HealthHombre

1/31/08 -- Stark Calls Latest CMS Part D Data "Propaganda," Urges Direct Government Negotiations with Drug Plans

1/31/08 -- Stark Blasts Reported Bush Medicare/Medicaid Cuts, Says Budget Will be DOA

1/31/08 -- Pelosi Calls Reported Budget Cuts in Medicare, Medicaid the "Wrong Medicine"

1/31/08 -- Senate Finance Sets Feb. 6 Hearing on Marketing by Medicare Private Plans

1/31/08 -- Millenson "Health Affairs" Piece Reviews Plain-Spoken, Huckabee-Style Reform

1/31/08 -- Health Policy Confab Calls on Presidential Candidates' Reform Plans to Address Chronic Diseases

1/31/08 -- WS Journal Piece Says Concerns Could Move Statin to Costlier Medicare Drug Plan Tier

1/31/08 -- Quality Up, Costs Down in Premier P4P Demonstration, Analysis Finds

1/31/08 -- WS Journal Commentary Considers Latest Premier Demo Data in Context of Other Recent P4P Studies

1/31/08 -- Over 80 Physicians, Public Health Leaders Sign Letter Saying Individual Mandate Cannot Alone Produce Universal Coverage

1/31/08 -- EBRI Posts Campaign Resource That Includes Materials on Policy Issues Affecting Employee Health Benefits

1/31/08 -- Commonwealth Fund Report Looks at Care-Purchasing Models Represented by States in Their Roles as Employers

1/31/08 -- Humana Releases Revised Jan. 24 Coverage Policies on 15 Interventions

1/31/08 -- Thoracic Surgeons Say Congress "Kicks Can" on Medicare, Urges Grassroots Action to Prevent Physician Payment Cut

1/31/08 -- AHA Says CMS Reverses Stance, Will Now Let Critical Access Hospitals Participate in Quality Reporting Program

1/31/08 -- OIG Releases Report That Provides "Dashboard" for Managing Long-Term Care Quality Issues

1/31/08 -- American College of Physicians Issues "State of Health Care" Report That Calls on Candidates to Support a System That's Second to None

1/31/08 -- American College of Physicians Posts Text of Health Care Pledge it Wants Candidates to Take

1/31/08 -- CBO Report Analyzes Relationship Between Technology and Health Spending Increases, Cites Specific Interventions as Raising Costs

1/31/08 -- CBO Charts Depict Overall Health Cost Trends, Single Out Technology as Largest Contributor to Increases

1/31/08 -- AdvaMed's Ubl, Responding to CBO, Says Answer to Costs is Not to Stifle Innovation But to Focus on True Drivers of Health Spending Increases

1/31/08 -- Senate Budget Panel Posts CBO Director's Statement on Growth in Health Care Costs

1/31/08 -- Senate Budget Committee Posts Transcript of Chairman Conrad's Comments on Growth in Health Care Costs

1/31/08 -- Senate Budget Committee Posts Charts from Hearing on Growth in Health Care Spending

1/31/08 -- Group Releases State-by-State Analysis of Mandatory Insurance Requirements Concerning Benefits, Providers, and Patient Populations

1/31/08 -- Physicians for National Health Insurance Say California Plan Defeated Because Individual Mandates Fundamentally Flawed

1/31/08 -- CMS Says New Data Show Part D's Costs Continue to Fall, With Expenditures Projected to be $117 Billion Less Over 10 Years

1/31/08 -- CMS Releases Files Containing 2007 and 2008 Part D Enrollment Information

1/31/08 -- Kaiser Foundation Post New Information on Medicare Part D Plans' Formularies

1/31/08 -- Kaiser Foundation Releases New Data on Part D Plans' Utilization Management Restrictions

1/31/08 -- PCMA Hails New CMS, Kaiser Foundation Data on Part D, Says They Show Drug Plans Cutting Costs While Maintaining Access to Generic, Brand-Name Medications

1/31/08 -- AHRQ Statistical Brief Ranks Top 5 Classes of Outpatient Drugs by Levels of Total Household Expense

1/31/08 -- Group Releases Toolkit for Conducting Community Health Assessments

1/31/08 -- Poll Shows 76% of American Think Next President Can Influence Health Costs (a Smaller Percentage Than Think the Next President Can Influence Taxes, Deficit, and View of America in the World) 

1/31/08 -- Pear NY Times Article Reports Big Bush Budget Cuts to be Focused on Medicare, With Hospitals and Other Providers Slated for Largest Hits

