Survey: Health exchanges get notice
Washington Technology - providing disease or chronic care management services, quality performance reporting for purchasers or payers, and quality improvement reporting back to providers. More stakeholders are becoming involved in exchanges, including hospitals, health plans

Destiny Health Announces New CEO, Expansion Plans
Insurance News Net - Discovery Holdings CEO Adrian Gore announced the appointment of Arthur C. Carlos to the post of president and CEO of its Chicago-based operating unit, Destiny Health. Discovery Health pioneered the development of consumer-directed health plans (CDHP

Many college students don’t pass test on health insurance
Allentown Morning Call - As college students buckle down to research papers and problem sets, another subject–health-insurance plans–deserves study as well. Full-time college students frequently are covered under a parent’s policy or university-offered plan. As a result

Ignagni: Medicare Drug Plans Exceeding Expectations in 2007
Insurance News Net - lower premiums and on average should expect to save $1,200 in 2007 (up from $1,100 in 2006) on their prescription drugs. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040830/AHIPLOGO ) Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans

IEPA Plans Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day
Shelbyville Daily Union - IEPA Plans Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day FRANK MULHOLLAND - Daily Union Managing Editor Illinois Environmental Illinois homeowners the opportunity to dispose of common household products which are potentially hazardous to human health

Cole Health Department plans expansion
Mineral Daily News-Tribune - Cole County commissioners are hopeful that by the end of the year they can get a bid out for expansion of the health department facility on Industrial Drive. Wednesday commissioners heard from Health Director Jane Hubbs and architect Larry Brandhorst

Plans for mental health approved
Tribune-Chronicle - STOCKTON County health officials think theyve hit a home run with their latest plans for Proposition 63 money the statewide, voter-approved, 1 percent tax for mental health on the states richest residents. That plan, with a price tag of $16

Medco Health Solutions Assigned To Provide Medicare Prescription Drug
TradingMarkets.com - company at present is managing nearly $13.8 billion in drug spend by around 8 million Medicare-eligible members, including Medicare Part D participants as well as those who receive traditional pharmacy benefits through their employers or health plans

Community Forums to Feature Health Plan Options for Seniors 
[Press Release] PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance - Sep 28 9:21 AM
SCAN Health Plan, one of California’s fastest-growing Medicare Advantage Plans, announced last month its expansion into San Diego County as of January 1, 2007.Save to My Web

Doctors unveils preliminary plan 
Contra Costa Times - Sep 27 3:18 AM
With Doctors Medical Center scrambling to put together a business plan, its emergency room on indefinite diversion and the flu season approaching, Contra Costa County’s emergency medical services are stretched but still coping, medical and health officials say. But for how much longer?Save to My Web

Health Highlights: Sept. 27, 2006 
HealthDay via Yahoo! News - Sep 27 9:02 AM
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:Save to My Web

PacifiCare Health Systems to offer coverage in Mexico 
Orange County Register - 2 hours, 4 minutes ago
PacifiCare of Cypress will begin offering health coverage in Mexico, the company announced this week.Save to My Web

VA accused of shortchanging vets on mental-health care 
The Philadelphia Inquirer - Sep 29 12:31 AM
The Department of Veterans Affairs has failed to fully spend a promised $300 million since 2005 to fill critical gaps in mental-health services for returning troops and others, congressional investigators say.Save to My Web

Aetna Expands Integrated Health and Disability Program to Global Customers 
[Press Release] Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance - Sep 27 7:51 AM
HARTFORD, Conn.—-Aetna announced it will provide its integrated health and disability services to members and plan sponsors located outside the U.S. through Aetna Global Benefits.Save to My Web

From the Daily: An easy pill to swallow
Michigan Daily - Republican legislators - who would be quick to point to Wal-Mart’s drug plan as an example of the free market addressing the nation’s health care crisis - made sure that the legislation enabling Medicare to offer prescription drug coverage also

Medicare to Introduce New Web Page to Help Senior Citizens Choose Drug
Senior Journal - maximize their benefits, working with their doctor to develop a personalized plan for prevention. In just two years, Medicare has undergone unprecedented improvements in benefits, including the addition of prescription drug coverage and

Workers’ wages squeezed by cost of medical care
Akron Beacon Journal - 39 percent of employers said they’re considering raising the deductibles that employees must pay before insurance coverage kicks in. Likewise, 39 percent of companies said they’re likely to increase the co-pay amounts employees pay for prescription

Medicare Billing Problems Continue as Senate Aging Committee Chair
Senior Journal - Medicare Part C is commonly known as the Medicare Advantage, the managed care plans, which also provide drug coverage. resulted in seniors living on fixed incomes being saddled with payment of several months’ worth of Medicare prescription

Editorial: A gap in coverage
Las Vegas Sun - Millions of older Americans are falling into Medicare’s “doughnut hole” this month as the program’s temporary gap in their prescription drug coverage takes hold and forces them to pay full price for their medicines. The so-called “doughnut hole” is

Updated at 12:49 PM
Town Hall - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., facing pressure from critics who call its employee health care coverage inadequate, plans to begin selling nearly 300 generic prescription drugs to its employees and customers at much reduced prices, the company announces. (AP

Health insurance costs still rising, but more slowly
Battle Creek Enquirer - premiums, but also are facing higher out-of-pocket expenses for co-pays on items such as office visits and prescription drugs The long-term trend is very clear, and it’s the slow unraveling of coverage in the employment-based system, especially

PacifiCare and UnitedHealthcare Partner With SIMNSA to Enhance Cross
Insurance News Net - PacifiCare and UnitedHealthcare programs that provide Southern California-based businesses affordable, comprehensive coverage for their employees. SIMNSA offers a host of health plans with low or no copayments as well as dental and prescription drug

Energy, schools, taxes seen as key issues in HD49 race
Billings Gazette,  USA - Sep 26, 2006… Van Dyk said health care and insurance costs are skyrocketing and lawmakers who … Re-importing prescription drugs from Canada is safe and would reduce costs to …
Source: www.billingsgazette.net

