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HHS awards $7.6M to help states recruit new health care professionals for shortage areas

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced 63 awards totaling more than $7.6 million to help states recruit new health care clinicians and alleviate their debt burden. The funds are part of the $500 million appropriated to HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to address workforce shortages and encourage diversity in the health professions.

1 Oct 2009

Six Indiana and Alabama hospitals settle whistleblower lawsuit

Three hospitals in Indiana and three hospitals in Alabama have agreed to pay the federal government a total of $8.3 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit that alleged the hospitals deliberately overcharged Medicare for routine, minimally-invasive back surgery.

1 Oct 2009

Kaiser Permanente to join the Health 2.0 Accelerator consortium

Health 2.0 Accelerator, a consortium focused on promoting integration of technology and the consumer experience to advance consumer-centric health care, announced today that Kaiser Permanente will join other "Health 2.0 companies" as participants in the Health 2.0 Accelerator (http://h2anetwork.org).

1 Oct 2009

57% of Americans believe that tackling health care reform is more important than ever: Kaiser poll

Public support for health reform ended its summer slide, reversed course and moved modestly upwards in September, according to the latest Kaiser Health Tracking Poll.

1 Oct 2009

Medicaid members to receive cover for administration cost of the H1N1 vaccine from WellCare

WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) announced it will cover the full cost of administration of the H1N1 vaccine as a preventative care benefit for Medicare Advantage, Medicare private fee-for-service (PFFS) and Medicaid plan members when it becomes available to the public.

1 Oct 2009

10-point checklist from eHealthInsurance

eHealthInsurance, the leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families and small businesses, today, released a 10-point checklist to help employees make informed decisions about health insurance during the traditional annual open enrollment period.

1 Oct 2009

Recession impacts health: AOA survey

While the economy begins to show signs of a slow recovery, many consumers continue to struggle with financial challenges, some of which could affect their health. A survey released today by the American Optometric Association (AOA) revealed that 36 percent of Americans say they are limiting their doctor visits because of the recession.

1 Oct 2009

North Shore-LIJ Health System to implement the largest EHR program in the New York metropolitan area

The North Shore-LIJ Health System announced today it is subsidizing up to 85 percent of the cost of implementing and operating an Electronic Health Records (EHR) system in the offices of its more than 7,000 affiliated physicians in New York City and Long Island -- part of a $400 million investment to strengthen the quality of care throughout the region by automating inpatient and outpatient records in all medical settings, including 13 hospitals.

1 Oct 2009

AMR signs several new medical transportation agreements

Emergency Medical Services Corporation today announced that its American Medical Response, Inc. subsidiary has entered into several new agreements to provide medical transportation and transportation management services.

1 Oct 2009

Physician-assisted deaths do not cause significant grief among family members

Unlike other forms of suicide, physician assisted death does not cause substantial regret, or a sense of rejection among surviving family members. In addition, the prevalence and severity of depression and grief among family members whose loved ones received aid in dying is no different than family members whose loved ones did not pursue physician assisted suicide.

1 Oct 2009

The Finance Committee continues its health bill mark-up, and the October recess is cancelled

As Senate Finance Committee members meet Wednesday to discuss their overhaul bill, Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) hopes to "revise a key financing provision of his health reform package in light of a new analysis showing that it would impose a particularly heavy tax burden on people over 65, aides said," the The Washington Post reports.

1 Oct 2009

Health care should be made secure and affordable to all: Speaker Pelosi

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Chairman John Dingell, and Congressman Martin Heinrich joined advocates on behalf of America's seniors for a press conference this afternoon in the Capitol to discuss the benefits of the health insurance reform legislation to senior citizens.

1 Oct 2009

Researchers develop integrated treatment program for PTSD affected veterans

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a growing number of soldiers evacuated to the United States for comprehensive care for physical and psychological trauma. Given the number of physical injuries often experienced by soldiers, it is not surprising that chronic pain is a frequent problem among returning soldiers from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF). Common sources of pain are in the head (traumatic-brain injury or post-concussion syndrome), legs (fractures, amputations, burns) and shoulders.

1 Oct 2009

Rotary/Flames House set to open shortly

On Friday, October 2, 2009, Alberta Health Services and the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation will host an Open House and "House Warming" Celebration for Rotary/Flames House - the first hospice for children in this province. The facility is only the sixth of its kind in North America and will help families caring for children with progressive and life-threatening illnesses.

1 Oct 2009

State budget cuts continue to erode Medicaid programs, new and old models gain traction

News outlets report on health stories, especially budget cuts, around the country. In Minnesota, however, three quiet, low-cost health providers have received grants to test whether their programs could become new models for others to emulate, while a panel in Louisiana has advised that the state resort to its old one.

1 Oct 2009

Study reveals that training pediatricians will help reduce early childhood cavities

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that pediatricians provided with the proper communication, educational and information technology tools and training could reduce the rates of children developing early childhood caries (ECC) or cavities by 77 percent. This study appears in the October issue of the Journal Medical Care.

1 Oct 2009

Study sheds light on why some hospitals have lower mortality than others

A compelling University of Michigan Health System study debunks assumptions about the role of complications in distinguishing good and bad hospitals.

1 Oct 2009

Amicus brief filed against tobacco companies' lawsuit challenging FDA tobacco regulation law

Today, eleven public health and consumer advocacy organizations filed a friend of the court (amicus) brief asking a federal court to reject a lawsuit by R.J. Reynolds, Lorillard and other tobacco companies that seeks to block key provisions of the new federal law regulating tobacco products. The immediate issue before the court is the industry's challenge of a provision that requires FDA approval before tobacco companies can make claims about "modified risk tobacco products."

1 Oct 2009

US employers form buying groups to keep health insurance premiums at a manageable level

While Congress debates the many aspects of health care reform, one means of reducing insurance costs already helps many US employers keep health insurance premiums at a manageable level.

1 Oct 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

There are those who would like to turn the nation's vexing struggle to find health care reforms into a state's rights argument. Why? It diverts attention from the fact that the current public health care system isn't working (9/30).

1 Oct 2009

Healthcare News

HHS awards $7.6M to help states recruit new health care professionals for shortage areas

Six Indiana and Alabama hospitals settle whistleblower lawsuit

Kaiser Permanente to join the Health 2.0 Accelerator consortium

57% of Americans believe that tackling health care reform is more important than ever: Kaiser poll

Medicaid members to receive cover for administration cost of the H1N1 vaccine from WellCare

10-point checklist from eHealthInsurance

Recession impacts health: AOA survey

North Shore-LIJ Health System to implement the largest EHR program in the New York metropolitan area

AMR signs several new medical transportation agreements

Physician-assisted deaths do not cause significant grief among family members

The Finance Committee continues its health bill mark-up, and the October recess is cancelled

Health care should be made secure and affordable to all: Speaker Pelosi

Researchers develop integrated treatment program for PTSD affected veterans

Rotary/Flames House set to open shortly

State budget cuts continue to erode Medicaid programs, new and old models gain traction

Study reveals that training pediatricians will help reduce early childhood cavities

Study sheds light on why some hospitals have lower mortality than others

Amicus brief filed against tobacco companies' lawsuit challenging FDA tobacco regulation law

US employers form buying groups to keep health insurance premiums at a manageable level

Today's opinions and editorials

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

Precision in every drop: Inside Hamilton’s syringe technology

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