News in brief

Government - Profession - Business - Health - 2008

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Government & Medicine briefs

Veterans' deaths linked to lack of health insurance - Nov. 23
Medicare Part D earns strong marks from seniors in survey - Nov. 23
Doctor settles HIV discrimination case - Nov. 23
Surgeons oppose Senate health reform bill - Nov. 16
Calif. governor stumps for liability reform - Nov. 16
Medicaid updates eligibility and claims data - Nov. 16
Red flags rule delayed until June 2010 - Nov. 9
Senate confirms Dr. Benjamin as surgeon general - Nov. 9
Poll shows broad support for liability reform - Nov. 9
HHS to strengthen HIPAA enforcement - Nov. 9
HHS launches new efforts against medical fraud, identity theft - Nov. 2
Employer health coverage continues to drop - Nov. 2
Settlement reached in Part D lawsuit - Nov. 2
Medical device firms critical of proposed tax - Oct. 26
Florida's Medicaid chief resigns - Oct. 26
Gov. Schwarzenegger rejects physician work force study - Oct. 26
Lawmakers question tobacco firms over ban on flavored cigarettes - Oct. 19
OIG to review imaging payments - Oct. 19
Case challenges employer mandate - Oct. 19
GAO: Medicaid dental care still needs work - Oct. 19
Senators call on Medicare to halt radiation therapy cuts - Oct. 12
Medicare Advantage, Part D premiums announced - Oct. 12
Few HIPAA complaints result in change, report shows - Oct. 12
Medicare Part B premium support passes House - Oct. 5
Calif. federal court again rejects Medicaid payment cuts - Oct. 5
Without system reform, millions more will be uninsured, report says - Oct. 5
Appeals court upholds ban on cigarette sales - Sept. 28
Medicare joins Vermont medical home demo - Sept. 28
Calif. bill would mandate physician work force plan - Sept. 28
Medicare lifts sanctions on WellPoint - Sept. 21
Medicare may cover HIV screening - Sept. 21
TMA holds public meetings on uninsured - Sept. 21
HHS gives states more than $70 million to help cover the uninsured - Sept. 14
HHS extends Wisconsin drug program - Sept. 14
Iowa hospital settles over excessive physician compensation - Sept. 14
FDA has a new tobacco advisory committee - Sept. 7
House reform bill would save billions through health center expansions, study finds - Sept. 7
White House appoints new HIV/AIDS adviser - Sept. 7
Insurer offers coverage to Massachusetts immigrants - Sept. 7
Community health center funding gets boost - Aug. 31
Most Americans still want health system reform - Aug. 31
HHS rules require patient notification of privacy breaches - Aug. 31
States recover $1.3 billion in Medicaid fraud - Aug. 24
AHRQ to issue grants for patient-centered medical homes - Aug. 24
N.M. nursing homes protest House reform proposal - Aug. 24
Senate confirms Dr. Collins as NIH director - Aug. 17
DME supplier bidding starts in late October - Aug. 17
HHS assumes HIPAA security enforcement - Aug. 17
Medicare anti-fraud team ensnares more physicians - Aug. 10
Measure would require direct deposit of Medicare/Medicaid pay - Aug. 10
Pelosi reintroduces bill to create health data tracking network - Aug. 10
House adopts HHS budget bill - Aug. 3
Bill introduced to expand home oxygen therapy - Aug. 3
Connecticut Legislature overrides governor on public plan - July 27
Illinois abortion notification law upheld - July 27
FTC identity theft rule takes effect Aug. 1 - July 20
Medicaid/CHIP outreach grants available - July 20
HHS spending bill passes first hurdle - July 20
Supreme Court upholds halt to California Medicaid payment cuts - July 13
Dr. Price takes over ranking House health subcommittee seat - July 13
Obama favors shorter protections for original biologics - July 13
