News in brief

Government & Medicine briefs 2011

• Medicare pay will drop for 30% of end-stage renal disease centers - Dec. 26
• 13 New Jersey doctors arrested on illegal kickback charges - Dec. 26
• House bill would fund primary care residency programs - Dec. 26
• HHS keeps emergency contraception behind the counter - Dec. 19
• House bill to repeal Medicare IPAB reaches 218 sponsors - Dec. 19
• Bill would create Medicare direct primary care pilot project - Dec. 19
• Md. audit finds Medicaid keeps paying for dead people - Dec. 19
• Medical supplier pays $5 million to settle Medicaid fraud claims - Dec. 19
• House bill would exempt Medicare from deficit cuts - Dec. 12
• House panel approves repeal of long-term-care program - Dec. 12
• Medicare has new obesity screening, counseling benefit - Dec. 12
• Government appeals injunction on tobacco warnings - Dec. 12
• AMA backs CMS administrator nominee - Dec. 5
• Smokeless tobacco still allowed in baseball games - Dec. 5
• Senior Medicare Patrol receives $9 million in grants - Dec. 5
• Federal consumer health website expanded - Dec. 5
• House panel votes to repeal long-term-care program - Nov. 28
• House members target Medicare and Medicaid fraud - Nov. 28
• Doctors among 12 charged in N.Y. health fraud scheme - Nov. 28
• Government should largely exit health care, says presidential hopeful Ron Paul - Nov. 28
• Ohio adopts health care freedom amendment - Nov. 21
• Ban on "pay-for-delay" drug deals could save $4.8 billion - Nov. 21
• Vermont universal care seen as costing less than existing system - Nov. 14
• Baseball urged to drop tobacco, test for HGH - Nov. 14
• Medicare patients sue over observation policy - Nov. 14
• Hospitals sue California over Medicaid cuts - Nov. 14
• GOP candidate Cain backs medical liability reform - Nov. 14
• High court could soon decide whether to review health reform law - Nov. 7
• More than half have low opinion of health reform law - Nov. 7
• CMS launches $42 million primary care center demo - Nov. 7
• White House discontinues long-term care program - Oct 31
• Senators propose changes to Medicare secondary payer process - Oct 31
• Judge blocks Oklahoma abortion law - Oct 31
• House members oppose MedPAC's Medicare doctor pay plan - Oct 31
• Tobacco companies ask for injunction against graphic warnings - Oct. 24
• House adopts bill requiring exchanges to include a plan that bans abortions - Oct. 24
• Senators want to raise Medicare rates for rural physicians - Oct. 24
• CMS finalizes coverage for depression, alcohol screening - Oct. 24
• House Democrats call for Part D negotiations - Oct. 17
• AMA reminds physicians to file Medicare e-prescribing exemptions - Oct. 17
• Blues plans suggest enacting medical liability reform, other changes - Oct. 17
• GOP activists deliver petition to repeal health reform law - Oct. 17
• Alternative to health system reform law proposed - Oct. 10
• Relatively few D.C. doctors actively practice there - Oct. 10
• Judge denies injunction against Kansas abortion law - Oct. 10
• Plaintiffs in stem cell research lawsuit file appeal - Oct. 10
• HHS provides $1.9 billion for HIV/AIDS treatment - Oct. 10
• Lawmakers look to extend Medicare ESRD coverage - Oct 3
• Collaborative formed to promote insurance options - Oct 3
• Connecticut doctors file to create nonprofit health plan - Oct 3
• House extends GME funding at children's hospitals - Oct 3
• New Jersey backs off Medicaid cuts - Sept. 26
• 2 physicians appointed to Vermont health reform board - Sept. 26
• Medicare Advantage enrollment to increase 10% in 2012 - Sept. 26
• Bipartisan bill would revamp Medicare cards - Sept. 26
• Catholic doctors fight birth control pay mandate - Sept. 26
• Beneficiaries in Part D gap likely to see "roller coaster" effect - Sept. 19
• HHS directs hospital inspectors to review visitation rights - Sept. 19
• Arizona cannot charge co-pays to needy residents - Sept. 19
• HHS to grant $700 million to expand health centers - Sept. 19
• Lawmaker wants debt supercommittee to kill Medicare pay panel - Sept. 12
• GOP governors unveil Medicaid reform wish list - Sept. 12
• Michigan adopts Medicaid claims tax to avoid cuts - Sept. 12
