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Americans of all races don't get enough sleep

Mary Brophy Marcus — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:16:00 -0500

Outlet: USA Today

All Americans are struggling to get more snooze time, but a report out today shows that race and cultural differences play a role in sleep-related habits. Today, the National Sleep Foundation releases its annual "Sleep in America Poll," which reveal

Workplace Wellness Programs Work

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:13:00 -0500

Outlet: HealthDay

Employees who used them lost weight, lowered heart disease risk, study finds TUESDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- Workplace wellness programs help employees lose weight and reduce their risk of heart disease, a new study shows. U.S. researcher

Lessons of a $618,616 Death

Bennett, Amanda — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:23:00 -0500

Outlet: BusinessWeek - Online

(Two years after her husband's death, Amanda Bennett's cover story examines the costs of keeping one man alive) It was sometime after midnight on Dec. 8, 2007, when Dr. Eric Goren told me my husband might not live till morning. The kidney cancer t

Drugstores want shot at offering more vaccines

Japsen, Bruce — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Chicago Tribune

For years, pharmacists have waged a quiet battle with doctors and nurse practitioners over who gets to administer vaccines. That tussle over what has become a multibillion-dollar industry came to the forefront last fall when fears of the H1N1 viru

Study says how care is paid for could impact outcome

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Healthcare Finance News - Online

INDIANAPOLIS – Whether an individual is treated at a hospital reimbursed by Medicare or at a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center could contribute to what happens to a patient after their release, says a recent study. The seven-year study

Medicare: Not seeing doctor costs more

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:48:00 -0500

Outlet: United Press International (UPI)

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Medicare beneficiaries with chronic diseases, who do not visit the doctor much cost more money because of emergency room visits, U.S. researchers found. The research spearheaded by the National Minority Quality Forum

Hospitals remain the biggest players in pricing decisions

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Healthcare Finance News - Online

LOS ANGELES – Despite the increasing clout of HMOs in the 1990s, hospitals maintained a dominant position in determining healthcare pricing decisions, according to a new study. "Hospital Cost Shifting Revisited," which appears in the March issue o

Trusting Other Patients' Drug Advice

D. Rockoff, Jonathan — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Wall Street Journal

Who are you going to listen to when it comes to medicines—your peers or the companies that actually make the drugs? Market research shows that the sick are relying more on the recommendations of fellow patients, and less on the reputations of comp

Docs increase their use of "EHR components"

Molly Merrill — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:05:00 -0500

Outlet: Health Care IT News

IRVINE, CA – Electronic healthcare record adoption has increased by 3.2 percent in physician offices since February 2009, according to a new survey. The survey, released by research firm SK&A, A Cegedim Company, showed a 36.1 EHR adoption rate in

High blood pressure in U.S. a "neglected disease"

Julie Steenhuysen — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:03:00 -0500

Outlet: Reuters

CHICAGO (Reuters) - High blood pressure is a "neglected disease" and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must do more to fight it by helping Americans eat better and encouraging doctors to treat it more aggressively, an expert panel s

Survey: Employers Fret Over Workers’ Poor Health Habits.

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:19:00 -0500

Outlet: Wall Street Journal

As Washington dissects President Obama’s health-care plan and both parties prepare to grapple with health woes at Thursday’s summit, employers are saying their biggest cost problem lies at home. Workers’ poor health habits were cited by 67% of co

Wellness Efforts Face Hurdle

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:30:00 -0500

Outlet: Wall Street Journal

Companies' efforts to reduce health-care costs by nudging employees into wellness programs are clashing with a federal law designed to prevent discrimination based on genetics. Many employers offer workers cash incentives or insurance-premium redu

Health Insurance Coverage and Reform: Five Reasons Not to Wait Any Longer

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:10:00 -0500

Outlet: CNNMoney.com

Those Delaying Health Insurance Should Get Covered Based on the results from last week's U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts, the future of health reform legislation is increasingly unclear. While the debate continues, those who have delayed getting

Few Breast Cancer Surgeons Follow Quality of Care Standards, Study Finds

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:52:00 -0500

Outlet: ScienceDaily

Most breast cancer surgeons' practices do not follow standards associated with the best quality of care, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. These standards include consulting with othe