HHS distributes health center grants - July 13
Assistant HHS chief confirmed - July 6
Wyoming budget cuts threaten Medicaid doctor pay - July 6
San Francisco access mandate again taken to U.S. Supreme Court - July 6
CBO finds coalition savings proposals difficult to verify - June 29
Most support public plan, trust physicians' opinions on health reform - June 29
Legislation seeks to improve cancer treatment options - June 29
Legislation would raise Calif. Medicare rates - June 22
Physicians want more nutrition services covered, report says - June 22
Oregon adopts health reform bills - June 22
Physicians worry health reform will increase their costs - June 15
Bill to end generic drug delays clears House subcommittee - June 15
Florida tobacco tax increase to benefit state Medicaid program - June 15
Nebraska governor approves abortion-related measure - June 15
Georgetown University professor to oversee CHIP, Medicaid - June 8
HHS releases Medicare outreach grants - June 8
Bill would alter comparative effectiveness research oversight - June 8
Progressives outline $82 million health reform campaign - June 8
Illinois Senate clears medical marijuana bill - June 8
Dr. Hamburg confirmed to lead FDA - June 1
New Medicare anti-fraud team announced - June 1
Obama names new CDC chief - May 25
California Medicaid cuts fuel ongoing litigation - May 25
Bill would allow small businesses to buy insurance together - May 25
Senators urge e-prescribing policy change - May 18
HHS names reform office personnel - May 18
WellCare to pay $80 million to resolve alleged Florida Medicaid fraud - May 18
Colorado hospital tax to help cover uninsured - May 18
Renamed organization gathers physicians' voices - May 11
Insurers move forward with pay-for-performance - May 11
Illinois clinic settles Medicaid antitrust suit - May 11
Sebelius confirmed as HHS chief - May 4
Americans fear loss of medical privacy - May 4
Medicare halts portion of EHR bonus demo - April 27
States still facing big budget shortfalls - April 27
Uninsured population skyrockets in North Carolina - April 27
Emergency bid to halt San Francisco health spending mandate fails - April 20
AMA releases guidance on FTC "red flag" rules - April 20
Physician pay could drop 6.8% under national public health plan, report says - April 13
Obama picks assistant HHS chief - April 6
Nursing homes to see Medicare P4P - April 6
National health IT chief named - March 30
Members named to federal comparative effectiveness council - March 30
Researchers urge 7% boost to NIH budget - March 30
Employers support nonpayment for "never events" - March 23
Okla. House adopts basic insurance bill - March 23
Medicare to pay for sleep apnea tests - March 16
Obama nominates Kansas governor for HHS secretary - March 9
WellCare's Medicare plans to halt enrollment, marketing - March 9
New York, Utah physicians fight for liability protections - March 9
San Francisco uninsured program expands - March 2
New HRSA chief to oversee community health centers - March 2
Medicare expands bariatric surgery coverage - March 2
CMS against covering virtual colonoscopies - Feb. 23
Number of uninsured rises in Pa. - Feb. 16
Daschle withdraws as HHS nominee - Feb. 9
Senate bill would expand senior care training - Feb. 2
Physicians defend San Francisco universal access program - Jan. 26
Obama names HHS deputy secretary - Jan. 19
Pallone keeps House health panel chair - Jan. 19
Wis. physicians rebuffed in effort to stop raid on liability fund - Jan. 19
Survey rates Medicare contractors - Jan. 12
FPs seek more training funds - Jan. 12
Abortion conscience rule takes effect Jan. 18 - Jan. 5