• Arkansas prioritizes Medicaid pay bundling - Sept. 5
• HHS approves 106 more waivers to health reform law - Sept. 5
• Ophthalmologist convicted of 150 fraud counts - Sept. 5
• Equipment bidding will save Medicare $28 billion, CMS says - Aug. 29
• HHS awards $40 million in Medicaid/CHIP outreach grants - Aug. 29
• Medicaid and CHIP enrolled more uninsured children in 2009 - Aug. 29
• Abortion services to end in 6 Arizona cities - Aug. 29
• Organized medicine weighs in on California Medicaid lawsuit - Aug. 22
• Kansas becomes second state to return federal health exchange money - Aug. 22
• HHS should study health IT errors, House panel says - Aug. 22
• Groups agree to extend Medicare shared-savings demo - Aug. 22
• Appeals court rejects doctor's lawsuit against health reform law - Aug. 15
• First test of new HIPAA claims standard a success, CMS says - Aug. 15
• HHS awards $29 million for health center expansions - Aug. 15
• HHS approves IOM advice on women's preventive care - Aug. 8
• House panel votes to reauthorize pediatric GME - Aug. 8
• CMS eliminates $3.9 billion overpayment to nursing homes - Aug. 8
• Combat care for veterans projected to keep growing - Aug. 8
• High court will not consider military medical liability shield - Aug. 8
• Senators oppose Medicare imaging cuts - Aug. 1
• HHS funding bills probably delayed until after August break - Aug. 1
• Senate committee approves ban on generic drug delays - Aug. 1
• Senator aims to preserve Medicare pay for frontier states - Aug. 1
• Illinois physicians sue to stop out-of-network law - Aug. 1
• Bill would repeal HSA prescription requirement - July 25
• Lawmakers target unintended Medicaid eligibility - July 25
• Oregon cuts Medicaid physician pay by average of 11.5% - July 18
• 3 in 5 Medicare power wheelchair claims are improper - July 18
• HHS calls for greater coordination for dual Medicare-Medicaid enrollees - July 18
• Seniors struggling with out-of-pocket costs, report finds - July 18
• High court to review diagnostic test patent case - July 18
• Medicare to rescind lab signature requirement - July 11
• Maine data ban case to be reconsidered after Supreme Court ruling - July 11
• Miami doctor gets 20 years in prison for defrauding Medicare - July 11
• District judge blocks defunding of Planned Parenthood of Indiana - July 4
• Texas doctors ask Medicare for e-prescribing extension - July 4
• Senate health fraud bill would require better physician verification - July 4
• HHS limits health plan appeals process - July 4
• Arizona governor sues over medical marijuana law - June 27
• Kids on Medicaid and CHIP encounter problems with seeing specialists - June 27
• Bill would allow nonphysicians to coordinate Medicaid care - June 27
• Doctors sue over Florida "don't ask" gun law - June 20
• Appeals court hears states' challenge to reform law - June 20
• Democratic senators unite against Medicaid cuts - June 20
• Federal money available for state chronic disease prevention - June 20
• Senate Medicare private contracting bill introduced - June 13
• Florida governor signs Medicaid managed care bill - June 13
• Geriatrician appointed to MedPAC - June 13
• Lawsuit fear identified as top challenge to cutting ED costs - June 13
• GOP senators call for CMS to abandon Medicare ACO plans - June 6
• House repeals automatic funds for resident training at health centers - June 6
• Vermont governor signs universal health insurance bill - June 6
• Medicare drug plans received $3.6 million to cover dead enrollees - June 6
• Lab to pay $241 million for alleged overcharges - June 6
• HHS finalizes rule on insurance premium reviews - May 30
• Study blames contractors for Medicare fraud - May 30
• House medical liability bill would reduce deficit by $57 billion - May 30
• Georgia high court blocks vaccine lawsuit - May 30
• Florida lawmakers send "don't ask" gun bill to governor - May 23
• Legislators seek funding to train more pediatricians - May 23
• Court orders VA to provide better mental health care - May 23
• GOP freshmen ask Obama to turn down Medicare rhetoric - May 23
• Repeal of health reform law doomed, key Republican says - May 16