1/31/08 -- Washington Post Piece Says Failure of California Plan Means Health Reform Efforts Return to National Stage

1/31/08 -- WS Journal Op-Ed Labels Insurance Mandate for Individuals "CoerciveCare"

1/31/08 -- BLS Data Show Employer Benefit Costs Up .9% for December, Registering Slight Increase in Rate of Growth

1/31/08 -- New Employer-Backed "Medical Home" Program to Make Physicians Eligible for Bonuses of Up to $100,000

1/31/08 -- Article Reports Effort to Pay Sizable Bonuses to Physicians Who Create "Medical Homes" for Patients

1/31/08 -- Study Finds That Patients at Top-Rated Hospitals Nearly One-Third Less Likely to Die

1/31/08 -- Economic Cycles Contribute to Instability of State Health Programs, New Issue Brief Says

1/31/08 -- Piece Looks a Comparative Health Quality, Cost Data Across 9 European Countries

1/30/08 -- AHA Says CMS Reverses Previous Denial of Full FY 2008 IPPS Update to 49 Hospitals, Determines They Satisfied Quality Reporting Requirements After All

1/30/08 -- AHRQ Statistical Brief Shows Rising Number of Hospitalizations for Epilepsy or Convulsions

1/30/08 -- AAHomeCare Posts 2-Pager in Support of Legislation to Change DMEPOS Competitive Bidding

1/30/08 -- CMS Proposes Not to Expand Medicare Colorectal Cancer Screening Benefit to Include DNA Stool Test

1/30/08 -- Poll Finds Over 90% of Oncologists, Hematologists Report Adverse Patient Events Within 90 Days After Implementation of Medicare National Coverage Decision on ESAs

1/30/08 -- Senate Finance Committee Posts Statements from Hearing on Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service Plans

1/30/08 -- Kaiser Foundation Releases Analysis of Value of Extra Benefits Offered by Medicare Advantage Plans

1/30/08 -- AHCA Urges Support for Rockefeller Effort to Insert Medicaid Changes into Economic Stimulus Package

1/30/08 -- Group's Report Says That "If You Like OPEC, You'll Love Certificate of Need"

1/30/08 -- National Business Group on Health Announces Support for Individual Health Insurance Mandate

1/30/08 -- Urban Institute Issue Brief Contends Individual Mandate Essential to Achieving Universal Coverage

1/30/08 -- Group Releases Updated Comparative Analysis of Presidential Candidates' Health Reform Positions

1/30/08 -- Joint Commission Seeks Feedback on Alternative Approach to 2007 National Patient Safety Goal Requirement

1/30/08 -- Joint Commission Seeks Comments on Proposed Changes to Management Requirements for Home Care Equipment

1/30/08 -- CMS Posts Revised Documentation for New Case Mix Grouper Software for Home Health Prospective Payment System

1/30/08 -- Robert Ball, "Father of Medicare," Dies at Age 93

1/30/08 -- CMS Ends Health Support Phase I, Says Program Not Meeting Statutory Goals

1/30/08 -- Article Reports Suit by Clinical Labs to Block Medicare Demonstration on Competitive Bidding

1/30/08 -- AHRQ Sets Sessions of Scientific Peer Review Groups on Quality and Effectiveness, New Technology, Other Areas

1/30/08 -- Article Provides Preview of Today's Senate Finance Hearing on MA Private Fee-for-Service Plans

1/30/08 -- WS Journal Piece Says Failure of California Health Plan Shows Costs a National Force That States Can Little Affect

1/30/08 -- Article Says Demise of California Plan Could Require Presidential Candidates to Be More Specific on Health Care Proposals

1/30/08 -- Article Sizes Up This Year's Expected Congressional Debate on Medicare

1/29/08 -- Health Care Goes to the (French) Movies:   "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"

1/29/08 -- Group's Analysis Shows Comparison of Presidential Candidates' Health Reform Plans "At a Glance"

1/29/08 -- Energy and Commerce Health Panel Posts Statements from Hearing on Health Insurance for Children

1/29/08 -- Kaiser Foundation Releases Materials on States' Efforts to Expand Insurance Coverage for Children

1/29/08 -- Report Reviews Barriers to Health Access for Minority Children, Changes Over Last 20 Years

1/29/08 -- Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Says New Study Validates Value of Medication Therapy Management

1/29/08 -- In Wake of State of Union Address, Long-Term Care Groups Urge Action on Post-Acute Payment Reform

