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Super-Antibiotic Research Funded
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has contracted with Achaogen Inc. for the company to develop an antibiotic that appears to work against two bioterrorism agents and some antibiotic-resistant infections. The agreement will run for 2–5 years and will pay the company up to $64 million to continue work on ACHN-490, which has shown promise in early clinical trials. The agent acts against plague and tularemia bacteria, which could be used as bioterrorism agents. It also could be effective against hospital-related infections, such as pneumonia resulting from prolonged use of a ventilator and urinary tract infections from catheter use, according to a BARDA announcement. The contract is the first under a BARDA program to develop broad-spectrum antimicrobials.
First EHR Certifying Bodies Named
A nonprofit organization dedicated to health information technology and a software-testing lab have been chosen as the first two bodies to officially test and certify electronic health record (EHR) systems for the federal government. The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology and the Drummond Group can immediately begin certifying EHR systems as HHS-compliant, the Department of Health and Human Services said in an announcement. Legislation approved in 2009 created incentives up to $64,000 for health providers to transition from paper to certified EHRs. Now that HHS has named the certifying organizations, vendors can start applying for certification of their EHR systems and physicians soon should be able to purchase certified products, the HHS said.
Outcomes Research Funded
HHS will provide grants totaling nearly $17 million for “patient-centered outcomes research” (PCOR), which focuses on treatments and strategies that might improve health outcomes from the patient's point of view. Most of the announced grants will support outcomes research in primary care, HHS said. As part of the grant program, five health organizations will attempt to show that providers and academic institutions can partner on PCOR. Each organization– in Illinois, California, New York, Massachusetts, and Oregon — will receive about $2 million over 3 years to create a national network for evaluating the patient-centered approach in patient populations that are not always adequately represented in other studies, according to HHS. “Patient-centered outcomes research can improve health outcomes by developing and disseminating evidence-based information to patients, providers and decision-makers about the effectiveness of different treatments,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement.
AMA Opposes Tax Change
The American Medical Association and 90 medical organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians, have written to the Department of the Treasury urging it not to allow trial lawyers to deduct court costs and other expenses. Making such a change to tax law could encourage trial lawyers to file more claims, the organizations claimed. “Even though a substantial majority of claims are dropped or decided in favor of physicians, the cost of defending against meritless claims averages over $22,000,” their letter said. The organizations urged the treasury department to reconsider rumored plans to change current policy, which does not allow such tax deductions.
Workers' Premium Share Jumps
Workers who receive health insurance through their employers are paying nearly $4,000 in 2010 for family health coverage, an increase of 14% from 2009, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust. However, the total cost of coverage, including employers' contributions, hasn't climbed as much: Average total premiums for family coverage rose 3% in 2010 to $13,770, the survey found. Since 2005, workers' contributions to premiums have risen 47%, while overall premiums rose 27%, the organizations reported. Many companies have raised deductibles for workers: A total of 27% of workers now face annual deductibles of at least $1,000, compared with 22% who faced these high deductibles in 2009, the survey found. “If premiums and costs continue to be shifted to consumers, households will face difficult choices, like forgoing needed care or reexamining how they can best care for their families,” Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H., president of the Health Research and Educational Trust Association, said in a statement.
Prescription Drug Use Rises Again
The percentage of Americans who said they took at least one prescription drug in the past month increased from 44% to 48% from 1999 to 2008, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the same time, the number of people who said they had taken two or more drugs in previous month increased from 25% to 31%, and the number of people who took five or more drugs increased from 6% to 11%, the report found. One out of every five children used one or more prescription drugs, as did 90% of adults aged 60 years and older. Women were more likely to have taken a prescription drug. Those who didn't have health insurance, prescription drug coverage, or a regular place to receive health care tended to take fewer prescriptions. The most commonly prescribed drugs included asthma medicines for children, central nervous system stimulants for adolescents, antidepressants for middle-aged adults, and cholesterol-lowering drugs for older Americans, the report found. The data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Super-Antibiotic Research Funded
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has contracted with Achaogen Inc. for the company to develop an antibiotic that appears to work against two bioterrorism agents and some antibiotic-resistant infections. The agreement will run for 2–5 years and will pay the company up to $64 million to continue work on ACHN-490, which has shown promise in early clinical trials. The agent acts against plague and tularemia bacteria, which could be used as bioterrorism agents. It also could be effective against hospital-related infections, such as pneumonia resulting from prolonged use of a ventilator and urinary tract infections from catheter use, according to a BARDA announcement. The contract is the first under a BARDA program to develop broad-spectrum antimicrobials.