• Arizona governor vetoes interstate insurance purchasing - May 16
• Medicare streamlines telehealth credentialing - May 16
• Missouri hospitals lose suit against tobacco companies - May 16
• Medicare hospital pay-for-performance set to launch in 2012 - May 9
• CVS agrees to $17 million Medicaid fraud settlement - May 9
• Former AMA president to advise CMS innovations center - May 9
• Work-based coverage declined by record percentage in 2009 - May 9
• HHS certifies Indian Health Service EMR for meaningful use - May 9
• Medicare hospital pay rates to drop in 2012 - May 2
• Bill would establish urotrauma commission - May 2
• House votes to repeal public health fund - Apr 25
• Oklahoma to decline $54 million health exchange grant - Apr 25
• Drugmakers to pay $4.2 million in Wisconsin Medicaid case - Apr 25
• Grassley, Wyden team up to publish physician data - April 18
• Deputy named new health IT chief - April 18
• Many Massachusetts residents see state health reforms as ineffective - April 18
• House bill would allow VA to bill Medicare - April 18
• Medicare to cover $93,000 prostate cancer drug - April 11
• Arizona governor calls for more limited Medicaid cuts - April 11
• Raising Medicare age would save $7.6 billion in 2014, study finds - April 11
• Minnesota high court to consider tobacco lawsuit - April 11
• Medicare lab signature mandate to be delayed further - April 4
• South Dakota approves abortion waiting period - April 4
• HHS can provide Medicaid reform relief to states, report says - April 4
• Lawmakers press to repeal DME bidding - March 28
• Medicare inappropriately paid millions for erectile dysfunction pills - March 28
• AMA supports New York damage cap proposal - March 28
• Mandatory spending will surpass total revenues in 2016 - March 21
• Medicare retools online enrollment for doctors - March 21
• Judge halts Medicaid hospital pay freeze in California - March 21
• AMA ends red flags lawsuit against FTC - March 14
• Medical liability bill modeled after Texas law introduced - March 14
• Medicare cuts recommended in report on duplicative spending - March 14
• Tobacco companies sue over government safety panel - March 14
• HHS offers $3.7 billion for Medicaid long-term-care alternatives - March 7
• Senate bill would end Medicare cap on psychiatric hospital services - March 7
• Another judge rules in favor of health reform law - Feb. 28
• CMS plans to reprocess millions of 2010 Medicare claims - Feb. 28
• More primary care doctors could qualify for Medicare bonuses - Feb. 28
• Lawsuit opposing stem cell research dismissed - Feb. 28
• AMA announces Nathan Davis award winners at advocacy conference - Feb. 21
• Va. pushes Supreme Court to review health reform lawsuit - Feb. 21
• CBO: Health law will result in fewer hours worked - Feb. 21
• AMA, CMA support hospital's fight against Medicare audit - Feb. 14
• States could opt out of health reform provision under federal bill - Feb. 14
• Family physician tapped as Alabama Medicaid director - Feb. 14
• Colorado high court rejects challenge to medical marijuana law - Feb. 7
• Insurers contest HHS estimate of reform's impact on premiums - Feb. 7
• Children's health care varies widely by state - Feb. 7
• Bipartisan group backs health reform implementation - Jan. 31
• 4 in 10 doctors plan to secure EMR bonuses - Jan. 31
• Preexisting conditions affect at least 50 million Americans - Jan. 24
• ED admissions for prescription drug problems up again in 2009 - Jan. 24
• Tricare to cover dependents to age 26 - Jan. 24
• FDA requires review of new tobacco products - Jan. 17
• Louisiana physician to chair House oversight panel - Jan. 17
• Hospital pay-for-performance proposal issued by CMS - Jan. 17
• Power to change Medicaid eligibility sought by GOP governors - Jan. 17
• HHS, HUD to provide health and rental assistance - Jan. 17
• Va. panel supports health IT loans, eased scope-of-practice limits - Jan. 10
• Pay-for-performance finalized for Medicare dialysis facilities - Jan. 10
• Obama signs red flags bill - Jan. 3
• Insurance mandate repeal could keep uninsured numbers high - Jan. 3
• Health reform law could save states money - Jan. 3
• More Maryland doctors signing up for EMRs - Jan. 3

