Internal Medicine News articles from April 2008

Internal Medicine News archives from April 2008

Help wanted: internists needed.(News)
April 1, 2008... For the first time in several years, Dr. Paul Feldan isn't looking for a physician to fill his three-person practice. But between 2000 and 2007, he searched on and off for a qualified, full-time physician to help staff his primary care...

Top five most expensive therapeutic classes of prescribed drugs.(VITAL SIGNS)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Top Five Most Expensive Therapeutic Classes Of Prescribed Drugs (in billions of dollars) Metabolic $35.6 Cardiovascular $32.7 Central nervous system $26.1 Psychotherapeutic $17.4 Gastrointestinal ...

All-topical therapy for generalized psoriasis in sight: at 4 weeks, 80% of patients had improved.(News)
April 1, 2008... WAIKOLOA, HAWAII -- Clobetasol propionate spray 0.05% resulted in dramatic clinical improvement with a low rate of adverse events and excellent acceptance in patients with moderate to severe generalized psoriasis in the largest community-based...

HPV vaccine age may be extended through mid-40s.(News)(Human Papillomavirus vaccines)
April 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Adult women in their mid-20s to mid-40s could become the next group recommended for human papillomavirus vaccination. The currently licensed quadrivalent HPV vaccine (Merck & Co.'s Gardasil) is indicated for the prevention of...

Medicare Advantage eyed for fee fix again.(News)
April 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- With Congress scrambling to come up with the funds to avert a physician fee cut scheduled for July, Medicare Advantage is being eyed as a funding source by Democrats but as sacrosanct by Republicans, setting the stage for...

New strains chosen for 2008-2009 flu vaccine.(News)
April 1, 2008... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- All three virus strains in the influenza vaccine for the 2008-2009 season will differ from this year's vaccine, based on a majority vote by an advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration. The Vaccines and...

Unapproved colchicine drugs face FDA action.(News)(Food And Drug Administration)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Companies marketing unapproved drugs that contain injectable colchicine used to treat gout have 30 days to stop manufacturing and 180 days to stop shipping the highly toxic intravenous drug, which has caused 23 reported deaths, according to the...

HPV vaccine reduces abnormal pap tests within 4 years.(News)(human Papillomavirus )
April 1, 2008... Abnormal Pap tests and cervical procedures have already declined markedly among young women who were vaccinated against the human papillomavirus in three clinical trials, according to data presented at the annual meeting of the Society of...

Dietary guidelines implicated in national obesity epidemic.(News)
April 1, 2008... By stressing the importance of a carbohydrate-based, low-fat diet, current U.S. dietary guidelines may have unexpectedly contributed to the current obesity epidemic, according to researchers. In accordance with national recommendations,...

New continuous glucose monitor approved in U.S.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)(United States)
April 1, 2008... Abbott's FreeStyle Navigator Continuous Glucose Monitoring System was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use by patients with diabetes. Licensed in Europe in June 2007, the Freestyle Navigator is the third continuous glucose...

Prescription cough product may be fatal at high doses.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
April 1, 2008... Deaths and life-threatening side effects associated with the misuse of a long-acting, prescription cough medicine that contains hydrocodone have prompted the Food and Drug Administration to issue a public health advisory about the dangers of...

Hepatotoxicity reported with natalizumab therapy.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
April 1, 2008... Postmarketing reports of "clinically significant liver injury" in patients treated with natalizumab are the basis of an alert issued by the Food and Drug Administration and the manufacturers, Elan Pharmaceuticals and Biogen Idec. ...

Combination drug for type 2 diabetes is cleared for extended labeling.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
April 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration approved extended labeling for Janumet, Merck & Co.'s combination drug for type 2 diabetes, the pharmaceutical company announced. Janumet (sitagliptin/metformin) initially was approved as an adjunct to diet...

