Medicine & Health articles from April 2009

Medicine & Health archives from April 2009

Stimulus bill alters the playing field for admins: you'll have to stay on your toes to make the most of ARRA funds, experts say.(Hospitals)
April 3, 2009... Hospital administrators may need to adjust their game to deal with stimulus money and the recession, some experts say. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will foster major changes in Medicaid, the bond market, and health IT in...

Indian Health Service gets $500 million: ARRA funds aim to modernize the program.(Funding)
April 3, 2009... Recovery Act funds are reaching tar and wide. The Department of Health and Human Services announced on March 19 that the Indian Health Service has been allocated $500 million in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. While...

Doctor-patient conversation can lower end-of-life expenses: intensive care admissions are the high-cost culprit.(Healthcare Costs)(Clinical report)
April 3, 2009... Dying isn't a popular conversation topic, but discussing end-of-life issues with a physician can result in better quality of life for patients--and could lower national healthcare expenditures for cancer care alone by tens of millions dollars...

Abortion, birth control on the rise as economy slides: women, families decide they just can't pay for another child.(Family planning)
April 3, 2009... Many women are choosing abortions and men are having vasectomies because they cannot afford a child, doctors and clinics say. "I have never seen anything like this," one urologist told CNN. "When things started to go south in the stock...

Invest in direct care workforce or pay the price: addressing long-term care workforce could help the economy too.(Long-Term Care)
April 3, 2009... While older Americans and their advocates have been vocal about the need to address their healthcare concerns, those who provide their care mustn't get lost in the shuffle. Supporting a skilled, stable, direct care workforce, is essential...

Community health centers get millions in stimulus package: HHS funnels money to centers that care for the uninsured.(Grants)
April 3, 2009... If you run a community health center, you may be getting some extra money through the national stimulus plan. The Department of Health and Human Services recently announced it was releasing $338 million to expand community health services,...

CMS announces Medicare advantage and prescription drug plan roadmap for 2010: agency takes a closer look at MA cost-sharing too.(Medicare Benefits)
April 3, 2009... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is aiming to provide beneficiaries with "more meaningful choices" among Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug plans. At the same time, the agency plans to build on its ongoing oversight...

Nursing homes could use a physician involvement boost: a nursing home specialist could do wonders for quality of care.
April 3, 2009... A doctor in the nursing home is just what the doctors have ordered. Geriatrics experts at the University of Rochester Medical Center are urging the medical community to consider developing a new specialty to meet the needs of nursing home...

The Department of Health and Human Services has named David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.(In other news ...)
April 3, 2009... The Department of Health and Human Services has named David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. As the National Coordinator, Blumenthal will lead the implementation of a nationwide interoperable,...

HHS gets some Recovery Act funds to improve child support enforcement, according to a March 26 release from the agency.(In other news ...)(department of health and human services)(Brief article)
April 3, 2009... HHS gets some Recovery Act funds to improve child support enforcement, according to a March 26 release from the agency. Currently, the federal government provides incentive payments to states based on the strength of their child support...

The New Hampshire Attorney General issued an opinion in February confirming that spinal manipulation is within PTs' scope of practice, according to the March 20 edition of PT Bulletin Online, the American Physical Therapy Association's weekly newswire.(In other news ...)
April 3, 2009... The New Hampshire Attorney General issued an opinion in February confirming that spinal manipulation is within PTs' scope of practice, according to the March 20 edition of PT Bulletin Online, the American Physical Therapy Association's weekly...

Hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies are participating in Baton Rouge, La.'s attempt to reduce hospitalizations via Medicare's Care Transitions pilot project.(In other news ...)
April 3, 2009... Hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies are participating in Baton Rouge, La.'s attempt to reduce hospitalizations via Medicare's Care Transitions pilot project. Baton Rouge is one of 14 areas working on the project nationwide, notes...

Legislation supporting financial assistance for hearing aids just hit Congress.(In other news ...)
April 3, 2009... Legislation supporting financial assistance for hearing aids just hit Congress. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) recently introduced H.R. 1646, the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act of 2009, which was introduced with 37 original co-sponsors...