Last year - Back to top

80% of Americans who use the Internet look for health information online. Read more

Professional Issues briefs 2011

• Hospital mandate raises flu-vaccination rate - Dec. 26
• University of Pittsburgh center to target health disparities - Dec. 26
• Video surveillance improves hand hygiene - Dec. 19
• Illinois to provide more transparency of physician discipline - Dec. 19
• Drug compliance not much higher when patients pay nothing - Dec. 12
• Wisconsin explores options to stem physician shortages - Dec. 12
• Disparities seen in diverticulitis care between blacks and whites - Dec. 5
• HHS offers conditional public access to data bank records - Dec. 5
• Social media use poses professional risks for doctors - Nov. 28
• Better pain management needed for cancer patients, study says - Nov. 28
• Stockings ruled out in fight against deadly blood clots - Nov. 21
• Organizations respond to OSHA's decision not to oversee resident work hours - Nov. 21
• Millions live in designated medical shortage areas - Nov. 14
• $34 million goes to battle hospital infections - Nov. 14
• Ghostwriting at top journals falls 31% - Nov. 7
• U.S. health system treads water in international comparison - Nov. 7
• Hospitals meeting most CDC infection-prevention goals - Oct 31
• Illinois physician profile database back online - Oct 31
• Pennsylvania hospitals reduce infections - Oct. 24
• Site helps patients take more active communication role - Oct. 24
• 2 American doctors win Nobel for immunology work - Oct. 17
• Joint Commission requires catheter-related UTI prevention measures - Oct. 17
• Study details care of dementia patients near death - Oct. 10
• National Quality Forum unveils quality-measure search engine - Oct. 10
• Readmission rate could mislead as quality indicator, hospitals say - Oct 3
• Flu vaccinations for health workers prevent outbreaks, study finds - Oct 3
• Hospitals improve on Joint Commission metrics - Sept. 26
• Panel deems 1940s U.S. experiments in Guatemala "unconscionable" - Sept. 26
• Cancer care standards push patient support - Sept. 19
• Higher surgical volume means fewer complications - Sept. 19
• Using checklists saves $1.1 million a year per hospital - Sept. 12
• Number of female physicians up 430% since 1980 - Sept. 12
• Drugmaker logos to stay in CME disclosures - Sept. 5
• Antibiotic cuts infections in dialysis patients - Sept. 5
• Evidence sparse on bladder-cancer screening accuracy - Aug. 29
• Spanish-language guides explain treatment options - Aug. 29
• California slow to discipline physicians - Aug. 22
• North Carolina considers compensating eugenics victims - Aug. 22
• Three in four physicians accept drug samples - Aug. 15
• Vermont issues "bath salts" chemicals ban - Aug. 15
• Patient "coaches" slash hospital readmissions by 36% - Aug. 8
• High court will not hear medical resident's lawsuit - Aug. 8
• Insured patients have trouble getting psychiatric care - Aug. 1
• Missouri legislation targets physician discipline - Aug. 1
• Palliative care increasing in hospitals - July 25
• New California medical school opening postponed - July 25
• Hospital fall prevention programs ineffective, review says - July 18
• Joint Commission offers palliative care certification - July 18
• Enrollment rising at osteopathic medical colleges - July 11
• Hospitalizations for sepsis, septicemia increase twofold - July 11
• Medical school enrollment growth on track, AAMC says - July 4
• Pennsylvania physicians seek better access to controlled substance database - July 4
• Patient safety efforts needed in outpatient care, study says - June 27
• Oregon DMV to ask drivers about organ donation - June 27
• New N.J. medical school accredited by LCME - June 20
• More general surgeons needed for rural practice - June 20
• California medical board revokes license of octuplet doctor - June 13
• Many emergency doctors concerned about being sued - June 6
• Rules on compassionate release of inmates sought - June 6
• Dr. Kevorkian dies at 83, leaves assisted-suicide legacy - June 6
• Patients see board certification as important - May 30
• N.J. surgery centers cited for safety problems - May 30
• Black patients on opioids receive more scrutiny than whites, study finds - May 23
• Interest in nephrology dropping among U.S. medical graduates - May 23
• 15% of nursing homes cited for poor infection control - May 16
• More Connecticut physicians learning cultural awareness - May 16
• Institute helps hospitals test drug safety practices - May 9
• Washington bans chemicals found in "bath salts" - May 9
• Michigan becomes 36th "I'm sorry" state - May 2
• Drinking night before impairs surgeon's skills the next day - May 2
• Texas sees shortage of mental health professionals - Apr 25
• FDA revamps recall website - Apr 25
• Cardiac-device infections expensive and deadly - April 18
• Physicians can use ACPE credits to earn master's degree - April 18
• Report names top health literacy trouble spots - April 11
• Fewer drug reps mean shorter visits with physicians - April 11
• Health IT helps cut psychiatric medication mix-ups - April 4
• Washington medical school again ranks No. 1 for primary care - April 4
• Hidden recorders will help study physician communications - March 28
• Drug reactions send 1.1 million older adults to EDs annually - March 28
• AMA urges patients to double-check medications - March 21
• Most medical schools give short shrift to health policy - March 21
• Hospice use and end-of-life care costs rise - March 14
• Complicated prescription regimens confuse patients - March 14
• Michigan trauma centers launch quality project - March 7
• Blood test program for uninsured to end - March 7
• Montana rejects doctor-assisted suicide rules - Feb. 28
• Patient safety professionals form group - Feb. 28
• Sound-alikes, unusual dosages contribute to painkiller mix-ups - Feb. 21
• Physician organizations file appeal in nurse anesthesia case - Feb. 21
• Emergency doctors see many patients, frequent interruptions - Feb. 14
• MRSA screening could save hospitals money - Feb. 14
• Ohio hospitals save $13 million by cutting infections - Feb. 7
• Imaging services are part of self-referral law, Maryland appellate court rules - Feb. 7
• Philadelphia doctor charged in abortion-related slayings - Jan. 31
• Report: Physician shortage in New York endangers care - Jan. 31
• 20% of Americans have no regular physician - Jan. 24
• AAP offers physician re-entry tool kit - Jan. 24
• BMJ: Study linking vaccines, autism was a fraud - Jan. 17
• Online program improves medical residents' business knowledge - Jan. 17
• Redirecting anti-tobacco funds constitutional, Ohio high court rules - Jan. 10
• California wait-time rule takes effect - Jan. 10
• Women with diabetes, depression have increased death risk - Jan. 10
• Caffeine consumption common among children, study finds - Jan. 3
• Massachusetts physicians use patient feedback to refine care - Jan. 3
• 6% of women who give birth have diabetes - Jan. 3

