Industry News and Information

Kaiser Health News

Pelosi: A 'Climactic Health Care Vote' As Early As Next Week

12 March 2010, 7:20 pm

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signaled Friday that votes on a health care overhaul could come by the end of next week after President Obama postponed until March 21 an overseas trip.


Democrats' Health Bill Plans Could Hinge On Parliamentarian's Ruling

12 March 2010, 6:52 pm

The Democrats' plan for passing the health overhaul faced questions when the Senate parliamentarian said President Obama must first sign into law the Senate-passed health bill before senators could co...


Democrats Look For Consensus On Final Reform Package

12 March 2010, 3:52 pm

Democrats Thursday looked for a way forward on health reform legislation as colleagues in the House questioned cost and provisions in the bill before considering their support for the measure.


Biggest Medicare Drug Plans Raise Prices 10 Percent On Average

12 March 2010, 3:32 pm

A spike in prices charged by the largest Medicare drug plans raises a question about the impact regulated health insurance marketplaces would have on prices.


Political Cartoon: 'Speed The Plow'

12 March 2010, 3:08 pm

KHN's daily installment of health policy humor.


Blog Watch: What Do The Polls Say?

12 March 2010, 3:08 pm

There's little consensus among bloggers about trends in public opinion toward the health care overhaul bills.


Research Roundup: Evaluating Health Bills, Attitudes About Uninsured, Improving Emergency Rooms

12 March 2010, 3:02 pm

This week's research roundup has studies and briefs from Health Affairs, the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, among others.


Montana Gov. Seeks To Buy State's Prescription Drugs From Canada; Settlement Reached For Ground Zero Workers

12 March 2010, 2:51 pm

News outlets report on health policy developments in Montana, New York and Utah.


GovHealthIT.com

HHS group proposes national EHR safety database

12 March 2010, 10:22 pm

Health IT Policy Committee panel suggests ways to check and oversee patient safety problems caused by EHRs.


CCHIT warns certification plan might backfire

12 March 2010, 10:14 pm

Certification commission says administration’s proposed rule on standards could ‘decelerate’ health IT adoption.


States’ roles will shift in new NHIN landscape

11 March 2010, 10:02 pm

In pursuing options for direct information exchange, the Office of the National Coordinator casts states as high-order service providers.


Standards panel: check security on EHR modules

11 March 2010, 6:03 pm

Health IT Standards Committee polishes recommendations for Interim Final Rule on certification and standards.


CMS extends Medicare-Tricare PHR test

11 March 2010, 5:56 pm

A personal health record pilot providing patients access to Medicare and Tricare claims records ‘exceeded expectations,’ sponsors say.


VA working on ‘Aviva’ -- next generation of VistA

10 March 2010, 7:29 pm

New veterans health information system would be modular, open and interoperable, its chief technology officer says.


It’s official: Hampton Roads is next VLER community

9 March 2010, 5:51 pm

Southeast Virginia area encompasses right mix of providers and consumers to test military lifetime personnel record project.


Chopra cites fed projects as health IT catalysts

9 March 2010, 5:42 pm

NCI research grid is an example of existing system that could spur health IT adoption, innovation, says CTO.



Health.Mil

Combat Medics Complete Transformation to Modern-Battlefield Healthcare Specialists

12 March 2010, 7:39 pm

An eight-year process to transform the training and skills of Army combat medics culminated last year as all members of the old 91B Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) became qualified as 68W Health...


Vision and Rehabilitation After Brain Trauma: Part 3

12 March 2010, 1:21 pm

Dr. Eric Singman of the Vision Center of Excellence explains how brain injury affects vision.


Morphine May Reduce PTSD Risk, Study Shows

11 March 2010, 9:05 pm

Injured servicemembers who receive morphine during trauma care are about half as likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder as those who are not administered the drug, a Navy study has revealed.


Dot Mil Docs 102: DoD Patient Safety Program

11 March 2010, 6:41 pm

On the Dot Mil Docs podcast: Lt. Col. (Dr.) Donald Robinson discusses the DoD Patient Safety Program (PSP). Robinson is the PSP's director.


Support Helps Children Cope With Deployments

11 March 2010, 6:17 pm

Children with a strong nondeployed parent or caregiver and a solid support system have a better ability to cope with deployments, two recent studies have shown.


U.S. Air Force Medics Train Fledgling Afghan Medical Corps

10 March 2010, 8:13 pm

Airmen assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron in Kabul, Afghanistan are teaching Afghan soldiers the skills necessary to keep their soldiers on the battlefield.


DoD Patient Safety Program – TeamSTEPPS Simulation Training

9 March 2010, 9:05 pm

The DoD Patient Safety Program uses simulation training to improve communication and collaboration within DoD health care provider teams.


Dot Mil Docs 101: Brain Injury in Theater

9 March 2010, 6:18 pm

Air Force Col. Michael S Jaffee, M.D., talks about a new policy for the management of concussion in theater, and gives an update on DoD TBI research and edcuation programs. Jaffee is the National Dire...


Army Health News

Policy to mandate head injury evaluations

11 March 2010, 5:00 am

Defense Department officials expect to launch a new policy in the coming months that will make head-injury evaluations mandatory for all troops who suffer possible concussions.


