Medicine & Health articles from March 2009

Medicine & Health archives from March 2009

White House moves to end Bush 'conscience' rule: the last-second rule guarded healthcare workers who objected to abortions and other services.(Policy)
March 6, 2009... President Barack Obama's administration moved Feb. 27 to kill a Bush administration rule that protects U.S. health workers who refuse to participate in abortions and other care on moral grounds, Reuters reported. The ruling extended...

CDC zeros in on the nation's young adults: those ages 18-29 face numerous health challenges--and also show improvements.(Studies & Reports)
March 6, 2009... An abundance of information is out there on the elderly and even children's health, but the spotlight hasn't been on those fresh out of teen-hood--until now. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention released on Feb. 18 a special report...

Not all states are created equal when it comes to Medicare spending: researchers: whether patients need them or not, doctors will exploit resources.(Government spending)
March 6, 2009... If you live in New York and receive Medicare, you're liable to have a lot more tax dollars spent on your behalf than if you live in Hawaii, a recent study found. Medicare spent more than $9,500 per patient on health care in New York in 2006 but...

Foundation wants researchers to figure out health care: big problems require big solutions, and these grants aim to find them.(Grants)
March 6, 2009... The litany of troubles is familiar: a rise in chronic conditions, millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans, untreated illnesses and disabilities, soaring obesity rates, shortages of healthcare personnel, and way too much red tape. If...

Home health OT gets congressional attention: Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act claims budget-neutral status.(Legislation)
March 6, 2009... When it comes to home health services, occupational therapy has traditionally had the short end of the stick, compared to physical therapy and speech-language pathology. But the Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act (H.R. 1094), introduced Feb....

Restraint usage in nursing homes takes a dive: alternate practices can prevent restraint risks.(Long-Term Care)
March 6, 2009... The use of restraints in long-term care, long a controversial practice, has seen a dramatic decrease over the last two decades, a USA Today report said. Nursing homes immobilize almost three quarters fewer, or 5.5 percent of their...

Eldercare workforce is shrinking drastically: newly-formed EWA acts fast to address shortage.(Employment)
March 6, 2009... America's eldercare workforce is dangerously understaffed and unprepared to care for the rapidly growing number of older adults in the United States--so finds a report released by the Institute of Medicine. To help stave off the lack of...

CMS seals the deal for sleep testing coverage policy: diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea is key.(Reimbursement)
March 6, 2009... Medicare beneficiaries who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea--and the providers that test for this--could see some welcome relief in reimbursement. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS announced on March 3 a new national coverage...

States and feds play push and pull with home care cuts: stimulus bill isn't preventing cuts to vital programs.
March 6, 2009... Florida state legislators are trimming home care services to rein in the budget. Lawmakers have cut 4 percent of the $13.3 million budget for the state's Alzheimer's Disease Initiative, which provides in-home help for caregivers, reports...

A recent report from the Alzheimer's Association puts California.(In other news ...)
March 6, 2009... A recent report from the Alzheimer's Association puts California in the spotlight. Sacramento-area residents, in particular, showed the highest rates of Alzheimer's disease with a projection of a 101 percent increase to 72,011 cases by 2030,...

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.(In other news ...)
March 6, 2009... March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced. Colorectal cancer affects both men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, is most often found in people age 50 and...

Texas made the news last week with its statewide smoking ban push.(In other news ...)
March 6, 2009... Texas made the news last week with its statewide smoking ban push, and now South Dakota is making some news of its own. The state's Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously passed a bill banning smoking in bars, video lottery...

Oregon is paying close attention to its pollution.(In other news ...)
March 6, 2009... Oregon is paying close attention to its pollution. The state recently launched a Web-based tool to help track the health effects of pollution, according to central Oregon's KTVZ.com. The tool will offer state environmental and health...

Providers who want to make sure they're in compliance with Medicare.(In other news ...)
March 6, 2009... Providers who want to make sure they're in compliance with Medicare rules and regulations may want to check out a newly revised resource. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued an updated fraud and abuse fact sheet that...