Last year - Back to top

200,000 Americans younger than 65 have Alzheimer's disease. Read more

Business briefs 2011

• Waiting room time for patients varies by region, specialty - Dec. 26
• R.I. Blues plan considers EMR program a success - Dec. 26
• Physicians Foundation names top issues for medical practices in 2012 - Dec. 19
• EMR adoption on the rise - Dec. 19
• Humana buys analytics company - Dec. 19
• Humana to buy home care firm - Dec. 12
• Margins at N.J. hospitals improve - Dec. 12
• Michigan doctors can use Amagine to access insurance data - Dec. 5
• UnitedHealth Group to buy Medicare Advantage plan - Dec. 5
• Medical price growth outpaced inflation in October - Nov. 28
• 6 additional states launch Medicaid EMR incentive programs - Nov. 28
• Government to launch 5-year survey on privacy and security issues - Nov. 21
• United now largest insurer by membership and revenue - Nov. 21
• Humana CEO to retire; outsider named successor - Nov. 21
• Wisconsin hospitals generate $28 billion in economic activity - Nov. 21
• AMA to host free ACO webinar - Nov. 14
• Debut of permanent EMR accrediting program postponed - Nov. 14
• California insurer drops health plan-acquired IPA - Nov. 14
• Blues private equity fund invests in ACO technology company - Nov. 7
• Coventry to buy Kansas City Medicaid plan - Nov. 7
• Philanthropic couple pump $100 million into health technology innovation - Nov. 7
• Defense Dept. sued over data breach - Oct 31
• Calif. Blues plan uses $20 million of excess profit to fund ACOs - Oct 31
• Requirement delayed for practices to display employee organizing rights - Oct. 24
• CDC funding available for workplace wellness - Oct. 24
• California law expands telehealth services - Oct. 24
• Most locum tenens hospitalists also hold full-time jobs - Oct. 17
• AHIMA announces tech training for underserved health areas - Oct. 17
• ONC launches heart app challenge - Oct. 17
• Aetna, CVS to offer co-branded Medicare drug plan - Oct. 17
• Tricare reports major personal-data breach - Oct. 10
• House calls worth a visit, Australian study says - Oct. 10
• IRS offers deal on misclassified employees - Oct. 10
• Real-time biosurveillance could help diagnose outbreak cases - Oct 3
• California Blues to send rebates - Oct 3
• Report tells where pediatric subspecialists are - Oct 3
• Overall economic inflation grows faster than cost of medical care - Sept. 26
• AHIP study finds positive early results from ACOs - Sept. 26
• Patient data lands on public website - Sept. 19
• California rate approval bill tabled - Sept. 19
• Mich. Blues' bid to become Medicaid MCO under review - Sept. 12
• Study finds EMRs led to better outcomes for diabetic patients - Sept. 12
• First year of a private insurance ACO demonstrates good results - Sept. 12
• Hospital mass layoffs inch up slightly - Sept. 5
• HHS launches lifeline app challenge - Sept. 5
• Health Net data loss worse than thought - Aug. 29
• Medical inflation stabilizes - Aug. 29
• Outlook grim for hospital revenues, report finds - Aug. 22
• Physicians moved to act by meaningful use - Aug. 22
• United subsidiary buys customer service firm - Aug. 22
• CMS launches online compare tools - Aug. 15
• Claims processing firm goes private - Aug. 15
• Computer virus may have exposed data of Beth Israel patients - Aug. 8
• Practice manager compensation stable - Aug. 8
• Harvard study finds success with global payment model - Aug. 1
• Take Care Health offers real-time information online - Aug. 1
• EMRs more useful than Medicaid claims, study says - July 25
• Mass. Blues sends members "rebate" equal to former CEO's severance - July 25
• Social media may help clinical trial recruitment, report says - July 18
• WellPoint fined for failing to disclose security breach - July 18
• EMRs make care coordination easier for diabetes, heart disease patients - July 11
• UnitedHealth Group fined over alleged takeover of Nevada competitor - July 11
• Physicians could play role in patient use of health records - July 4
• Most physicians not prepared for HIPAA 5010, survey finds - June 27
• ONC offers health IT competency testing - June 27
• Health IT office looking to reach physicians - June 20
