Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Parents urged to deal with overweight, obese children | The Augusta Chronicle

Parents urged to deal with overweight, obese children | The Augusta Chronicle

Drug test bill passes committee  | ajc.com

Drug test bill passes committee | ajc.com

Following Adoption, 92 Percent Of Families Are Satisfied With Their Decision

Following Adoption, 92 Percent Of Families Are Satisfied With Their Decision

Obesity-Asthma Link In Children Varies By Race/Ethnicity, Study Finds

Obesity-Asthma Link In Children Varies By Race/Ethnicity, Study Finds

Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine Should Be Given To Boys, According To AAP

Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine Should Be Given To Boys, According To AAP

AMA pushes IPAB repeal ahead of House panel’s vote - The Hill's Healthwatch

AMA pushes IPAB repeal ahead of House panel’s vote - The Hill's Healthwatch

Senate panel OKs welfare drug testing | Georgia Health News

Senate panel OKs welfare drug testing | Georgia Health News

Autism not diagnosed as early in minority children - USATODAY.com

Autism not diagnosed as early in minority children - USATODAY.com

Monday, February 27, 2012

Medicaid task force to focus on kids, families | Georgia Health News

Medicaid task force to focus on kids, families | Georgia Health News

More Gaming Leads To More Impulsivity, Attention Difficulties In Children

More Gaming Leads To More Impulsivity, Attention Difficulties In Children

Pediatrician's Personality, Empathy Trump Knowledge Of Spanish, Quick Service For Latina Moms

Pediatrician's Personality, Empathy Trump Knowledge Of Spanish, Quick Service For Latina Moms

Study Suggests Underage Drinking Laws Reduce Future Criminal Behavior

Study Suggests Underage Drinking Laws Reduce Future Criminal Behavior

Proposed Stage 2 requirements raise the bar for providers - Modern Healthcare


Proposed Stage 2 requirements raise the bar for providers

By Christine LaFave Grace  MODERN HELATHCARE
Posted: February 23, 2012 - 5:15 pm ET

The proposed Stage 2 meaningful-use requirements raise the bar for hospitals and eligible professionals on the use of computerized physician order entry, electronic prescribing and electronic recording of several patient-health measures, according to CMS officials.
Related Articles
Four health information technology and policy officials with the CMS previewed the Stage 2 measures in a presentation at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's 2012 Conference and Exhibition in Las Vegas on Thursday morning. On Thursday afternoon, the proposed requirements were published on the Office of the Federal Register's website (PDF). They are slated to be published in the Federal Register on March 7.

Under the proposed Stage 2 standards, hospitals as well as eligible professionals—the latter category includes physicians not employed by hospitals—would have to use CPOE for more than 60% of medication, laboratory and radiology orders, double the share required under the Stage 1 standards.

The CPOE requirement is one of more than a dozen core objectives that hospitals and EPs would have to meet as part of demonstrating their meaningful use of electronic health-record systems, which would make them eligible to receive federal health IT incentive payments.

Other core objectives for both hospitals and EPs include the use of electronic prescribing for more than 50% of prescriptions issued, the recording of demographic data for more than 50% of patients, recording of vital signs in more than 80% of patient encounters and recording smoking status for more than 80% of patients.

In an effort to promote electronic engagement with patients, Stage 2 would require that more than 50% of patients be provided online access to their health information and demonstrate that more than 10% had actually accessed that information.

Among the proposed menu objectives for EPs are electronic recording of family health history for more than 20% of patients, successful ongoing transmission of syndromic surveillance data, successful ongoing transmission of cancer case information and successful ongoing transmission of data to a specialized cancer registry. For hospitals, menu objectives include electronic recording of advance directives for more than 50% of patients and the use of electronic prescribing for more than 50% of discharge prescriptions.