1/29/08 -- Gingrich to Bush:  Overrule Your Budget Office so That True Investments in Health Care Can be Made

1/29/08 -- Comptroller General's Senate Budget Panel Testimony Singles Out Health Costs as Top Challenge in Addressing Longer-Term Fiscal Issues

1/29/08 -- Conrad Releases Charts from Senate Budget Committee Hearing on Longer-Term Budgetary Challenges

1/29/08 -- State Group Releases Comments on Proposed Rule to Change Procedures for Departmental Appeals Board

1/29/08 -- Consumer Group Says Bush State of Union Speech Shows "Corporate Greed at the Expense of Seniors"

1/29/08 -- Emergency Physicians Criticize State of Union Address for Lack of Health Focus

1/29/08 -- CDC Data Show Asian Americans More Likely to be Uninsured

1/29/08 -- Medical Device Sector Likely to Beat Growth Projections in '08, Analysis Says

1/29/08 -- AP Reproduces Text of Bush State of Union Address, Including Health Care Remarks

1/29/08 -- WS Journal Piece Says That While Bush Spoke Only 159 Words on Health Care in State of Union Address, They Packed a Punch

1/29/08 -- Op-Ed Says GOP Ideas on Health Reform are "Big and Transformative"

1/29/08 -- Health Affairs Analysis Says 39 States Have Acted on Some Aspect of Health Care Access Since 2006

1/29/08 -- WS Journal Reports on Growing Number of Employers Providing Cash Contributions in Lieu of Health Insurance

1/29/08 -- Responding to Bush State of Union, Baucus Pledges "Aggressive" Hearings to Lay Groundwork for Comprehensive Health Reform

1/29/08 -- AARP Response to State of Union Says Comparative Effectiveness Legislation, Other Health Care Goals Achievable in 2008

1/29/08 -- New Board Game Simulates ER Conditions, Serves as Training Tool in Managing Scarce Resources

1/29/08 -- Poll Finds 77% of Small Employers Don't Offer Health Insurance to Workers

1/28/08 -- Commentary Says Insurers Measuring "Unconnected Minutiae" That Don't Add Up to Quality

1/28/08 -- NFIB Supports Bush State-of-Union Call for Health Care Reform

1/28/09 -- Group Posts Materials from Orszag Session on Cost-Quality Tension

1/28/08 -- Kaiser Foundation Releases Updated State-by-State Data on Number of Nursing Home Residents

1/28/08 -- Kaiser Foundation Releases Updated State-by-State Data on Number of Physicians

1/28/08 -- CMS Release Summarizes Proposed Rule on New Standards for DMEPOS Suppliers

1/28/08 -- African Americans More Likely Than Whites to Leave Hospices to Search for Life-Prolonging Treatments, Says Study

1/28/08 -- Study Finds Disconnect Between Medicare Population and Participants in the Cardiovascular Trials That CMS Relies on to Make National Coverage Determinations

1/28/08 -- Study Finds That Growing Prevalence of Diabetes Among Elderly is Fanning Cost Flames

1/28/08 -- American Nurses Association Endorses Clinton

1/28/08 -- National Health Policy Forum Posts Primer for Policymakers on Reimbursement, Other Aspects of Pharmacogenomics

1/28/08 -- Commonwealth Fund Survey of Health Leaders Finds Broad Support for Reforms That Rely on Blend of Public-Private Insurance

1/28/08 -- AAHomeCare-Commissioned Poll Shows Large Majority of Voters Support Better Coverage of Home Technologies

1/28/08 -- Study Finds Each 1% Increase in Medicare HMO Penetration Cuts Fee-for-Service Expenditures by .9%

1/28/08 -- CMS Posts Updated ASP Drug Pricing File (Dated 1/7/2008)

1/28/08 -- Piece Urges Bold Bush Health Plan, Reviews Relationship of Tax Policy to Cost Effects of New Technologies

1/28/08 -- Editorial Says Canada Perpetuates Problems by Clinging to Outdated Health System

1/28/08 -- Article Reports on New Web Site That Offers Online Market for Health Services

1/28/08 -- Article Reports Growing Use of Efficiency Experts to Cut Hospital Costs

1/28/08 -- CMS Files Emergency Paperwork Act Notice on Quality Measure for 2009 IPPS

1/28/08 -- CMS Federal Register Notice Seeks Nominations for MedCAC

1/28/08 -- Practicing Physicians Advisory Council March Agenda to Include Quality Measures, Recovery Audit Contractors