CMS launches annual provider satisfaction survey

Jennifer Lubell — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:38:00 -0500

Outlet: Modern Healthcare

The CMS has launched its fifth annual healthcare provider-satisfaction survey regarding Medicare fee-for-service contractors that process and pay more than $370 billion in Medicare claims each year. The survey, which enables Medicare fee-for-serv

AHIP Statement On National Health Expenditure Data

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:21:00 -0500

Outlet: America's Health Insurance Plans

New National Health Expenditure Accounts data released by CMS show that health spending in the United States grew at 4.4 percent in 2008. Although the recession has brought a reduction in the rate of increase in health care costs, the data show costs

The Hidden Benefits of Exercise

Landro, Laura — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Wall Street Journal

As millions of Americans flock to the gym armed with New Year's resolutions to get in shape, medical experts are offering an additional reason to exercise: Regular workouts may help fight off colds and flu, reduce the risk of certain cancers and chro

Doctor's Orders: Practicing Evidence-Based Medicine Is a Challenge

Todd Neale — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:54:30 -0500

Outlet: MedPage Today

With the amount of research being published in medical journals and presented at meetings, it should not be surprising when a new finding slips by a busy physician. Nor should it be surprising, then, that some decisions about patient care might be

US Tops World in Health Care Spending, Results Lag

Greg Keller — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:27:22 -0500

Outlet: Associated Press

The United States ranks near the bottom in life expectancy among wealthy nations despite spending more than double per person on health care than the industrialized world's average, an economic group said Tuesday. Life expectancy at birth in the U

Seasonal flu vaccine rate the same

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:20:44 -0500

Outlet: UPI.com

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Despite increased public and media attention to seasonal influenza vaccines, U.S. adults are being vaccinated at a similar rate to years past. A Rand Corp. study found that as by the middle of November, about

Medicare to cover HIV screening tests

Jennifer Lubell — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:05:00 -0500

Outlet: Modern Healthcare

Medicare has expanded its list of covered preventive services to include HIV infection screening tests, the CMS announced in a final coverage decision. “Today’s decision marks an important milestone in the history of the Medicare program,” HHS Se

Cancer deaths may drop, study says

Stobbe, Mike — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Chicago Tribune

Colon cancer deaths could drop dramatically in the next decade because of better screening and treatment, according to an optimistic new prediction by top researchers. The estimate was made in an annual report that shows that, overall, the U.S. ca

Medical prices are more accessible, but be sure to ask questions to avoid surprise fees

Matthew Perron — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:54:00 -0500

Outlet: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers are increasingly turning to the Web to compare medical fees as the economy and less generous health benefits squeeze household budgets. Shopping around for lower-priced medical care has never been easier. More than 30 s

MedPAC studies Medicare spending, use of services

Lubell, Jennifer — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:49:00 -0500

Outlet: Modern Healthcare - Washington Bureau

Medicare spending isn't necessarily the best indicator of how many services beneficiaries are actually using in a particular area, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission observed in a new report. The report, Measuring Regional Variation in Serv

Bright Ideas for Treating the Winter Blues

Beck, Melinda — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Wall Street Journal

It's that time of year when darkness descends like a heavy blanket beginning in mid-afternoon in much of the country. For some people, it also brings a desire to stay in bed and wait for spring. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, affects an esti

CDC: H1N1 Decreasing Nationwide

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:55:00 -0500

Outlet: United Press International (UPI)

ATLANTA, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Thirty-two states report widespread influenza activity, down from 43 states from a week before, as H1N1 flu decreases, U.S. health officials reported Monday. The weekly flu surveillance report completed during flu season

Americans Still Leaning Against Healthcare Legislation

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:26:00 -0500

Outlet: Gallup

PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans currently tilt against Congress' passing healthcare legislation, with 49% saying they would advise their member to vote against a bill (or they lean that way) and 44% saying they would advocate a vote in favor of the bill (

Health Care Savings Could Start in the Cafeteria

MELANIE WARNER — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: New York Times - Online