Resident faces fraud charges
Exeter News-Letter, NH - Sep 26, 2006… A 48-year-old Stratham woman was indicted this month at Rockingham County Superior Court on charges of insurance fraud and uttering a forged prescription. …
Source: www.seacoastonline.com

HEALTH-CARE-IN-CRISIS
DetNews.com, MI - 18 hours ago… her to the hospital for a month because they didn’t have insurance. … One success story has been an electronic prescription program spearheaded by GM, Ford and …
Source: www.detnews.com

Waves of retirees amass huge bills
DetNews.com, MI - 18 hours ago… and the UAW agreed to require retired union workers to pay insurance premiums for … Retirees will also be responsible for higher co-payments on prescription drugs …
Source: www.detnews.com

Target and Wal-Mart to sell Discount Prescription Drugs
Chiropractic News - Sep 24, 2006… whoever else is deciding to deeply drop their prices on the selling of prescription drugs … and folks may not have to worry as much about having insurance to buy …
Source: www.planetc1.com

VirtualHealth Technologies, Inc. Announces New President and …
Yahoo! News (press release) - Sep 26, 2006… and it’s wholly owned subsidiaries Verified Prescription Safeguards, Inc … physicians, pharmacies, governmental agencies, laboratories, insurance companies, HMOs …
Source: biz.yahoo.com

How General Motors and the nation are losing an epic battle to …
DetNews.com, MI - 18 hours ago… two seconds, it pays for a prescription. Last year it wrote checks to 500,000 doctors, 35,000 pharmacies, 5,000 hospitals, 120 HMOs and 80 insurance companies. …
Source: detnews.com

When employees pay for health care, the boss pays too
Pittsburgh Post Gazette, PA - 12 hours ago… Richard Harlow, a health-insurance broker in Reston, Va., says several of his … his office manager, spent hours in their offices, clicking on pharmacy Web sites …
Source: www.post-gazette.com

Insurance Companies Promote Use of Generic Drugs in Effort To Cut …
Kaiser network.org, DC - Sep 19, 2006… Aetna, Wellpoint and other insurance companies also are offering free generic drugs … to change prescribers’ habits.” A spokesperson for pharmacy benefit manager …
Source: www.kaisernetwork.org

Opinion Pieces Discuss Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit ” …
Medical News Today (press release), UK - 2 hours ago… the year.” According to Dingell, the second bill would “ensure that seniors will not leave their pharmacy empty handed because of an insurance company snafu …
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com

From Singapore with mixed bag
Daily Sun, Nigeria - Sep 23, 2006… But on arriving the nearest pharmacy, I would again learn that, in Dubai as in … I would soon learn that, because I do not have social insurance card, the cost …
Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

Wal-Mart $4 drug program may head to Phoenix in 2007
Bizjournals.com, NC - Sep 21, 2006… Mart’s liability, said Henry GrosJean, a small-business insurance broker in … Mart’s prescription program likely will put pressure on pharmacy benefit managers …
Source: www.bizjournals.com

Drugstore Shares Sink After Wal-Mart Cuts Prices (Update2)
Bloomberg - Sep 21, 2006… Wal-Mart’s plan appears to apply to the cash pharmacy business and not purchases covered by insurance, or about 5 percent of pharmacy sales at Walgreen and CVS …
Source: www.bloomberg.com

AARP says brand-name drug prices increased 6.3% 
The Star-Ledger - Sep 19 10:07 PM
WASHINGTON — The makers of 193 brand-name drugs most commonly used by older Americans raised their prices on average 6.3 percent during the 12 months ending in June, outpacing the 3.8 percent inflation rate for the period, according to a survey conducted by AARP.Save to My Web

WIBA’s first 75 years are just the beginning 
The Wichita Eagle - Sep 20 11:18 PM
As the Wichita Independent Business Association (WIBA) celebrates 75 successful years of serving independent business in our area, I firmly believe the best is yet to come.Save to My Web

Heart Attack Patients Skipping Important Meds 
MedicineNet.com - Sep 19 12:27 PM
Title: Heart Attack Patients Skipping Important Meds Category: Health News Created: 9/19/2006 7:55:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 9/19/2006 7:54:56 AMSave to My Web

Health-care consultants reap fees from evaluees 
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Sep 18 8:57 AM
When Kevin Grady took over as an employee-benefits consultant for the Columbus Public Schools District in 2001, he signed a contract promising to act “in the best interest” of the schools. The Ohio district agreed to pay him $35,000 a year to help it choose a health insurer.Save to My Web

Medicare plan puts some at disadvantage 
The Greenville News - Sep 24 3:04 AM
Some South Carolina seniors who signed up for Medicare Advantage plans are finding they owe much more than they realized, and often more than they can pay.Save to My Web

Despite Health Insurance, People Often Forgo Using Lifesaving Beta Blockers 
Medical News Today - Sep 17 5:05 PM
Fewer than half of the patients who were prescribed beta blocker drugs following a heart attack and who had some prescription drug coverage were regularly taking them during the first year after leaving the hospital, according to a Duke University Medical Center analysis of more than 17,000 patients nationwide. [click link for full article]Save to My Web

Library Funding for Disaster, Government Services Long Overdue 
Newswise - Sep 25 11:28 AM
Public libraries need more funding as they are increasingly becoming de facto e-government sites for everything from disaster relief to medical drug plans, according to a new Florida State University study.Save to My Web

MassMedLine answered call to duty 
Worcester Telegram & Gazette - Sep 20 7:48 PM
WORCESTER - Dr. Charlotte Yeh, regional administrator for the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, stands in front of a bus decorated with images promoting Medicare, the nation’s health plan for seniors and disabled people. T&G Staff / TOM RETTIGSave to My Web

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Launches New Personalized Health
PRWeb - VFW chooses Veterans Care Plus, a Personalized Health Savings Program that includes access to lower cost prescription drugs The Veterans Care Plus program is not an insurance program and will not affect any member s current coverage. Even for

Dems use Medicare ‘doughnut hole’ as issue
Herald Tribune - WASHINGTON — Democrats and other critics of the Medicare prescription drug benefit have launched attacks on the program and the University of South Florida, said attention in Florida is focused on other issues, such as property taxes and insurance

Medicare Part D Helpful But Too Complicated
American Family Physician - Association, the Medicare Rights Center and other organizations to address problems identified in the prescription drug program. Currently, the coalition is developing a standard prior authorization-exceptions-appeals form for all insurance plans.