Wounded Green Beret honored with custom motorcycle for Daytona Bike Week

10 March 2010, 5:00 am

Thousands lined the streets of downtown Daytona Beach, Fla., March 4, to honor Chief Warrant Officer Romulio Camargo, a Special Forces Soldier who was paralyzed during combat in Afghanistan in 2008.


Combat medics complete transformation to modern-battlefield healthcare specialists

10 March 2010, 5:00 am

An eight-year process to transform training and skills of Army combat medics culminated last year as all members of the old 91B Military Occupational Specialty became qualified as 68W Healthcare Speci...


VA seeks fast track for Agent Orange claims

9 March 2010, 5:00 am

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced a new initiative to solicit private-sector input on a proposed "fast track" veterans' claims process for service-connected illnesses due to Agent Orange ex...


Wounded warrior ties for National Geographic's Adventurer of Year

8 March 2010, 5:00 am

Wounded by a roadside bomb more than three years ago, Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister has surmounted his injuries to tie for the National Geographic magazine's Reader's Choice Adventurer of the Year Award.


'Black Hawk Down' pilot rises above challenges

5 March 2010, 5:00 am

Before focusing on the message he was delivering at Redstone Arsenal's National Prayer Luncheon on Friday, retired Chief Warrant Officer Mike Durant thought he should give his audience the "short vers...


Dogs go the distance: Program provides service to veterans with PTSD

4 March 2010, 5:00 am

For over 40 years Ken Costich, a former Army colonel, has dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.


VA announces $41 million in hospital contracts

2 March 2010, 5:00 am

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced the award of two contracts totaling $41.5 million to create a "polytrauma center" that cares for the most severely injured veterans and to improve the exis...



HHS.Gov

Statement from the Department of Health and Human Services Regarding the Decisions of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in the Omnibus Autism Proceeding

12 March 2010, 5:01 am

As these latest cases illustrated, there's no doubt that autism and autism spectrum disorders place a heavy burden on many families. We know that autism and related disorders are conditions that pres...


Sebelius Sends Letter to Insurance Company CEOs, Calls on Executives to Publicly Justify Premium Hikes

8 March 2010, 5:01 am

In a letter to the CEOs of UnitedHealth Group Inc., WellPoint Inc., Aetna Inc., Health Care Service Corporation and CIGNA HealthCare Inc., U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary...


HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces the Availability of Recovery Act Funds for Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative

5 March 2010, 5:01 am

HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces the Availability of Recovery Act Funds for Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative...


Secretary Sebelius Announces Senate Confirmation of Lillian Sparks as Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans

4 March 2010, 5:01 am

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that, last night, the United States Senate unanimously confirmed Lillian Sparks to be Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans, part of the Adm...


Sebelius to Meet with Insurance Company Leaders, Discuss Health Insurance Premiums

3 March 2010, 5:01 am

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will meet with the CEOs of UnitedHealth Group Inc., WellPoint Inc., Aetna Inc., Health Care Service Corporation and CIGNA...


HHS Teams Up with Olympic Athletes to Fight Childhood Obesity

3 March 2010, 5:01 am

Today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the first in a series of web videos and public service announcements to promote First Lady Michelle Obama’s national initiative,...


FDA Issues Final Guidance to Boost Development of Cell-based Viral Vaccines

2 March 2010, 5:01 am

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued final guidance to help manufacturers who are developing safe and effective cell-based viral vaccines to address emerging and pandemic threats.


HHS Announces 2010 Tribal Consultation Blueprint

1 March 2010, 5:01 am

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the Department’s compliance with President Barack Obama’s memorandum on Tribal consultation and Executive Order 13175. HHS submitted its detailed tr...


Health.Com

Bad Behavior in Youth Linked to Chronic Pain Later in Life

13 March 2010, 12:45 am

Children with behavioral problems are at increased risk for chronic pain when they reach adulthood, new Scottish research has found.


Start Metformin Early for Best Results

13 March 2010, 12:38 am

If diabetics start the drug metformin early — within three months of diagnosis — it appears the drug will remain effective longer, a new study finds.


Pelvic Artery Stent Approved

13 March 2010, 12:31 am

Boston Scientific’s Express LD Iliac Stent has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat iliac artery disease, the company said in a news release.


Is Kindness Contagious?

13 March 2010, 12:20 am

Acts of kindness spread rapidly, and it takes only a few people acting cooperatively to influence dozens of others, U.S. researchers report.


Happy From Your Vacation? It Won’t Last

13 March 2010, 12:14 am

No matter how cheerful you felt as you wiggled your toes in the sand on that secluded beach, no matter how thrilled you were to finally lay eyes on that Renaissance masterpiece, your vacation bliss wo...


MRIs May Detect Hidden Tumors in Breast Cancer Patients

13 March 2010, 12:01 am

MRI scans are more likely to turn up undiagnosed tumors in the breasts of postmenopausal women who already had cancer in their other breast, researchers report.


Daylight Savings: Not a Bright Time for All

12 March 2010, 11:53 pm

Most people will welcome the start of daylight savings time this Sunday because it starts to stay light longer, even if that means the early mornings will be dark once again.


Plavix Less Effective in Some Patients

12 March 2010, 11:42 pm

The anti-clotting drug Plavix must now carry a “black box” warning on its label, alerting patients and doctors that some people don’t metabolize the medication properly, U.S. health...



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