Massachusetts healthcare reform continues to show sustained improvements in several areas, including access to healthcare and improved self-reported health statuses, according to research published in Health Affairs.
Public Health
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show an increase in emergency department visits and in the percentage of emergency patients who were uninsured from 2008 to 2009, according to an American Medical News report.
Emergency room visits at Saint Luke's Hospital and Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, have increased due to dangerous weather conditions, according to a KCRG report.
The federal government has awarded more than $296 million in bonus payments to 23 states for enrolling eligible children into Medicaid programs, according to an HHS release.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has approved legislation that reauthorizes the Hospital Preparedness Program, which provides grants and other funding for public health emergency preparedness, according to an AHA News Now report.
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Through the end of October, roughly 2.65 million Medicare beneficiaries have saved more than $1.5 billion on prescription drugs through discounts in the Medicare Part D "donut hole" coverage gap, according to a CMS news release.
Three hospitals in San Bernardino County, Calif., are forming a stroke network to speed access to stroke care for county residents, according to a Redlands Daily Facts report.
The National Institute of Nursing Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, has released an educational brochure for patients on palliative care, according to an AHA News Now report.
CMS has reported that more Americans have sought preventive care provided under the Affordable Care Act, according to an HHS release.
Mayo Clinic has partnered with other organizations, including HHS, to develop a Global Smoke-Free Worksite Challenge, according to a health system release.