Pennsylvania business news in brief
Times-Leader - Health Advocates is based in Tampa, Fla., and provides Medicare set-aside cost containment services to insurance payors. The They cover future medical and prescription drug expenses incurred as a result of a job-related injury that would have been

Walgreen 4th-Quarter Profit Rises 25 Percent on Stronger Prescription
COX.net for San Diego - He said nearly 95 percent of Walgreen’s pharmacy patients have prescription insurance coverage, meaning they’re responsible for a small co-pay that averages only $5.30 for the drugs Wal-Mart will sell for $4. “Over the years, our convenience

Medicare drug program becomes a Senate campaign issue
KYTV - SPRINGFIELD — The Medicare prescription drug plan is just four months old but already thousands of seniors across the country Mark Adkins is an insurance agent whose own father has just fallen into the hole. He hit his donut hole very, very

Walgreen profit rises 25% on strong pharmacy sales
Marketwatch - Nearly 95% of our pharmacy patients have prescription insurance coverage, meaning they are responsible only for a small co-pay,” Hans said on a prerecorded call.

Jenks Schools: $5.2 Million Addition: Doors are opened to new health and fitness center 
Tulsa World - Sep 22 2:31 AM
JENKS — The school district showed off its new $5.2 million health and fitness center at an open house Thursday.Save to My Web

75% Of Cancer Drugs Are Covered Under Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Plans, Study Finds 
Medical News Today - Sep 22 8:10 PM
Medicare prescription drug plans cover 75% of cancer drugs, according to study conducted by Avalere Health and published in the September/October issue of Health Affairs, Dow Jones reports. The study examines CMS data from January and February on 3,000 Medicare PDPs (Gerencher, Dow Jones, 9/18). Researchers focused on two classes of cancer drugs called anti-neoplastics and hormonal agents. [click Save to My Web

Mayo Clinic vice president plans to retire next year 
KAALtv.com - Sep 22 8:08 AM
ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) - The vice president and long-time chief administrative officer of Mayo Clinic plans to retire next year. Sixty-two-year-old Robert Smoldt has worked at the Mayo Foundation for 35 years and has been a member of the public Board of Trustees for 17 years.Save to My Web

Wal-Mart plans to test reduced prices for generic drugs 
Boston Herald - Sep 21 11:37 AM
NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., facing pressure from critics who call its employee health care coverage inadequate, plans to begin selling nearly 300 generic prescription drugs for a sharply reduced price...Save to My Web

Majority Of Workers Favor Health Benefits Over More Pay 
Medical News Today - Sep 22 12:13 AM
More than half of workers in the United States -- 54 percent -- said that health benefits are more important to them than higher wages, according to results from the American Payroll Association's 2006 "Getting Paid In America" online survey, released today. [click link for full article]Save to My Web

MENTAL HEALTH COURT 
KPVI-TV - Sep 22 11:48 AM
The Bonneville County Mental Health Court is one of only a few mental health courts across the country helping people with drug problems find help. Ty Perry attended a mental health court graduation this morning.Save to My Web

Wal-Mart plans drug cuts Price reduction is seen as aiding area residents 
San Bernardino Sun - Sep 22 12:12 AM
Wal-Mart plans to sell almost 300 generic prescription drugs for $4 in its Tampa, Fla., stores, drastically undercutting many competitors in a move many say could only benefit Inland Empire residents should the program be expanded.Save to My Web

Discount Dental Plans are a Cost-Effective Alternative to Dental Insurance 
Evening Times - Sep 22 5:20 AM
(ARA) - The numbers are nothing to smile about - more than 108 million Americans don’t have dental insurance, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Yet healthy teeth and gums play a fundamental role in overall health.Save to My Web

Chain reduces generic prices 
Detroit Free Press - Sep 22 3:20 AM
Today in Florida, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will begin selling 291 generic prescription drugs for a sharply reduced price of $4 for a month’s supply.Save to My Web

Vermont Students To Help Seniors With Medicare Enrollment 
WCAX 3 - Sep 22 8:51 AM
Montpelier High School students will participate in the The My Health, My Medicare program. It was started as a way to match up tech savvy high-schoolers with seniors to help them get enrolled in the prescription program Medicare Part D.Save to My Web

Wal-Mart To Sell Generic Drugs For $4 
WFRV-TV Green Bay - Sep 22 4:44 AM
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., facing pressure from critics who call its employee health care coverage inadequate, plans to begin selling nearly 300 generic prescription drugs to its employees and customers at much reduced prices in Florida, the company announced Thursday. CBS News: HealthWatch Save to My Web

Alcohol Addiction Is Like Asthma, Kennedy Says 
Crosswalk.com - Sep 21 9:31 PM
(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Patrick Kennedy, the Rhode Island Democrat who in May was treated for a prescription drug addiction, urged his colleagues in Congress Thursday to pass legislation requiring health insurance providers to cover drug and alcohol rehabilitation.Save to My Web

Wal-Mart To Sell Bargain Generic Drugs 
CBS News - Sep 21 11:16 PM
Responding to critics who call its health coverage plan inadequate, retail giant Wal-Mart announced plans to sell generic prescription drugs at greatly reduced prices to its employees and customers.Save to My Web

WEST COUNTY TODAY 
Contra Costa Times - Sep 22 3:16 AM
Health insurance counseling — 9 a.m.-noon. Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the East Bay, 828 San Pablo Ave., Suite 104, Albany. Free counseling for seniors about Medicare, billing and claims, Medicare HMOs, Medi-Cal, prescription resources and more. Call 510-558-7800, Ext. 716 for appointments.Save to My Web