Implementing patient-centered care.(ADVISER'S VIEWPOINT)
April 1, 2008... A lot has been written recently about the patient-centered medical home. As we consider how best to implement this concept in our practices, there are a few things we can do immediately to empower our patients and to work more efficiently. ...

Does carotid artery stent design affect outcomes?(POINT/COUNTERPOINT)
April 1, 2008... Closed-cell stents protect against embolic events. Results from our analysis of more than 3,000 patients treated with one of seven different carotid artery stents strongly suggest that stent design can affect the rate of stroke or death...

Pain relievers.(Opinion)(Cartoon)
April 1, 2008... "Careful, it might be uninsured patients."

Clarifying the ABIM's mission.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... Dr. Jane M. Orient questioned the need for a maintenance of certification program ("Recertification Wastes Time and Money," Letters, March 1 2008, p. 12). First, I want to clear up one mistake in the letter. The American Board of Internal...

Caps on damages work in Texas.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... The article by Miles Zaremski, J.D. ("Noneconomic Damage Caps Don't Curb Premiums," Law & Medicine, Feb. 15, 2008, p. 50) does not seem very helpful or hopeful to physicians trapped paying escalating malpractice premiums. Mr. Zaremski seems to...

Medical litigation benefits attorneys.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... I was outraged to see the opinions of Miles Zaremski, J.D., published in INTERNAL MEDICINE NEWS ("Noneconomic Damage Caps Don't Curb Premiums," Law & Medicine, Feb. 15,2008, p. 50). His views on noneconomic damage caps are false, and contrary...

MRSA is a superbug: caution advised.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2008... Dr. Christopher J. Harrison might be a bit too casual in his outlook regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ("In Fight Against MRSA, Panic Is Unwarranted," Guest Editorial, Jan. 1, 2008, p. 9). First, the two most disturbing...

Spinal stenosis mimics peripheral vascular disease.(Rheumatology)
April 1, 2008... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- The neurogenic or pseudoclaudication symptoms characteristic of lumbar spinal stenosis can be distinguished from peripheral vascular disease by their day-to-day variability, Dr. Zacharia Isaac said at a symposium sponsored by...

Pain-provoking tests help confirm sacroiliac joint syndrome.(Rheumatology)
April 1, 2008... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Reserve an anesthetic block to diagnose sacroiliac joint syndrome for those patients having at least three positive pain-provoking tests on physical examination, Dr. Zacharia Isaac said at a symposium sponsored by the...

Genetic causes of joint laxity.(GENETICS IN YOUR PRACTICE)(Case study)
April 1, 2008... A 23-year-old woman presents with recurrent right shoulder instability. Surgical stabilization 8 months ago provided only temporary and partial improvement. She can voluntarily sublux the joint and gets spontaneous dislocations with routine...

Quick new tool assesses OA pain.(Rheumatology)(Osteoarthritis)
April 1, 2008... FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- A new 11-item measure of osteoarthritis pain developed with patient input was validated in a study of 100 people with x-ray-confirmed hip or knee osteoarthritis. Investigators hope to improve upon traditional...

Controversy lingers over sunscreen seal program.(Dermatology)
April 1, 2008... SAN ANTONIO -- The American Academy of Dermatology has accepted the first two sunscreen products to carry its Seal of Recognition despite some concerns from academy members. Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion SPF 55 and Aveeno...

New markers help predict melanoma outcome.(Dermatology)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... WAIKOLOA, HAWAII -- DNA microarray analysis of melanomas has identified several key genes whose over- or underexpression provides novel independent prognostic markers for melanoma outcome. "We think that markers like these could be used (a)...

American adults' beliefs about sun exposure.(DATA WATCH)
April 1, 2008... American Adults' Beliefs About Sun Exposure Sun exposure is healthy. 47% Skin type protects from sun exposure. 37% Because of climate where they live, residents don't...