HHS offers a public healthcare reform hub; new report, Web site offer platform for discussion and change.(Healthcare Reform)(Website overview)
March 13, 2009... Serious concerns about healthcare continue to weigh heavily on the minds of most Americas, a new report released March 5 by the Department of Health and Human Services indicates. The report, Americans Speak on Health Reform: Report on Health...

With Gupta out, who'll be our next surgeon general? Howard Dean says he doesn't want the job; Medscape editor posited.(Politics)
March 13, 2009... Sanjay Gupta, MD, CNN's chief medical correspondent, withdrew his name from consideration as surgeon general of the United States, one of a growing line of President Barack Obama's nominees who have fallen by the wayside. Gupta told CNN's...

Single-payer advocates clamor for a seat at Obama's table; advocates would cut out commercial health insurers.(Policy)
March 13, 2009... Supporters of single-payer, government-run health care haven't gotten much love over the eight years of the Bush administration. Under the Obama regime, the ice has begun to thaw... a bit. Case in point: At first, the White House invited...

AHRQ, HSR seek the peoples' healthcare reform ideas; organizations call for papers on how to reform payments.(Research)
March 13, 2009... The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is teaming up with Health Services Research for the second year to publish a theme issue, this time on payment reform. "As the country struggles to find a way out of the perfect storm of...

Stimulus plan gives HIPAA rules more umph; many HIPAA regulations are now applicable to medical practices' business associates.(Privacy)
March 13, 2009... Healthcare providers who have been lax on overseeing their HIPAA compliance need to shore up on those processes--and fast. The government's stimulus bill, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, strengthens the HIPAA...

National Nutrition Month draws attention to medical nutrition therapy; Medicare takes opportunity to inform providers about MNT coverage.(Dietary Health)
March 13, 2009... People wanting a second shot at their New Year's Resolutions could get some added motivation this month. That's because March is National Nutrition Month[R], a nutrition education and information campaign the American Dietetic Association...

Foods with foreign materials top CDC's hot list: plus, recalled peanut butter product education continues.(Food Safety)
March 13, 2009... Consumers should buy carefully for the next month or so, when it comes to chicken and dry milk purchases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced product recalls for ground chicken products and Non Fat Dry Milk due to foreign...

DME gets a pass from President, MedPAC--for now; suppliers still have a lot of work to do, trade groups urge.(Reimbursement)
March 13, 2009... The beginning of the 2010 budget war is quiet for durable medical equipment suppliers. Is it a sign that lawmakers will leave the industry alone this year or merely the calm before the storm? In his 2010 budget proposal, President Barack...

New executive order opens door for stem cell research; Obama seeks to lift 'a false choice between sound science and moral values.'.
March 13, 2009... In addition to tackling the nation's current healthcare coverage dilemma, President Barack Obama has his eye on improving future healthcare treatments. On March 9 Obama overturned former President George W. Bush's limits on federal spending on...

If CMS has its way, the salad days could be over soon.(In other news ...)
March 13, 2009... If CMS has its way, the salad days could be over soon. This year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will shell out six percent more for Medicare physician and clinical services--but that amount will drop next year, if the sustainable...

New York's crackdown on home health aide-related fraud continues, this time with aide training facility Global Health Care Training Center as the focus.(In other news ...)
March 13, 2009... New York's crackdown on home health aide-related fraud continues, this time with aide training facility Global Health Care Training Center as the focus. Under "Operation Home Alone," authorities arrested owner/operator Wayne Lynch and...

Skilled nursing facilities will soon be under the gun for better quality of care.(In other news ...)
March 13, 2009... Skilled nursing facilities will soon be under the gun for better quality of care. Thanks to revised F309 survey guidance that goes into effect on March 31, there will be a new general investigative protocol for quality of care, new pain...

Washington state's assisted suicide law, the Death with Dignity Act, took effect March 5.(In other news ...)
March 13, 2009... Washington state's assisted suicide law, the Death with Dignity Act, took effect March 5. State officials have laid out the regulations implementing the law, reported the Associated Press. The Washington Department of Health will require...