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Professional Issues briefs

Organized medicine files brief in juvenile sentencing case - Nov. 23
Substance abuse resources - Nov. 23
NIH awards grants to fund autism research - Nov. 23
Proposed medical school gets donation of tobacco settlement funds - Nov. 16
FDA launches effort aimed at preventing drug errors - Nov. 16
Judge allows challenge to gene patents - Nov. 16
Brain tumors in children impact cognition through adulthood - Nov. 16
Texas reforms highlighted in Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week - Nov. 9
Pilot error cited in medevac crash - Nov. 9
Stem cell fraudster gets suspended jail sentence - Nov. 9
New GME journal launched - Nov. 2
Fla. physician hits $189 million lottery jackpot - Nov. 2
Medical interpreters can get certification - Oct. 26
Video contest for students considering medical school - Oct. 26
Nobel Prize in medicine shared by 3 U.S. scientists for DNA work - Oct. 19
Shingles boosts stroke risk, study says - Oct. 19
Prevalence of autism is rising, according to study - Oct. 12
Doctors not comfortable talking with patient surrogates - Oct. 12
One dose of H1N1 vaccine found effective for children 10 and older - Oct. 5
Trial lawyer ads for liability cases on the rise - Oct. 5
NIH accepting embryonic stem cell line applications - Oct. 5
Former AMA president dies - Sept. 28
Office managers often gatekeepers for drug reps - Sept. 28
N.J. hospitals must disclose "never events" - Sept. 21
CDC funds cancer screenings, prevention of health care-associated infections - Sept. 21
Gene patent suit stirs medical community - Sept. 14
Joint Commission: Hospital CEOs should be judged on safety - Sept. 14
Antimicrobial resistance trials begin - Sept. 14
Tobacco settlement funds misused, Ohio judge rules - Sept. 7
FDA proposes electronic safety reporting - Sept. 7
Teens have easy access to potentially abusive substances - Sept. 7
California liability cap withstands legal threat - Aug. 31
45% of U.S. hospitals ban smoking - Aug. 31
Life expectancy continues upward trend - Aug. 31
Ariz. law gives liability relief for emergency care - Aug. 24
IOM to provide advice for doctors on H1N1 protection - Aug. 24
Costs of noncompliance spur reform call - Aug. 24
Fla. ruling upholds Good Samaritan immunity - Aug. 17
Consumer Reports starts hospital ratings site - Aug. 17
Accuracy of some flu tests questioned - Aug. 17
Blues settlement disbursements sent to physicians - Aug. 10
Two physicians among Medal of Freedom recipients - Aug. 10
Rebuilding health care in New Orleans still seen as a challenge - Aug. 10
Doctors differ on life-support decisions for patients in septic shock - Aug. 3
Idaho high court recognizes negligent credentialing by hospitals - Aug. 3
Simulated emergencies found to offer effective learning tool - Aug. 3
Bill seeks to create health care innovation zones - July 27
AHA honors hospice work - July 27
Groups join forces on medical liability reform - July 20
Strategies seek to boost health care worker flu vaccination rates - July 20
Study shows problems managing test results - July 20
California court mulls criminal drug treatment program - July 13
New Hampshire prescribing data law will not get Supreme Court review - July 13
Texas laws help track vaccination status - July 13
Georgia ruling may lift peer review protections - July 6
Board expands specialties eligible for addiction medicine certification - July 6
Improving health literacy helps diminish disparities - June 29
Elderly patients awaiting kidneys often die before transplant - June 29
New pediatric bioethics center launched - June 29
Calif. medical board withdraws complaint against transplant surgeon - June 22
Dr. Tiller's clinic closed - June 22
Overcrowding is still the norm in EDs, says GAO - June 15
Tort reform leads to better ranking for Illinois medical liability insurer - June 15
Hurricane relief provided to medical students - June 8
Black women may decline breast cancer treatment - June 8
Bill challenging Nevada liability cap defeated - June 1
Oregon weighs measure giving psychologists prescribing rights - June 1
Surgeons group: Medical tourists should check doctors' qualifications - May 25
IRB stung by investigation shuts down - May 25
WellPoint/Anthem class-action settlement set to expire - May 18
Ohio State Medical Assn. launches medical liability blog - May 18
Primary care subject of Connecticut study - May 11
Ethics essay contest offers medical students chance at $5,000 - May 11
Massachusetts physicians lobby for apology protections - May 4
North Carolina hospital wins award for case-management services - May 4
Oklahoma physicians push for liability protections - April 27
State legislatures, medical schools target gifts, financial conflicts - April 20
ABMS adopts changes to certification standards - April 13
Utah doctors win ED liability shields - April 6
CME program offered to internists - April 6
Pitt gets $4.7 million for MRSA control research - March 30
Connecticut grant aims to improve care for minorities - March 23
Texas board announces new leaders - March 16
Discharge help can cut hospital use - March 9
Musicians and singers wanted for VA music group - March 2
Medical school faculty reveal attitudes about diversity - Feb. 23
HHS ramps up message on preventing hospital infections - Feb. 16
Missouri court upholds negligent credentialing claim against hospital - Feb. 9
Device trade group updates ethics code - Feb. 2
Joint Commission remains ASC accrediting agency - Jan. 26
Study ties shorter surgeries to fewer infections - Jan. 19
Cleveland Clinic surgeons perform first face transplant in the U.S. - Jan. 12
Scope of practice dispute can proceed, Texas court rules - Jan. 5

