Health News E-Clips

An electronic healthcare news link service provided by UHA,

Utah Hospitals and Health Systems Association

 

Friday, November 7, 2008  

 

Utah Healthcare Headlines

Doctors no longer control the quality of health care in the United States (Opinion, Salt Lake Tribune, November 5, 2008) As an emergency physician and 911 researcher here for 35 years, I can no longer condone the choices advocated by many of my peers, who unconvincingly fight against a universal health-care program for all Americans. http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_10898117

 

Utah Tries Cheaper COBRA Alternative for Health Insurance (Wall Street Journal Health Blog, November 5, 2008) http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/11/04/utah-tries-cheaper-cobra-alternative-for-health-insurance/

 

Utah hospitals group honors 2 for contributions to community (Deseret News, November 5, 2008) John W. Hanshaw, president and chief executive officer of MountainStar Healthcare, was recently named the Distinguished Healthcare Executive of the Year by the Utah Hospitals and Health Systems Association. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to Utah's health-care community. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705260609,00.html

 

Reforming Medicaid (Opinion, Salt Lake Tribune, November 5, 2008) Soon our new Congress and president will address our nation's health-care challenges, including projected costs that are expected to rise dramatically, as reported in "Medicaid spending outpaces growth of the U.S. economy" (Tribune, Oct. 21). http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_10898116

 

State Legislature to pick its leaders (Deseret News, November 6, 2008) Now comes the other round of Utah legislative elections — House and Senate leadership contests, the ones that inside state government at times may be more important than those held Tuesday. http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705260947,00.html

  • Clark likely to be speaker of Utah House (Salt Lake Tribune, November 6, 2008) With the defeat of Greg Curtis, Rep. Dave Clark is ready to step up to become the first House speaker from Southern Utah in more than seven decades. http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_10912224
  • Sticks, not carrots: Huntsman must prod GOP toward political moderation (Editorial, Salt Lake Tribune, November 6, 2008) Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman doesn't much care for political labels. In a meeting with The Tribune editorial board, the moderate Republican described himself as, first and foremost, a "Utahn." http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_10909113
  • Legislators jostle for leadership positions (Salt Lake Tribune, November 7, 2008) Voters assured that there would be a change in House leadership, and this evening, Republican senators will decide if they, too, want new blood at the top. http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10924202?source=rv

 

Diabetes rate troubling (Editorial, Deseret News, November 6, 2008) n the past decade, the number of diabetes cases in the United States has nearly doubled. The increase seems to dovetail with higher rates of obesity and lower rates of physical activity. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705260870,00.html

 

New mom who lost limbs to flesh-eating bacteria settles LDS Hospital suit (Salt Lake Tribune, November 6, 2008) A Bountiful woman who lost three limbs to flesh-eating bacteria has settled a malpractice suit that alleged medical personnel mismanaged the near-fatal infection. http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10915692

  • Suit is settled in malpractice case (Deseret News, November 7, 2008) A Bountiful woman's $16 million medical malpractice lawsuit against LDS Hospital, Intermountain Healthcare and other entities has ended with the award of an undisclosed settlement for what the woman termed "catastrophic" injuries caused by severe infections associated with a Caesarean section. http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705261084,00.html

 

Helping out (Salt Lake Tribune, November 7, 2008) Babies cry, adults sneeze and sniffle and loud chatter in various languages fill the room as patients crowd the lobby on a typical afternoon at the WestView Community Health Center. http://www.sltrib.com/valleywest/ci_10916770

 

Avoiding premature delivery is topic of hotline (Deseret Morning News, November 7, 2008) Babies born too soon is the biggest issue in obstetrics, and the numbers are rising. Prevent that, and you decrease infant deaths and disabilities such as blindness, deafness and lifelong respiratory problems. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705261242,00.html

 

National Healthcare Headlines

Hospitals See Drop in Paying Patients (New York Times, November 7, 2008) In another sign of the economy’s toll on the nation’s health care system, some hospitals say they are seeing fewer paying patients — even as greater numbers of people are showing up at emergency rooms unable to pay their bills. (You must register to view this link—no fee) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/business/07hospital.html?th&emc=th

 

F.B.I. Looks Into a Threat to Reveal Patient Data (New York Times, November 7, 2008) The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating an extortion letter threatening to expose millions of patient records stolen from Express Scripts, a medical benefits management company. (You must register to view this link—no fee) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/business/07data.html?th&emc=th