Plavix plus a proton pump inhibitor may not be a good combination.(In other news ...)
March 13, 2009... Plavix plus a proton pump inhibitor may not be a good combination. In fact, the Food & Drug Administration recommends healthcare providers re-evaluate "the need for starting or continuing treatment with a PPI, including Prilosec OTC, in...

Is P4P the best route to fix health care? Studies suggest docs' incentives have not improved quality much.(Policy)
March 20, 2009... For several years, reformers have touted pay-for-performance to improve health care. But recent studies indicate P4P may not be worth all the buzz. Programs in which doctors, hospitals, and other providers receive more money if they meet...

ARRA lends a hand to senior nutrition programs: approximately 14 million meals to support community programs serving seniors.(Legislation)(American Recovery and Reinvestment Act)
March 20, 2009... The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is aiming to help feed older Americans. Vice President Joe Biden announced on March 18 that the Department of Health and Human Services will award $100 million in Recovery Act funding to provide meals...

Tampa wants to crumple up paper prescriptions: USF seeks millions to get docs to send drug orders by computer.(Health IT)(university of south florida)
March 20, 2009... In a few years, the slip of paper from the doctor that patients hand to a pharmacist may be a thing of the past in the Tampa Bay area. The University of South Florida and a corporate partner, Allscripts, are pushing region-wide...

Prescription pain killer misuse rears its ugly head: SAMHSA offers new data on growing drug abuse problem.(Mental Health)
March 20, 2009... The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration announced new data on March 17 regarding prescription pain killer misuse--and the stats are grim. Treatment admissions for prescription pain killer misuse have risen dramatically...

Be part of the solution to nursing home woes: Commonwealth Fund seeks projects to bring the focus back to patients' wants and needs.(Geriatric care)
March 20, 2009... If you have ideas to improve America's nursing homes, The Commonwealth Fund wants to hear from you. The fund's Program on Quality of Care for Frail Elders is working to raise awareness among policy makers "to make resident-centered care a...

NIH backs heart disease, stroke study initiative: CRADA with BG Medicine seeks risk factors in biomarkers.(Research)
March 20, 2009... The government is turning research funding attention to people at risk for heart disease and stroke--and is indicating a growing focus on prevention. The Framingham Heart Study is launching a major initiative to discover risk factors and...

Same-sex partners deserve federal healthcare coverage, advocates claim: will the issue trickle health insurance policy for the masses as well?(Benefits)
March 20, 2009... Gay and lesbian rights advocates are turning up the heat on healthcare coverage policies for federal employees. And President Barack Obama is listening carefully. The issue most recently surfaced when two judges in California's federal...

Kidney disease gets some well-deserved attention: CMS heads up early detection efforts nationwide.
March 20, 2009... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is busy spreading the word about Kidney Disease. In a March 12 email announcement, the agency announced that it was World Kidney Day to promote increased awareness of the related services it covers,...

The Department of Health and Human Services will be keeping a close eye on Recovery Act funds.(In other news ...)
March 20, 2009... The Department of Health and Human Services will be keeping a close eye on Recovery Act funds. On March 11, HHS launched the Office of Recovery Act Coordination. The Office will help ensure timely, organized, and transparent distribution of an...

CMS announced new senior leadership on March 12.(In other news ...)
March 20, 2009... CMS announced new senior leadership on March 12. Jonathan Blum has been named director of the Center for Medicare Management. Blum joins CMS from Avalere Health where he served as Vice President of Medicaid and Long-Term Care Practice. Prior to...

The Obama administration's hold on regulations.(In other news ...)(Barack Obama)(Brief article)
March 20, 2009... The Obama administration's hold on regulations issued in the waning days of the Bush administration won't affect the timeline for the ICD-10 diagnosis coding implementation. "The effective date will not be extended and the comment period will...

This might be the year to gain more home infusion coverage, hopes a group of bipartisan members of Congress.(In other news ...)
March 20, 2009... This might be the year to gain more home infusion coverage, hopes a group of bipartisan members of Congress. Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y), along with numerous cosponsors, are raising the profile of legislation they...