Steven Burd isn’t a doctor or a medical specialist. But he sure can talk like one. “I can take any standard diagnostic procedure and there’s typically a five- to tenfold difference in the cost of that identical procedure, whether it’s an M.R.I., C

New Surveys Show Americans Concerned Reform Proposals Will Increase Costs

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:53:27 -0500

Outlet: Campaign for an American Solution

Several public polls released in the past week that show the American people are increasingly concerned that current reform proposals will have the unintended consequence of driving up health care costs. Wall Street Journal/NBC News The latest

G.O.P. Counters With a Health Plan of Its Own

Pear, Robert — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: New York Times

House Republicans have come up with an answer to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, drafting an alternative health care bill that would reward states for reducing the number of uninsured, limit damages in medical malpractice lawsuits and allow small businesses to

H1N1 can be dangerous for patients of all ages, study warns

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Modern Healthcare

Severe illness from the H1N1 virus can occur at all ages, with about 30% of hospitalized cases requiring treatment in an intensive-care unit, says a new study in the Nov. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers s

What Women Want on Health Care

Richardson Higgins, Heather — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Wall Street Journal

Women are seen as a key constituency of Democrats, particularly on issues like health care. But current congressional proposals not only concern women, they may actually drive women away from the party. The Independent Women's Forum (IWF) commissi

Depression link to processed food

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:31:00 -0500

Outlet: BBC America

Eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression, research suggests. What is more, people who ate plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression, the University College London team found. Dat

Report hits Part D anti-fraud contractors

Gregg Blesch — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:24:00 -0500

Outlet: Modern Healthcare

Contractors hired to root out fraud in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program found most of their leads in complaints delivered to them and not by digging through claims data, according to a new report by HHS' inspector general's office. T

An insurance industry CEO explains why American health care costs so much

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Washington Post - Online

explains how to on health care. 2 The ional Research Service has a report on . Believe me when I say this will be important. 3 This Wired on the placebo effect -- and the fact that it's getting stronger -- is long enough to be a think tank report.

Many Details Still Bedevil Democrats In Health Reform Bills

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:35:00 -0500

Outlet: Kaiser Health News

It was the usual partisan squabbling on the Sunday talk shows. Democrats are braced for a significant week ahead, ironing out significant differences in various health reform bills. Politico: "House Republicans have prepared broad health care ref

GOP Set to Propose Its Own Health Bill

Hitt, Greg — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Wall Street Journal

WASHINGTON -- Republicans are preparing an alternative health-care bill to Democratic legislation, House Republican Leader John Boehner said, marking a shift in strategy as the full House is set to begin debate on the issue this week. Mr. Boehner

States likely to shape health reform

Lori Montgomery and Peter Slevin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Outlet: Washington Post

Besides the opt-out choice, proposed last week by Senate leaders, health-care legislation being drafted on Capitol Hill would delegate to state officials a multitude of momentous decisions, from what benefits are offered to low-income families to wha

Workers Will Pay More for Health Care, Consulting Firm Says

Mincer, Jilian — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:04:18 -0400

Outlet: Dow Jones Newswires

No matter what happens with health-care reform this fall, employees should expect to pay more for health insurance in 2010 -- especially with co-pays and deductibles. That's according to data from Hewitt Associates, a human-resources consulting fi

Lessons from the Massachusetts healthcare experiment

Oliphant, James — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:15:31 -0400

Outlet: Tribune Media Services - Washington DC Bureau

Thanks to the state's overhaul three years ago, 96% of residents are covered. But lawmakers avoided taking on cost controls, and people are paying the price. -By James Oliphant and Kim Geiger Three years ago, Massachusetts passed the most sweepin

Lack of Physician Participation is Hindering Quality Efforts

Commins, John — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:13:13 -0400

Outlet: HealthLeaders

Time constraints, financial pressures, and a waning sense of obligation to hospitals are hindering physician participation in hospital quality improvement efforts, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change. "Many physici

White House aides reaffirm public option is not mandatory

Connolly, Ceci — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:28:51 -0400

Outlet: Washington Post

Interest groups step up advertising campaign as health-care vote nears The television airwaves were filled Sunday with rat-a-tat over reforming the nation's health-care system, as top administration officials hit the talk show circuit and interest