Patients may need to be convinced about importance of sunscreen.(Dermatology)
April 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- When Dr. Michael Swann advises patients to apply sunscreen as a way to protect themselves against melanoma, the suggestion sometimes falls on deaf ears. "Patients who don't want to wear sunscreen will say, 'I don't wear...

Chelation may reverse thalassemia complications.(Hematology)
April 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Intensive combination chelation therapy with desferrioxamine and deferiprone dramatically improved survival and led to reversal of secondary iron overload toxicity in this study of 50 [beta]-thalassemia major patients aged 8-48...

Routine Factor V Leiden testing discouraged.(Hematology)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- An inherited mutation, Factor V Leiden puts people at risk for life-threatening blood clots. Carriers can be identified with a simple blood test, so why not use it? "Genetic testing is highly controversial. This is really not...

Short-term therapy prevents DVT recurrence.(Hematology)(Deep vein thrombosis)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Patients who have had an episode of idiopathic deep vein thrombosis can be adequately protected against a recurrence with just 3 months of oral anticoagulation therapy, providing they do not have residual vein thrombosis. The...

Cognitive defects occur with sickle cell disease.(Hematology)
April 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Neuropsychological dysfunction and undetected brain injury affect the majority of adults with sickle cell disease, even though they are neurologically intact, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American...

No renal toxicity seen with extended deferasirox therapy.(Hematology)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- A 4-year extension trial of 159 patients with sickle cell disease treated with the oral iron chelator deferasirox showed a continuation of benefit and a "manageable" tolerability profile with no renal toxicity or new adverse events....

Folate before pregnancy prevents preterm birth.(Women's Health)(Medical condition overview)
April 1, 2008... DALLAS -- Folate supplementation for at least 1 year before pregnancy was associated with a 50%-70% decrease in the incidence of early spontaneous preterm birth in a large cohort study. The benefit of folate supplementation prior to...

Breast ca-related symptoms are hard to treat: vaginal dryness, fatigue, chemo-induced neuropathy, reduced libido, and hot flashes are common issues.(Women's Health)(cancer)
April 1, 2008... SAN ANTONIO -- The flip side of the impressive decline in breast cancer mortality during the last several decades is the unprecedented number of survivors with tough-to-control chronic symptoms caused by the disease or its aggressive therapy,...

Lifetime cancer risk high in postmenopausal BRCA carriers.(Women's Health)(breast cancer 1)
April 1, 2008... SAN ANTONIO -- Postmenopausal women with no personal history of cancer who are found to be BRCA mutation carriers face very high and yet largely underappreciated risks of breast and ovarian cancer during their remaining life span, Dr. Jeffrey...

Salvage radiotherapy prevents prostate Ca deaths.(Urology)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... Salvage radiotherapy significantly improved prostate cancer--specific survival in a retrospective study of 635 men whose prostate-specific antigen levels began to rise after radical prostatectomy. Timing was critical, the investigators...

Early prostate Ca therapy doesn't reduce mortality in older men.(Urology)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... A population-based review of more than 9,000 older men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer supports the controversial strategy of not treating less aggressive disease in elderly patients. Although most of the cancers went untreated,...

Biopsy discouraged in men with lower PSA levels.(Urology)(prostate-specific antigen )(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Men whose prostate-specific antigen levels were less than 3 ng/mL at their initial screenings had a 20-fold lower risk of dying of prostate cancer, compared with men who presented with higher PSA levels in a study that tracked...

Cancer vaccines may work best in combination: vaccines hold great potential for synergy with other cancer therapies, such as radiation and chemo.(Clinical Rounds)
April 1, 2008... NEW YORK -- Vaccines to treat cancer have so far failed to live up to their potential, but researchers are beginning to understand more about why they fail, and this is leading to better vaccine strategies, reported Jeffrey Schlom, Ph.D., at...

T-wave alternans: not ready for prime time.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
April 1, 2008... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- The value of T-wave alternans testing as a risk stratification tool for selecting implantable cardioverter defibrillator candidates has been cast into serious doubt by the disappointing results of two recent large clinical...

