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Senate investigation culminates in report criticizing Medtronic

The Senate Finance Committee alleges that the medical technology company played a hidden role in drafting studies about one of its products.

29 Oct 2012

Viewpoints: Washington Post endorses Obama; GOP Senate candidates hurting party's reach to women; 'Too much choice' in Medicare?

Mr. Obama is committed to the only approach that can succeed: a balance of entitlement reform and revenue increases. Mr. Romney, by contrast, has embraced his party's reality-defying ideology that taxes can always go down but may never go up. Along that road lies a future in which interest payments crowd out everything else a government should do, from defending the nation to caring for its poor and sick to investing in its children.

29 Oct 2012

FDA accepts ARIAD’s ponatinib NDA for filing

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing the New Drug Application (NDA) for accelerated review of ARIAD's investigational BCR-ABL inhibitor, ponatinib, in patients with resistant or intolerant chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) or Philadelphia-chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL).

25 Oct 2012

Some Democratic congressional candidates make hay with little-noticed health law provision

Also in the headlines: a variety of reports on House and Senate races from across the country including some key House races in California, New York, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Illinois; as well as Senate contests in Connecticut, Missouri, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

20 Oct 2012

Roundup: Ore. lawmakers petition for separate dental care; Docs failing to check drug registry in Colo.

The state is inviting public comment on how dentists fit with reforms of the Oregon Health Plan. Last week, two lawmakers and a dental executive submitted a petition to the Oregon Health Authority asking that dental care remain separate until 2017 from the state's new coordinated care organizations (CCOs), provider networks set up to integrate services, manage spending and reward prevention in the care of low-income members of the Medicaid-funded system.

19 Oct 2012

Prescription pain medication abuse on the rise among current generation of adolescents

A new study by the University of Colorado Denver reveals that today's adolescents are abusing prescription pain medications like vicodin, valium and oxycontin at a rate 40 percent higher than previous generations.

17 Oct 2012

UnitedHealth's profit jumps 23 percent in third quarter

The raised profit forecast for the nation's largest insurer was attributed to big enrollment boosts in the company's Medicare and Medicaid plans, even as medical costs remained stable despite an improved economy.

17 Oct 2012

FDA accepts A.P. Pharma’s resubmission of NDA for APF530

A.P. Pharma, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the Company's resubmission of its New Drug Application (NDA) for APF530.

17 Oct 2012

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announces winners of 2012 Community Health Leaders Award

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is proud to announce today the recipients of its 2012 Community Health Leaders Award, honoring 10 individuals who have surmounted significant challenges to help improve health and health care in their communities.

17 Oct 2012

First Edition: October 16, 2012

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about a study regarding the possible impact of premium support on Medicare premiums.

16 Oct 2012

Higher health care premiums could wipe out social security increases; Medicare enrollment begins

Social Security recipients shouldn't expect a big increase in monthly benefits come January. Preliminary figures show the annual benefit boost will be between 1% and 2%, which would be among the lowest since automatic adjustments were adopted in 1975.

16 Oct 2012

More Medicare Advantage Plans get top ratings

Privately-run health insurance companies that contract with Medicare are scoring higher in a government-backed quality rating system designed to guide seniors to better medical care choices and service, the Obama administration announced Friday. The so-called "Medicare Advantage Plans" are performing better with more of them hitting four- and five-star ratings on the five-star scale, said U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

15 Oct 2012

Walmart, Humana to help Medicare beneficiaries afford their prescriptions

Annual enrollment begins today for 2013 Medicare plans and Humana Inc. and Walmart will once again help beneficiaries afford their prescriptions.

15 Oct 2012

Vice Presidential candidates debate Medicare plan specifics

During last night's face off, Vice President Joe Biden and GOP vice presidential hopeful Paul Ryan offered different plans, visions and, sometimes, even numbers for Medicare's future.

13 Oct 2012

Research roundup: Addressing disparities in cancer diagnosis time, Medicare open season awareness

Researchers tested the effectiveness of using patient navigation programs with women who have abnormal breast or cervical cancer screenings. These programs aim to facilitate treatment by such things as arranging financial support, transportation to appointments, child care or interpreter services.

13 Oct 2012

Cardioviva can help fill the gap between diet, exercise and drugs

Over half (52 percent) of supplement users are concerned about their heart health and 73 percent express an interest in natural, clinically proven solutions for cholesterol reduction, according to market research conducted by Micropharma Limited, a pioneer in the development of innovative and effective probiotics.

12 Oct 2012

Survey finds seniors satisfied with Medicare Part D

The national survey of 2,363 seniors, which was conducted by Medicare Today, found 90 percent are satisfied with their Medicare prescription drug coverage.

5 Oct 2012

Overweight children more likely to take prescription medications

Overweight children are far more likely to take prescription medications than children of a normal weight-a trend that adds to already higher health-care costs for treating childhood obesity, according to new research from the University of Alberta.

5 Oct 2012

A flood of post-debate fact checking follows points and counterpoints

News outlets examined a range of issues brought up during last night's presidential face-off, ranging from discussions of the $716 billion Medicare cut to talk of death panels and whether the health law promise of lower health insurance costs came true.

5 Oct 2012

New ToxIC study identifies current drug poisoning trends

Nonprescription medications are just as likely a cause of poisoning as prescription drugs, according to a new study by Timothy Wiegand, M.D. from the University of Rochester Medical Center in the US and colleagues.

5 Oct 2012