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Congressional panel grills Minn. official over possible Medicaid overpayments

The state's commissioner for human services was called on to answer questions about why Minnesota got a $30 million payment from a managed care company.

27 Apr 2012

California senate scales back bill to broaden abortion access

In its current form, the bill would allow 41 California non-physicians peform a certain first-trimester abortion procedure.

27 Apr 2012

Shutdown looms as committees, lawmakers spar over budget, spending cuts

The House Energy and Commerce Commitee, as well as other House panels, worked yesterday on various spending cuts and policy items with an eye on budget reconciliation. The GOP-led effort, which has very little chance of being taken up by the Senate, will likely lead to "a long summer of political skirmishing."

27 Apr 2012

Research develops new scale to help measure levels of homophobic bullying

A new study from Educational and Psychological Measurement found that when it comes to homophobic bullying, there could be a gender gap.

27 Apr 2012

Researchers discover how adult brain can adapt to new situations

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Fortunately, this is not always true. Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have now discovered how the adult brain can adapt to new situations. The Dutch researchers' findings are published on Wednesday in the prestigious journal Neuron. Their study may be significant in the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders such as epilepsy, autism and schizophrenia.

27 Apr 2012

Medicaid news: Florida prepares for shift to managed care

Preparing for Florida's shift to a statewide Medicaid managed-care system, 20 health companies and organizations are interested in competing for contracts to serve seniors who need long-term care. ... The list of potential bidders only reflects health plans interested in the long-term care portion of a statewide managed-care system. AHCA has not sought similar letters of intent for plans hoping to serve the broader Medicaid population, such as children and women.

26 Apr 2012

State roundup: Calif. exchanges forge ahead; Mo. grappling with costs, quality

Despite a potentially disruptive U.S. Supreme Court Decision expected this summer, California officials are moving forward with the creation of a new, online health insurance market. ... "There are many different scenarios," said David Panush, director of government relations for the California Health Benefit Exchange. "Rather than trying to crystal-ball what the court may or may not do, we've got our foot on the pedal and we're going full speed ahead."

26 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: Fixes to Medicare should improve seniors' access to care; Lifestyle changes could help fix budget

Medicare, which according to a new assessment will go bankrupt by 2024, is in dire need of reform. But there are right ways and wrong ways to go about it. The right reform would save money while giving seniors better access to care. ... The hard truth is that that's impossible. Both Republicans and Democrats recognize the need for change. Unfortunately, their proposals have come up short.

26 Apr 2012

World Malaria Day observed

The 25th of April was observed as World Malaria Day. According to Ray Chambers, the U.N. secretary-general's special envoy for malaria, there has been a marked progress in reducing malaria deaths using bed nets, insecticide spray and drugs. He cited a World Health Organization report in December which used figures from 2010, saying malaria deaths had decreased by over one-third. Since then, he said at a news conference Monday, the world has delivered 160 million additional bed nets “so we expect the number of deaths to be much less now.”

25 Apr 2012

Researchers evaluate haptic navigation aid to keep driver's eyes safely on the road

A vibrating steering wheel is an effective way to keep a driver's eyes safely on the road by providing an additional means to convey directions from a car's navigation system, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and AT&T Labs have shown.

25 Apr 2012

State Medicaid programs scrutinized for fraud

With the federal government trying to cut costs and crack down on fraud, a congressional panel this week will set its sights on the Medicaid program, which last year paid out nearly $22 billion in error or fraudulent claims. The April 25 hearing by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is just the latest in a series that Congress has held recently targeting federal program that have high "error rates" in payments, such as Medicaid.

25 Apr 2012

Rep. Sensenbrenner sends second letter inquiring about U.S. government's review of controversial H5N1 studies

"A senior Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives is asking more questions about how the U.S. government reviewed two controversial H5N1 avian influenza studies, and how it wrote a new policy for reviewing taxpayer-funded studies that might be used for good and evil," ScienceInsider reports.

