Managed Care Weekly Digest

Healthcare Economics - Non-traditional health insurance plan a modest success

Healthcare Fraud - Utah clinics under investigation

Healthcare Politics - AARP faces rebellion within its ranks over Medicare bill

Heart Disease Therapy - Aspirin is the most cost-effective way to prevent heart disease

Heart Failure - Centura Health at Home launches telehealth program

Heat-induced Immunoreactivity - Fire fatalities with cerebral heat coagulation will have tau-reactive neurons

Imaging - Molecular Imaging inks cooperative marketing agreement

Immunosenescence - CD8+ T cells may have higher levels of internal cytokines as humans age

Information Technology - Athens Regional Medical Center to implement Eclipsys' SunriseXA

Information Technology - Company aims at leadership in healthcare information systems

Information Technology - Harvard Pilgrim, A4 Health to offer direct connectivity

Information Technology - MED3OOO signs application service provider deal with Hammond Clinic

Information Technology - Medical center signs 3-year contract for secure e-messaging

Information Technology - Project managers in healthcare target global audience

Legal Issues - Tenet gets two more subpoenas from U.S. Attorney

Long-Term Care - Groups pledge funding to improve quality of direct care services

Market Analysis - Physician executives report 7% increase in compensation

Medical Malpractice - Utah health provider won't see patients who don't sign arbitration agreement

Medical Malpractice Insurance - West Virginia to boost malpractice rates by 8.4%

Medical Records Security - Aurora Health Care deploys NetScreen

Medicare - Landmark drug bill approved

Medicare - Legislation means physician-owned specialty hospitals face clampdown

Medicare - New payment system proposed for inpatient psychiatric facilities

Medicare - Prescription drug cards coming in April 2004

Medicare - Program's lack of cost controls worries New Mexico lawmaker

Medicare - Reimbursement cut to hit family physicians, patients hard, survey shows

Medicare - Rural doctors, hospitals welcome bill's provisions

Medicare - South Dakota lawmaker says bill helps fix problems for rural health

Medicare - Three organizations selected to participate in disease management project

Medicare and Medicaid - CMS approves new PACE provider in Massachusetts

Medication Safety - IV medication harm index unveiled at conference

Mental Health - High-cost Medicaid enrollees have more serious mental health disorders

Mental Health - Prescription drug availability problematic for mentally ill, legislators say

Mergers and Acquisitions - Injury cost reduction company to merge with rehab equipment firm

Network Expansion - HealthAmerica and HealthAssurance contract with Doylestown Hospital

Neurodegeneration - Neurological disease gives elevated neurofilament-L levels, normally very low

Opiate Detoxification - U.S. company to guide European addiction treatment through FDA approval

Orthopedics - Self-management improves physical function for patients with acute low back pain

Pain Medicine - Gardens have the potential to improve health, research shows

Patient Safety - Disease management program recognized by URAC

Personnel - J. William Kingston named VP, philanthropy, for Catholic Health East

Personnel - Lichtwardt named chief financial officer at medical device company

Personnel - McKesson names Jeffrey Campbell chief financial officer

Pharmacy Benefit Management - Study: Integrated claims processing can lower unnecessary costs of some drugs

Prescription Drug Importation - Web-based calculator lets consumers know how much meds cost in U.S. vs. Canada

Psychology - Atopic dermatitis can be caused by psychological stress; immunity is altered

Respiratory Syncytial Virus - Treatment of RSV infection may be less cost effective than prophylaxis

Restenosis - Stents open arteries and keep costs down

Retiree Health Benefits - Will companies end retiree coverage if Medicare covers drugs?

Rheumatoid Arthritis - Combination therapy with low dose glucocorticoids may benefit early arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis - Costs calculated for arthritis, other rheumatoid diseases

Rheumatology - French studies on early arthritis provide risk factors as well as clinical data

Socialized Medicine - Europeans mull costs, benefits of free medical care

Staffing - Number of physician assistants continues to rise in U.S.

State-Sponsored Health Insurance - New Mexico governor unveils plan for public employees and retirees

Supply Chain - MedAssets launches supply-chain management tool for surgery centers

Syphilis - Screening for STD should be routine part of medical care for people with HIV

Tobacco Use - Healthcare providers help millions stop smoking

Total Hip Arthroplasty - New surgery seeks to reduce recovery time

Transplant Medicine - Geographic disparities in access to organ transplantation

Transplant Medicine - Major inequalities in access to kidney transplant waiting list revealed

Universal Healthcare - Study: State-run healthcare would save Missouri

Veterans Affairs - North Carolina VA offices report more health insurance applicants