  • Threat Claims Theft of Data On Patients (Wall Street Journal, November 7, 2008) Express Scripts Inc., one of the nation's largest pharmacy-benefit managers, said it received an anonymous letter early last month seeking money as part of a threat to expose "millions" of patients' personal records. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122602161147207341.html

 

Merck: More lawsuits, Justice probe over Vytorin (Washington Post, November 4, 2008) Lawsuits against Merck & Co. and partner Schering-Plough Corp. related to their marketing of cholesterol drug Vytorin are piling up, and the U.S. Department of Justice has begun investigating the drugmakers' conduct, according to a regulatory filing. (You must register to view this link—no fee) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/04/AR2008110402591.html

 

Business Braces for Cooler Climate (Wall Street Journal, November 5, 2008) Rising Democratic power in Washington is likely to usher in a drive for tighter financial regulation, increased social spending and more labor-friendly policies amid a more challenging climate for business. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122585817499000483.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

Health Insurers Prime for New Business With Democratic Rule (Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2008) Health insurers are priming themselves to gain new business from policy changes likely to be approved with Democrats in control of Washington. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122593755004203961.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

How Obama's win may impact Americans' mental health (USA Today, November 6, 2008) Improved race relations and short-term relief from soaring stress levels are among the likely after-effects of Barack Obama's Tuesday night victory, say experts in mental health and race relations. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-11-05-obama-reaction_N.htm

 

Medicare, Medicaid Deficits Loom Over Health Priorities (Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2008) Health care played a big role in the presidential campaign. But the administration will face a tough choice: try for a wide-ranging systematic overhaul -- an approach that failed when President Bill Clinton tried it in 1993 -- or make do with piecemeal fixes. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122593106687803281.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

Mass. a model of healthcare reform, hurdles (Boston Globe, November 6, 2008) With Barack Obama heading to the White House, Massachusetts' pioneering experiment with near-universal healthcare suddenly takes on new meaning as a potential model. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/11/06/mass_a_model_of_healthcare_reform_hurdles/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Massachusetts+news

 

Reactions vary on changes to retiree health benefits rule (USA Today, November 7, 2008) Retiree advocates gave a mixed reaction Thursday to a new regulation allowing employers to provide more limited health care benefits for retirees who are 65 and older, though some critics called the change tantamount to discrimination. http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/retirement/2007-12-27-retirees_N.htm

 

Washington Passes Initiative 1000, Legalizing Physician-Assisted Suicide (Wall Street Journal Health blog, November 5, 2008) Voters in Washington State gave a clear answer yesterday to a thorny ethical question: Should a doctor should be allowed to prescribe a lethal dose of drugs to a dying patient? http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/11/05/washington-passes-initiative-1000-legalizing-physician-assisted-suicide/

 

Jewish Law's Meaning of Death Nears Court Fight (Washington Post, November 7, 2008) The struggle between Children's National Medical Center and the parents of a 12-year-old boy with brain cancer yesterday drew national attention and once again brought to the forefront the emotional debate over the meaning of life and death. (You must register to view this link—no fee) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/06/AR2008110603828.html?wpisrc=newsletter

 

Insurers Hire Radiology Police to Vet Scanning (Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2008) Health insurers are increasingly relying on outside firms to help rein in the skyrocketing costs of imaging scans like MRIs. But when these middlemen clash with doctors about what tests are needed, consumers can get caught in the crossfire. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122591900516802409.html

 

Nebraska’s Abandoned Families (Editorial, New York Times, November 5, 2008) The Nebraska Legislature had newborn infants and desperate young mothers in mind when it passed a law that allows parents to surrender unwanted children to the state without fear of prosecution. In just a few months, more than two dozen children as old as 17 have been abandoned, usually by parents or guardians who claimed that the children were uncontrollable. (You must register to view this link—  no fee) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/opinion/05wed3.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

 

Vitamin found in poultry, fish holds promise for Alzheimer's (USA Today, November 7, 2008) Researchers report that huge doses of an ordinary vitamin appeared to eliminate memory problems in mice with the rodent equivalent of Alzheimer's disease. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-11-06-alzheimers-vitamin_N.htm

 

Officials: Kids shouldn't eat animals killed with lead bullets (USA Today, November 7, 2008) North Dakota health officials are recommending that pregnant women and young children avoid eating meat from wild game killed with lead bullets. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-11-06-lead-venison_N.htm