Low-income cost cut on Medicare Rx 
Arizona Daily Star - Sep 08 3:26 AM
Several thousand Arizonans who are eligible for the new Medicare prescription-drug coverage may also be eligible for a subsidy that could lower their medication costs by thousands of dollars a year, advocates say.Save to My Web

Medicare Poll: Majority Satisfied With Part D Coverage 
[Press Release] U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News - Sep 13 7:17 AM
The Medicare Rx Education Network will release results of a new poll about Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. Beneficiaries will share their personal experiences with the program.Save to My Web

Winfield Community Volunteer Fire Dept. water supply shuttle held this weekend 
Gazette.Net - Sep 13 9:23 PM
Winfield Community Volunteer Fire Department will host its 10th annual South Carroll Water Supply Shuttle this weekend. Saturdays schedule includes classes covering rural water supply topics and techniques.Save to My Web

Goetz seeks to raise awareness about CoverTn 
The Jackson Sun - Sep 11 3:25 AM
Dave Goetz is the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration. He is responsible for overseeing the state’s more than $ 21.5 billion budget. A Nashville native, Goetz is the former president of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the 1,400-member organization formerly known as the Tennessee Association of Business, according to the department’s Web site.Save to My Web

Oregon Considers Universal Prescription Coverage 
The NewStandard - Sep 15 7:38 AM
Oregon citizens will vote on a ballot initiative expanding eligibility for the state’s prescription-drug discount program, which allows qualified residents to save an average of 30 percent when…Save to My Web

Health Highlights: Sept. 11, 2006 
MedicineNet.com - Sep 12 12:29 PM
Title: Health Highlights: Sept. 11, 2006 Category: Health News Created: 9/12/2006 2:04:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 9/12/2006 2:04:30 AMSave to My Web

Analysis: Part D cancer coverage concerns 
UPI - Sep 12 5:23 AM
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (UPI) — Most cancer drugs are covered by most Part D plans, according to a new study.Save to My Web

Online Pharmacy Offers Cancer Meds At Cost
KEYE Austin - At the pharmacy, a pharmacy technician lets a caller from Iowa know they are selling all cancer drugs at cost, with zero The pharmacist at smartchoicedrugstore.com says that even for people who have insurance, often the insurance won’t pay for

Rowdy fans win WVU no friends
Charleston Daily Mail - After about a week of making telephone calls to the insurance company, the doctor and the pharmacy, it was finally approved. The cost to the insurance company was about $100. The cost to my parents (their payment) was about $50. Who was going to get

Target Clinics(TM) Open in Select Metro Target Stores Target
MSN MoneyCentral - Target Clinic is working to accept all local insurance plans, Medicare and Medicaid. Target Clinics are designed to be a they can check a clinic’s wait time on the web and they can choose to have their prescription filled at a Target Pharmacy

Celona cross-examined in trial of health care executives
Boston Online - Last week, Celona admitted pressuring insurance companies for higher reimbursement rates, lobbying local officials for more Celona pleaded guilty to federal mail fraud charges related to his business dealings with Roger Williams, the CVS pharmacy

In-store clinics coming to Colo.
Denver Post - Home improvement retailer Home Depot recently started selling health insurance to contractors through its Home Depot Business She acknowledged that the company would also benefit from additional foot traffic and pharmacy purchases from SmartCare

CIGNA Earns Perfect Score On 2006 Corporate Equality Index
PR Newswire - 47 million covered lives in the United States and around the world, CIGNA’s operating subsidiaries offer a full portfolio of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits and group life, accident and disability insurance. As

Illinois Governor Blagojevich Announces Plans To Expand I-SaveRx Drug
All American Patriots - employees and dependents (currently, co-payments on brand name prescription drugs for those in the state s health insurance and New Zealand are governed by their own national standards, that differs from the standards in the Illinois Pharmacy

Methodist plans new facility
Peoria Journal Star - Methodist is one of several health facilities with large-scale construction plans. OSF Saint Francis Medical Center recently had a $234 million addition approved by the state, which will include a new Children’s Hospital of Illinois. Construction is

Dealing with Insurance Company Hassles?
American Family Physician - AAFP’s Committee on Practice Enhancement called for the development of the toolkit, which is perhaps better defined as a compilation of resources on the topic that has been developed during the past few years. “The Academy wants health plans to follow

McDaniel College plans center to study aging
Baltimore Sun - We really do look to service those health care professionals who are working in the industry and addressing their specific The center, which will have a full-time director, plans to appoint a community-based advisory board of 10 to 15 people and

Employers’ Belief in the Effectiveness of Wellness and Disease
Insurance News Net - Almost all responsibility has been ceded to intermediaries: insurers/health plans, government, and employers. Second, as first reported following last year’s UBA survey, an overwhelming majority of employers believe the federal government has a

Questioning the Candidates:
Kanabec County Times Online - Over the past three years I have been actively lobbying government officials to pass legislation which would allow Association Health Plans (AHP). If this legislation were to pass, it would allow 20 million employees in small businesses presently

TriZetto Offers Integrated Health Care Claims Editing Solutions
MSN MoneyCentral - Ingenix Claims Editing System is a powerful complement to TriZetto’s platform and allows health plans to automatically apply transparent, flexible editing rules and improve the accuracy of all paid claims while supporting disclosure requirements

BMA Does Not Support Mass Hospital Closure, UK
Medical News Today - There have been no discussions with Government or the Royal College of Physicians on such plans. “It is right that we have a public debate about the way our health services are delivered in the future, but any reconfiguration of services, if that is

Nurses back Thursday
Home News Tribune - Health-care plans are all very complicated, we did clarify some confusion about the modifications to the plan,” said Schrumpf about the negotiations. Among the changes were the addition of 50 area physicians and three additional hospitals where people

Update: Medical center proposed in High Point 
Greensboro News-Record - Sep 18 9:25 AM
HIGH POINT Guilford Countys largest health care provider plans to build a medical complex in north High Point, which will include an emergency department open around the clock. (Credit: “By Amy Dominello Staff Writer”)Save to My Web