First EHR Certifying Bodies Named
A nonprofit organization dedicated to health information technology and a software-testing lab have been chosen as the first two bodies to officially test and certify electronic health record (EHR) systems for the federal government. The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology and the Drummond Group can immediately begin certifying EHR systems as HHS-compliant, the Department of Health and Human Services said in an announcement. Legislation approved in 2009 created incentives up to $64,000 for health providers to transition from paper to certified EHRs. Now that HHS has named the certifying organizations, vendors can start applying for certification of their EHR systems and physicians soon should be able to purchase certified products, the HHS said.
Outcomes Research Funded
HHS will provide grants totaling nearly $17 million for “patient-centered outcomes research” (PCOR), which focuses on treatments and strategies that might improve health outcomes from the patient's point of view. Most of the announced grants will support outcomes research in primary care, HHS said. As part of the grant program, five health organizations will attempt to show that providers and academic institutions can partner on PCOR. Each organization– in Illinois, California, New York, Massachusetts, and Oregon — will receive about $2 million over 3 years to create a national network for evaluating the patient-centered approach in patient populations that are not always adequately represented in other studies, according to HHS. “Patient-centered outcomes research can improve health outcomes by developing and disseminating evidence-based information to patients, providers and decision-makers about the effectiveness of different treatments,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement.
AMA Opposes Tax Change
The American Medical Association and 90 medical organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians, have written to the Department of the Treasury urging it not to allow trial lawyers to deduct court costs and other expenses. Making such a change to tax law could encourage trial lawyers to file more claims, the organizations claimed. “Even though a substantial majority of claims are dropped or decided in favor of physicians, the cost of defending against meritless claims averages over $22,000,” their letter said. The organizations urged the treasury department to reconsider rumored plans to change current policy, which does not allow such tax deductions.
Workers' Premium Share Jumps
Workers who receive health insurance through their employers are paying nearly $4,000 in 2010 for family health coverage, an increase of 14% from 2009, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust. However, the total cost of coverage, including employers' contributions, hasn't climbed as much: Average total premiums for family coverage rose 3% in 2010 to $13,770, the survey found. Since 2005, workers' contributions to premiums have risen 47%, while overall premiums rose 27%, the organizations reported. Many companies have raised deductibles for workers: A total of 27% of workers now face annual deductibles of at least $1,000, compared with 22% who faced these high deductibles in 2009, the survey found. “If premiums and costs continue to be shifted to consumers, households will face difficult choices, like forgoing needed care or reexamining how they can best care for their families,” Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H., president of the Health Research and Educational Trust Association, said in a statement.
Prescription Drug Use Rises Again
The percentage of Americans who said they took at least one prescription drug in the past month increased from 44% to 48% from 1999 to 2008, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the same time, the number of people who said they had taken two or more drugs in previous month increased from 25% to 31%, and the number of people who took five or more drugs increased from 6% to 11%, the report found. One out of every five children used one or more prescription drugs, as did 90% of adults aged 60 years and older. Women were more likely to have taken a prescription drug. Those who didn't have health insurance, prescription drug coverage, or a regular place to receive health care tended to take fewer prescriptions. The most commonly prescribed drugs included asthma medicines for children, central nervous system stimulants for adolescents, antidepressants for middle-aged adults, and cholesterol-lowering drugs for older Americans, the report found. The data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Super-Antibiotic Research Funded
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has contracted with Achaogen Inc. for the company to develop an antibiotic that appears to work against two bioterrorism agents and some antibiotic-resistant infections. The agreement will run for 2–5 years and will pay the company up to $64 million to continue work on ACHN-490, which has shown promise in early clinical trials. The agent acts against plague and tularemia bacteria, which could be used as bioterrorism agents. It also could be effective against hospital-related infections, such as pneumonia resulting from prolonged use of a ventilator and urinary tract infections from catheter use, according to a BARDA announcement. The contract is the first under a BARDA program to develop broad-spectrum antimicrobials.