• Humana fined for violations in Colorado - June 20
• Patient confidence in affording medical care improves - June 13
• Health care organizations save money by using cloud solutions - June 13
• State official sets conditions on Delaware Blues-Highmark deal - June 13
• United boosts dividends, authorizes share buybacks - June 6
• Health system reform expected to benefit young adults - June 6
• Technically advanced hospitals have better credit - May 30
• CCHIT to certify specialty EMRs - May 30
• Hospital mass layoffs decline - May 30
• AMA Insurance Agency offers 401(k) plan for physicians - May 30
• Amagine users to get lab service - May 23
• Humana co-brands Medicare products with Reader's Digest - May 23
• Pennsylvania hospitals financially healthier, but providing more uncompensated care - May 16
• Inflation in health care sector slows slightly - May 16
• Social network users donate personal health data for research - May 16
• AMA to host physician leadership seminar - May 9
• Aetna will purchase health plan administrator - May 9
• Health IT work force gets a boost - May 9
• Hospital layoffs down slightly in first quarter - May 2
• California regulators ask health plans to justify rate hikes - May 2
• EMR data can speed genetic research - May 2
• New Mexico tightens rules on health insurance rate hikes - Apr 25
• Medical inflation low - Apr 25
• Cosmetic surgeries increase - April 18
• Survey: Few patients know about PHRs - April 18
• Reversal of court decision will cost Health Net $180 million - April 18
• Cigna to pay $600,000 fine after underwriting problems are found in N.C. - April 11
• CMS to develop meaningful use proxy function - April 11
• Small businesses not required to report cost of health insurance coverage on W-2s - April 11
• Study examines EMR costs - April 4
• Hospital mass layoffs decline - April 4
• Connecticut, California regulators investigate Health Net data breach - March 28
• Blue Shield of California withdraws latest rate hike - March 28
• National Library of Medicine tops U.S. Google searches on drugs - March 28
• Aetna, Carilion Clinic announce plans to establish ACO - March 21
• Walgreens sells its PBM business - March 21
• AMA webinar available for 5010 and ICD-10 transitions - March 14
• CDC seeks to unify state immunization records - March 14
• Tufts moves to acquire Medicaid managed care plan - March 14
• Cigna hires national radiology benefit manager - March 7
• Anthem files for another rate increase in Maine - March 7
• 2011 begins with high number of hospital mass layoffs - March 7
• Medical inflation starts to soften - Feb. 28
• Informatics research center opens - Feb. 28
• Hospital employees fired for snooping at Iowa football players' records - Feb. 21
• Consumer confidence in paying for health care stabilizes - Feb. 21
• WellPoint conducts research on comparative effectiveness - Feb. 21
• Accord reached in Facebook dispute - Feb. 21
• Guardian leaves medical benefits business - Feb. 14
• Blue Shield agrees to delay rate increase - Feb. 14
• Specialists form Maine's largest IPA - Feb. 14
• Final certification rules passed - Feb. 14
• California insurers agree to hold off on rate hikes - Feb. 7
• HIMSS forms Latino health IT initiative - Feb. 7
• Union membership dips for health care workers - Feb. 7
• Blue Shield rates to undergo independent review - Jan. 31
• CCHIT creates certification for homegrown EMRs - Jan. 31
• Medical inflation continues to outpace price growth - Jan. 24
• Cigna pays $40,000 fine in Virginia - Jan. 24
• California commissioner asks insurers to delay rate hikes - Jan. 24
• Calif. REC surpasses 3,000 doctors - Jan. 24
• Doctor reclaims Donkey Kong record - Jan. 24
• Delaware presses for more details on Blues deal - Jan. 17
• Europe and U.S. collaborate on health IT - Jan. 17
• Study: Family medicine visits more complex than psychiatry, cardiology - Jan. 17
• IRS unveils rules for payroll tax cut - Jan. 10
• RECs move toward target enrollments - Jan. 10
• Flat pay linked to less expensive care - Jan. 10
• Beth Israel physicians sign "alternative" contract with Mass. Blues - Jan. 3
• Commonwealth Fund awards grants to analyze health reform - Jan. 3