Mental health board sets aside $1 million to fix service “crisis” 
Asheville Citizen-Times - Sep 18 9:02 AM
ASHEVILLE - The board that oversees mental health care for eight Western North Carolina counties this morning earmarked $1 million to fix what its chief executive called a service “crisis.”Save to My Web

Moses Cone to build outpatient center in western Guilford 
The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area - Sep 18 6:55 AM
Moses Cone Health System plans to build a 49,000-square-foot building that will contain an outpatient medical center and physician offices in western Guilford County.Save to My Web

Many small-business health plans are down but not completely out 
BizJournals - Sep 17 9:23 PM
Small business groups vow to keep fighting for legislation that would allow national trade associations to sell health insurance policies that are exempt from state coverage mandates.Save to My Web

Independent Health Selects Online Resources’ Biller Payment Services; Company Referred to Top Health Plan Provider By  
RedNova - Sep 18 9:07 AM
Online Resources Corporation (Nasdaq:ORCC), a leading provider of web-based financial services, today announced it has been chosen by Independent Health, a premier health benefits provider, to enable online bill pay to its direct-pay Medicare and individual subscribers.Save to My Web

Health boss lashes out at rehab move 
Northern Star - Sep 15 3:29 PM
HEALTH boss Chris Crawford has lashed out at critics of plans to move the regions rehabilitation unit to Ballina, saying his plan deals with the real world.Save to My Web

Health Faire at Senior Center Monday 
Kern Valley Sun - Sep 17 10:25 PM
The 7th annual Seniors Summer Health and Information Faire will be providing the community with health and age related information and services this Monday, Sept. 18, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Lake Isabella Senior Center.Save to My Web

Gastric bypass: Who should pay
Spartanburg Herald Journal (subscription), SC - 22 hours ago… his weight — and his knees — allowed. But the county’s health plan didn’t cover weight-loss surgery. It wasn’t until he was out …
Source: www.goupstate.com

Health-plan impasse may delay service
Denver Post, CO - Sep 1, 2006… Colo., sent a letter Thursday to HCA and United executives, saying: “The consequences of failing to reach a contractual agreement endangers the health of over …
Source: www.denverpost.com

Mass. finalizes health plan coverage test
Business Insurance, Chicago - Sep 11, 2006… with newly finalized regulations that spell out whether they will be subject to a special assessment mandated by the state s landmark health care reform law. …
Source: www.businessinsurance.com

Single-payer health plan outlined
WCAX, VT - Aug 29, 2006… Gibbs said the state should concentrate on implementing health care reform already passed, including the Catamount Health plan designed to get coverage to the …
Source: www.wcax.com

Poor health plan
Cherry Hill Courier Post, NJ - Sep 9, 2006… Wal-Mart’s plan limits doctors visits and prescriptions. This is not good management of health care if someone has a chronic problem. …
Source: www.courierpostonline.com

Knox County health plan announced
The Register-Mail, IL - Aug 22, 2006… The Knox County Health Department announced Monday the creation of a community health plan that identifies some of the biggest health-related problems Knox …
Source: www.register-mail.com

Crowd assails proposed changes to state health plan
Newark Star Ledger,  USA - Aug 22, 2006… for higher co-pays for municipal workers and more use of generic drugs and mail-order pharmacies by all participants in the public worker health plan. …
Source: www.nj.com

NC health plan reports 330,000 patients switch to managed care
Fort Worth Star Telegram, TX - Sep 8, 2006… three managed-care programs, called NC SmartChoice Blue Options, will result in lower monthly premiums for patients and should save the health plan more than …
Source: www.dfw.com

Part D late penalty could hit the poor hardest, but here’s a tip
Newsday - But it’s not too soon for 5 million Americans to reconsider signing up for a Part D prescription drug plan when the next open Even the 3.3 million Americans who are eligible for Medicare’s low-income subsidy (or LIS) but didn’t enroll in Part D are

MDs, pharmacists report Part D woes
Providence Business News - Pharmacists and doctors alike report difficulties in the first year of implementation of Medicare Part D. At Hillside Family & Community Medicine in Pawtucket, a clerk now works full time on prescription issues, helping patients figure out which

AARP to run ads backing imported drugs
Quad-Cities Times - today in Iowa and other states pushing for Senate action on legislation that would let consumers buy U.S.-made prescription While millions of seniors are getting some relief through the new Medicare drug benefit, the organization still represents

Casey must hold Santorum accountable for his votes
Morning Call - Santorum also voted against negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drugs, allowing reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada, and on allowing patients to sue their HMOs for punitive damages. If you are a small business owner, you

HealthSpring, Inc. Announces Proposed Public Offering by Certain
MSN MoneyCentral - The Company currently owns and operates Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans in Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, Illinois, and Mississippi. In addition, the Company uses its infrastructure and provider networks in

Keep your medications together, and make list
Charlotte Observer - Carry your card with you: If you have one, make a habit of always having your insurance prescription or Medicare/Medicaid card with you. Keep your prescriptions filled: Don’t refill at the last minute. Check. Some health plans allow a three- to four

Senior Citizens Seven Times More Likely to Experience Dangerous Drug Errors 
Senior Journal - Sep 14 5:54 PM
September 14, 2006 - While conventional wisdom dictates that more doctors are better for your health, a new analysis released yesterday finds that the more doctors a senior citizen sees, the greater their risk for dangerous drug errors.Save to My Web

Bittersweet pill 
The Indianapolis Star - Sep 14 11:51 PM
Medicare’s new prescription drug benefit has kept Indianapolis pharmacist Skip Tucker scrambling this year. Since the law went into effect at the start of 2006, Tucker not only has been filling many more prescriptions for seniors, he also has spent countless hours helping many of his customers unravel the complicated program.Save to My Web

Help Express’ makes local stop 
Monroe Evening News - Sep 14 9:01 AM
Monroe was a stop on a national bus tour Wednesday, part of an effort to educate people on the availability of prescription drug programs. The large, orange bus was parked near W. First and Cass Sts. Wednesday.Save to My Web

