Latest Medicare Update July 31, 2007 at 09:55 PM

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July 31, 2007

Medicare Part D - Kohl Bill Gives States More Power To Regulate Sales &


Kohl Bill Gives States More Power To Regulate Sales & Marketing Of Medicare Advantage Plans, USA (Medical News Today)
U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, was joined today by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in introducing the Accountability and Transparency in Medicare Marketing Act of 2007. [click link for full article]

Amgen Responds to Final CMS National Coverage Determination on Use of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents in Oncology (Finanzen.net)
Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced its response to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final National Coverage Determination (NCD) on the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in cancer and related ...

Experts: Explore drug plans (Miami Herald)
For Florida seniors enrolled in a Medicare Part D drug plan, 2006 has been a year of trial, and, for some, a year of error. Take Nelson and Ann Dembs who, to their deep chagrin, reached the coverage gap far sooner than expected because they misunderstood their plan's structure. When the enrollment period for next year's Medicare prescription drug benefit opens on Wednesday, the Dembs - ...

Bird flu outbreaks possible in Chelyabinsk region in August (Itar-Tass)


Bird flu outbreaks possible in Chelyabinsk region in August (Itar-Tass)
YEKATERINBURG, July 31 (Itar-Tass) - Outbreaks of bird flu are not ruled out in Russia s Chelyabinsk region in August, the press service of the emergencies ministry s regional department told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

Vietnamese woman dies of bird flu (AAP via Yahoo!Xtra News)
A Vietnamese woman who was seven months pregnant has died of bird flu, the country's third human death from the virus this year, doctors say.

Choose a life insurance plan that's right for you (Mohave


Choose a life insurance plan that's right for you (Mohave Valley News)
(ARA) - Term life and whole life. You may know they're both types of life insurance, but when it comes time to buy a policy, will you know which one to purchase? To learn more, take this short quiz from SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Lower life insurance for vegetarians (Daily Mail)
A new life insurance product was launched today offering lower premiums to vegetarians. Animal Friends Insurance said people who did not eat meat would qualify for a 6 per cent discount on its life cover because medical evidence suggested they were less likely to suffer from major illnesses

Lloyds TSB sells insurance unit Abbey Life to Deutsche Bank (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Lloyds TSB, the fifth-biggest British bank, said Tuesday it would sell Abbey Life Assurance to Germany's Deutsche Bank for 977 million pounds.

Moses Cone Hospital, Blue Cross At Odds (WXII ThePiedmontChannel.com via


Moses Cone Hospital, Blue Cross At Odds (WXII ThePiedmontChannel.com via Yahoo! News)
Moses Cone Hospital and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina are at odds about a new contract.

Moses Cone, Blue Cross still at odds (News 14 Carolina)
Officials for Moses Cone announced Monday that they will not renew their contract with the managed care firm, effective Nov. 1. Now many BCBSNC members are left wondering what this will mean for them.

Medicare Part D - HIV Experts Applaud Bill Protecting Access to Anti-AIDS Drugs (Kansas


HIV Experts Applaud Bill Protecting Access to Anti-AIDS Drugs (Kansas City InfoZine)
New legislation promises to protect low-income, uninsured people with serious medical conditions from being denied essential medications by Medicare Part D drug plans.

New Report on Prescription Medication Adherence Underscores Importance of E-Prescribing (PR Newswire via Yahoo! News)
A new report that finds millions of Americans are either using their prescription medications incorrectly -- or not taking them at all -- underscores the importance of promoting electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) in Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) said today.

Kohl Bill Gives States More Power To Regulate Sales & Marketing Of Medicare Advantage Plans, USA (Medical News Today)
U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), Chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, was joined today by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in introducing the Accountability and Transparency in Medicare Marketing Act of 2007. [click link for full article]

A Healthier US Starts Here


A Healthier US Starts Here

Medicare Part D - Understanding Health-Insurance Enrollment (The Post-Journal) 7/30/2007 - Thinking about insurance


Understanding Health-Insurance Enrollment (The Post-Journal)
7/30/2007 - Thinking about insurance is rarely high on an individual s list of things to do. As individuals retire or age into Medicare, their insurance situation can change dramatically. There are a multitude of options open to those with Medicare.