25 Apr 2012

Hearings and analyses frame Capitol Hill budget fight over Medicare, deficit

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are tussling over budget proposals that would change Medicare and/or reduce the budget deficit.

24 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: Myths about women voters; Stopping fake drugs; Medicaid innovation not easy; The war over women

Women vote based on "women's issues," such as abortion rights and contraception. A recent poll of voters in swing states showed that women's top priorities are health care, gas prices, unemployment and the deficit -- in that order -- with "government policies toward contraception" coming in last

24 Apr 2012

Women & Infants named lead center in 14-site study of cytomegalovirus

Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, through its participation in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network, has been named the lead center in a 14-site, $25 million study of cytomegalovirus (CMV), the most common infection during pregnancy.

24 Apr 2012

Study confirms link between smoking and reduced risk of acoustic neuroma

New research confirms an association between smoking and a reduced risk for a rare benign tumor near the brain, but the addition of smokeless tobacco to the analysis suggests nicotine is not the protective substance.

24 Apr 2012

Viewpoints: Health law's legal peril; Barney Frank's misdiagnosis

Health-care reform, the impossible dream that seemed to become a reality in 2010, is now in mortal danger. Republicans want to repeal it even though the federal law is patterned after a Massachusetts law that their apparent presidential nominee signed in 2006. They can't do that, of course, unless they sweep the next election. So the clear and present danger comes from the Supreme Court, where a majority of justices seemed to snarl at the law in open session last month. Health-care reform is clearly in legal peril.

21 Apr 2012

Health law implementation news: Most red states slow walk health exchanges

Politico reports that most GOP-controlled states are holding off on building insurance exchanges until the Supreme Court issues its decision. Meanwhile, the Internal Revenue Service's ability to enforce the health law is the topic of a Capitol Hill hearing and a former White House advisor offers his views during a Madison speech.

20 Apr 2012

N.Y. Medicaid audit finds $42M in improper payments; Minn. commissioner to testify before congressional committee

Auditors in New York have found $42 million in improper payments were doled out to Medicaid providers. In the meantime, Minnesota's human services commissioner will testify before a congressional committee next week about financing and a payment made to the state by a managed care plan with Medicaid contract.

20 Apr 2012

Health law part of budget machinations taking place on both sides of the Capitol

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D., is rolling out the final budget blueprint of his career. It takes a different position on the health law than the House GOP's measure.

19 Apr 2012

Hearing News and Research

Congressional panel grills Minn. official over possible Medicaid overpayments

California senate scales back bill to broaden abortion access

Shutdown looms as committees, lawmakers spar over budget, spending cuts

Research develops new scale to help measure levels of homophobic bullying

Researchers discover how adult brain can adapt to new situations

Medicaid news: Florida prepares for shift to managed care

State roundup: Calif. exchanges forge ahead; Mo. grappling with costs, quality

Viewpoints: Fixes to Medicare should improve seniors' access to care; Lifestyle changes could help fix budget

World Malaria Day observed

Researchers evaluate haptic navigation aid to keep driver's eyes safely on the road

State Medicaid programs scrutinized for fraud

Rep. Sensenbrenner sends second letter inquiring about U.S. government's review of controversial H5N1 studies

Hearings and analyses frame Capitol Hill budget fight over Medicare, deficit

Viewpoints: Myths about women voters; Stopping fake drugs; Medicaid innovation not easy; The war over women

Women & Infants named lead center in 14-site study of cytomegalovirus

Study confirms link between smoking and reduced risk of acoustic neuroma

Viewpoints: Health law's legal peril; Barney Frank's misdiagnosis

Health law implementation news: Most red states slow walk health exchanges

N.Y. Medicaid audit finds $42M in improper payments; Minn. commissioner to testify before congressional committee

Health law part of budget machinations taking place on both sides of the Capitol

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How the Arts Reshape Brain Function: Susan Magsamen on the Future of Neuroaesthetics

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