| November 13, 2009 | America's Health Insurance Plans |
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- Nursing, medical schools should work together, experts say
Shortages of nurses and physicians make it important for medical and nursing schools to collaborate on curricula to promote team-based care, health policy experts said. Erin Mann, of the New England Healthcare Institute, said if nursing and medical schools aligned their schedules and offered shared classes, faculty could team teach and become role models for change. Healthcare Finance News
(11/11)
     
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- Poll finds 88% of seniors happy with Medicare Part D
A poll commissioned by the nonpartisan Medicare Today group showed 88% of U.S. seniors with a Medicare Part D drug plan are satisfied with their coverage. More than 80% of those surveyed said their premiums and co-pays were affordable and their plan was a good value. Forbes
(11/12)
- Group warns of health reform's impact on doctor shortage
The health reform bill threatens to worsen the shortage of primary-care doctors and lead to longer waits in the emergency rooms and for office consultations, the American College of Physicians said in a report. Proposals to increase family doctors' fees and ease rules on school debt of medical students would not make a difference for years, and the country would need another 35,000 to 46,000 primary-care practitioners within 15 years to meet the aging population's demand, the group said. Bloomberg
(11/13)
- Hospital triggers emergency plan after surge in flu patients
A surge of pediatric flu patients led Maimonides Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., to trigger its emergency preparedness plan for the first time. Hospitals often report a bump in patients with flu symptoms on Mondays, but when Maimonides officials saw an increase again on Tuesday, usually the slowest day, they became concerned. ABC News
(11/12)
| Medical Update |  | |
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- Obese more likely to have uncontrolled asthma
Obese patients with asthma are more likely to have uncontrolled disease than are normal or overweight people with the chronic condition, Cleveland Clinic researchers said. However, obese patients didn't have increased airway inflammation or constriction, suggesting that a lack of asthma control may be a function of body mass index rather than other factors of the disease. MedPage Today (free registration)
(11/11)
- WHO: Give antivirals early to groups vulnerable to H1N1 flu
The World Health Organization urged doctors to give antiviral drugs, such as Tamiflu, to at-risk groups, including pregnant women and young children, at the first sign that they have H1N1 flu to avoid serious complications. WHO said doctors need not wait for laboratory results to confirm the disease. The organization also said the advice applies to "otherwise healthy people who show progressive symptoms." Google/The Associated Press
(11/12)
| Emerging Trends | | |
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- Blumenthal discusses HITECH Act, HIE grants
A key aspect of the HITECH Act is for information to follow the patient, and "artificial obstacles -- technical, business related, bureaucratic -- should not get in the way," said David Blumenthal, national health IT coordinator. Blumenthal said his office this winter will start awarding $564 million in grants to help states set up health information exchanges. Government Health IT
(11/12)
| Company News from PR Newswire | | |
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| Other Company News from AHIP Solutions | | |
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| Pharma News | | |
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- Boehringer banks on experimental drug for female sexual dysfunction
Boehringer Ingelheim hopes to introduce a drug for female sexual dysfunction that blocks the release of serotonin -- a brain chemical that regulates mood, appetite, sleep and memory -- and in turn triggers the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine to stimulate desire. Clinical data on the compound, flibanserin, will be presented at the European Society for Sexual Medicine conference. Bloomberg
(11/12)
| Policy Watch | | |
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- Hamburg: FDA is working to boost efficiency of drug regulation
FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said she will visit China next year to look into safety policies related to imported products. The agency is hiring more staff, leveraging science and working on other means to speed up drug-approval reviews, Hamburg said at the Reuters Health Summit. Reuters
(11/12)
- Pediatric hospitals lobby for changes in reform bill
Children's hospitals are lobbying Congress to change language in pending health reform legislation that could reduce their federal funding by $876 million. Officials said because pediatric hospitals see more Medicaid patients than general hospitals, the $155 billion in cuts agreed to by the hospital industry last summer would have a bigger impact on their facilities and could cause reductions in services. USA TODAY
(11/12)
| AHIP News | | |
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Big year-end book sale for small year-end budgets
As the year and budgets wind down, the AHIP Center for Insurance Education and Professional Development can help you stretch your dollars and stretch your mind with its year-end book sale. Purchase one of more than a dozen selected publications by Dec. 31 and you'll save 20%* Learn more.
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Help protect HSAs with the HSA Alliance
The Health Savings Alliance wants you to know that Congress is considering health reform policies that could affect how people use and pay for their HSAs. Take a moment to share your story with your members of Congress and tell them how important your HSA is to you. Visit www.hsaalliance.org to learn more about how you can get involved.
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Special offer for Institute 2010, including your hotel
As you plan for 2010, including your conference and travel budgets, we understand the economic challenges facing your organization. To help, we'd like to extend several offers. Save on your 2010 Institute registration and your hotel reservation. Special offers end Jan. 31, 2010. Visit the Institute 2010 Web site for details.
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