 

B vitamins might not cut cancer risk (Boston Globe, November 5, 2008) Vitamin B supplements do not appear to protect against cancer as some previous research had suggested, according to a US study published yesterday. (You must register to view this link—no fee) http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2008/11/05/b_vitamins_might_not_cut_cancer_risk/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Today%27s+paper+A+to+Z

 

Report: Migraines might lower breast cancer risk (USA Today, November 7, 2008) Women who experience migraines may actually have a 30% lower risk of developing breast cancer, say researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-11-06-migraine-breast-cancer_N.htm

 

Woman's cancer genome decoded (USA Today, November 6, 2008) Talk about personalized medicine: For the first time, scientists have mapped all the genes in a single person's cancer, allowing them to uncover eight new genes that could lead to better ways to treat the disease. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-11-05-genome-cancer_N.htm

 

421,000 people poisoned by snakebites each year: study (Boston Globe, November 4, 2008) More than 400,000 people are poisoned by snakebites worldwide each year and 20,000 of them die, with most cases occurring in the poorest countries, researchers say. (You must register to view this link—no fee) http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2008/11/04/421000_people_poisoned_by_snakebites_each_year_study/

 

FDA Seizes Contaminated Heparin (Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2008) The government on Thursday seized 11 lots of contaminated heparin, a widely used blood thinner, from a company in Cincinnati as part of a broader effort to ensure tainted heparin from China doesn't harm patients. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122599922141305711.html

 

In Hard Times, a Cosmetic Hard Sell (New York Times, November 6, 2008) Cosmetic doctors have nicknames for the days on which they offer deals on anti-wrinkle shots. (You must register to view this link—no fee) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/fashion/06skin.html?th&emc=th

 

Merck: More lawsuits, Justice probe over Vytorin (Washington Post, November 5, 2008) Lawsuits against Merck & Co. and partner Schering-Plough Corp. related to their marketing of cholesterol drug Vytorin are piling up, and the U.S. Department of Justice has begun investigating the drugmakers' conduct, according to a regulatory filing. (You must register to view this link—no fee) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/04/AR2008110402591_pf.html

 

Drug Firms Target Newly Rich Abroad (Wall Street Journal, November 5, 2008) As prescription-drug sales slow in the U.S. and other developed markets, pharmaceutical makers are increasingly targeting countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China, where rising prosperity has produced new customers willing to pay near U.S. prices for brand-name prescription drugs. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122584113657298887.html

 

A Doctor, a Mutation and a Potential Cure for AIDS (USA Today, November 7, 2008) The startling case of an AIDS patient who underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat leukemia is stirring new hope that gene-therapy strategies on the far edges of AIDS research might someday cure the disease. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122602394113507555.html

 

Zimbabwe returns $7.3 million to AIDS group (USA Today, November 7, 2008) Zimbabwe's central bank has returned $7.3 million to an international aid agency that it confiscated last year, an official said Friday. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-11-07-zimbabwe-AIDSgroup_N.htm

 

Health-Care Funds (Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2008) The health-care industry supposedly has two big things going for it, from an investing standpoint. The first is the so-called baby-boomer effect. The thinking goes that as the demographic ages, it will boost health-care spending by purchasing everything from complicated surgeries to routine prescription drugs. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122576295335895749.html?mod=rss_Money

 

HealthSouth Raises Outlook; Profit Falls in Third Quarter (Wall Street Journal, November 5, 2008) HealthSouth Corp.'s third-quarter net income tumbled 98% from a year ago when the company recorded a big tax benefit, but the company raised its 2008 per-share earnings forecast on its efforts to reduce debt. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122583815161098613.html  

 

GlaxoSmithKline to Cut 1,000 Sales Jobs in the U.S. (New York Times, November 6, 2008) In a revamping, the drug maker GlaxoSmithKline will cut about 1,000 sales jobs in the United States by the end of this year. (You must register to view this link—no fee) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/business/06glaxo.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

 

Medco Health 3Q profit rises 38 pct, beats view (Washington Post, November 6, 2008) Pharmacy benefits manager Medco Health Solutions Inc. said Wednesday its third-quarter profit rose 38 percent on greater mail-order and specialty drug sales, topping Wall Street forecasts. (You must register to view this link—no fee) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/05/AR2008110501780.html