1/28/08 -- CMS Files Paperwork Act Notices on MA Disease Management Programs, Other Topics

1/26/08 -- "The Hill" Reports McCain Pledge to Scale Back Medicare Rx Drug Benefit Causes Few Ripples in Florida

1/26/08 -- WS Journal Piece Reviews Controversy Surrounding Medicare's Use of Recovery Audit Contractors

1/26/08 -- NY Times Reports Discrepancy Between Edwards Statements, Web Site in Describing Details of Health Plan

1/26/08 -- Article Reports on Effort to Require Insurers to Lift Lifetime Health-Cost Caps

1/25/08 -- Report Says U.K.'s NICE, in a Change, Decides to Keep Reimbursing Drug-Coated Stents

1/25/08 -- CMS Posting of "Other Codes" Effective April 1 Addresses HCPCS for Albuterol/Levalbuterol, Certain DMEPOS Competitive Bid Items, Other Services

1/25/08 -- CMS Releases Updated January 2008 ASP Drug Pricing File

1/25/08 -- Study Finds Medication Therapy Management Program Produced Clinical, Economic Benefits

1/25/08 -- Senate Budget Panel Sets January 31 Hearing on Sources of Growth in Health Spending

1/25/08 -- Analysis Addresses Interim DRA Regs for Medicaid Demo on Targeted Case Management Services

1/25/08 -- National Community Pharmacists Association Expresses Caution on Wal-Mart's Entry into PBM Industry

1/25/08 -- CMS Posts Fact Sheet on Proposed Rule on 2009 Payments for Long-Term Care Hospitals

1/25/08 -- CMS Transmittal Conveys Claims-Processing Instructions for Acute Care Episode Demonstration

1/25/08 -- CMS Transmittal Requires Contractors to Remind Suppliers to File Tax Forms

1/25/08 -- AHRQ Report Looks at Creating Race-Ethnicity Codes, Socioeconomic-Status Indicators

1/25/08 -- 80 Groups Urge Congressional Leaders to Include Medicaid in Economic Stimulus Package

1/25/08 -- CBO Document Summarizes Medicaid, Other Economic Stimulus Options

1/25/08 -- Kaiser Materials Examine Economic-Stimulus Role of Medicaid in 2003 Downturn

1/25/08 -- Kaiser Foundation Issue Brief Raises Questions About Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plans

1/25/08 -- IOM Schedules McClellan-Led Panel Discussion on Comparative Effectiveness

1/25/08 -- Report Says Candidates' Health Reform Plans Can't Work Without More Physicians and Nurses

1/25/08 -- In Endorsing Clinton, NY Times Says She's Learned Lessons on Health Care

1/25/08 -- WS Journal Article Says Democratic Presidential Candidates Must Walk Fine Line on Single-Payer Health System

1/25/08 -- NY Times Reports Edwards Sanguine About Possibility That His Plan Would Morph into a Canadian-Style System

1/25/08 -- NY Times Posts Summaries of Presidential Candidates' Health Care Positions

1/25/08 -- CMS Proposed Rule Would Alter, Clarify Standards for DMEPOS Suppliers

1/25/08 -- True Patient Involvement in Care May Lead to Rejection of Guideline-Based Services, Analysis Says

1/25/08 -- Study Explores a Patient's "Self-Rated" Health as a New Quality Indicator

1/25/08 -- Post Offers Glimpse of What Google May Have in Mind for Health Care

1/25/08 -- Report Says Mayo Clinic Entering Retail Health Care Business

1/24/08 -- Anthem Posts 20 Revised Medical Policies Scheduled to Become Effective in Late January

1/24/08 -- Anthem Posts 10 Revised Utilization Management Policies That Will Take Effect in Late January

1/24/08 -- National Governors Association Includes Medicaid in Proposals for Economic Stimulus

1/24/08 -- AHA Statement to Senate Finance Committee Calls for Including Medicaid in Economic Stimulus Package

1/24/08 -- Citing "Urgent" Need, IOM Recommends that Congress Establish a Single National Program to Assess Clinical Effectiveness of Health Services

1/24/08 -- RW Johnson Foundation Voices Strong Support for IOM's Recommendation of a New National Program for Assessing the Clinical Effectiveness of Health Services

1/24/08 -- AHIP Lauds IOM Report Calling for National Capability for Assessing Health Services, Says Such a Step Would Help "Allocate Resources"