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Business briefs

Consultants' report finds CareFirst reserves not excessive - Nov. 23
Public hearing scheduled to consider Coventry purchase of Kansas plan - Nov. 23
MinuteClinic signs agreement with hospital chain - Nov. 23
CMS lifts sanctions; WellCare selling Medicare policies again - Nov. 16
Aetna fined for violating insurance laws in Arizona - Nov. 16
Growth in hospital employee compensation slows - Nov. 16
New group expresses interest in EMR certification - Nov. 16
HIMSS and medical banking project combine resources - Nov. 9
Number of government hospital, health employees increases - Nov. 9
Health plan will reimburse physicians for online patient communications - Nov. 2
Health Net introduces Medicare Advantage plan for Hispanic seniors - Nov. 2
Mass. governor urges reforms for small business insurance market - Nov. 2
Medical care costs outpace overall inflation rate - Oct. 26
Former government health tech chief joins open-source consortium - Oct. 26
Health information organization unveils patient bill of rights - Oct. 19
Number of physicians using e-prescribing expected to double - Oct. 19
N.D. Blues plan settles marketing, contracting violation claims - Oct. 19
WellPoint cuts worker health benefits - Oct. 19
Extortion attempt against Express Scripts confirmed - Oct. 12
Decision over CareFirst reserves delayed - Oct. 12
Mass layoffs in health care industry decrease - Oct. 5
Dell acquires Perot Systems - Oct. 5
Oregon judge finds Regence rate hike approval followed the law - Oct. 5
Large disease-management firm files for bankruptcy - Sept. 28
Calif. upgrades Rx monitoring to high-tech database - Sept. 28
Web site aims to standardize newborn screenings - Sept. 28
California lawmakers pass bill limiting rescissions; veto possible - Sept. 21
Pharmacists asking for change to new HIPAA rules - Sept. 21
WellCare pays $120,000 penalty for exceeding limits for campaign donations in Florida - Sept. 14
Health info group awarded money to help build national health information exchange - Sept. 14
WebMD forms HSA partnership - Sept. 7
United discounts some drug co-pays - Sept. 7
Aetna stops paying for some "never events" - Sept. 7
Congressional panels ask insurers for more information on executive pay - Aug. 31
Dossia welcomes prominent new member - Aug. 31
Insurance commissioners examining rescissions - Aug. 31
Online search for insurance coverage spikes - Aug. 24
Health sector employment continues to grow slowly - Aug. 24
HIMSS launches online clinical decision support tool - Aug. 24
Billions spent annually on complementary, alternative therapies - Aug. 17
Maine's health information exchange will soon go live - Aug. 17
Calif. regulators try to rein in medical discount card firms - Aug. 10
N.D., S.D. health systems to merge - Aug. 10
Aetna to buy employee assistance business for $70 million - Aug. 10
Military service members and families in Hawaii will get access to e-visits - Aug. 10
S.C. medical home pilot for patients with diabetes under way with Blues support - Aug. 3
New hospital company forms - Aug. 3
Michigan lawmakers consider insurance market reforms - July 27
AMIA calls for change in certification process - July 27
Hybrid concierge support company signs 100th practice - July 27
New mobile tool checks OTC drug interactions - July 20
MGMA posts business tips for doctors - July 20
HSAs become more popular - July 13
University of Miami, Microsoft test remote diabetes management tools - July 13
Florida approves drug monitoring program - July 6
MGMA releases report on physician relocations - July 6
Lawmakers propose further review of N.J. Blues conversion - July 6
Scrushy ordered to pay HealthSouth shareholders for alleged fraud - June 29
HITSP tackles clinical research standards - June 29
Coventry sells part of its Medicaid business - June 22
Aetna stock price declines following revised earnings forecast - June 22
Medical tourism gaining appeal - June 15
Indiana hospital temporarily turns patients away after EMR outage - June 15
Antitrust waiting period for WellPoint's NextRx sale expires - June 15
IRS urges small businesses to take advantage of one-time tax breaks - June 8
Cigna freezes pension plan, replaces CFO - June 8
Google asks why people search - June 8
Maryland insurance commissioner orders United to pay $1.5 million - June 8
California issues first fine for patient privacy violations - June 1
Hospital stocks improve; analysts take more positive view of investing - June 1
Partnership to give patients online access to lab results - June 1
Oregon regulators shrink Regence's requested rate increase - May 25
Former WellPoint CFO consulting for Health Net - May 25
More physicians take part in pay-for-performance when incentives grow - May 25
TMA introduces EMR review center - May 18
N.J. Blues plan cuts 253 jobs - May 18
HCA earnings up - May 11
WellPoint buys dental benefits firm - May 11
Cigna offers cost estimator tools - May 4
Maryland fines Coventry for unclear policy - May 4
Walgreens sets e-Rx record - May 4
3 million and counting using Kaiser's PHR - May 4
IBM, Oklahoma school team up for medical homes project - April 27
WellPoint unveils contest parameters - April 27
AMGA survey goes online - April 27
Payer-owned electronic network grows - April 20
AMA updates on Twitter - April 13
Kaiser employees caught snooping at medical records of octuplets' mom - April 13
For-profit Hawaiian hospital system files bankruptcy plan - April 13
Community Health Systems adding hospitals - April 13
Massachusetts Blues sign fourth medical group to capitated contract - April 6
WebMD to launch portal in the UK - April 6
New York insurers seeking doctors for medical home initiative - March 30
More Pennsylvania hospitals feeling economic pain - March 30
Vt. Blues interim CEO made permanent - March 23
Pharmacy company shortens name, unveils e-prescribing resource - March 23
More Pa. hospitals feel economic pain - March 23
CDC asks retailers to promote responsible antibiotic use - March 16
Horizon answers regulators' questions about conversion proposal - March 16
Maryland health network gets push - March 16
Cigna extends phone line hours - March 9
Study: EHRs can test drug efficacy - March 9
Prescribing system links with Wal-Mart - March 2
Cigna offers podcasts - March 2
Consumers not swayed by "top doc" rankings - March 2
Cleveland Clinic strikes deal with MinuteClinic - Feb. 23
Anthem settles with California insurance department over coverage rescissions - Feb. 23
S.C. Blues plan opens retail store - Feb. 16
Calif. retail clinics shutting down - Feb. 9
Judge bars WellPoint's $1,000 offers - Feb. 9
UnitedHealth Group appoints EVP to lead health system reform efforts - Feb. 2
Blue Shield of California reinstates members in settlement with state - Feb. 2
Michigan Blues warned about undermarketing medigap - Feb. 2
Online doctor visits go live in Hawaii - Jan. 26
Walgreens markets health care to businesses - Jan. 26
AHIC successor has new name - Jan. 19
Text messaging test for diabetes care - Jan. 19
Florida Blues add MinuteClinic - Jan. 19
Grocery chain latest to offer free generic antibiotics - Jan. 12
Doctor-founded urgent care company growing - Jan. 12
WellPoint designated to get members transferred from departing PPO - Jan. 5
Minnesota campaigns for safety-net payment hike - Jan. 5