HHS Summer 2007 Indian Country Bus Tour To Promote Prevention And Healthier Living (Medical News Today)
This summer, as part of the "A Healthier US Starts Here" initiative, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is joining local officials and its health care partners to raise awareness of the importance of preventing chronic disease and illness, promote Medicare preventive benefits, and provide information about how beneficiaries can take action to maintain and improve their health. ...

Experts: Explore drug plans (Miami Herald)
For Florida seniors enrolled in a Medicare Part D drug plan, 2006 has been a year of trial, and, for some, a year of error. Take Nelson and Ann Dembs who, to their deep chagrin, reached the coverage gap far sooner than expected because they misunderstood their plan's structure. When the enrollment period for next year's Medicare prescription drug benefit opens on Wednesday, the Dembs - ...

Medicare Part D - Medicare Part D: fiscal debacle and a lobbyist's dream


Medicare Part D: fiscal debacle and a lobbyist's dream (The Record)
SAN FRANCISCO Medicare Part D makes it easier for America's elderly to buy prescription drugs. It also gives drug companies a free ride on the backs of the next generation.

HHS Summer 2007 Indian Country Bus Tour To Promote Prevention And Healthier Living (Medical News Today)
This summer, as part of the "A Healthier US Starts Here" initiative, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is joining local officials and its health care partners to raise awareness of the importance of preventing chronic disease and illness, promote Medicare preventive benefits, and provide information about how beneficiaries can take action to maintain and improve their health. ...

Some getting dunned on Social Security (Orange County Register)
Some Social Security recipients will see their payments reduced next month - in some cases significantly - to correct an error in their Medicare premium deductions, Medicare officials have confirmed.

July 30, 2007

Dragons and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Team Up


Dragons and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Team Up for "Home Run for Life" (OurSports Central)
DAYTON, OH- Fifth Third Field will host 11-year-old Lindsay Arlt from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's "Home Run for Life" program when the Dayton Dragons take on the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Wednesday, August 1st at 7 p.m.

Moses Cone cancels Blue Cross contract over rate increases (BizJournals)
Contract negotiations between Moses Cone Health System and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina have apparently reached an impasse.

Medicare Part D - Understanding Health-Insurance Enrollment (The Post-Journal) 7/30/2007 - Thinking about insurance


Understanding Health-Insurance Enrollment (The Post-Journal)
7/30/2007 - Thinking about insurance is rarely high on an individual s list of things to do. As individuals retire or age into Medicare, their insurance situation can change dramatically. There are a multitude of options open to those with Medicare.

HHS Summer 2007 Indian Country Bus Tour To Promote Prevention And Healthier Living (Medical News Today)
This summer, as part of the "A Healthier US Starts Here" initiative, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is joining local officials and its health care partners to raise awareness of the importance of preventing chronic disease and illness, promote Medicare preventive benefits, and provide information about how beneficiaries can take action to maintain and improve their health. ...

NationsHealth Receives Accreditation (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)
SUNRISE, Fla.----NationsHealth, Inc. today announced its award of accreditation status by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. for Medical Supply Provider Services. Successful accreditation by a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services -approved organization is one of a number of mandatory pre-requisites to being awarded a contract for the new CMS Competitive Bidding program for ...

Medicare Part D - Understanding Health-Insurance Enrollment (The Post-Journal) 7/30/2007 - Thinking about insurance


Understanding Health-Insurance Enrollment (The Post-Journal)
7/30/2007 - Thinking about insurance is rarely high on an individual s list of things to do. As individuals retire or age into Medicare, their insurance situation can change dramatically. There are a multitude of options open to those with Medicare.

Regulator's concerns impacts federal Medicare legislation (Miami News-Record)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Two months ago, Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland was in Washington expressing dismay to a Senate panel that government policies prevented her from protecting elderly Oklahoma consumers from unscrupulous Medicare marketing practices.

Medicare Part D - Regulator's Concerns Impacts Federal Medicare Legislation (KOTV 6 Tulsa) OKLAHOMA


Regulator's Concerns Impacts Federal Medicare Legislation (KOTV 6 Tulsa)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Two months ago, Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland was in Washington expressing dismay to a Senate panel that government policies prevented her from protecting elderly Oklahoma consumers from unscrupulous Medicare marketing practices.