Private Health Insurance Hard to Get and Costly 
HealthDay via Yahoo! News - Sep 14 9:04 AM
THURSDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) — Almost nine out of every 10 Americans who seek private health insurance never buy a plan, and one in five who apply are turned down or charged more because of preexisting conditions, a new report finds.Save to My Web

Analysis: 9/11 Fed Responder Plan Steps Up 
RedNova - Sep 14 7:26 PM
By LEAH CARLINER The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday it intends to speed up its allocation of $75 million to the World Trade Center federal responders program to combat lingering health problems in workers who rushed to the horrific scene on Sept. 11, 2001.Save to My Web

Rainville calls for interim health care reforms 
WRGB - Sep 14 10:12 AM
(Rutland, VT - AP) - Republican US House candidate Martha Rainville is calling for interim health reform measures while broader reforms are developed.Save to My Web

Rainville calls for interim health care reforms 
Boston Globe - Sep 14 12:45 PM
Republican U.S. House candidate Martha Rainville counts making health care more accessible and cheaper as the top issue in her race, but she declined Thursday to lay out a specific, long-term reform proposal.Save to My Web

Medicare Premiums To Rise 5.6% in ‘07 
Washington Post - Sep 12 8:29 PM
Most seniors will have to pay 5.6 percent more for basic Medicare coverage next year, officials announced yesterday. But premiums for more affluent beneficiaries will increase by as much as 83 percent, because the federal government for the first time will require wealthier people to pay more. Save to My Web

MAS helps disabled apply for Medicare drug program
Missoulian - An estimated 1,600 eligible residents of Missoula and Ravalli counties have not enrolled in the Medicare prescription drug coverage plan - but it’s not too late. The federal government recently announced that low-income individuals who qualify for

Heart attack patients not using life-saving drugs
Reuters - survived at least 1 year after a heart attack and had insurance coverage, either commercial or Medicare + Choice (M+C). In the year after hospital discharge, just 45 percent of patients were adherent with beta-blocker therapy, defined as prescription

Seniors stunned, saddened by planned Medicare cutbacks
Delaware Online - Maskeroni is only required to help people with problems related to Medicare insurance, but seniors said she also helps with the new federal prescription drug benefit.

To the Editor:
Nashville City Paper - Republican Congressman Billy Tauzin of Louisiana s 3rd District, former chairman of the House Commerce Committee (the Committee that helped draft and approve language in the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act that

Jennifer Bowman; Amy Rousseau; David Silk; Catherine Harrison
Medscape News - Part D coverage is determined by individual private plans, of which there are nearly 3,000 for the 2006 benefit year. [7] Each prescription drug plan (PDP) offering drug-only coverage and each Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MA-PD) plan offering

MAILBAG: Insurance companies, lawyers making too much
Portage Daily Register - Thank you, Randall Shambach, for responding to my recent letter. Now I can go into more detail. Speaking of un-American, the Medicare D prescription plan is the most stupid, idiotic plan ever devised. It is a lawyer’s paradise. Their motive is to

Pharmacist Arrested In Prescription Fraud 
NBC4 Washington, D.C. - Sep 15 1:28 PM
Montgomery County police arrest a Germantown man in connection with a case of prescription fraud.Save to My Web

Salamone: Help us help you, please 
The Express-Times - Sep 13 9:25 PM
I received notice in June from my group health insurance that my drug coverage expired. A few days later, I mailed an application to AARP Medicare drug plan, sending it to Hot Springs, Ark.Save to My Web

Life expectancy: McDowell must continue focus on health 
Bluefield Daily Telegraph - Sep 15 2:08 AM
Poverty and destructive behaviors have reached a pinnacle in McDowell County. Proudly known as the Free State by locals, the locality populated by many proudly independent people with a history of facing hardships head-on now has another hurdle to overcome a low life expectancy.Save to My Web

Seniors at greater risk of medicine mix-ups 
MSNBC - Sep 13 8:07 AM
Mistakes with prescription drugs are a leading cause of death or injury in the U.S., and a new study finds that older patients are most at risk because they take more medicines. Save to My Web

MEDICARE BENEFITS - Filling the gap: Seniors get chance to take Advantage of drug plan 
Patriot Ledger - Sep 13 9:11 AM
Seniors and younger disabled people on Medicare who use prescription medicines are being urged to double-check how much they pay for each drug and the insurance plans they use.Save to My Web

New card needed at pharmacy 
The York Dispatch - Sep 12 10:37 PM
HARRISBURG — Beginning today, more than 150,000 senior citizens who participate in Pennsylvania’s low-cost pharmaceutical programs should start using their new federal Medicare drug card when they pick up prescription drugs.Save to My Web

Relying on Home Health Testing Alone Could Be Dangerous 
AgNews - Sep 14 1:49 PM
AMARILLO With the availability of community health screenings and home health testing kits, more Americans are playing doctor, said a Texas Cooperative Extension specialist.Save to My Web

Discount Dental Plans are a Cost-Effective Alternative to Dental Insurance 
Derby Daily Reporter - Sep 14 2:13 PM
(ARA) - The numbers are nothing to smile about - more than 108 million Americans don’t have dental insurance, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Yet healthy teeth and gums play a fundamental role in overall health.Save to My Web

Contraceptive Equity Law Argued in NY’s Highest Court
Ms. Magazine, CA - Sep 11, 2006The law provides equitable insurance coverage for female employees working at organizations that provide prescription coverage. …
Source: www.msmagazine.com

Measure on right track to reforming health care
The Register-Guard, Oregon - Sep 12, 2006… for people without prescription coverage to join the pool. It gives everyone in Oregon the same bulk purchasing power that the big insurance companies have …
Source: www.registerguard.com

Sweet Springs audit shows revenue lagging
The Marshall Democrat-News, MO - Sep 12, 2006… Missouri Consolidated Insurance. The insurance premiums will increase slightly, but has added benefits including a prescription card. …
Source: www.marshallnews.com

Board, teachers reach agreement on 3-year contract
Tecumseh Herald, MI - 16 hours ago… had to co-pay $5 for a generic prescription and $10 for a brand name prescription. … In addition, teachers must pay for five percent of their insurance premium. …
Source: www.zwire.com