The National Institutes of Health has solicited applications for major research grants.(In other news ...)
March 20, 2009... The National Institutes of Health has solicited applications for major research grants. NIH announced on March 10 that applications for a total of $1.5 billion in grants funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are now available....

Healthcare reforms likely to hang on to managed care: plus, government needs to get serious about preventive medicine.(Health Insurance)
March 27, 2009... With a new administration in the White House and Democrats in power in Congress, everyone's talking healthcare reform. And the plans floating around Washington could expand managed care considerably--through public or private means. "We...

Court tells FDA to loosen 'Plan B' contraception limits: agency caved to White House pressure and abandoned standard procedure, judge rules.(Hearings)
March 27, 2009... The Food and Drug Administration restricts women under the age of 18 from purchasing the emergency contraceptive known as "the morning-after pill," or "Plan B." But that's about to change. The FDA must reconsider its decision under the...

HHS has millions for hospitals that serve poor, uninsured: stimulus bill aids disproportionate share facilities.(Grants)
March 27, 2009... States can get another $268 million authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help pay hospitals to treat their most vulnerable patients, the Department of Health and Human Services announced March 20. "The funding from...

Bill aims to end drug copays for low-income seniors: assisted living residents should have same coverage as those in nursing homes.(Legislation)
March 27, 2009... Under the current Medicare prescription drug benefit, dually-eligible seniors who make their homes in assisted living communities are required to cover their drug copayments. But one piece of legislation looks to change that. Sen. Bill...

FDA pinpoints tainted weight loss products: agency alerts consumers of new undeclared drug ingredients.(Dieting)
March 27, 2009... For the second time since December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expanding, its alert to consumers about certain weight loss products. The current list now includes the following 72 products, which you can view at this link:...

Looking for quality? America's top hospitals announced: elite providers outshine other U.S. facilities in deaths, complications.(Industry Metrics)(Company rankings)
March 27, 2009... When doctors make fewer mistakes, costs drop for hospitals and payers. For people seeking hospitals that do quality right, HealthGrades has listed the 50 hospitals it says have demonstrated superior clinical quality for the most consecutive...

Just how valuable are electronic health records? Concrete data on HIT's value is a little sketchy, researchers say.(HIT)
March 27, 2009... The federal government is pressing ahead with plans to implement near universal health information technology for U.S. patients. But is that the best use of taxpayer dollars? Reliable research on health information technology's efficacy is...

Telehealth shows promise for diabetes patients: telemonitoring of health resulted in significantly fewer deaths.
March 27, 2009... Diabetes requires careful monitoring, but that doesn't mean people with diabetes must give up their freedom to age at home. A recent study on telehealth and diabetes shows that home monitoring can be effective against diabetes-related health...

The Institute of Medicine wants the public's opinion.(In other news ...)(Survey)(Brief article)
March 27, 2009... The Institute of Medicine wants the public's opinion on its research funding, according to an email to members from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. The question is, how should the Department of Health and Human Services...

Health departments in five south Florida counties stand to lose at least $8 million a year because the state's Medicaid program is changing how they are paid, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.(In other news ...)
March 27, 2009... Health departments in five south Florida counties stand to lose at least $8 million a year because the state's Medicaid program is changing how they are paid, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. If the HMO-style care were expanded...

Healthcare providers wondering how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' new Recovery Audit Contractors plan to review--and possibly deny--their claims now have part of the answer.(In other news ...)
March 27, 2009... Healthcare providers wondering how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' new Recovery Audit Contractors plan to review--and possibly deny--their claims now have part of the answer. The RAC for 17 states, Las Vegas-based...

The California Department of Managed Health Care is trying to force doctors to make room for patients, even if they don't have the time, cbs13.com reported.(In other news ...)
March 27, 2009... The California Department of Managed Health Care is trying to force doctors to make room for patients, even if they don't have the time, cbs13.com reported. Patients who must wait two or three weeks just to get an appointment may be forced...