Feds roll out free health IT software: Federal Health Architecture aims to help providers CONNECT.(HIT)
April 10, 2009... The Department of Health and Human Services wants to link public and private health information technology systems to the government's Nationwide Health Information Network--and is offering free software as an incentive. HHS' Federal...

Congress shines a ray of hope on therapy cap repeal: Senate Budget Committee crunches some numbers in favor of outpatient therapy.(Rehab Therapy)
April 10, 2009... Policy experts have often said that a repeal of the therapy caps could be next to impossible because of Medicare's budget constraints--but that may not be true anymore. The Senate Budget Committee approved an amendment from Sens. Ben...

Doctor identifies best practices to detect early Alzheimer's: Feds should tune in to this when developing national screening policy.(Medical Policy)
April 10, 2009... When should doctors screen patients for early signs of Alzheimer's? The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says physicians should evaluate patients for dementia "whenever there is a suggestion of cognitive impairment, based on clinical...

HHS turns attention to newborns with hearing loss: state agencies that participate in newborn-hearing testing are invited to apply.(Grants)
April 10, 2009... The Department of Health and Human Services is offering grants to state agencies to allow more infants follow-up intervention if they fail a newborn-hearing test. About 95 percent of U.S. newborns are screened for hearing loss in the first...

Stem-cell lawmakers need a better framework, study says: researchers: science moves too fast to control with knee-jerk bans.(Policy Analysis)
April 10, 2009... Scientists worldwide are blazing trails. The president has removed an eight-year ban. Congress is liable to pass a bill to entrench funding. It looks like a green light for embryonic stem-cell research. But the debate over research that...

Hospice study takes unexpected turn: new reports challenge physician attitudes, cultural preferences.(Studies & Surveys)
April 10, 2009... University of Washington researchers set out to discover physician and patient attitudes about end of life care in a year-long study, but focused on lack of physician involvement instead. "Patients and family members sometimes feel abandoned by...

Will cash incentives boost nursing home quality of care? Medicare announces four-state demonstration project.(Long-Term Care)
April 10, 2009... Nursing homes in Arizona, Mississippi, New York, and Wisconsin have an opportunity to earn some extra cash. Medicare officials announced on March 27 a new, four-state demonstration to determine if cash incentives will improve the quality of...

Legislative picture bodes well for home care: Congress rejects Obama's proposal for HHA cuts--for now.
April 10, 2009... Lawmakers seem to be receptive to home care providers' arguments for leniency this session. Both the House and Senate Budget Committees approved budget resolution legislation that does not include any cuts to home health agencies, notes...

Salmonella cases from peanut products are not a done deal.(In other news ...)
April 10, 2009... Salmonella cases from peanut products are not a done deal. Although thousands of peanut products have been recalled since mid January, a small number of cases of salmonellosis continues to occur. The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers...

The birth rate for U.S. teens aged 15 to 19 increased by about 1 percent in 2007, according to a March 18 release from the CDC.(In other news ...)(center for disease control and prevention)(Report)(Brief article)
April 10, 2009... The birth rate for U.S. teens aged 15 to 19 increased by about 1 percent in 2007, according to a March 18 release from the CDC. This is the second year in a row that teen births have gone up, CDC noted. They increased by 3 percent in 2006...

CMS is distributing nearly $36 million in funding to the 54 State Health Insurance Assistance Programs to help people with Medicare get more information about their health care choices.(In other news ...)
April 10, 2009... CMS is distributing nearly $36 million in funding to the 54 State Health Insurance Assistance Programs to help people with Medicare get more information about their health care choices. This is the first installment of federal grant funds...

The Department of Health and Human Services still waiting to declare an official leader.(In other news ...)
April 10, 2009... The Department of Health and Human Services is still waiting to declare an official leader. Two Senate committees have conducted confirmation hearings for the Obama administration's nominee for HHS Secretary, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. A...

