Headlines Archive for December 2009

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12/31

CVS Caremark continues to expand the availability of H1N1 vaccine in its stores and retail health clinics across the country

12/31

Republican attorneys general in 13 states say congressional leaders must remove Nebraska’s political deal from the federal health care reform bill or face legal action

12/31

The Mayo Clinic will stop accepting Medicare patients as of tomorrow at one of its primary-care clinics in Arizona, saying the U.S. government pays too little.

12/31

Docs and hospitals that make “meaningful use” of electronic medical records would get big bonus payments from Medicare

12/31

U.S. health officials released standards for electronic medical records on Wednesday, seeking to spur the technology

12/30

U.S. Senate staff members arriving at work by subway this month were greeted by signs proclaiming that “98,000 patients may die” through medical malpractice

12/30

Takeover advisers  may still have years to wait for a return to 2007’s record deal making

12/30

Syncreon, a specialized provider of integrated logistics services and highly customized supply chain solutions has acquired NAL Worldwide Holdings, Inc.

12/30

If you keep working beyond 65 and opt instead to stay with your employer’s group health plan, your options for getting Medicare can be sharply limited

12/30

At the heart of the health care debate is the question of whether it’s possible to cut medical costs without harming patients

12/30

Two studies found shortcomings in some clinical trials accepted by the F.D.A. connection with the approval of high-risk cardiovascular devices

12/30

The findings in FDA review study raise questions about the quality of the data on which some cardiovascular device approvals are based

12/29

A flurry of acquisitions and the possible opening of an initial public-offering window are giving health-care VCs reason for optimism about exiting prospects in 2010

12/29

Businesses are set to push for modifications to the Senate-approved health bill, while urging lawmakers to steer clear of the version passed by the House

12/29

Insurance companies, hospitals and other health care interests have been positioning themselves in statehouses to influence the outcome of the proposed health care overhaul

12/29

Medicare savings mean both more money available to spend now and the appearance of more money to spend later on Medicare – How is this possible?

12/29

The landmark federal health reform care bill being negotiated in Washington is heating up New York politics, pitting the state’s two top Democrats against each other

12/29

According to a new national survey of more than 1,000 people ages 65 and older who use medications, more than half take at least five different prescription drugs regularly and one in four take between 10 and 19 pills each day

12/28

The government is working on improving the Medicare Physician Quality Reporting Initiative to make it more user-friendly

12/28

A growing number of Americans are bypassing the doctor and going right to the source for diagnostic tests

12/28

House Democrats aren’t optimistic that a government insurance plan will survive negotiations with the Senate

12/28

AMICAS, a leader in image and information management solutions entered into an agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of Thoma Bravo, LLC

12/28

Medicare Advantage subsidies are on the chopping block to pay for the overhaul

12/28

Any health-care legislation that reaches President’s desk will be close to the version the Senate passed last week

12/28

Halth officials to re-examine their policies on using people with certain neurological conditions as donors in transplants

12/28

Businesses are set to push for modifications to the Senate-approved health bill, while urging lawmakers to steer clear of the version passed by the House

12/28

Major health insurers are now picking through the Senate’s version of the legislation and finding cause for concern

12/28

Some immediate benefits from the health care legislation will ease the minds of parents who may have hit up against limitations of their existing health insurance

12/28

Perhaps the most contentious issue will be financing

12/28

Senate has proposed $42 billion in cutbacks over the next decade in payments to providers that care for homebound Medicare beneficiaries

12/28

No one seems to agree on whether the legislation will do much to reduce workers’ continually rising out-of-pocket costs

12/28

States that have already broadly expanded health care coverage are pushing back against the Senate overhaul bil

12/28

Making tough decisions about the best way to die – among those choices is terminal sedation, a treatment that is already widely used

12/28

Senate Democrats move toward a battle over taxes and other issues with the U.S. House as lawmakers look to merge their differing bills

12/24

Senator Schumer says the measure contains benefits for all states.

12/24

Biggest employers warning that proposed health-care overhaul could lead to cuts in retiree benefits and sharp reduction in reported earnings

12/24

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “Despite numerous polls showing the majority of Americans are opposed to the Senate health care bill, sixty senators chose to ignore their objections”

12/24

Senate Democrats now face the prospect of an even bigger fight with the U.S. House over how to pay for it

12/24

A summary of  the most confusing part of the health-care bill – when various provisions will take effect

12/24

Key effects of the Senate bill, based on estimates from CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation for the years 2010-2019

12/24

Another comparison of the health care bills passed by the Senate and House

12/24

The Senate approved legislation that would make the broadest changes to the U.S. health-care system in decades

12/24

Millions of Americans got a great gift in defense spending bill that includes a provision to extend cobra health insurance coverage

12/23

Republicans are looking to the Constitution for a way to fight the Democrats’ health care reform bill

12/23

The Ronald Reagan U.C.L.A. Medical Center has earned a reputation as a place where doctors will go to virtually any length and expense to try to save a patient’s life

12/23

Last Call on Reforming Health Reform Bill – where compromise can make sense

12/23

But differences between the House and Senate on abortion could still blow it all up.

