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House Energy and Commerce Committee takes on Medicare payment reform issues

During a Thursday hearing, medical societies weighed in on efforts to fix Medicare reimbursement and Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., said a repeal of the current physician payment formula is on the "short list" of things to get done this summer.

7 May 2011

Sonova reports record consolidated sales of CHF 1.617 billion for 2010/11

Sonova announces preliminary financial results for the 2010/11 year which includes consolidated sales of CHF 1.617 billion, a new record for the company, and an EBITA of CHF 326.6 million, or 20.2% of net sales.

7 May 2011

Patent expiries, generic pricing policies may be factors in slow drug spending growth

Although drugs remain an important cost driver in Canada's health system, growth in spending has slowed to its lowest rate in 14 years, according to a new report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

6 May 2011

Cell Therapeutics Board approves reverse stock split

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that the Company's Board of Directors approved a reverse stock split following the Company's receipt on May 3, 2011 of a notification of non-compliance from the staff of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.

6 May 2011

House hearing will include effort to revive 'balance billing'

Testimony will come from the nation's largest physician organizations, which will tell a House subcommittee about the need to replace Medicare's current payment system. Meanwhile, on the personnel front, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has a new chief medical officer and Berwick is talking about his "service."

6 May 2011

A new round of deficit talks begins amidst roadblocks, debt-ceiling concerns

How to handle entitlement spending issues including Medicare will be central to the discourse. Meanwhile, AARP launches a campaign to protect Medicare in the midst of it all.

5 May 2011

Roundup: Vt. universal care bill advances; Duluth, Minn., seeking to change retiree health benefits; Texas steps back from plan to close centers for disabled

Dr. James Mongan, a physician with a specialty in politics who for decades helped shape the health care debate in Washington, D.C., and the Commonwealth, and who formerly served as president of Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners HealthCare, died in MGH yesterday.

5 May 2011

Omega reports $5.9 million net loss for first quarter 2011

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. today announced its results of operations for the three-month period ended March 31, 2011.

4 May 2011

CMS: States to analyze Medicaid provider payments, access issues

CMS officials may have kept the Supreme Court from injecting itself into the controversy over disparate state Medicaid payment rates for various providers through a proposed rule issued Friday.

3 May 2011

Health expert to speak at 205th Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Commencement ceremony

U.S. Surgeon General and Vice Admiral Regina M. Benjamin - one of the world's leading experts on public health and a key player in the national debate on health care reform - will deliver the main address at the 205th Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Commencement on May 28.

2 May 2011

Researchers discover two mutations responsible for neurological condition

Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered two mutations responsible for a devastating neurological condition they first identified 15 years ago. The researchers say their study -- appearing in Nature Genetics -- has revealed a new neural pathway that may help understand a variety of similar conditions.

2 May 2011

Health practitioners need to assess health literacy to overcome barrier to quality care: MD Anderson nurse

Low health literacy is a significant barrier to quality care, especially among elderly patients, but increased use of simple and effective health literacy assessment tests by nurses and clinicians can help improve communication and health outcomes.

30 Apr 2011

Study shows direct link between cotton swab use and ruptured eardrum

A study by Henry Ford Hospital shows a direct association between cotton swab use and ruptured eardrum. The study also shows that in most cases the rupture heals on its own and surgery is only necessary for the most severe cases.

28 Apr 2011

Positive results from Otonomy's OTO-104 Phase 1b study in Meniere's disease

Otonomy, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics for diseases and disorders of the inner and middle ear, today announced positive data from a Phase 1b study of the company's lead product candidate, OTO-104, in patients with Meniere's disease.

28 Apr 2011

Frailty increases exponentially with age throughout adult life span

The prevalence of frailty, which is linked to earlier death, increases throughout adulthood as people age and not just after age 65, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Relatively good fitness levels at all ages were predictive of lower mortality and less reliance on health care services.

28 Apr 2011

State roundup: Conn. Gov. says no 'public option' this year

Gov. Bobby Jindal's chief budget adviser defended the administration's plan to sell a state-run health insurance plan to a private company, rebutting a chorus of critics Tuesday who said the move would result in higher premiums and lower benefits for state workers and retirees.

28 Apr 2011

Tips for parents to identify concussions in young athletes

A recent study found that many parents feel they lack the knowledge to adequately detect symptoms of head injuries in their children. Yet keeping young athletes off the field until they've fully healed from a concussion is key to preventing serious and potentially fatal complications.

27 Apr 2011

State roundup: Single-payer bill advances in Vt. Legislature

A unit of American International Group, the New York-based insurance giant, agreed to pay restitution and a fine totaling $760,000 for selling faulty health insurance products in Massachusetts, under a settlement reached with state Attorney General Martha Coakley.

27 Apr 2011

Acousticon receives FDA 510K clearance for ACAM-5 integrated hearing loss assessment system

Acousticon Inc., the US subsidiary of Acousticon GmbH announced today that they have received FDA 510K clearance for ACAM-5®, a German-engineered, stand-alone system containing an audiometer integrated with Real Ear Measurement (REM), and Hearing Instrument Test (HIT) modules.

27 Apr 2011

Experts to present new research on pediatric ear, nose, and throat disorders at ASPO meeting

The American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology will hold its annual meeting, April 29 - May 1, during the 2011 Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings - a joint meeting of eight otolaryngological societies in Chicago, IL.

25 Apr 2011