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House Democrats tussling on taxes, exchanges in health bill negotiations

The Washington Post: "Worried House Democrats held a caucus-wide conference call Thursday to strategize about health-care reform before lawmakers return to Washington next week. ... With Senate Democrats barely able to muster the 60 votes necessary to pass their own bill and President Obama leaning toward the Senate's position on some key issues, House Democrats are increasingly concerned that they could be marginalized at the bargaining table."

9 Jan 2010

IHSS supporters vow to fight Governor's budget cut proposals

Representatives of more than 450,000 seniors and people with disabilities and those who care for them today urged the State Legislature to fight Gov. Schwarzenegger's mean-spirited and hypocritical proposal to destroy the In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program.

9 Jan 2010

Providence Holy Cross Medical Center receives $500,000 grant from Verizon to improve hospital's efficiency

Providence Holy Cross Medical Center has embarked on a technology upgrade, funded by a $500,000 grant from Verizon, that will improve the hospital's efficiency, increase accuracy of patient records, and initiate health care outreach for uninsured Californians.

9 Jan 2010

Gilbert Hospital optimistic about 2010

Gilbert Hospital expects patient volume at its hospital to increase slightly compared to 2009. Conservative planning and continued easing of the nationwide economic unrest have officials at the hospital optimistic about the 2010 calendar year for this community-based hospital.

9 Jan 2010

Insurers hope to sway House-Senate agreement over regulation, taxes

House and Senate lawmakers as well as insurance companies all agree on the need for health insurance exchanges that would allow people who don't get coverage from their employers to shop for better values and compare plans.

9 Jan 2010

Also in global health news: Museveni on Uganda anti-gay bill; Zambia, India on collaboration; media examines water issues; Southern Sudan conflict

The Associated Press reports that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has said that the anti-gay bill to be considered late next month or early March by the country's parliament "is too harsh and [he] has encouraged his ruling National Resistance Movement Party to overturn the death sentence provision. Several lawmakers have agreed and say they will push to remove the statute."

9 Jan 2010

HumanaOne expands individual Short Term health insurance product

In these difficult economic times, it is not unusual for people to find themselves temporarily without insurance, through no fault of their own. To fill this need, HumanaOne®, the individual health arm of Humana, is expanding its individual Short Term health insurance product to five additional states.

9 Jan 2010

Hospital error rates climb in California

Hospital error rates in California climbed by more than 300 cases last fiscal year after a 2006 law required public reporting of hospital errors in that state, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.

9 Jan 2010

Nelson calls for expansion of Nebraska Medicaid deal to all states

"Sen. Ben Nelson said Thursday he has asked Democratic leadership to extend to all states the extra Medicaid funding promised to Nebraska in the health care reform bill," The Associated Press reports. "The Democrat wouldn't say who he has spoken to regarding the so-called 'Cornhusker Kickback' but that he would see to it that Nebraska doesn't get a special deal." Nelson said if he can't get similar treatment for every state, "he wants states to be freed from paying the cost of Medicaid expansion. That could mean eliminating the provision, finding another way to pay for it or allowing states to opt out" (Ross, 1/7).

9 Jan 2010

A forum for clinicians and scientists to share research results and new developments

ESHRE invites you to attend its workshop on 'The search for excellence in IVF: a practical approach'. The workshop provides a forum for clinicians and scientists to share research results and discuss problems and new developments.

9 Jan 2010

MinuteClinic re-accredited and earns the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval

MinuteClinic, the retail health care division of CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) and the pioneer and largest provider of retail-based medical clinics in the United States, has become the first retail clinic to be re-accredited and earn the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval(TM) for consecutive evaluation periods by having demonstrated compliance with The Joint Commission's national standards for health care quality and safety.

9 Jan 2010

Tech Roundup: Virtual visits, EMR loans and a new e-prescribing tool

The New York Times: "Telemedicine has the potential to improve quality of care by allowing clinicians in one 'control center' to monitor, consult and even care for and perform procedures on patients in multiple locations," Doctor and Patient columnist Pauline Chen writes. "A rural primary care practitioner who sees a patient with a rare skin lesion, for example, can get expert consultation from a dermatologist at a center hundreds of miles away."

9 Jan 2010

CCAGW calls for open, televised process on healthcare negotiations

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today called upon Congress and the Obama administration to open the doors and allow taxpayers to view all of the proceedings related to negotiations over the healthcare reform bill.

9 Jan 2010

Primer: House vs. Senate health bill

"Most of the two bills' provisions are similar, and the cost estimates are in the range Democrats have sought. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the House bill would reduce the federal deficit by $130 billion over the next 10 years, while the Senate would cut it $132 billion. Some difficult controversies remain.

9 Jan 2010

Study: Reform bills could save health care dollars

The Los Angeles Times: "National healthcare legislation in Congress could slow the growth of medical costs, allowing employers to create 250,000 to 400,000 new jobs a year over the next decade, economists from Harvard University and USC are predicting.

9 Jan 2010

Study finds patients more likely to skip diabetes medicine while in the 'doughnut hole'

Consumers experiencing a gap in their Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage were more likely to forgo diabetes medications than those who had supplemental drug benefits.

9 Jan 2010

LehmanMillet honored with four prestigious industry awards

HealthSTAR's LehmanMillet, the leading agency devoted to working with health care companies changing standards of care, today announced it has won four prestigious industry awards: an MM&M (Medical Marketing & Media Magazine) Gold Award for work done on behalf of Abbott Nutrition; a First Place DxMA (Diagnostic Marketing Association) award for work done on behalf of Abbott Diagnostics; a First Place DxMA Award for work done on behalf of BRAHMS USA; and a PM360 Pharma Choice Bronze Award.

9 Jan 2010