12/23

The drug industry is bracing for an increase in its share of the cost of the proposed health care overhaul

12/23

Obama signed a big defense spending bill into law yesterday – with all the hollering over the health-care overhaul, that didn’t get much attention

12/23

Labor believes that the cost controls in the Senate bill come chiefly from insurance policy holders rather than from insurance and drug companies

12/23

A new government insurance program that would help the elderly and disabled stay in their homes is headed for passage

12/23

The costs of health care reform being pushed through Congress by Democrats will be felt long before the benefits.

12/23

Companies are alarmed at potentially costly provisions in the Senate health-care bill

12/23

Home builders say they are unfairly targeted in the sweeping Senate health-care legislation

12/23

More than $600 million has been spent so far this year trying to influence U.S. lawmakers working to overhaul the health-care system

12/22

API Healthcare, the leading provider of human capital management solutions to the healthcare industry, announced the acquisition of Clearview Staffing Software, Inc.

12/22

The recession and high travel costs might explain why fewer patients going abroad for care now than two years ago

12/22

The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology has certified 14 electronic health record products that pass muster for provider use

12/22

SeniorBridge, a provider of professional services for individuals requiring care for chronic health conditions has acquired Senior Care Consulting headquartered in Madison, CT.

12/22

U.S. stocks buoyed by the healthcare sector after Senate bill advanced stripped of provisions deemed detrimental to health insurers

12/22

LifeSync Holdings, Inc. purchased the Besson Patents that describe the use of wireless, two-way, digital communication between patient-electrodes and an evaluator patient monitoring station

12/22

U.S. HealthWorks announced the acquisition of four of the five HealthForce Occupational Medicine centers in Seattle, WA

12/22

Persistence may pay off in struggle to turn a promising scientific advance into a best-selling diet pill

12/22

A compromise on the health-care overhaul that the Senate reached this weekend offered some relief for insurance companies

12/22

Obama signed a measure to extend a federal subsidy for continued health-insurance coverage for involuntarily terminated workers

12/22

CVS Caremark Corp. said the company will offer genetic testing to help sales and profit by matching customers to the best drugs for them

12/22

IBM has signed financing agreements with four health-care businesses whose clients are converting data into digital form

12/22

Pending healthcare bill include measures targeting industry profits and taxes and a move to ensure health insurers spend a certain amount on medical care

12/22

Democrats grappling with deep internal divisions over abortion, the issue that most complicates drive to merge the Senate and House bills

12/22

Several states — including Nebraska, Vermont and Massachusetts — won deals for more generous federal payments under the Medicaid program

12/22

Here’s a look at some of the concessions lawmakers and interest groups won in the latest version of the Senate’s health care overhaul bill

12/22

No one should contemplate without concern a vast new entitlement program when the federal debt has ballooned so dangerously

12/21

CVS Caremark said it is taking an increased ownership interest in Generation Health, Inc., a genetic benefit management company

12/21

Americans could soon be able to see a doctor without getting out of bed, in a modern-day version of the house call that takes place over the Web

12/21

Gauging the Odds (and the Costs) in Health Screening

12/21

Health-care overhaul plan would almost double a proposed increase in Medicare payroll taxes for high-earners

12/21

A look at some other winners and losers in the latest version of the legislation

12/21

Under Senate proposal nearly half of Louisiana’s population would be eligible for Medicaid and would no longer have to rely on the charity system

12/21

Buried in health care package is an inconspicuous proposal expanding Medicare to cover certain victims of “environmental health hazards”

12/21

A bill so reckless that it has to be rammed through on a partisan vote on Christmas eve

12/21

Overhaul would accelerate rising costs of health insurance and medical services, and that its proposed Medicare cuts could reduce care for senior citizens

12/21

The following outlines some of the biggest similarities and differences in the House and Senate plans

12/21

Thirty million people without health insurance stand to gain coverage under a deal announced on Saturday

12/21

All 58 Democrats and two independents voted to approve the first — and most crucial — of three motions needed to break off action

12/21

Senate Democrats said Saturday that they had clinched an agreement on a far-reaching overhaul of the nation’s health care system

12/20

OptumHealth plans to offer NowClinic, a service that connects patients and doctors using video chat, nationwide next year

12/18

Congress is considering legislation to facilitate faster FDA approval of “generic” versions of biologic medicines

12/18

IMC Health Care To be Acquired by Cerner

12/18

Democrats seeking a rendezvous with history instead detoured to an intraparty brawl.

