| January 25, 2013 | America's Health Insurance Plans |
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- CDC: New norovirus strain spreads in U.S.
A new norovirus strain, first detected in Australia last March, is spreading across the U.S., causing 141 of the 266 norovirus outbreaks reported from September through December, CDC officials said. They also reported a rise in outbreaks of sickness caused by the consumption of raw milk. The findings appear in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. USA Today
(1/24), WebMD
(1/24)     
- Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease appear to raise mortality risk
Kidney disease appears to contribute to mortality in diabetes patients, according to new research. Patients who have kidney disease and type 2 diabetes face a higher mortality risk than those who do not have either condition and those who have diabetes alone, researchers wrote in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Data on 15,046 participants revealed patients with both type 2 diabetes and kidney disease had a 10-year mortality rate of 31.1%, compared with 11.5% in the diabetes-only group and 7.7% among those who did not have either condition. Healio/Endocrine Today
(1/24)
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- White paper links primary care EHR success to 6 practice areas
A white paper by the nonprofit consulting company Qualis Health analyzed the experiences of almost 700 primary care practices and found the successful adoption of electronic health records hinges on how well they are integrated into six practice areas. The report shows common errors that practices make when implementing EHRs and says leaders at the highest organizational levels are responsible for setting goals for EHR implementation. AAFP News Now
(1/23)
| Medical Update | | |
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- Poll looks at overweight, obesity rates for Americans
About 26% of Americans are obese and more than 36% are considered overweight as measured by BMI, a Gallup poll indicates, despite recent evidence that people are exercising more and increasingly cite obesity as a serious health concern. The findings are based on a survey that asked 350,000 people for their heights and weights. Income, age and ethnicity played a role in obesity rates, researchers said. WJZ-TV (Baltimore)/The Associated Press
(1/24), Gallup.com
(1/23)
- Prolonged sitting linked to higher death risk in colon cancer patients
Patients with colorectal cancer who spent six hours or longer per day seated during leisure time had a 36% greater risk of death compared with those who sat for less than three hours, researchers at the American Cancer Society found. The study also found that patients who exercised the most were 28% less likely to die than those who were less active. "I think this applies to more than colon cancer, because what they are describing is all-cause mortality not just mortality from colon cancer," said gasteroenterologist Dr. David Bernstein. "They are reinforcing that exercise and physical activity is associated with a lower risk of dying and it's better for you than just sitting there doing nothing." HealthDay News
(1/22)
| Emerging Trends | | |
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- ACO uses telehealth services to enhance patient care
Clermont, Fla.-based accountable care organization Primary Partners is working with AMC Health to enhance the telemonitoring of Medicare patients with medical conditions such as diabetes, congestive heart failure and hypertension. The ACO plans to use AMC Health's remote care and home telehealth services to lessen patient admissions and readmissions as well as prevent complications. MobiHealthNews.com
(1/22)
- Welch Allyn's iPhone-based eye testing tool gets FDA OK
Welch Allyn has secured 510(k) clearance from the FDA to market a device that links an ophthalmoscope, which is used to spot glaucoma and other eye conditions, with an iPhone. The iExaminer Adapter comes with a companion iPhone application to enable the sharing and printing of images. MedCityNews.com
(1/23)
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| Pharma News | | |
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- FDA considers reclassification of hydrocodone-containing drugs
An FDA panel was set to this week to consider reclassifying hydrocodone-containing products from Schedule III to Schedule II drugs. "Even if we change hydrocodone-containing products from Schedule III to Schedule II, it in no way jeopardizes access. What this means is that patients who might be able to go to their doctor every six months would now have to see their doctor every three months [to get a prescription]," said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, president of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing. HealthDay News
(1/24)
| Policy Watch | | |
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 | Health Systems Change Initiative Launched
AHIP Foundation announces the launch of the Institute for Health Systems Solutions (IHSS), an initiative designed to help advance new ideas regarding the delivery and financing of health care through credible, independent research and analysis. Click here to learn more. |
| AHIP News | | |
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Connect with health plans in 2013
Becoming an AHIP Affiliate Organization Member connects you with health plans through ongoing communication and networking opportunities. To start showcasing your solutions to health plans, contact a member of AHIP’s Business Development Team at BusinessDevelopment@ahip.org or 866-707-AHIP (2447) today.
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Reserve the best directory of health plans available!
“AIS’s Directory of Health Plans: 2013” is the most comprehensive resource available on the U.S. health plan market today. Its 600+ pages include enrollment data and contact information for health plans and primary care preferred provider networks operating in the U.S. as of year-end 2012. It is also available on CD so you can create custom analyses. Reserve yours today.
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| Position Title | Company Name | Location |
| Medical Director | Bluegrass Family Health, Inc. | Lexington, KY |
| Sales Manager | RxAlly | Leesburg, VA |
| Government Relations and Compliance Officer | Louisiana Health Cooperative, Inc. | Metarie, LA |
| Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | Louisiana Health Cooperative Inc. (LAHC) | Metarie, LA |
| Director Organizational Determinations and Appeals and Grievances | Jackson Health System | Miami, FL |
| CEO CarePoint Health Plan | CarePoint Health Plan | Bayonne, NJ |
| Director of Product Management, UPD | Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH) | Washington, DC |
| CAQH CORE Manager, Education, Outreach and Participant Relations | Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare | Washington, DC |
| CAQH Managing Director, Finance and Administration | Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare | Washington, DC |
| Chief Executive Officer | Nevada Health Information Exchange | Carson City, NV |
| Vice President, Medical Affairs and Senior Medical Director | Confidential Not-for-Profit Health Plan | Nationwide, United States |
| Director of Sales & Marketing | Hometown Health | Reno, NV |
| Product Development Specialist | Geisinger Health Plan | Danville, PA |
| Asst Director, Medicare Prod. Analytics/Rev. Mgmt | Cambia | Portland, OR |
| Marketing/Communications Data Analyst | America's Health Insurance Plans | Washington, DC |
| Media Relations Coordinator | America's Health Insurance Plans | Washington, DC |
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| Click here to view more job listings. |
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Austrian writer
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- Friday, January 18, 2013
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