Last year's news briefs - Back to top

As of Aug. 20, H1N1 flu has been cited in 522 deaths and nearly 8,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. Read more

Health & Science briefs

New tools for cancer survivors - May 4
Task force renews tobacco-cessation recommendations - May 4
Plan B access expanded - May 4
Writer's cramp may have its root in brain abnormalities - April 27
FDA approves rapid influenza test - April 27
Disparities affect longevity - April 20
Guidelines issued on low blood glucose disorders - April 20
Combination therapies more effective in helping patients quit smoking - April 13
Oxycodone relieves shingles pain - April 13
Family history strong indicator of venous thrombosis risk - April 13
Despite shortage of Hib vaccine, CDC urges primary dose for infants - April 6
FDA warns about weight loss products with undeclared drugs - April 6
Most people eat too much salt - April 6
FDA appointees announced - March 30
Admissions of patients with prescription painkiller addiction increase - March 30
Some medicated patches missing warning about use during MRI - March 23
Poor balance a flag for cognitive decline among Alzheimer's patients - March 23
ADHD children may be chronically sleep deprived - March 16
FDA approves new gout medication - March 16
Vitamins may cut risk for vision loss - March 9
Cancer deaths plague African-American community - March 2
Joint replacement in extremely obese possible, but complicated - March 2
FDA panel recommends approval of anticlotting drug - Feb. 23
No increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome after HPV vaccination - Feb. 23
Number of suicides in the military up - Feb. 16
RSV leads large number of children to needed medical care - Feb. 16
Acting director of CDC named - Feb. 9
Antidepressant effectiveness - Feb. 9
More potassium, less sodium reduces cardiovascular risk - Feb. 9
Benefit of genetic testing before blood-thinning therapy studied - Feb. 2
Serious injuries from Tasers rare - Feb. 2
New dietary tool helps Hispanics reduce their diabetes risk - Feb. 2
CDC director resigns - Jan. 26
Study: Blood pressure higher in winter - Jan. 26
Lack of sleep linked to cold resistance - Jan. 26
New HIV test approved - Jan. 19
Cognitive decline associated with adult-onset diabetes starts early - Jan. 19
Antiepileptic drugs get new warnings - Jan. 12
Study explores sleep issues - Jan. 12
FDA top job soon to be vacant - Jan. 5
Secondhand smoke still a health risk for many children - Jan. 5
Defective antibodies from RSV vaccine - Jan. 5

Last year's news briefs - Back to top

159 million people in the U.S. are in the CDC's priority group to receive H1N1 vaccine. Read more

Complete listings » Last year's briefs - Back to top

Vote refines AMA stance on health reform
The AMA House of Delegates rejected attempts to rescind support of a U.S. House health reform bill and any new government-sponsored health insurance plan during the 2009 Interim Meeting.
Story - AMA House - Slideshow