CHEAPER LAB TESTS
Kansas.com, KS - Sep 13, 2006… insurance won’t be filed. Your doctor may or may not accept the test results, or may make you come in anyway, rather than just calling in a prescription. …
Source: www.kansas.com

TheStreet.com Ratings: Two New Medigap Plans
TheStreet.com - 23 hours agoIf you have been looking to purchase Medicare supplement insurance — otherwise known as … that Plans H, I and J once offered some prescription drug coverage but …
Source: www.thestreet.com

Seniors bear heavy financial burden
The Olympian, WA - 23 hours ago… So if you are 65 or older and your insurer does not cover prescription drugs (or you lack insurance), make sure you are enrolled in Medicare Part D. The longer …
Source: 159.54.227.3

Board, teachers reach agreement on 3-year contract
1960 Sun - In exchange, the teachers agreed to a less generous health insurance plan. In the past contract, teachers had to co-pay $5 for a generic prescription and $10 for a brand name prescription. The new contract calls for a co-payment of $10 for generic

From the Daily: More pills, fewer abortions
Michigan Daily - Rights Commission ruled that under the state’s civil rights act, women must have access to birth control in their prescription does little to promote contraceptive equality; the MCRC’s ruling extends coverage to women whose health insurance is

Seniors at risk for injury due to drug mistakes
Home News Tribune - The 67-year-old retired school bus driver says she avoids prescription medicine whenever possible. “A lot of people, every time almost a quarter of seniors get prescriptions from five or more doctors, according to Medco’s analysis of drug-insurance

Program to offer discount drugs
Columbian - Residents who lack health insurance can use the program to purchase prescription drugs at discount prices. Those with insurance can receive discounts on medications not covered by their policies. Bill Barron, county administrator, said the program

United Physicians to Enhance Patient Safety and Reduce Prescription
Yahoo Finance - They can access insurance plan eligibility and formulary compliance, authorize renewals and refills, and easily track a Rcopia is the nation’s leading full-featured stand- alone electronic prescription management system and the leading e

Area seniors get well at Y
Mansfield News Journal - William and Mary Bishop lived in Chicago where she worked in insurance and he was a millwright before moving to Mansfield Virginia and Bill Bauer have already taken that prescription. They volunteer through the RSVP program “wherever we’re needed

Medicare lists new rates; wealthier people pay more 
Sun-Sentinel - Sep 14 12:15 AM
Because of technical problems, part of this article did not appear in some of Wednesday’s editions. It is reprinted here in full.Save to My Web

Trenton teachers call in sick amid pact talks 
Detroit News - Sep 13 10:51 PM
TRENTON — Blackboard flu broke out in the Trenton school district Wednesday when classes were canceled after more than 80 percent of the teachers called in sick.Save to My Web

Bob Dole Urges Seniors to Prepare to Pick a Plan as Medicare Enrollment Period Approaches 
[Press Release] PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance - Sep 12 7:17 AM
Former Senator and health care advocate Bob Dole made available today the seventh episode in his podcast series, Ten Things Seniors Need to Know about Medicare’s Drug Coverage.Save to My Web

Speaker vows all children to have health coverage 
Journal Inquirer - Sep 12 7:29 AM
HARTFORD - House Speaker James A. Amann says one of his highest priorities for 2007 is to pass legislation requiring all Connecticut children to have health insurance.Save to My Web

Learn the Language of Health Insurance Plans 
Benton Evening News - Sep 13 10:23 AM
(ARA) - There are lots of different kinds of health insurance, from plans that cover medical services and prescription medicines to plans that cover dental expenses; disability insurance that replaces income lost due to extended illness or injury to long-term care, and so on.Save to My Web

County to offer drug benefits 
Princeton Times Leader - Sep 13 12:25 PM
The Caldwell County Fiscal Courts membership in a national organization of county governments may soon translate into lower prescription drug costs for county residents.Save to My Web

The Lowdown on New Medicare Premiums 
Kiplinger.com - 2 hours, 9 minutes ago
What’s this I hear about Medicare premiums now being based on your income? Will this change my monthly cost by a lot?Save to My Web

Seniors saving on medications with new benefits 
Community Press & Recorder - Sep 13 10:29 AM
Two and a half years ago, Republicans delivered on a promise we made to the American people by passing sweeping Medicare reform, including a comprehensive Medicare prescription drug benefit to give America’s seniors access to affordable prescription drugs. Now that the program is off the ground, the evidence is in and we have much to celebrate: The Medicare prescription drug benefit is working, Save to My Web

People often forgo using lifesaving beta blockers despite health
EurekAlert - E-mail Article ] Contact: Richard Merritt Merri006@mc.duke.edu 919-684-4148 Duke University Medical Center People often forgo using lifesaving beta blockers despite health insurance DURHAM, N.C. — Fewer than half of the patients who were prescribed

Ohio Health Insurer To Cut 350 Jobs In 2007
NewsNet 5 - COLUMBUS, Ohio — Nationwide Health Plans, an affiliate of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. that provides health insurance in Ohio and California, will begin cutting about 350 jobs next year, a spokesman for the larger company said late Tuesday. It

Filmmaker Michael Moore Takes Temperature of U.S. Health Care System
WTOL-TV - We can’t control what a major Hollywood entertainer does,” said Mohit Ghose, a spokesman for the trade group America’s Health Insurance Plans. “Our focus remains on a positive agenda of high-quality health care for more Americans.” With a laid-back

Casino a winning idea
MySanAntonio - A city employee covering herself and her daughter on the city’s group health insurance plan is going to have to pay a whopping $42 per month under City Manager Sheryl Sculley’s 2007 budget (”Insurance for city workers set to rise

Froedtert, UnitedHealth resume talks
Jacksonville Business Journal - The hospital system and UnitedHealthcare, the state’s largest group health insurance company, have been embroiled in a months-long dispute over a series of issues, including reimbursement rates and schedules, as well as what risk the hospital would

Beebe, Hutchinson on Campaign Trail
KATV - good specifics, in our healthcare plan, specifically to try to broaden the amount of coverage through letting small businesses and even some counties pool together and use that as a purchasing device to be able to negotiate better health insurance