ICDs have 'disappointing' impact on sudden cardiac death.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Implantable cardioverter defibrillator )(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy has failed to make an appreciable dent in the enormous public health problem of sudden cardiac death, the leading cause of mortality in the United States. "The data are...

Dual-source CT: less radiation, more resolution.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
April 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- Dual-source computed tomography significantly reduces radiation exposure to patients undergoing heart scans, and eliminates the need for heart-slowing medications, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the...

Coronary artery calcium predicts CV events.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Conference news)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- The most intriguing potential application for coronary artery calcium imaging is as a tool to track atherosclerosis progression over time in response to treatment, Dr. Matthew J. Budoff said at a conference sponsored by the...

Stopping statins for surgery boosts perioperative risk.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... VIENNA -- Stopping a patient's statin regimen for a few days during and after major vascular surgery was linked with a significant rise in cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and myocardial ischemia in a study of 298 patients from one...

NT-proBNP predicts CV events.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(N-terminal prohormone-B-type natriuretic peptide )(cardiovascular)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... VIENNA -- Preoperative N-terminal prohormone-B-type natriuretic peptide level is an independent predictor of postoperative cardiac events in patients undergoing noncoronary vascular surgery, Dr. Olaf Schouten said at the annual congress of the...

Perioperative cardiovascular consultation.(THE EFFECTIVE PHYSICIAN)
April 1, 2008... Background The American College of Cardiology recently released an update to its 2002 guidelines for perioperative cardiovascular evaluation for noncardiac surgery. Conclusions The largest number of surgical procedures is...

Interrupted HIV treatment has persistent risks.(Infectious Diseases)
April 1, 2008... BOSTON -- The increased risk of disease progression, AIDS, and death associated with structured treatment interruptions in HIV-positive patients is diminished but not fully reversed when continuous therapy is resumed, according to the final...

HIV patients have higher osteoporosis risk.(Infectious Diseases)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... BOSTON -- An increased risk for osteoporosis or osteopenia is among the age-related complications faced by patients surviving long term with HIV disease. Cross-sectional studies have shown that patients with HIV have a greater prevalence...

Gene test identifies HIV drug reaction.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Patients with HIV who do not carry the HLA-B*5701 allele are at very low risk for a hypersensitivity reaction to the antiviral drug abacavir, researchers reported. For that reason, a pharmacogenetic test--screening for the HLA-B*5701...

Fecal occult blood testing no longer advised.(Gastroenterology)
April 1, 2008... New joint consensus guidelines on screening for colorectal cancer recommend against the use of the most common form of the fecal occult blood test and add stool DNA testing and computed tomographic colonography to a list of the recommended...

Rectal, colon carcinoid tumor staging systems proposed.(Gastroenterology)
April 1, 2008... HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF. -- Two proposed staging systems would divide patients who have rectal and colon carcinoid tumors, respectively, into statistically significant prognostic groups based on survival data, Dr. Christine S. Landry reported...

Eosinophilic esophagitis: many questions remain; The increase in the disorder mirrors the recent rise in the more traditional manifestations of atopy.(Gastroenterology)
April 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Does the sharp escalation in diagnoses of eosinophilic esophagitis in the past several decades reflect a true emerging epidemic of a relatively new disease, or is it merely an artifact of greater physician recognition? ...

Create individualized elimination diets for eosinophilic esophagitis.(Gastroenterology)
April 1, 2008... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Use of an elemental diet in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis is extremely effective--albeit draconian, disruptive, and seldom necessary, Dr. David M. Fleischer said at a meeting on allergy and respiratory disease...

Potential pouchitis Tx wins orphan drug status.(Gastroenterology)
April 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- A clinical phase II/III trial of a potential oral medication for pouchitis will begin this year, following a Food and Drug Administration decision to grant orphan drug status to the experimental compound AST-120. There are...

