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The Asthma Drug Facility brings down cost of drugs

El Salvador, Benin and other low- and middle-income countries have a special reason to celebrate World Asthma Day on Tuesday, 5 May, this year. A purchasing mechanism run by the Paris-based International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) is making it possible for these countries to obtain quality-assured essential asthma medicines at affordable prices for the first time... Continue

Latest News

South Carolina health coverage, cigarette tax bill stalls in state Senate
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49298
Legislation that would use an increase in the South Carolina cigarette tax to create a new health coverage program for low-income state residents has stalled in the state Senate Finance Committee, the AP/Myrtle Beach Sun News reports.

Supporters, opponents of comparative effectiveness research 'gearing up' to clash over planned efforts, New York Times reports
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49297
The Obama administration is poised to enter the "same medical minefield" that 15 years ago resulted in unsuccessful federal efforts to develop guidelines for physicians in identifying cost-efficient and effective treatments for common medical conditions, the New York Times reports.

Two government reports show little progress in improving patient safety; reducing racial, ethnic health disparities
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49295
The U.S. has not made substantial improvement in narrowing health care disparities among racial and ethnic groups, nor has it improved quality of care, according to two Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports released on Wednesday by HHS, Politico reports (Allen, Politico, 5/6).

Survey examines wait times for appointments with specialists in 15 U.S. cities
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49296
Atlanta residents seeking appointments with certain specialists wait an average of 11.2 days, which is the shortest wait time among 15 cities polled in a survey released on Wednesday, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Obama to propose $17 billion in budget cuts
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49294
President Obama on Thursday will propose a detailed fiscal year 2010 budget that reduces or eliminates 121 programs to save an additional $17 billion, the New York Times reports (Calmes, New York Times, 5/7).

Sen. Grassley says he is confident President Obama wants bipartisan agreement on health reform
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49292
Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Wednesday said that President Obama during a lunch meeting to discuss plans to proceed with health care reform legislation indicated that he favors a bipartisan solution, the Des Moines Register reports.

Senate HELP committee to hold confirmation hearing on FDA commissioner nominee
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49293
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Thursday will hold a confirmation hearing for Margaret Hamburg, President Obama's nominee for FDA commissioner, the New York Times reports.

Kaiser Permanente gives UCLA Hispanic physician recruitment program $2 million
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49252
Kaiser Permanente is giving the University of California-Los Angeles a $2 million grant to fund a program that recruits foreign-trained doctors to practice in U.S. Hispanic neighborhoods, United Press International reports.

Georgia Governor signs bill to restructure state's health services
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49250
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) on Monday signed a bill (HB 228) that will split the state's Department of Human Resources into three separate entities: the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Community Health, and a refocused Department of Human Resources, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Perdue said he is dedicated to having the new agencies fully functional by July 1.

WellCare agrees to pay $80 million to settle Florida Medicaid, CHIP fraud charges
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49249
WellCare Health Plans has agreed to pay $40 million in restitution and $40 million in civil penalties to avoid criminal charges in Florida over alleged fraudulent payment practices to the state's Medicaid and Healthy Kids programs, the Wall Street Journal reports (Fuhrmans, Wall Street Journal, 5/6).

Tenet Healthcare reports first quarter profit, fewer hospital admissions
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49248
Tenet Healthcare lowered some expenses in the first quarter, but the company said that admissions and the number of patients with private insurance declined, the AP/Salon reports.

President Obama discusses health reform prospects with House Democrats
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49247
President Obama on Tuesday met with Democrats from the House Energy and Commerce Committee to discuss a climate change bill and health care, the Washington Times reports.

AHIP President, CEO says health insurance industry would accept stronger federal regulation, stop charging women higher premiums than men
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49246
During a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Tuesday, America's Health Insurance Plans President and CEO Karen Ignagni said members would concede to greater government regulation, as the industry works to prevent the creation of a government health plan that could threaten their business, the AP/Chicago Tribune reports.

Australia's harm reduction strategies serve as model for other countries, UNAIDS official says
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49244
The Australian government's efforts to curb the spread of HIV by advocating harm-reduction initiatives, such as needle-exchange programs and drug substitution therapy, for injection drug users serve as a model for other countries throughout the region, UNAIDS Asia Pacific Director Prasada Rao said recently, the AAP/Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Obama proposes $63 billion global health initiative over six years
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49241
President Obama has proposed a $63 billion, six-year global health initiative as part of his fiscal year 2010budget, Reuters reports (Bohan, Reuters, 5/5).

