase of an Electronic Healthcare Services system, valued at EUR32.4 million, or approximately $44 million, excluding VAT. The term of the initial phase is 24 months.

12 Apr 2010

FDA holds public meeting to obtain comments on PDUFA program

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold a public meeting on April 12, 2010, to obtain comments on the Prescription Drug User Fee Act program. The program authorizes user fees for FDA product reviews, which currently fund more than half of new drug review costs.

12 Apr 2010

Aetna faces Medicare sanctions

Health insurer Aetna announced Friday it will suspend "marketing to and enrollment of new members to its Medicare plans for the elderly because of sanctions imposed by the U.S. government," Reuters reports.

12 Apr 2010

Democrats, Republicans using health reform votes to plot November strategies

The Associated Press: Vulnerable Democrats around the country are "tiptoeing" during the recess as they prepare for midterm elections. "Tough votes for Obama's health care plan have further complicated the re-election prospects of dozens of already vulnerable freshman and second-term Democrats. There's even a chance the party could lose control of one or both houses in the midterm elections."

9 Apr 2010

Data illustrates methods for improving adherence to medication, lowering prescription drug costs

CVS Caremark presented data at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy that illustrate successful methods for improving adherence to medication and lowering prescription drug costs. The company showed results from three studies which demonstrated the positive impact of various tools available to pharmacy benefit managers – including automated telephonic messaging, fax alerts to physicians about gaps in care, and strategic co-pay waivers for generic medications.

8 Apr 2010

Health care reform: Clarification for seniors

From the time presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt first discussed health care reform in 1912, the topic has been a precedent-setting issue in the U.S. The 2010 passage of health care legislation is no different, but has many Americans in a quandary about how it will affect them. This is especially true of senior citizens.

7 Apr 2010

Concerns over safety and effectiveness of "natural" treatments for treating anxiety

In a broad-based review of studies focused on drugs that treat anxiety, a Saint Louis University doctor found no evidence supporting the use of so-called "natural" treatments in combating the effects of anxiety.

7 Apr 2010

Health security will increase with new reform law

This afternoon, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will deliver a speech entitled, "Health Reform and You: How the New Law Will Increase Your Health Security" at the National Press Club. Secretary Sebelius' remarks as prepared for delivery are below.

7 Apr 2010

Senator Grassley issues warning about 'phanton pharmacies' while Tampa officials arrest pharmacists on fraud charges

Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius this week saying federal officials have failed to stop the growing trend of "phantom pharmacies" that bill millions to Medicare in prescription drug costs then disappear, ABC News reports.

7 Apr 2010

Medicare advantage insurers won't see increase in 2011

Payments for Medicare Advantage plans, which are operated by private health insurers, will be frozen at this year's rates in 2011, Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports.

7 Apr 2010