American Kidney Fund Unveils Results From First Large-Scale Survey On Impact Of Medicare Part D On Kidney Failure ... (Medical News Today)
People with end stage renal disease (ESRD), also known as kidney failure, are experiencing significant challenges with the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, according to results from a nationwide survey released by the American Kidney Fund , the nation's No. 1 source of financial assistance to kidney patients. [click link for full article]

HIV Experts Applaud Bill Protecting Access to Anti-AIDS Drugs (Kansas City InfoZine)
New legislation promises to protect low-income, uninsured people with serious medical conditions from being denied essential medications by Medicare Part D drug plans.

What You Need to Know about Health Savings Accounts (Morningstar.com


What You Need to Know about Health Savings Accounts (Morningstar.com via Yahoo! Finance)
Should you save money for tax-free medical expenses?

Before you hit 65: A quick Medicare primer (The Buffalo News)
If you re celebrating your 65th birthday within the next year or so, get ready for a big gift from the government: Medicare coverage. But this present comes with strings attached in the form of complex enrollment rules that could cost you money if you re not careful.

FOLLOWING IS A PARTIAL LIST (York Daily Record)
Jul 19, 2007 of events and other news of note in the area. To add information to this list, e-mail Weekly Record editor Joan Concilio at jconcilio@ydr.com or call 771-2084.

Medicare Part D - Crossroads of change (Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter) MANITOWOC Felician Village,


Crossroads of change (Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter)
MANITOWOC Felician Village, the countys largest senior housing facility, is transitioning toward a future unlike its past a future driven, in part, by baby boomer expectations.

Center For Medicare Advocacy Commends House Of Representatives For Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries And Children, USA (Medical News Today)
The Center for Medicare Advocacy, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works to obtain fair access to Medicare and necessary health care for older people and people with disabilities, commends the House of Representatives for its leadership in protecting and expanding access to health care for Medicare beneficiaries and for children. [click link for full article]

Congress gets a chance to combat identity theft (Los Angeles Times)
Scott Giordano didn't know his identity had been stolen until he decided in 2005 to move to take a new job. He'd put a down payment on a house and quit his job as a San Bernardino firefighter before hearing that he'd failed a background check conducted by the employer that wanted to hire him. The reason: There were nine people, in different parts of the country, employed under his Social Security ...

HHS Summer 2007 Indian Country Bus Tour To Promote Prevention And Healthier Living (Medical News Today)
This summer, as part of the "A Healthier US Starts Here" initiative, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is joining local officials and its health care partners to raise awareness of the importance of preventing chronic disease and illness, promote Medicare preventive benefits, and provide information about how beneficiaries can take action to maintain and improve their health. ...

AHIP To Launch Campaign Against Medicare Advantage Plan Payment Cut


AHIP To Launch Campaign Against Medicare Advantage Plan Payment Cut (Medical News Today)
America's Health Insurance Plans on Wednesday announced plans to launch an advertising campaign that seeks to prevent a proposed reduction in reimbursements to private Medicare Advantage plans, Roll Call reports (Ackley, Roll Call, 7/25). House Democrats have proposed the reduction as part of a bill that would reauthorize and expand SCHIP by $50 billion over five years. [click link for full ...

AARP And AMA Announce Joint National TV Ads Urging Congress To Protect Medicare And Cover America's Kids (Medical News Today)
AARP, representing nearly 39 million Americans 50-plus, and the American Medical Association (AMA), the nation's largest physician group, joined forces to announce a national TV advertising buy to push for legislation that protects Medicare and extends health insurance to millions of uninsured children. The TV ad will run across the country and in Washington, DC from July 23 through August 3. ...

AUDIO from Medialink and AARP: New Health Care Legislation Helps Protect People in Medicare and Keep Costs Down (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)
There's a new health care package in the House of Representatives aimed at making sure vulnerable Americans can get the medical help they need. David Sloane, Director of Government Relations for AARP, says the House has an opportunity to address the needs of the most vulnerable -- uninsured children and older Americans -- and shape the building blocks for full-scale health reform.