Supreme Court punts on right to challenge Medicaid cuts - The Hill



Description: http://thehill.com/templates/thehill/images/space.gif
Supreme Court punts on right to challenge Medicaid cuts
By Julian Pecquet - 02/22/12 03:17 PM ET
The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to decide whether California doctors and patients have the right to challenge state Medicaid cuts.
Plaintiffs had argued that the state violated the federal Medicaid statute by approving deep cuts that would hurt patients' access to care, and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recognized their right to seek redress. The question before the high court was whether the cuts could be struck down under the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which declares that federal statutes trump state law when the two are at odds.
The justices however ruled 5-4 that because the federal Medicaid agency has signed off on the cuts since the suits were first filed, the lower court should reexamine the case "in light of the changed circumstances."
The four conservatives on the High Court dissented, arguing those changed circumstances were irrelevant.
The Medicaid law doesn't allow providers or beneficiaries to sue to prevent cuts, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in dissent, and the plaintiffs can't count on the Supremacy Clause to circumvent that obstacle.
"To decide this case, it is enough to conclude that the Supremacy Clause does not provide a cause of action to enforce the requirements [of the Medicaid statute] when Congress, in establishing those requirements, elected not to provide such a cause of action in the statute itself," he wrote.
In its majority opinion, the high court does not take a stance on the Supremacy Clause but strongly urges the plaintiffs and the lower court to abandon that line of argument. Instead, the justices write, the cuts are ripe for a challenge under the Administrative Procedure Act now that federal regulators have signed off on them.
"Respondents' basic challenge now presents the kind of legal question that ordinarily calls for APA review," Justice Stephen Breyer wrote for the majority. "The Medicaid Act commits to the federal agency the power to administer a federal program. And here the agency has acted under this grant of authority."
Gov. Jerry Brown (D-Calif.) had sought permission to cut provider payment rates by 10 percent in order to cut the state's deficit by hundreds of millions of dollars. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved some of those cuts late last year.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Feds Award Health Overhaul Grants To 10 States

News from The Associated Press

Analysis: Is A New Federal Patient Safety Effort Doing Enough To Curb Medical Errors? - Kaiser Health News

Analysis: Is A New Federal Patient Safety Effort Doing Enough To Curb Medical Errors? - Kaiser Health News

Lives Forever Linked Through Kidney Transplant Chain 124 - NYTimes.com

Lives Forever Linked Through Kidney Transplant Chain 124 - NYTimes.com

Bill targets concussions in school sports | Georgia Health News

Bill targets concussions in school sports | Georgia Health News

Breastfeeding And Caffeine Consumption

Breastfeeding And Caffeine Consumption

WIC Breastfeeding Rate Data Confirmed By Researchers

WIC Breastfeeding Rate Data Confirmed By Researchers

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

More Doctors 'Fire' Vaccine Refusers - WSJ.com

More Doctors 'Fire' Vaccine Refusers - WSJ.com

Feds Jump-Start Health Insurance Co-Ops With Loans - Kaiser Health News

Feds Jump-Start Health Insurance Co-Ops With Loans - Kaiser Health News

Calif. Medicaid case heads back to lower court - Healthcare business news and research | Modern Healthcare

Calif. Medicaid case heads back to lower court - Healthcare business news and research | Modern Healthcare

Physicians unsettled by temporary doc fix - FiercePracticeManagement

Physicians unsettled by temporary doc fix - FiercePracticeManagement

Health professionals warn against Kemp plan | Georgia Health News

Health professionals warn against Kemp plan | Georgia Health News

Health care costs for poor draining Georgia budget | The Augusta Chronicle

Health care costs for poor draining Georgia budget | The Augusta Chronicle

State drug-testing bill would break new ground | Georgia Health News

State drug-testing bill would break new ground | Georgia Health News

DFCS acknowledges wrongdoing in child's death  | ajc.com

DFCS acknowledges wrongdoing in child's death | ajc.com

Documents Reveal Child Deaths

Documents Reveal Child Deaths

Problem Behavior In Toddlers May Be Due To Over-Reactive Parenting

Problem Behavior In Toddlers May Be Due To Over-Reactive Parenting

Electronic Health Records Alert Pediatricians To Obese Patients

Electronic Health Records Alert Pediatricians To Obese Patients

Faith-Based Advocacy And Childhood Obesity

Faith-Based Advocacy And Childhood Obesity

IL to make Medicaid modifications without CMS approval - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

IL to make Medicaid modifications without CMS approval - FierceHealthFinance - Health Finance, Healthcare Finance