Last year - Back to top

The majority of medical tests doctors use have a copyright. Read more

Health briefs 2011

• Listeriosis outbreak tied to Colorado cantaloupes is over, CDC says - Dec. 26
• Irregular work schedule increases diabetes risk in women, study shows - Dec. 26
• Ecstasy drug impact lingers in brain - Dec. 19
• Antibiotic prescribing common, often inappropriate in pediatric ambulatory care - Dec. 19
• Risk of dementia increases for depressed diabetic patients - Dec. 12
• Meningococcal vaccine booster recommended for teenagers - Dec. 12
• Varicella vaccination still helps infants too young to be immunized - Dec. 5
• Harassing text messages on the rise among youths - Dec. 5
• Tracking system aims to reduce antibiotic misuse - Nov. 28
• Common chemicals increase Parkinson's disease risk - Nov. 28
• Doctors encouraged to screen all youths for high cholesterol - Nov. 21
• Poll: Americans' health hasn't improved, and more services are needed - Nov. 21
• Hepatitis C screening by age would save thousands of lives - Nov. 14
• Dyslexia is not related to IQ, study shows - Nov. 14
• HPV vaccine recommended for boys - Nov. 7
• Gestational BPA linked to behavioral and emotional problems in young girls - Nov. 7
• New guidelines call for less-frequent Pap smears - Oct 31
• Screening helps doctors identify youth alcohol risks - Oct 31
• Traumatic brain injuries becoming more common in youths - Oct. 24
• Doctors advised to screen patients for alcohol, discuss drinking guidelines - Oct. 24
• Stigma can increase stress for LGB people - Oct. 17
• Aggressive management needed for complications of chronic kidney disease in children - Oct. 17
• Vaccine decreases diarrhea-related doctor visits, hospitalizations - Oct. 10
• Listeriosis outbreak tied to Colorado cantaloupes - Oct. 10
• Tips for physicians on discussing young patients' weight - Oct 3
• More Americans got flu shots in 2010-11 than previous season - Oct 3
• HPV shots may be reducible, study says - Sept. 26
• Government proposes e-cigarette ban on airplanes - Sept. 26
• Swine-origin flu identified in 2 children - Sept. 19
• Menopause does not increase women's risk of cardiovascular death - Sept. 19
• AAP urges pediatricians to discourage youths from boxing - Sept. 12
• Ob-gyns should treat male partners of women with a STD, ACOG says - Sept. 12
• Legionellosis cases on the rise in the U.S. - Sept. 5
• Experts don't see enough data to recommend bladder cancer screening - Sept. 5
• Low-income men at greater risk for HIV infection - Aug. 29
• Newborn screening should include test for critical congenital heart disease, study says - Aug. 29
• HIV infections rising among young black men who have sex with men - Aug. 22
• 2 meningococcal vaccines approved for young children - Aug. 22
• Syphilis rising among young, black and Hispanic gay men - Aug. 15
• Most U.S. hospitals do not fully support breastfeeding - Aug. 15
• Certain health risk factors could lead to brain damage later in life - Aug. 8
• FDA regulation of medical devices "fundamentally flawed," IOM says - Aug. 8
• CDC aims to stop proliferation of drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae - Aug. 1
• Secondhand smoke exposure linked to hearing loss in youths - Aug. 1
• CDC issues guide on infection prevention practices - July 25
• Low health literacy leads to poor outcomes - July 25
• Rising C-section rates due to doctor, patient choices - July 18
• Stroke patients in underserved areas delay care - July 18
• AAP policy cites need to monitor children's media use - July 11
• CT screening reduces lung cancer mortality in high-risk people - July 11