Flexibility is key to locum tenens work.(Practice Trends)
April 1, 2008... Ever wonder what it would be like to live and work in a remote village in New Zealand, or to travel around the United States practicing medicine along the way? Since leaving his practice in June 2006 for a locum tenens position, Dr. Joshua...

Mds not sleeping enough.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Survey)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Physicians are not getting the sleep they need to function at their best during the day, and their current work schedules could be to blame, according to a survey from the American College of Chest Physicians. In the survey, 70% of physicians...

Woodcock named CDER head.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Dr. Janet Woodcock has been named director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Dr. Woodcock, a rheumatologist, served as director of CDER once before, in the 1990s, and has served as acting director since October 2007. The...

CMS finds improper payments.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... More than $371 million in improper Medicare payments was collected from or repaid to health care providers and suppliers in 2007 as part of a demonstration program that used recovery audit contractors in California, Florida, and New York, the...

NYC implementing EMRs.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(electronic medical records)(New York City)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... New York City is in the process of computerizing the medical records of patients for hospitals, community health clinics, and private physicians in a project that has cost about $60 million to date, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. More than 200...

Trouble paying for Rx.(POLICY & PRACTICE)(Survey)
April 1, 2008... Four in 10 Americans--and half those regularly taking at least one medication--reported that they have trouble paying for drugs, skip prescriptions, or cut pills because of the cost of their prescriptions, a poll jointly conducted by USA Today,...

Retiree health costs $225,000.(POLICY & PRACTICE)
April 1, 2008... A 65-year-old couple retiring in 2008 will need approximately $225,000 to cover medical expenses in retirement, according to Fidelity Investments' most recent health care cost estimate. The estimate assumes individuals do not have...

P4P demo may not apply to small practices.(Practice Trends)(pay for performance)
April 1, 2008... A Medicare demonstration project testing pay for performance among large multispecialty physician groups is yielding good data on care coordination programs, but expanding the program to small, single-specialty practices could present...

Drug utilization boosting nation's health tab.(Practice Trends)(Financial report)
April 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- The nation spent $2 trillion, or $7,000 per person, on health care in 2006. While that was only a small increase from the previous year, America's prescription drug tab increased by 8.5%, fueled largely by the new Medicare Part D...

Congress urged to increase reimbursement for DXA scans.(Practice Trends)(dual-energy x-ray)
April 1, 2008... Endocrinologists are urging members of Congress to stop a potential Medicare payment cut for dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry exams. Members of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) are "very concerned" about the...

Restoring disenfranchised patients to health.(WORLD WIDE MED)(Interview)
April 1, 2008... A long-standing desire to work in developing countries was one of the motivators behind Dr. Satish Gopal's decision to attend medical school. It stayed with him through his residency and chief residency in internal medicine and pediatrics,...

Maine's health insurance program is struggling.(Practice Trends)
April 1, 2008... As more state policy makers consider their options for expanding health insurance coverage, the experience of Maine's Dirigo Health may offer a road map for avoiding potential missteps. Under the Dirigo Health initiative, which began in...

Film examines high risk of suicide among physicians.(Practive Trends)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... KAUAI, HAWAII -- U.S. physicians have among the highest suicide rates of any occupation in this country, and a 1-hour documentary has been made to illuminate this problem, Dr. Paula Clayton reported. The hope is that the documentary,...

Young adults have highest uninsured rate over a 2-year period.(DATA WATCH)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Young Adults Have Highest Uninsured Rate Over a 2-Year Period Age (years) <18 3.8% 18-24 16.8% 25-29 17.0% 30-34 13.2% 35-54 11.5% 55-64 8.4% Note: Based on data for people...

Study: get drunk, get lucky.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The use of alcohol by male patrons of wine shops in Chennai, India, resulted in increased occurrences of unprotected sex with nonregular partners, according to a study in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Researchers from the Johns...