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Hospitals Demand Payment Upfront From ER Patients With Routine Problems - Kaiser Health News

Hospitals Demand Payment Upfront From ER Patients With Routine Problems - Kaiser Health News

Changes to licensing proposed for half-million Georgians  | ajc.com

Changes to licensing proposed for half-million Georgians | ajc.com

Pediatric Obesity Rates Curbed By Parent-Training Intervention

Pediatric Obesity Rates Curbed By Parent-Training Intervention

Discovery May Someday Lead To Prevention And Treatment Of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Discovery May Someday Lead To Prevention And Treatment Of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Autism Brain Scan Signs Found At 6 Months Of Age

Autism Brain Scan Signs Found At 6 Months Of Age

Quality Improvement Program Leads To Better Asthma Outcomes And Saves $1.46 For Every Dollar Spent

Quality Improvement Program Leads To Better Asthma Outcomes And Saves $1.46 For Every Dollar Spent

Albany Herald | Health district 'centering' on moms-to-be

Albany Herald | Health district 'centering' on moms-to-be

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Ledger-Enquirer.com | 02/19/2012 | Georgia’s rural health care crisis just gets worse

Ledger-Enquirer.com | 02/19/2012 | Georgia’s rural health care crisis just gets worse

DFCS confirms recent upswing in kids’ deaths  | ajc.com

DFCS confirms recent upswing in kids’ deaths | ajc.com

amednews: Home births rise despite higher neonatal mortality rate :: Feb. 13, 2012 ... American Medical News

amednews: Home births rise despite higher neonatal mortality rate :: Feb. 13, 2012 ... American Medical News

amednews: RUC adds 2 seats for primary care :: Feb. 13, 2012 ... American Medical News

amednews: RUC adds 2 seats for primary care :: Feb. 13, 2012 ... American Medical News

Infant Tylenol Recall, Johnson & Johnson

Infant Tylenol Recall, Johnson & Johnson

Friday, February 17, 2012

Medical News:Arsenic Found in Formula, Energy Bars - in Primary Care, Diet & Nutrition from MedPage Today

Medical News:Arsenic Found in Formula, Energy Bars - in Primary Care, Diet & Nutrition from MedPage Today

SCOTUS Preview Part 2: Analyzing The Likely High Court Arguments On The Health Law - Kaiser Health News

SCOTUS Preview Part 2: Analyzing The Likely High Court Arguments On The Health Law - Kaiser Health News

Preview: The 'Very Big Deal' – SCOTUS Takes On The Health Law - Kaiser Health News

Preview: The 'Very Big Deal' – SCOTUS Takes On The Health Law - Kaiser Health News

Legislators seek action on Georgia insurance exchange  | ajc.com

Legislators seek action on Georgia insurance exchange | ajc.com

Self-Insurance Complicates Deal on Birth Control - NYTimes.com

Self-Insurance Complicates Deal on Birth Control - NYTimes.com

Health proposals: For some, they’re personal | Georgia Health News

Health proposals: For some, they’re personal | Georgia Health News

Adolescent Impulses To Drink Can Be Curbed By Strict Parental Rules About Drinking

Adolescent Impulses To Drink Can Be Curbed By Strict Parental Rules About Drinking

Premature Baby Gets Pacemaker 15 Minutes After Birth

Premature Baby Gets Pacemaker 15 Minutes After Birth

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Rural doctors in short supply in Georgia - State Legislature - Macon.com

Rural doctors in short supply in Georgia - State Legislature - Macon.com

Georgia tax revenue up in January - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Georgia tax revenue up in January - Atlanta Business Chronicle

amednews: Doctors zero in on benefit gaps allowed under health reform :: Feb. 13, 2012 ... American Medical News

amednews: Doctors zero in on benefit gaps allowed under health reform :: Feb. 13, 2012 ... American Medical News

Kids With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Benefit From Positive Airway Pressure Therapy

Kids With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Benefit From Positive Airway Pressure Therapy

Teen Victims Of Dating Violence Have Often Been Hurt By Others Too

Teen Victims Of Dating Violence Have Often Been Hurt By Others Too

The Power Of Games And Interactive Media For Childhood Obesity Prevention And Health Promotion