12/18

Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson says he doesn’t see how fellow Democrats can resolve all his objections

12/18

The White House and Senate Democratic leaders seem willing to give Senator Ben Nelson just about anything he wants

12/18

Despite rumblings about renewed interest in public offerings, companies opt for the safer arms of an acquirer

12/18

Health-care reform is dead. Time of death: 6 p.m., Dec. 15, 2009, Connecticut Standard Time

12/18

Labor union chief criticized Obama for not fighting for more sweeping changes in health-care legislation

12/18

Questioning the assumption: only health care systems, and not individual clinicians, could be held accountable for medical mistakes?

12/18

Sen. Ben Nelson rejected an overture by party leaders to address his concerns about the bill’s handling of abortion

12/17

Procter & Gamble Co. will be assuming full ownership of MDVIP, a concierge network of 350 physicians in 28 states and the District of Columbia

12/17

Patients are less willing to try potentially risky treatments when physicians give them responsibility

12/17

Administration is to award $2 billion in grants and loans to dramatically expand Americans’ broadband access

12/17

Thousands of unemployed are suddenly struggling to hang onto their health coverage

12/17

Liberals are turning against President Obama with an energy that until now has been reserved for Fox News

12/17

Insurers will domicile their plans in states with less stringent regulations and market to the population in more protective states

12/17

December’s survey marks a steeper first-year fall for this president than his recent predecessors

12/17

Medical schools in the U.S. plan to add 3,000 first- year students by 2018 – it won’t be enough

12/17

Pass democratic legislation before hidden burdens to make affordable are fully disclosed to the public.

12/17

The test of Emanuel’s abilities will come as the Senate approaches an end-of-year deadline

12/17

NEJM paper shows hospitals with low mortality rates do not have fewer complications

12/17

Every American should know that the rationing provisions in the Reid bill will reduce their quality and life spans

12/17

Team Health Holdings Inc. priced poorly but closed up 7%

12/17

Dreaded ”doughnut hole” will shrink by $500 right away and go away altogether by 2019?

12/17

Senate Democrats confront both Republican stalling tactics and other pressing business

12/17

Diabetes Meter Mates With PC to Track Trends

12/16

The hidden burdens of Democrats’ health reform

12/16

26 Arrested in Three States in Medicare Fraud Schemes

12/16

My Health Direct secures $4M, not just redirecting emergency room patients

12/16

Hospital, physician lobbyists fought Medicare buy-in plan

12/16

If Health Care Reform Fails, America’s Innovation Gap Will Grow

12/16

Drugmakers Stave Off Cheaper Imports in Senate Vote

12/16

Obama urges Senate to pass health-care bill; Lieberman signals support

12/16

Dems Ready to Push Health Bill Despite Setbacks

12/16

Obama Presses Senators to Defy Past by Voting for Health Bill

12/16

Antidepressants tied to higher stroke risk

12/16

CardioNet Stock Up On Decision To Pursue Options

12/16

Wells Fargo Acquires Orca Bay Employee Benefit Services, including service for HRA’s and HSA’s.

12/15

PatientKeeper, the leading provider of Physician Information Technology, closed a $13 million round of funding

12/15

New Goal for the Obese: Zero Gain in Pregnancy

12/15

CT Scan Radiation May Cause Cancer Decades Later, Study Finds

12/15

Drugmakers fight plan to allow imports

12/15

Medical-coding company to add 300 jobs in Utah

12/15

The Choice Facing Democrats

12/15

Mediware Finalizes Two Most Recent Acquisitions

12/15

Companies Expanding EAP Offerings

12/15

Move Afoot to Reward Consumer Thrift

12/15

Poll Reveals Trauma of Joblessness in U.S.

12/15

The death of the public option

12/15

Obama to Work to Solidify Support for Health Bill

12/15

Lieberman Gets Ex-Party to Shift on Health Plan

12/15

Democrats, Lieberman List U.S. Health Bill Demands

12/15

Senators May Drop U.S. Medicare Buy-In, Public Option

12/15

New VA Patients Younger, More Likely to Be Women

12/14

WCAS Buying Spectrum Holding from Apax for $230 Million

12/14

TA Associates has notched its third exit in the past two months, selling One Call Medical Odyssey Investment Partners

12/14

Errors Reported In Canopy HSA Accounts

12/14

Congress’s Long-Term Care Bomb

12/14

Long-Term Care Stirs Health Care Debate

12/14

A savings mirage on health care

12/14

The ‘Cost Control’ Bill of Goods

12/14

The Potential of Remote Health Monitoring at Work

12/14

U.S. Spend-a-thon Risks Slide Into Greek Tragedy: Kevin Hassett

12/14

McCaskill Says U.S. Health Care Bill Must Reduce Costs, Deficit

12/14

Medicare for 50-Somethings?