• Type 2 diabetes linked to higher risk of stroke, heart problems - July 4
• Childhood food allergies more prevalent than thought - July 4
• Salmonella infections on the rise - June 27
• Lung cancer mortality down for women - June 27
• 4 in 10 Americans got a flu shot for 2010-11 season - June 20
• Food plate replaces food pyramid - June 20
• Michigan targets bath salt drug use - June 13
• Women smokers more likely to develop peripheral artery disease - June 13
• Low-risk patients don't benefit from CT angiograms, study says - June 6
• FDA curtails access to Avandia - June 6
• Menthol cigarettes found to have major impact on premature deaths - May 30
• Disparities in colorectal cancer screening persist - May 30
• Study examines extreme form of self-injury - May 23
• Influenza viruses selected for 2011-12 seasonal flu vaccine - May 23
• 2 tests recommended in screening of overweight children for diabetes - May 16
• Washington ends increased radiation testing - May 16
• FDA won't appeal ruling on e-cigarettes - May 9
• U.S. needs to measure progress on children's health issues, IOM says - May 9
• Surveillance acceptable for older men with low-risk prostate cancer - May 2
• Community action can be a factor in suicide attempts by gay youths - May 2
• Alzheimer's damage to brain might be apparent 10 years before diagnosis - Apr 25
• Data too weak to link food dyes with ADHD, panel says - Apr 25
• Diabetes testing drops among poor and minority adults - April 18
• Restless legs syndrome linked to heart problems - April 18
• Task force advises against testicular cancer screens for some males - April 11
• High unemployment, child poverty contribute to unhealthy communities, rankings show - April 11
• Mini-stroke patients at greater risk of heart attack - April 4
• Asthma leads to higher risk of diabetes, heart disease - April 4
• Physicians screening for mental illness in teens eligible for national registry - March 28
• Most states unprepared for radiation emergency - March 28
• Report highlights gaps in preventive care among seniors - March 28
• PSA velocity tests can lead to unnecessary biopsies - March 21
• Readmission rates higher for blacks than whites - March 21
• HHS awards $215 million to escalate vaccine distribution - March 14
• Vitamin D deficiency linked to allergies - March 14
• Prolonged cell phone use affects brain activity, study says - March 7
• Fiber may cut mortality risk from some diseases - March 7
• HHS updates National Vaccine Plan - Feb. 28
• Spread of hepatitis C stabilized, CDC says - Feb. 28
• 3 cholera cases reported in New York - Feb. 21
• People with allergies less prone to brain tumors, study says - Feb. 21
• Stroke survival rates better for black than white patients - Feb. 14
• New food guidelines aimed at reducing obesity - Feb. 14
• U.S. life span lags behind other countries due to smoking, obesity - Feb. 7
• Heart disease costs to triple by 2030 - Feb. 7
• Children's excessive video gaming linked to mental health issues - Jan. 31
• Fast antiviral flu treatment recommended for pregnant women - Jan. 31
• Excessive weight of U.S. population costs $270 billion - Jan. 24
• Pediatric offices have positive effect on at-risk family interaction - Jan. 24
• Young adults' reported sexual behavior at odds with STD test results - Jan. 17
• C. diff infections growing among hospitalized children - Jan. 17

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The health reform law covers 34 preventive services insurers pay physicians to perform but are free to patients. Read more