The American Public Health Association is celebrating National Public Health Week April 6-12.(In other news ...)
April 10, 2009... The American Public Health Association is celebrating National Public Health Week April 6-12. APHA launched a Web site for the event featuring a blog, personal public health stories, and partnership opportunities. "Despite our best efforts,...

Recovery act extends generous hand to prevent childhood diseases: Vice President Biden announces a figure of $2.3 billion.(Children's Health)
April 17, 2009... A big chunk of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is going toward our nation's youngest population. Vice President Joe Biden announced on April 9 that the Obama Administration will make $2.3 billion available for programs that provide...

Hospices battle industry trends as lawmakers mull cuts: providers speak out at industry conference.(Hospice)(Conference news)
April 17, 2009... Many hospice providers are wondering wily policy- and lawmakers are targeting hospice for potential cuts this year--and overall benefit changes in the long term. Experts say they just need to look at the underlying statistics. That was the...

States pave the way for more developmental-delay screening: ABCD academy touts strategies to identify at-risk children before they get to school.(Mental Health)
April 17, 2009... Operating under the theory that it's better to catch children's developmental problems before they reach school age, teams from 19 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico recently completed the Assuring Better Child Health and...

Thanks to Part D, medicare drug spending exploded between 2005, 2006: medicaid and seniors paid less for prescriptions; Medicare paid $38 billion more.(Medicare)
April 17, 2009... It's probably no surprise that the Medicare prescription drug plan, implemented in 2006, has increased the federal insurance program's outlay for drugs. And now we know just how big the bill is. Medicare payments for outpatient...

California healthcare initiatives can call on CHCF: the philanthropy accepts unsolicited proposals to improve health care in the state.(Grants)
April 17, 2009... Advocates and groups in California that have a healthcare initiative can get some help from the California HealthCare Foundation. The foundation accepts unsolicited requests in addition to proposals for its initiatives and commissioned...

Pet scans for cancer diagnosis get a medicare coverage boost: clinical study requirement a thing of the past.(NCDs)(Clinical report)
April 17, 2009... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a final national coverage determination for positron emission tomography, and the outcome is good for Medicare beneficiaries. The NCD expands coverage for initial testing of beneficiaries who...

SAMHSA rolls out new manual for substance abuse clients: manual is #48 in the Treatment Improvement Protocol series.(Mental Health)
April 17, 2009... Facilities and agencies that work with substance abuse cases now have a new resource. On April 10, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced its release of a new manual titled, Managing Depressive Symptoms in...

CMS unveils Part C and Part D payment info for 2010: watch for the new 'coding pattern differences adjustment.'.
April 17, 2009... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced on April 6 its 2010 Medicare Advantage payment rates and Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug benefit payment policies. By law, CMS annually updates the MA capitation rates...

CMS is trying to get to the bottom of unnecessary hospital readmissions.(In other news ...)
April 17, 2009... CMS is trying to get to the bottom of unnecessary hospital readmissions. The agency announced on April 13 its choices for the Agency's Care Transitions Project. "Our data show that nearly one in five patients who leave the hospital today will...

Community centers across the country may be packed more than usual during these economic times--and the reds are gearing up to help.(In other news ...)(Report)
April 17, 2009... Community centers across the country may be packed more than usual during these economic times--and the reds are gearing up to help. The Department of Health and Human Services announced on April 10 plans to make $1 billion available for the...

The home medical equipment industry has stepped up its campaign against the new incarnation of competitive bidding, with the revised bidding rule's implementation date looming on April 18.(In other news ...)
April 17, 2009... The home medical equipment industry has stepped up its campaign against the new incarnation of competitive bidding, with the revised bidding rule's implementation date looming on April 18. Suppliers should ask their members of Congress to...

Providers should keep an eye on the Federal Register as they use Medicare's Internet-based Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System, analysts say.(In other news ...)
April 17, 2009... Providers should keep an eye on the Federal Register as they use Medicare's Internet-based Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System, analysts say. CMS issued a press release on April 1 from Valerie Haugen, a director with CMS, announcing...