1/24/08 -- ADA Estimates 2007 Costs of Diabetes at $174 Billion

1/24/08 -- AHRQ Releases Paper on New Statistical Methods for Performing Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

1/24/08 -- In Letter to Weems, Baucus and Grassley Outline Suggestions for Expanding Physician Quality Reporting Program

1/24/08 -- AHRQ Data Table Provides Expenditures for Major Diseases by Site of Care

1/24/08 -- AHRQ Posts Report from Conference on Assessing the Quality of Diabetes Care

1/24/08 -- AHRQ Releases New Fact Sheet on CERTs Program

1/24/08 -- Piece Assesses Relationship of Medical Resource Policies to Expansion of Health Insurance Coverage

1/24/08 -- Health Services Research Coalition Posts 2008 Policy Priorities

1/24/08 -- In Advance of State of Union, AMA Releases Message on State of Health Care

1/24/08 -- Newly Posted Joint Commission Document Summarizes "Early Survey" Policy

1/24/08 -- Piece Provides Detailed Analysis of McCain Health Care Reform Proposal

1/24/08 -- CMS Posts Presentation on Minimum Data Set 3.0 for Assessing SNF Services

1/24/08 -- Commonwealth Fund Posts Package of Materials on Patient-Centered Medical Homes

1/24/08 -- Senate Finance Releases Text of Baucus Letter to Attorney General on Ashcroft Contract to Monitor Medicare Settlement

1/24/08 -- House Small Business Committee Posts Statements from Hearing on Health Insurance Issues Facing Small Companies

1/24/08 -- Article Focuses on Practice in Health Plans of Offering Financial Incentives to Physicians for Prescribing Generics

1/24/08 -- Piece Says Some Employers Giving Workers Cash to Buy Own Health Insurance

1/24/08 -- WS Journal Reports Wal-Mart to Enter Pharmacy-Benefits Management Business

1/24/08 -- OIG Federal Register Notice Seeks Recommendations for Revising Compliance Program Guidance for Nursing Homes

1/24/08 -- Article Reports Moody's Projection that Nonprofit Hospitals Fine for 2008, But Could Face Challenging 2009 and 2010

1/23/08 -- Blues Release 5-Point Health Plan That Leads with Institute to Carry Out Comparative Effectiveness Research

1/23/08 -- Senate Finance Committee Hearing to Afford "Closer Look" at MA Private Fee-for-Service Plans

1/23/08 -- Foreseeing "Watershed Year for the DME Industry," Home Care Groups Coalesce to Mount Grassroots Campaign

1/23/08 -- NE Journal of Medicine Analysis Looks at Exaggeration of Health System's Demise

1/23/08 -- NEJ of Medicine Study of Mammography Use in Medicare Says Co-Pays May Discourage Needed Services

1/23/08 -- NEJ of Medicine Analysis Uses Opinion Survey Data to Evaluate Health Care's Role in Presidential Primaries, Tease Out Preferences of Dem, GOP Voters

1/23/08 -- CBO Director's House Testimony Notes Prominent Role of Health Costs in Nation's Economic and Budget Outlook

1/23/08 -- CBO Posts Director's Charts on Medicare, Other Aspects of Nation's Economic and Budget Outlook

1/23/08 -- GAO Report Cites Health Costs as Factor Helping Drive Fiscal Challenges for State and Local Governments

1/23/08 -- Medicaid Leads List of Programs with Improper Payments, With Medicare Not Far Behind, Says GAO Report

1/23/08 -- Newsweek Review of Next President's Agenda Calls Health Care a System "On Life Support"

1/23/08 -- AHRQ Working Paper Estimates Direct Cost of Diabetes at $79 - $89 Billion

1/23/08 -- AHRQ Releases List of 10 Most Expensive Medical Conditions

1/23/08 -- CMS Document Summarizes Use of New HCPCS Modifiers When Billing for Patient Care in Clinical Research Studies

1/23/08 -- CMS Document Summarizes Rules for Use of 8-Digit Identifier on Claims to Indicate Registration of Studies at ClinicalTrials.gov

1/23/08 -- CMS Document Summarizes Hospital Discharge Status Codes and Transfer Policies

1/23/08 -- House Small Business Committee Posts Chair's Statement on Health Care Insurance Challenges Facing Small Companies

1/23/08 -- Group Representing State Medicaid Directors Posts Updated Chart on Proposed Rules That Would Affect Their Programs

1/23/08 -- Rand Study Suggests New Model for Drug Purchases:  Patients Would Pay a Yearly Licensing Fee