United Auto Workers planning to sell Chrysler stock obtained from bankruptcy deal to fund VEBA
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49196
United Auto Workers will sell its 55% stake in the reorganized Chrysler as soon as possible to fund a trust that will cover retirees' health care costs, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said Monday, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports.

High health care costs affecting insured U.S. residents
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49193
Across the country, 64 million people younger than age 65 are part of families spending more than 10% of their pretax income on health care, according to a Families USA study, the Boston Globe reports.

Congress not likely to pass permanent Medicare physician payment fix this year
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49189
Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Monday said that comprehensive health reform legislation likely will not include a permanent solution to the Medicare physician payment system, CQ Today reports.

Sen. Schumer proposes holding public health insurance option to same standards, rules as private insurers
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49188
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Monday proposed that any public health insurance option developed as part of comprehensive health care reform legislation be subject to the same rules and standards as private insurance, the New York Times reports.

Obama to release budget proposal details on Thursday, including plans for 'integrity' initiatives for Medicaid, Medicare
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49192
President Obama on Thursday is scheduled to release additional details of his fiscal year 2010 budget proposal, which will include $13.7 billion over five years for "program integrity" initiatives to increase oversight and eliminate fraud and errors in federal programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, the Wall Street Journal reports.

CMS announces series of proposed regulations, including payment cuts
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49156
CMS last week announced a series of proposed regulations, including a proposal to reduce Medicare payments for inpatient hospital care by 0.5% in fiscal year 2010, CQ HealthBeat reports. The agency said the proposed cut primarily is the result of adjustments for excessive payments to hospitals in past years.

Arizona agreement aims to extend PTSD treatment to Navajo nation
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49155
The Navajo Area Indian Health Service and the Northern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System recently signed an agreement that aims to improve access to post-traumatic stress disorder treatment for war veterans, the Farmington Daily Times reports.

Chrysler deal could jeopardize retiree health benefits if restructured company does not return to profitability
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49152
United Auto Workers "appears to be enjoying relative safety in helping steer the course of the [Chrysler Group] bankruptcy," but if the company does not survive post-bankruptcy, UAW's stake in the restructured company "could be worthless," the New York Times reports.

Utah hospitals significantly affected by Medicaid reimbursement cuts
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49153
Hospital officials in Utah say that recent cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates were much steeper than anticipated and that they might be forced to offset costs by increasing fees on insured patients or scaling back on charity care, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Hospitals are facing a nearly 25% cut in Medicaid reimbursement beginning July 1.

Few hospitals have adopted a no-cost electronic health records system offered by VA
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49149
Few U.S. hospitals have taken advantage of a no-cost, open-source electronic health records system developed by the Veterans Health Administration, the Boston Globe reports (Wangsness, Boston Globe, 5/4).

CMS announces series of proposed regulations, including payment cuts
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49148
CMS last week announced a series of proposed regulations, including a proposal to reduce Medicare payments for inpatient hospital care by 0.5% in fiscal year 2010, CQ HealthBeat reports. The agency said the proposed cut primarily is the result of adjustments for excessive payments to hospitals in past years.

Social security benefits likely will not increase in 2010, would have 'major implications' on Medicare Parts B, D
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49147
The Obama administration and the Congressional Budget Office have indicated that Social Security beneficiaries will not receive a cost-of-living increase in 2010 or 2011, which would have "major implications for Medicare," the New York Times reports.

Kaiser Health News/Philadelphia Inquirer examines proposal that would allow people ages 55 to 64 to buy into Medicare
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49146
Kaiser Health News/Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday examined a plan being touted by Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) that would allow people ages 55 to 64 to buy into Medicare. The plan would target people who purchase insurance on the individual market or have no insurance because of unemployment.

Hospital volume an imperfect proxy for healthcare quality
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49117
A new review finds hospital volume to be a useful, albeit imperfect, predictor of short term mortality. While studies, when combined, show a quantifiable and statistically significant inverse association between case volume and mortality, the review finds that individual studies often fail to show such an association, leading the authors to conclude volume is at best an imperfect proxy for healthcare quality.

e-prescribing boosts efficiency, may lead to improved quality of care
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49114
New research published in the May issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons indicates that the adoption of electronic prescribing systems may allow for greater efficiency at hospitals, which could result in long-term cost savings and improved quality of care.

Private Medicare Advantage to receive $11.4 billion more in 2009
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=49098
Private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will be paid $11.4 billion more in 2009 than what the same beneficiaries would have cost in the traditional Medicare fee-for-service program, according to a new report released today by The Commonwealth Fund.

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