12/14

Two Senators Doubt Medicare Compromise

12/14

White House to help close health bill loophole

12/14

‘Disaster’ Health Plan Breaks Obama Cost-Cut Vow in CEOs’ View

12/14

Team Health Offering Looks Attractive This Week

12/14

Lieberman Rules Out Voting for Health Bill

12/14

U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group Acquires Bayport Occupational Medical Center

12/14

US health care tab to keep growing under overhaul

12/14

IMS Health stock falls, as data mining ban pitched

12/12

Atul Gawande:  The health-care bill has no master plan for curbing costs. Is that a bad thing?

12/11

Microsoft is to buy Sentillion, a specialist in single sign-on technology for the healthcare industry

12/11

NIH Launches Program to Develop Innovative Approaches to Combat Obesity

12/11

AHRQ funds electronic comparative effectiveness research

12/11

High Premiums in Senate Democrats’ Health Plan

12/11

Health-care help from the rookies

12/11

Health care loophole would allow coverage limits

12/11

CMS awards state Medicaid IT planning grants

12/11

Democrats clash over Obama deal to aid drug firms

12/11

Senate Tied in Knots Over Proposal to Allow Imported Drugs

12/11

McCain Charges Democrats Pandering to Drugmakers on Import Ban

12/11

Senate Democrats are considering changing a proposed expansion of Medicare

12/11

Health IT cited as evidence for importance of new open government directive

12/10

Ethicist Callahan: ‘Set Limits’ On Health Care

12/10

Worse Than the Public Option

12/10

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed support Thursday for a Senate Democratic proposal to expand Medicare

12/10

New health care benefits come at a price

12/10

Public Option Keeps Toehold in Senate Deal on Health Bill

12/10

If ‘public option’ is no longer an option in Senate bill, then what?

12/10

Unions pressure Democrats on health insurance tax

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121000418_pf.html
12/10

Health care issues: The cost of health insurance

12/10

Comparison of Democratic Health Care Bills

12/10

The emerging buy-in proposal could have costly unintended consequences

12/10

Senate Democrats See Hope on Health Bill

12/10

New Health Care Benefits Come at a Price

12/10

Senate Democrats largely support health-care deal that drops public option

12/10

G.O.P. Senators in Rush to Delay Health Bill

12/10

Why Does the U.S Rank 29th in Longevity?

12/10

Drugmakers, Hospitals Fight Changes to Health Bill

12/10

Senate Democrats See Hope on Health Bill

12/9

Drug-import backers worry Obama may scuttle plan

12/9

Will the Senate make an imperfect measure better?

12/9

Finding the Nerve to Cut Health Costs

12/9

Reid’s Remarks on Health Agreement

12/9

Reid: Abortion Should Not Scuttle Health Care Bill

12/9

Are Primary-Care Practices Too Small to Measure Quality?

12/9

Numbers behind new recommendations to cut back on mammography screening

12/9

Senators Strike Health Deal

12/9

Docs, Hospitals, Insurers Oppose Medicare at 55

12/9

Your Final Wish Isn’t Always Your Doctor’s Command

12/9

Democrats Said to Agree to Drop Full Health-Care Public Option

12/9

Nelson Fails to Add Abortion Limits to Health Bill

12/9

Obama to Detail More Than $500 Million for Local Health Centers

12/8

QuadraMed Announces Agreement to be Acquired by Francisco Partners

12/8

Which screening tests are best?

12/8

The medical bill you need to see

12/8

Report Predicts Fall in Colon Cancer Deaths

12/8

Strong Debuts Expected for China I.P.O.’s

12/8

Health-Bill Negotiators May Drop Public Option, Expand Medicare

12/8

Apax Partners’ Funds acquire Healthcare leader Marken

12/8

The Obamacare rationing threat to your mammograms

12/8

Watered-Down ‘Public Plan’ Emerges in Senate

12/8

Liberal Senators Press for Expansion of Medicare

12/8

More Radiation Overdoses Reported

12/8

Cancer Rates Continue to Fall in the U.S.