1/23/08 -- CMS Posts 2009 Applications for PDPs, MA-PDs, and Other Rx Drug Plans

1/23/08 -- Group Releases Guide for Voters on Issues Concerning Chronic Disease

1/23/08 -- CMS Posts OPPS File Containing Diagnostic Radiopharmaceutical and Nuclear Medicine HCPCS Code Edits

1/23/08 -- WS Journal Piece Says More Sizable Government Share of Drug Revenue Forms Backdrop to Growing List of Industry Challenges

1/23/08 -- Greater Health Care Openness Could Speed Research into Practice, Build Economic Strength, New CED Report Finds

1/23/08 -- Article Reviews Bidding for Today's House Attempt to Override Bush SCHIP Veto

1/23/08 -- Piece Reports California Follows New York in Launching Web Site to Provide Consumers with Information on Hospital Discounts

1/22/08 -- Article in "The Hill" Says Clinton Trying to Paint Obama as a Flip-Flopper on Health Issues

1/22/08 -- Group Posts Materials from Session on Lessons Learned During Early-90s Health Reform Debates

1/22/08 -- URAC Seeks Comments on 3 New Pharmacy Accreditation Programs

1/22/08 -- CMS Proposes 2.6% Payment Update, Related Policy Changes for Long-Term Care Hospitals

1/22/08 -- JAMA Article Questions Premise That There's a Physician Shortage, Says More Docs Would Simply Drive Demand for New Resources

1/22/08 -- JAMA Article Says a Physician's Core Knowledge is Essential to Executing on Quality Improvement

1/22/08 -- Ginsburg Piece Cautions That Health Spending Projections Must Factor in Likely Lobbying Uptick to "Protect Existing Distortions"

1/22/08 -- AAHomeCare Reports Hill Aides Say DME at Top of List for Medicare Cuts This Year

1/22/08 -- Health Lobbyist Bromberg Establishes Foundation to Purchase Insurance Coverage for Low-Income Individuals

1/22/08 -- CBO Director's Testimony on Fiscal Stimulus Package Notes Medicaid Option

1/22/08 -- The Leapfrog Group Announces Leah Binder as New CEO

1/22/08 -- Energy & Commerce Committee Letter to CMS Requests Medicare, Medicaid Spending Data on Cholesterol Drug

1/22/08 -- AHRQ Posts Updated Description, Roster for National Advisory Committee

1/22/08 -- Analysis:  Medicare's Clinical Research Policy . . . Another Shoe Dropping?

1/22/08 -- WS Journal Article Focuses on High-Cost Care for Elderly and "Negative Inheritance" for Their Children

1/22/08 -- IOM Forum on Colorectal Cancer Screening to Include Attention to Evidence on Effectiveness, Cost Effectiveness

1/22/08 -- AHRQ Files Information Collection Notice on Emergency Room Severity Index

1/22/08 -- Article Examines Relationship Between Illegal Immigrants and Health Care Costs

1/22/08 -- Commentary Calls Single-Payer Remedy "Worse Than the Disease"

1/22/08 -- Piece Reports on Study That Surveys Effects on Costs of Aging Populations Around World

1/21/08 -- Report Forecasts Challenging Year Ahead for Health Insurers

1/21/08 -- LA Time Article Says That Lost in Presidential Campaign is Fact That All Major Democratic Contenders Support Making Medicare Available to Non-Elderly

1/21/08 -- Article Says New Health Index Shows Canadian Care Doesn't Stack up to That in Europe

1/21/08 -- Fact Sheet Lays Out Deadlines for DMEPOS Suppliers to Secure Accreditation

1/20/08 -- Piece Forecasts Divisive Year as Administration, Congress Tussle on Health Issues

1/20/08 -- LA Times Commentary Recounts Case of Coverage Denial, Questions Qualifications of Insurer's Medical Director

1/19/08 -- NY Times Editorial Decries Emergency Room Delays, Says Answer Lies in Ensuring Adequate Health Insurance

1/18/08 -- CMS Releases Listing of Latest Enforcement Actions Against MA Plans, PDPs

1/18/08 -- MDMA 2008 Policy Agenda Includes Attention to Coverage with Evidence Development, Hospital Charge Compression, and Coding Transparency

1/18/08 -- OIG Posting Provides Examples of Recent Criminal Enforcement Actions

1/18/08 -- Joint Commission Posts Hospital Medical Record Statistics Form

1/18/08 -- AHA Says CMS to Make Correction in Scores Computed on Hospital Quality Data