First EHR Certifying Bodies Named
A nonprofit organization dedicated to health information technology and a software-testing lab have been chosen as the first two bodies to officially test and certify electronic health record (EHR) systems for the federal government. The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology and the Drummond Group can immediately begin certifying EHR systems as HHS-compliant, the Department of Health and Human Services said in an announcement. Legislation approved in 2009 created incentives up to $64,000 for health providers to transition from paper to certified EHRs. Now that HHS has named the certifying organizations, vendors can start applying for certification of their EHR systems and physicians soon should be able to purchase certified products, the HHS said.
Outcomes Research Funded
HHS will provide grants totaling nearly $17 million for “patient-centered outcomes research” (PCOR), which focuses on treatments and strategies that might improve health outcomes from the patient's point of view. Most of the announced grants will support outcomes research in primary care, HHS said. As part of the grant program, five health organizations will attempt to show that providers and academic institutions can partner on PCOR. Each organization– in Illinois, California, New York, Massachusetts, and Oregon — will receive about $2 million over 3 years to create a national network for evaluating the patient-centered approach in patient populations that are not always adequately represented in other studies, according to HHS. “Patient-centered outcomes research can improve health outcomes by developing and disseminating evidence-based information to patients, providers and decision-makers about the effectiveness of different treatments,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement.
AMA Opposes Tax Change
The American Medical Association and 90 medical organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Physicians, have written to the Department of the Treasury urging it not to allow trial lawyers to deduct court costs and other expenses. Making such a change to tax law could encourage trial lawyers to file more claims, the organizations claimed. “Even though a substantial majority of claims are dropped or decided in favor of physicians, the cost of defending against meritless claims averages over $22,000,” their letter said. The organizations urged the treasury department to reconsider rumored plans to change current policy, which does not allow such tax deductions.
Workers' Premium Share Jumps
Workers who receive health insurance through their employers are paying nearly $4,000 in 2010 for family health coverage, an increase of 14% from 2009, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research and Educational Trust. However, the total cost of coverage, including employers' contributions, hasn't climbed as much: Average total premiums for family coverage rose 3% in 2010 to $13,770, the survey found. Since 2005, workers' contributions to premiums have risen 47%, while overall premiums rose 27%, the organizations reported. Many companies have raised deductibles for workers: A total of 27% of workers now face annual deductibles of at least $1,000, compared with 22% who faced these high deductibles in 2009, the survey found. “If premiums and costs continue to be shifted to consumers, households will face difficult choices, like forgoing needed care or reexamining how they can best care for their families,” Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H., president of the Health Research and Educational Trust Association, said in a statement.
Prescription Drug Use Rises Again
The percentage of Americans who said they took at least one prescription drug in the past month increased from 44% to 48% from 1999 to 2008, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the same time, the number of people who said they had taken two or more drugs in previous month increased from 25% to 31%, and the number of people who took five or more drugs increased from 6% to 11%, the report found. One out of every five children used one or more prescription drugs, as did 90% of adults aged 60 years and older. Women were more likely to have taken a prescription drug. Those who didn't have health insurance, prescription drug coverage, or a regular place to receive health care tended to take fewer prescriptions. The most commonly prescribed drugs included asthma medicines for children, central nervous system stimulants for adolescents, antidepressants for middle-aged adults, and cholesterol-lowering drugs for older Americans, the report found. The data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.