All Kids Health Program Goes On The Road
Week.com - Sep 13, 2006 - State health officials say they don’t want to miss any children for the All Kids Program. Now that children are back in school they’re trying to get the information to families who do not have comprehensive health insurance

Senator Grassley Shares Thoughts
1960 Sun - On health insurance, the Senator talked about the Hawk I plan for children whose parents have no insurance, he also talked about the 101 percent reimbursement critical care hospitals receive from the federal government. “In Iraq, we have reduced

An e-prescription for Medicaid
FCW.com, VA - Aug 13, 2006… Administration. A new Medicare prescription drug benefits program, however, has made it difficult to measure the effects of e-prescribing. …
Source: www.fcw.com

I’m so very grateful for Medicare Part D assistance
The Free Lance-Star, VA - 3 hours agoThe prescription drug benefit that Medicare began offering to beneficiaries in January 2006 has drastically decreased my prescription drug costs, and I am very …
Source: fredericksburg.com

Pragmatic’ CMS Administrator McClellan ‘Will Be Missed’ After …
Kaiser network.org, DC - Sep 8, 2006… safe,” and as CMS administrator, he “failed to anticipate the administrative glitches that marred the beginnings of the new Medicare prescription drug program …
Source: www.kaisernetwork.org

Need some retirement advice Ask Mr. Ed
USA Today - Sep 10, 2006… (The new Medicare prescription drug coverage is mainly a windfall for the pharmaceutical industry and further evidence Congress cares more about powerful …
Source: www.usatoday.com

Hanover COA fall activities
Hanover Mariner, MA - Aug 29, 2006… Medicare Prescription Drug Plan - The fall of 2006 will bring more Medicare options and changes. The Medicare Prescription Drug …
Source: www2.townonline.com

Study Links Paid Trips to Industry-Friendly Laws
The NewStandard, NY - Aug 31, 2006… Many legislators who accepted trips voted in favor of the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act, which set up a prescription-drug …
Source: newstandardnews.net

Sheldon Whitehouse says voters ‘want to see our country take a new …
Providence Journal, RI - 5 hours ago… Bush’s domestic record is replete with blunders as well, be it with the Medicare prescription drug benefit, Social Security, the environment and the economy. …
Source: www.projo.com

IA Global Receives Non-Compliance Notification From AMEX
WBAY Green Bay - We own 100% of Global Hotline, Inc., which operates call centers and is a reseller of telephone and broadband lines and medical insurance in Japan. For further information, contact: Mark Scott, President and CFO IA Global Inc. 550 N

Travel Insurance
WHNT-TV - If you get sick (remember that appendicitis?) or injured, the insurance will take care of the medical bills. Your current health insurance may already cover your medical expenses while traveling, so be sure to find out before purchasing

IN THE OFFICE: Medical clinics open up at firms
Courier-Post - More companies are opening medical clinics in their buildings to cope with the ever-rising health-care costs, according to The clinics don’t replace companies’ regular health insurance. They are an added benefit with little or no extra cost to

Premier Teleconference to Address the Prevention Of Venous
Genetic Engineering News - He is founder and executive director of the Hospitalist Program at the UCI Medical Center, where he also serves as medical from group purchasing and supply chain services, clinical and operational performance measurement, benchmarking and insurance

Medical malpractice reform
Times and Democrat - Van Hope/T&D As chairman of a subcommittee on medical malpractice and liability limits, Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg that might otherwise come out of the Medicaid program or the local hospital budget if a person doesn t have insurance?

Up for some, eroded for all
Wilmington Morning Star - It rises annually as medical costs rise. Next year it’s likely to be about $98.40 a month. Congress and President Bush It’s social insurance, not welfare. It’s an entitlement, not a handout. Adding the surcharge for higher-income people

Axley, Kotowski Agree On Change, Methods Differ 
Des Plaines Journal - Sep 08 5:02 PM
This is one in a series of articles detailing the views of the two candidates vying for the 33d State Senate seat.Save to My Web

Humana’s Medicare Education RV Tour Returns to America’s Highways; Eight Recreational Vehicles to Travel Cross-Country  
RedNova - Aug 28 8:06 AM
For the second consecutive year, Humana Inc. (NYSE:HUM) is launching a nationwide mobile educational campaign designed to assist Medicare beneficiaries learn about new Medicare and prescription drug coverage options available to them in 2007. With the theme, “There’s so much more to Medicare.Save to My Web

Import drugs help to close Medicare gap 
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette - Sep 03 1:04 AM
Shopping around is a way of life for retiree David Hull. He and his wife, Josephine, take a total of 20 prescription medications, mostly maintenance drugs, for everything from heart health to blood pressure to diabetes.Save to My Web

Jim Nussle Talks About Prescription Drug Coverage 
KCRG-TV9 Cedar Rapids - Sep 05 4:17 PM
CEDAR RAPIDS - Gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle was in Cedar Rapids Tuesday after campaigning in western Iowa on Labor Day. He met with seniors to talk about affordable and accessible prescription drug coverage.Save to My Web

‘Bob Dole on Medicare Campaign’ Launches New Podcast Series ‘MMA Patient Success Stories’ 
[Press Release] PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance - Sep 11 6:51 AM
With only 75 days until enrollment begins for Medicare’s prescription drug coverage in 2007, Senator Bob Dole today announced the launch of a podcast series featuring Medicare beneficiaries from across the country giving first-hand accounts of their experiences with the Medicare prescription drug benefit.Save to My Web

Drug plan still falling short, polls find 
The Columbus Dispatch - Sep 08 4:18 AM
Richard Walters thought he had done everything right in signing up for the Medicare prescription-drug benefit. But every month, when Walters visits his pharmacy, hes told his drug plan, Humana, wont cover his medications.Save to My Web

More Top Stories 
Business Insurance - Sep 05 12:41 PM
WASHINGTONDr. Mark McClellan, the Bush administrations top official for the giant Medicare and Medicaid programs, is resigning.Save to My Web