1/18/08 -- Article Identifies 5 Trends Emerging in Detroit-Area Hospitals

1/18/08 -- National Conference of State Legislatures Asks Congressional Leaders to Include Medicaid in Economic Stimulus Package

1/18/08 -- Report Says Cleveland Clinic is Considering Building a Hospital in Shanghai

1/18/08 -- Group Releases Records from Early 1990s Clinton Health Reform Effort, Says They Show Discussion of a Politically Tinged "Interest Group Database"

1/18/08 -- Long-Term Care Groups Call for Inclusion of Higher Federal Medicaid Match in Economic Stimulus Package

1/18/08 -- Commentary Says Including Higher Federal Medicaid Match in Economic Stimulus Package Would be a "Bad Idea"

1/18/08 -- Joint Economic Committee Vice Chair Says New Report on Economic Conditions Shows Importance of Overriding President's SCHIP Veto

1/18/08 -- Joint Economic Committee Report Says Worsening Economic Conditions Will Increase Demand for SCHIP Enrollment

1/18/08 -- Medicare Transmittal Updates Outpatient Claims Processing to Reflect Legislative Changes on Brachytherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals

1/18/08 -- CMS Posts Transmittal Updating Medicare OPPS for First Quarter

1/18/08 -- Medicare Says Current HCPCS Modifiers for Clinical Research "Not Being Used as Intended," So Puts Out Transmittal That Implements a New Set

1/18/08 -- Medicare Transmittal Establishes Voluntary Use of New 8-Digit Code to Signify Registration of a Clinical Trial in NIH Database

1/18/08 -- Medicare Transmittal Conveys Changes to State Operations Manual Concerning Certification Process for Critical Access Hospitals

1/18/08 -- Medicare Transmittal Clarifies Billing for Bone Mass Measurement

1/18/08 -- Medicare Transmittal Adds More "C" Drug Codes Payable in ASCs

1/18/08 -- Medicare Transmits Program Integrity Manual Revisions Concerning Change of Ownership for Certain Types of Facilities

1/18/08 -- Medicare Transmittal Revises Instructions on Compliance Standards for Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities

1/18/08 -- National Business Coalition on Health Makes Awards for Projects to Improve Quality of Diabetes Care

1/18/08 -- DME PSCs Post Listing of 2008 HCPCS Level II Codes

1/18/08 -- Group Reviews Comparative European Data, Concludes UK National Health System "Killing Thousands"

1/18/08 -- Medicare Quality, Severity Adjustments Could Present New Financial Challenges for Hospitals, Story Reports

1/18/08 -- Article Says Importance of Health Care in Nevada Could Sway Caucuses

1/18/08 -- Piece Reports Minnesota Health System Bans Logos for Pharmaceuticals

1/18/08 -- CMS Interim Final Rule Aimed at Putting Revisit User Fees for Certain Medicare Surveys into Accord with Continuing Resolution

1/18/08 -- CMS Files Paperwork Notices on Information Collections for Hospital Conditions of Participation

1/18/08 -- CMS Files Paperwork Notice on Information Collection Concerning Granting, Withdrawal of Deeming Authority

1/18/08 -- "The Hill" Reports Kuhn Remarks That Suppliers Showing Strong Interest in DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program

1/18/08 -- AHRQ Releases Statistical Brief on Medical Expenditures of Non-Elderly by Age and Insurance Status

1/18/08 -- Federation Releases Materials on Responses to Joint Commission's Medical Staff Standard

1/18/08 -- CMS Posts 2008 Meeting Dates for Practicing Physicians Advisory Council

1/18/08 -- Goldsmith Piece, Offering Dissenting View, Says Health Spending Growth Will Continue to Moderate

1/18/08 -- Mathematica Issue Brief Says Medicaid Buy-In Participants May Not be Taking Full Advantage of Work Incentive Opportunities

1/18/08 -- Group Posts Jan. 14 Update to Document Comparing Presidential Candidates' Health Reform Proposals

1/18/08 -- CMS Releases Draft 3.0 Version of Minimum Data Set for Nursing Homes

1/18/08 -- CMS Posts Summary of Draft 3.0 Version of Minimum Data Set for Nursing Homes

1/18/08 -- CMS Timeline Shows Schedule for Implementing New 3.0 Version of Minimum Data Set for Nursing Homes

1/18/08 -- Group Releases Updated Toolkit for Collecting Disparities-Related Information