The Power Of Games And Interactive Media For Childhood Obesity Prevention And Health Promotion

In The Battle To Improve Food Marketing Influencing Children's Diets, Mixed Progress Made By US Government And Schools

In The Battle To Improve Food Marketing Influencing Children's Diets, Mixed Progress Made By US Government And Schools

7.5 Million US Kids Live With A Parent With Alcohol Problems

7.5 Million US Kids Live With A Parent With Alcohol Problems

Monday, February 13, 2012

Health exchange idea faces uncertain future | Georgia Health News

Health exchange idea faces uncertain future | Georgia Health News

New Medicaid Report Finds Health Reform Law Insurer Fee Costly to States

New Medicaid Report Finds Health Reform Law Insurer Fee Costly to States

Medicaid cuts loom despite overdue reimbursements - FierceHealthcare

Medicaid cuts loom despite overdue reimbursements - FierceHealthcare

Legislature hits halfway point | savannahnow.com

Legislature hits halfway point | savannahnow.com

Alcohol Use Among Middle School Students Can Be Reduced By After-School Program

Alcohol Use Among Middle School Students Can Be Reduced By After-School Program

Obese Teen Girls Helped To Manage Weight, Improve Body Image And Behavior By Primary Care Program

Obese Teen Girls Helped To Manage Weight, Improve Body Image And Behavior By Primary Care Program

Critical Shortage of Children's Leukemia Drug - ABC News

Critical Shortage of Children's Leukemia Drug - ABC News

Weekend payroll-tax-cut talks fail - Jake Sherman and Manu Raju - POLITICO.com

Weekend payroll-tax-cut talks fail - Jake Sherman and Manu Raju - POLITICO.com

The health reform law’s biggest threat: 30,000 too few doctors - The Washington Post

The health reform law’s biggest threat: 30,000 too few doctors - The Washington Post

Thursday, February 9, 2012

New Study Finds Georgia Foster Kids are Over-Medicated | JJIE.org

New Study Finds Georgia Foster Kids are Over-Medicated | JJIE.org

New Medicaid Report Finds Health Reform Law Insurer Fee Costly to States

New Medicaid Report Finds Health Reform Law Insurer Fee Costly to States

Task forces to discuss report on Medicaid | Georgia Health News

Task forces to discuss report on Medicaid | Georgia Health News

Health exchange idea faces uncertain future | Georgia Health News

Health exchange idea faces uncertain future | Georgia Health News

Doctors, Athletes Push Concussions Bill

Doctors, Athletes Push Concussions Bill

Georgia to get No Child Left Behind waiver  | ajc.com

Georgia to get No Child Left Behind waiver | ajc.com

Zinc, The New Pneumonia Wonder Drug

Zinc, The New Pneumonia Wonder Drug

The Role Of Bilingualism In A Child's Development

The Role Of Bilingualism In A Child's Development

US Teen Pregnancies At 40-Year Low

US Teen Pregnancies At 40-Year Low

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

The 2012 Immunization Schedules: What's New?

The 2012 Immunization Schedules: What's New?

Bill introduced to require diabetes training at Ga. schools - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Bill introduced to require diabetes training at Ga. schools - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Congress must show courage on care for seniors, veterans | Georgia Health News

Congress must show courage on care for seniors, veterans | Georgia Health News

Physician autonomy bill passes Georgia Senate

www.mag.org/pdfs/palmisano_msg_020812.pdf

Atlanta City Council approves school truancy ordinance  | ajc.com

Atlanta City Council approves school truancy ordinance | ajc.com

Child Abuse - 4,569 Hospitalizations And 300 Deaths In One Year, USA

Child Abuse - 4,569 Hospitalizations And 300 Deaths In One Year, USA

Children Who Move House A Lot Have Higher Risk Of Illnesses Later

Children Who Move House A Lot Have Higher Risk Of Illnesses Later

Non-Invasive DNA Test That Identifies Down Syndrome In Pregnancy Can Also Detect Trisomy 18 And Trisomy 13