Two good causes.(INDICATIONS)
April 1, 2008... A Canadian news outlet, canoe.ca, reports an inspiring tale of strangers donating large sums of money via the Internet so that one 26-year-old mother of two might receive an expensive, life-changing surgery. It was all made possible through...

Teenage mutant turtle.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Allison the sea turtle, a likely shark attack victim, may be the first of her kind to receive a prosthetic flipper, the Washington Post reported. An assistant professor at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and a...

CDC: death rain imminent; don't panic.(INDICATIONS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The 20 or 30 government-released warnings that make their way to our in-box each day, warning of a potentially fatal hair transplant operation or a contaminated lot of Preparation H, don't usually ruffle our feathers. But then we saw a press...

Medical homes to get push in Calif.(News)
April 15, 2008... New York Bureau It took Dr. Molly Cooke several phone conversations with staff at a residential substance abuse treatment program to hash out an adequate pain management plan for her patients. This type of care coordination is...

Single-pill Combo excels in high-risk Hypertension: Diuretic-based treatment shown inferior.(News)
April 15, 2008... CHICAGO--After decades of prominence as first-line antihypertensive agents in the national guidelines, diuretics appear to have been dethroned as a consequence of the landmark ACCOMPLISH trial. ACCOMPLISH (Avoiding Cardiovascular Events...

CMS updates oversight of outpatient dialysis centers.(News)
April 15, 2008... New York Bureau Anew regulation on Medicare coverage at outpatient dialysis centers aims to bring the requirements in line with new technology and scientific advances. The final regulation also directs dialysis centers to focus more on...

Tegaserod for IBS gets additional restrictions.(News)(irritable bowel syndrome)
April 15, 2008... Less than a year after access to the irritable bowel syndrome drug tegaserod was limited to patients qualifying under an investigational new drug protocol, the drug will be available to patients only in emergency situations, the Food and Drug...

No benefit seen with ACE inhibitor/ARB combo: combined therapy was tied to higher rates of renal dysfunction, hypotensive symptoms, and diarrhea.(News)(Angiotensin-converting enzyme)(Report)
April 15, 2008... CHICAGO -- Telmisartan is as effective as ramipril in reducing vascular events in high-risk patients, but combining the two drugs provides no incremental benefit and increases side effects. That was the key message of ONTARGET (the Ongoing...

Panel backs continued, limited ESA use in selected Oncology patients.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)(erythropoietin stimulating agents )
April 15, 2008... Senior Writer GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- A federal advisory panel voted 13-1 that erythro-poietin-stimulating agents should continue to be marketed for chemotherapy-induced anemia despite concern that their use could have a negative impact on...

Atypical antipsychotic approved for treatment Of bipolar I disorder in adolescent patients.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
April 15, 2008... Senior Writer The Food and Drug Administration has approved the atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole (Ability) for the treatment of manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in children and adolescents. The 4-week,...

Enbrel gets black box for TB risk.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)(tuberculosis)
April 15, 2008... The package insert for the tumor necrosis factor inhibitor etanercept has been updated to include a black box warning on risk of infection, according to an announcement from Amgen Inc. and Wyeth. Labeling for the rheumatoid arthritis...

U.S. health care spending expected to hit $4.3 trillion.(News)(United States)(Brief article)
April 15, 2008... Health care spending in the United States is projected to consume nearly 20% of the gross domestic product by 2017, according to estimates from economists at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Health care spending growth is...

MedPAC seeks primary care pay boost.(News)(Medicare Payment Advisory Commission )
April 15, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Saying that primary care is undervalued, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission might recommend that Congress increase payment for primary care and pilot test a medical home program. MedPAC met in March to discuss issues...

CMS rejects limits on CT angiography coverage.(News)(computed tomography)(United States. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Editorial)
April 15, 2008... Associate Editor, Practice Trends Medicare has decided not to limit reimbursement for computed tomographic angiography, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced in mid-March. The federal agency never had a formal policy...