1/18/08 -- Article Says New Blues Program Allows Members to See Average Prices Paid for Health Services

1/18/08 -- Bernanke, in Hill Testimony, Notes Recent Acceleration in Prices for Health Care Services

1/18/08 -- Study Finds Prolonged Wait Times for Medical Care Caused Widescale Damage to Canadian Health System

1/17/08 -- Health Care Reform High on Voters' List of Types of Change They Want, Gallup Poll Finds

1/17/08 -- NE Journal of Medicine Reviews Book on Genetic Medicine and "the Comparative Politics of Health Care"

1/17/08 -- Fed's Beige Book Finds "Robust Demand" for Health Care Services

1/17/08 -- CMS Posts Draft 2009 Combined "Call Letter" for MA Plans, PDPs

1/17/08 -- CMS Releases Materials on OPPS Code Modifiers Associated with Credits for Replacement Devices

1/17/08 -- CMS Releases Materials from December 3 Session of Practicing Physicians Advisory Council

1/17/08 -- American College of Physicians Announces Guidelines on Certain Palliative Care Services at End of Life

1/17/08 -- Medicare Releases Transmittal on Implementation of NCD for ESAs

1/17/08 -- Medicare Transmittal Details Use of Modifiers for Certain ESA Claims

1/17/08 -- Medicare Transmittal on Outpatient Therapy Caps Addresses Dollar Limits, Exceptions

1/17/08 -- Medicare Transmittal Conveys Revisions to Model Redetermination Notice

1/17/08 -- Report Says AFL-CIO Launches Major Online Survey to Query Americans About Health Care Views

1/17/08 -- House Energy and Commerce Panel Posts Statements from Hearing on Role of Medicaid in Helping Disabled Americans

1/17/08 -- Dingell Statement on Medicaid Long-Term Care Program Says Administration is Trying to Hold Back Progressive States

1/17/08 -- Obama Statement Supports Legislation to Provide More Care Choices for Disabled Medicaid Beneficiaries

1/17/08 -- Groups Laud House Hearing, Say Medicaid Funds Should Not be Diverted from Long-Term Care Benefit to Optional Programs

1/17/08 -- Study Finds "Head Cooling" Procedure for Infants is "Economically Desirable Intervention"

1/17/08 -- AHRQ's Clancy Posts Commentary on What to Ask Before Surgery

1/16/08 -- BLS Reports Medical CPI Up .3% in December, with 5.2% Rise for Calendar 2007 the Largest Annual Jump Since 1993

1/16/08 -- NY Times Editorial Board Reiterates CBO Theme That True Driver of Health Costs is New Technology, Says Comparative Effectiveness is Part of Answer

1/16/08 -- WS Journal Article Reports Potential Legal Vulnerabilities in Employer Wellness Programs

1/16/08 -- New AHRQ Guide Aims to Help Health Care Purchasers Deploy Consumer Financial Incentives

1/16/08 -- CMS Opens National Coverage Review of Thermal Intradiscal Therapy

1/16/08 -- Joint Commission Posts Draft 2009 National Patient Safety Goals, Seeks Comments on Same

1/16/08 -- CBO Releases Cost Estimate for Bill to Grant Independent Pharmacies Antitrust Exemption for Negotiations with Health Plans

1/16/08 -- PCMA Says CBO Analysis of Bill Granting Antitrust Exemption to Pharmacies Shows Increased Health Costs

1/16/08 -- Study Finds Group Visits Significantly Cut Charges for Outpatient Diabetes Care

1/16/08 -- Congressional Leaders Write Leavitt to Oppose Administration Changes in Kid-Care Policies Under Medicaid, SCHIP

1/16/08 -- Energy & Commerce Health Panel Releases Witness List for Hearing on Medicaid Role in Helping Families with Disabilities

1/16/08 -- Group Releases Report on Disparities Implications of "Geneticizing" Disease

1/16/08 -- WS Journal Piece Reports on New Aetna, Wellpoint Policies on Not Paying for "Never Events"

1/16/08 -- AHIP Says That in Light of Congressional Scrutiny it Will Offer Training on Marketing of Medicare Advantage and Part D Drug Plans

1/16/08 -- Long-Term Care Groups Release Plan for Restructuring System for Post-Acute Services

1/16/08 -- Long-Term Care Groups Post Executive Summary of Plan for Restructuring Post-Acute Services

1/16/08 -- Poll of Swing Districts Shows Voter Opposition to Medicare Nursing Home Cuts, Long-Term Care Alliance Says