Senior Centers and Groups (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
AARP Chapter 2353 Meeting 3rd. Tue. St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 203 N. Valley Forge Rd., Devon.

Penn health system inks new payment deal with IBC (BizJournals)


Penn health system inks new payment deal with IBC (BizJournals)
The University of Pennsylvania Health System and Independence Blue Cross signed a five-year contract, effective Aug. 1.

CCMH continues negotiations with Blue Cross - Will address water concerns with city (Boonville Daily News)
Cooper County Memorial Hospital CEO Matt Waterman discussed a number of issues at the hospital board of trustees meeting Wednesday night, including ongoing negotiations with Blue Cross and water pressure concerns.

July 29, 2007

Medicare Part D - Medicare Advantage Marketing Would Be Regulated by States in New


Medicare Advantage Marketing Would Be Regulated by States in New Senate Bill (Senior Journal)
July 27, 2007 Although the major Medicare Advantage Plans agreed to stop marketing until they had cleaned up their act, after a multitude of criticism of overly-aggressive marketing tactics, it is not enough everybody in Washington.

Oncology Med's Brachytherapy Solution Is Compliant With the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Policy Proposed Changes ... (Marketwire via Yahoo! Finance)
Oncology Med, Inc., a Pittsburg-based cancer treatment solutions group, announced today that, based on review of the new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services recommended proposed payment and policy changes for 2008 published this month in the Federal Registry, that Oncology Med's turnkey brachytherapy solution for ambulatory surgery centers and radiation oncologists will still be fully ...

Medicare Part D: fiscal debacle and a lobbyist's dream (The Record)
SAN FRANCISCO Medicare Part D makes it easier for America's elderly to buy prescription drugs. It also gives drug companies a free ride on the backs of the next generation.

Medicare Part D - Regulator's Concerns Impacts Federal Medicare Legislation (KOTV 6 Tulsa) OKLAHOMA


Regulator's Concerns Impacts Federal Medicare Legislation (KOTV 6 Tulsa)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Two months ago, Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland was in Washington expressing dismay to a Senate panel that government policies prevented her from protecting elderly Oklahoma consumers from unscrupulous Medicare marketing practices.

Congress gets a chance to combat identity theft (Los Angeles Times)
Scott Giordano didn't know his identity had been stolen until he decided in 2005 to move to take a new job. He'd put a down payment on a house and quit his job as a San Bernardino firefighter before hearing that he'd failed a background check conducted by the employer that wanted to hire him. The reason: There were nine people, in different parts of the country, employed under his Social Security ...

Medicare Advantage Marketing Would Be Regulated by States in New Senate Bill (Senior Journal)
July 27, 2007 Although the major Medicare Advantage Plans agreed to stop marketing until they had cleaned up their act, after a multitude of criticism of overly-aggressive marketing tactics, it is not enough everybody in Washington.

Center For Medicare Advocacy Commends House Of Representatives For Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries And Children, USA (Medical News Today)
The Center for Medicare Advocacy, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works to obtain fair access to Medicare and necessary health care for older people and people with disabilities, commends the House of Representatives for its leadership in protecting and expanding access to health care for Medicare beneficiaries and for children. [click link for full article]

Formulary Finder


Formulary Finder

Medicare Part D - Medicare Part D: fiscal debacle and a lobbyist's dream


Medicare Part D: fiscal debacle and a lobbyist's dream (The Record)
SAN FRANCISCO Medicare Part D makes it easier for America's elderly to buy prescription drugs. It also gives drug companies a free ride on the backs of the next generation.

Congress gets a chance to combat identity theft (Los Angeles Times)
Scott Giordano didn't know his identity had been stolen until he decided in 2005 to move to take a new job. He'd put a down payment on a house and quit his job as a San Bernardino firefighter before hearing that he'd failed a background check conducted by the employer that wanted to hire him. The reason: There were nine people, in different parts of the country, employed under his Social Security ...

Medicare Advantage Marketing Would Be Regulated by States in New Senate Bill (Senior Journal)
July 27, 2007 Although the major Medicare Advantage Plans agreed to stop marketing until they had cleaned up their act, after a multitude of criticism of overly-aggressive marketing tactics, it is not enough everybody in Washington.

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