Non-Invasive DNA Test That Identifies Down Syndrome In Pregnancy Can Also Detect Trisomy 18 And Trisomy 13

Vessel-Forming Stem Cells Derived From Amniotic Fluid To Help Fix Infant Hearts

Vessel-Forming Stem Cells Derived From Amniotic Fluid To Help Fix Infant Hearts

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Obama Blocks California From Charging for Care in Medicaid - Businessweek

Obama Blocks California From Charging for Care in Medicaid - Businessweek

Budget Forecast for 2014

Budget Forecast for 2014

People-Pleasers Feel Pressure To Eat When They Believe It Will Help Another Person Feel More Comfortable

People-Pleasers Feel Pressure To Eat When They Believe It Will Help Another Person Feel More Comfortable

Berrien school medical facility faces an uncertain future » Local News » Valdosta Daily Times

Berrien school medical facility faces an uncertain future » Local News » Valdosta Daily Times

Finger Foods During Weaning Help Maintain Healthy Body Weight Later On

Finger Foods During Weaning Help Maintain Healthy Body Weight Later On

Breastfeeding And Lung Function At School Age: Does Maternal Asthma Modify The Effect?

Breastfeeding And Lung Function At School Age: Does Maternal Asthma Modify The Effect?

Preventing Obesity Through Positive Parenting During Early Childhood

Preventing Obesity Through Positive Parenting During Early Childhood

A Child's Long-Term Development May Be Harmed By Physical Punishment

A Child's Long-Term Development May Be Harmed By Physical Punishment

New Analysis Finds No Antidepressant-Suicide Link In Youths

New Analysis Finds No Antidepressant-Suicide Link In Youths

Clues To Common Birth Defect Found In Gene Expression Data

Clues To Common Birth Defect Found In Gene Expression Data

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Obesity-Related Diseases In Adolescents Improves With Bariatric Surgery Within First Two Years

Obesity-Related Diseases In Adolescents Improves With Bariatric Surgery Within First Two Years

Bill Expands Child Abuse Reporting

Bill Expands Child Abuse Reporting

Georgia looks to revamp Medicaid amid uncertainty | The Augusta Chronicle

Georgia looks to revamp Medicaid amid uncertainty | The Augusta Chronicle

Recommendations For HPV And Hepatitis B Vaccinations Broadened By 2012 Adult Immunization Schedule

Recommendations For HPV And Hepatitis B Vaccinations Broadened By 2012 Adult Immunization Schedule

Anesthesia Exposure Linked To ADHD In Children

Anesthesia Exposure Linked To ADHD In Children

Ga. lawmakers consider anti-hazing bill | Online Athens

Ga. lawmakers consider anti-hazing bill | Online Athens

Feds argue for graphic images on cigarette packs - USATODAY.com

Feds argue for graphic images on cigarette packs - USATODAY.com

States Under Pressure As Health Law Deadlines Approach - Kaiser Health News

States Under Pressure As Health Law Deadlines Approach - Kaiser Health News

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Bill making DUI with child a felony hits speed bump | savannahnow.com

Bill making DUI with child a felony hits speed bump | savannahnow.com

Sugar - Attacking Health Globally

Sugar - Attacking Health Globally

National Study Shows Majority Of Self-Harming Adolescents Don't Receive A Mental Health Assessment During Emergency Room Visit

National Study Shows Majority Of Self-Harming Adolescents Don't Receive A Mental Health Assessment During Emergency Room Visit

Mothers Who Eat Fish While Pregnant Produce Offspring With Better Cognitive Development

Mothers Who Eat Fish While Pregnant Produce Offspring With Better Cognitive Development

Say Cheese, Carrots! Veggie Photos in Lunch Trays Boost Consumption - Health Blog - WSJ

Say Cheese, Carrots! Veggie Photos in Lunch Trays Boost Consumption - Health Blog - WSJ

Selling practices to hospitals can hurt profits - FiercePracticeManagement

Selling practices to hospitals can hurt profits - FiercePracticeManagement

Judge blocks California from cutting Medicaid payments - Healthcare business news and research | Modern Healthcare

Judge blocks California from cutting Medicaid payments - Healthcare business news and research | Modern Healthcare