Obama administration unveils new stem cell guidelines: new policy aims to strike a balance between conservative and liberal opinions.(Research Policy)
April 24, 2009... Many stem cell research advocates have reined in their recent excitement on the issue. A few weeks after President Barack Obama lifted the Bush administration's restrictions on stem cell research, (see Medicine & Health Vol. 63, No. 9), the...

HHS gives its 2 cents on health information security: Red Flags Rule creates a buzz in healthcare industry.(Health IT)
April 24, 2009... Keeping health information secure is the name of the game in today's digitized world. The Department of Health and Human Services published guidance on April 17 that gives providers advice on reducing the risk of health information leaks. ...

Feds turn attention to country's HIV crisis: CDC launches first national HIV/AIDS communication campaign in more than a decade.(Advocacy)
April 24, 2009... Every nine and a half minutes another person in America becomes infected with HIV, and the federal government wants to take stronger action against this epidemic. Officials from the White House, Department of Health and Human Services, and the...

Congress toys with taxing health benefits: some say it's inevitable, some say it's not.(Healthcare Funding)
April 24, 2009... The Obama administration is hitting Congressional hurdles on its mission to pay for its massive health care system reform. President Barack Obama campaigned passionately against taxing people's health insurance benefits, but that may be a...

As money tightens, Americans put off doctor visits: economic pain of the recession outweighs medical need for many.(Trends)
April 24, 2009... It comes as no surprise, but the recession is taking its toll on the medical industry. Patients are postponing healthcare due to cost, according to a study released April 20. A total of 20 percent of U.S. households postponed or cancelled...

Social media changes the business side of medicine, too: professionals, payers seek the marketing promised land in Web 2.0.(Networking)
April 24, 2009... The Internet and social networks--Web 2.0--are changing medicine. Patients can hop online to rate their doctors, request prescription refills, check their medical records, or ask questions about their conditions. At sites like...

Need a hand building a public health research network? A foundation offers $90,000 grants to bring agencies together.(Grants)
April 24, 2009... If you're into public-health research and you like building networks, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has a grant program you should know about. Public Health Practice-Based Research Networks supports the development of research...

HHA satisfaction survey starts rolling out: participation in patient satisfaction survey is voluntary--for now.
April 24, 2009... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has requested Office of Management and Budget approval for the new Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Home Health Care Survey. The survey "is designed to measure the experiences...

The transition to ICD-10-CM might be a little less painful.(In other news ...)(Brief article)
April 24, 2009... The transition to ICD-10-CM might be a little less painful, thanks to new tools from CMS that help providers crosswalk from the current diagnosis code set (ICD-9-CM) to the new one. CMS's general equivalence mappings offer a backward and...

On the eve of the durable medical equipment competitive bidding rule's revised implementation date, April 18, suppliers urged policymakers to rescind the damaging program.(In other news ...)
April 24, 2009... On the eve of the durable medical equipment competitive bidding rule's revised implementation date, April 18, suppliers urged policymakers to rescind the damaging program. "The rule, which would re-implement Round One of the bidding...

Getting direct care staff to use proper hand hygiene.(In other news ...)
April 24, 2009... Getting direct care staff to use proper hand hygiene should be at the top of healthcare providers' infection-control priority list, says accrediting body The Joint Commission (formerly known as JCAHO). But figuring out exactly what protocol to...

The Department of Health and Human Services has announced its new Director of Office on Disability, Henry Claypool.(In other news ...)(appointment)(Brief article)
April 24, 2009... The Department of Health and Human Services has announced its new Director of Office on Disability, Henry Claypool. Claypool has 25 years of experience developing and implementing disability policy at the federal, state, and local levels, and...

The economic crisis may lead to patients with worse diabetes complications.(In other news ...)
April 24, 2009... The economic crisis may lead to patients with worse diabetes complications. People with diabetes are cutting back on doctor visits, treatment, and testing during The economic crisis may lead to patients with worse diabetes complications. People...