12/8

Obama health ‘czar’ worked at legally troubled health firms

12/8

USA Today lists WiFi weight scale at top of holiday gift-buying guide

12/8

To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Healthcare System

12/8

U.S. nurses unions merge, back healthcare overhaul

12/8

Turning Out The Lights: Transoma Medical, Onetime IPO Hopeful

12/8

Cigna, Health Insurers’ Outlook Upgraded by Goldman

12/8

Lieberman riles many with role in health debate

12/8

Health-Bill Amendment Restricting Abortion Is Introduced

12/8

Groups Try Simple Steps to Avoid Hospital Rebound

12/8

Federal Employees’ Model

12/8

Mobile Phone Technology May Address Unmet Needs of Parents of Children With Diabetes

12/7

The only doctor in town

12/7

Medical spending threatens everything else

12/7

CEOs and ObamaCare

12/7

WellAWARE Systems Raises $7.5 Million in Growth Capital

12/7

New Government-Run Health Proposal Eyed

12/7

Abortion Emerges as Top Bill Threat

12/7

Drugmakers’ Support for Health Overhaul Tested

12/7

McCaskill: Nixing Health Bill Care Not an Option

12/7

Senate to Confront Abortion in Health Care Debate

12/7

Breast-Enlargement Tax That Failed in Jersey Taints U.S. Plan

12/7

Health-Care Bill Breakthrough Eludes Senate After Week of Work

12/5

MobileMD Secures Funding

12/4

Cisco Systems won control over more than 90 percent of Norwegian target Tandberg, allowing it to squeeze out remaining shareholders, and create the world leader in videoconferencing equipment.

12/4

WellPoint Sells NextRx Units – Analyst Blog

12/4

TelaDoc Gets $9 Million

12/4

Democrats win $400B in Medicare cuts

12/4

Moderates seek greater health care cost controls

12/4

Health care issues: Medical cost inflation

12/4

Health bill survives first big test – on Medicare

12/4

Economists React: ‘Game-Changer’ Report on Jobs

12/4

Two Ex-CBO Economists: Medicare Cost-Saving Bills Have Worked

12/4

Dems Seeking Compromise on Public Insurance Option

12/4

Abortion Funding Emerges Again as Threat to Health-Care Measure

12/4

The Two Elephants on the Senate Floor

12/4

Senate Backs Preventive Health Care for Women

12/4

Obama Health Overhaul May Fail to Cut Spending on Medical Care

12/4

Good News on Premiums

12/4

Doctors Divide on Bill

12/3

Telemedicine, e-records, and wearable sensors: Medical tech’s growth spurt

12/3

Orszag: Health care efficiencies may take decades

12/3

Help with the homework on health plans

12/3

Obama’s Planned Medicare Cuts Cause Distress for Some Democrats

12/3

Senate Breaks Health Stalemate; First Votes Today

12/3

SEC’s Fraud Suit Vs. Canopy Financial Sheds More Light

12/3

Health care issues: Overutilization of care

12/3

Why bother with wireless health?

12/3

Obesity May Wipe Out Benefit of Anti-Smoking Effort, Study Says

12/3

How An Investor’s Hands-On Approach Led To A $525M Exit

12/3

Mammogram guidelines debated along party lines as panel members are grilled

12/3

Democrats Threaten to Bypass Republican Changes on Health Bill

12/2

Fitch: Economic Pressure & Event Risk Will Drive U.S. Healthcare’s Negative Outlook in 2010

12/2

GE buys elder care remote monitoring start-up

12/2

Vodafone to launch mobile health unit

12/2

They’re talking about you, Grandma

12/2

Tempers Flare as Senate Debates Health Care

12/2

Senators Pitch to Women and Elderly on Health Bill

12/2

Republicans Challenge Proposed Medicare Cuts in Health Debate

12/2

New Hopes on Health Care for American Indians

12/2

Lawmakers set to make health bill changes

12/2

Laid-Off Workers Face Expiration of Health Benefit

12/2

Hospira Acquires TheraDoc, Enhances Medication Safety and Infection Management Offerings

12/1

How Health Care Costs Can Lower Tax Bill

12/1

The limits of malpractice tort reform

12/1

CBO: Senate health plan to raise premiums for individuals

12/1

Premiums for Employee Health Coverage May Change Little, Budget Study Finds

12/1

To Curb Repeat Hospital Stays, Pay Doctors

12/1

Prognosis: Numbers Rise in a Diabetes Forecast

12/1

Diabetics in U.S. May Double in 25 Years, Tripling Health Costs

12/1

Embattled Canopy Financial Files Ch. 11 Bankruptcy

12/1

Adult day-care centers worry about funding

Vita Advisors, LLC is a research-based strategic advisory firm serving the health care industry.

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