In The Know: Stay Informed with Health Care News
Posted by Pauline Heidemann on Mon, Jul 02, 2012 @ 06:20 AM
- Supreme Court Upholds Healthcare Reform Act
- Alaska Medicaid Pays $1.7 Million for HIPAA Violations
- CDC Bringing HIV Testing to Pharmacies
- First Weight Loss Drug in More Than a Decade Approved by FDA
- Hospital Faces Lawsuits Over Hepatitis C Outbreak
- Healthcare Will Need 5.6 Million New Jobs by 2020 to Meet Demand
Supreme Court Upholds Healthcare Reform Act
The much-awaited decision was published shortly at 10 a.m. on Thursday. To read more, click on http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/us/supreme-court-lets-health-law-largely-stand.html?_r=1&hp.
Alaska Medicaid Pays $1.7 Million for HIPAA Violations
Alaska’s Medicaid agency has agreed to pay Health and Human Services $1.7 million to settle possible violations of the HIPAA Security Rule, and has agreed to take corrective action to properly safeguard the electronic protected health information of Medicaid beneficiaries. The settlement follows an investigation after the theft of a USB hard drive from the vehicle of an employee. Other evidence found that the agency did not have a completed risk analysis, did not implement sufficient risk management measures, had not completed security training for its employees, did not implement device and media controls, and had not encrypted its media. To read more, click on http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/06/20120626a.html.
CDC Bringing HIV Testing to Pharmacies
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has launched a pilot program to offer HIV testing through pharmacies. The two-year pilot program will train pharmacists and retail store clinic staff at 24 sites to deliver confidential HIV testing. The initiative is part of the CDC’s effort to support its recommendation that all adults and adolescents be tested for HIV at least once in their lives. The CDC currently estimates that 1.1 million people are living with HIV in the U.S., and that nearly one in five are unaware that they have HIV. To read more, click on http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/NHTDPressRelease2012.html.
First Weight Loss Drug in More Than a Decade Approved by FDA
The drug, Belviq (lorcaserin hydrochloride), made by Arena Pharmaceuticals, has been approved for people with a BMI of 30 or more, or a BMI of 27 with obesity-related comorbidities, such as hypertension. In clinical trials, more than twice as many patients lost at least 5 percent of their total weight compared with placebo, a benchmark the FDA requires for approving weight-loss drugs. The FDA approved the drug, citing the benefits outweigh the risks, despite the modest weight loss provided by the drug and a lack of data to rule out heart valve issues. To read more, click on http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm309993.htm?source=govdelivery.
Hospital Faces Lawsuits Over Hepatitis C Outbreak
Following an outbreak of hepatitis C at Exeter Hospital in New Hampshire, the hospital is facing seven lawsuits, the largest of which is a class-action suit involving 44 patients. Former patients also have filed separate suits in Rockingham County Superior court, alleging negligence, medical negligence, and recklessness. The hepatitis C outbreak is being investigated to determine if it occurred as a result of a hospital employee abusing narcotics. The outbreak has infected 20 Exeter patients so far, with more test results to come. To read more, click on http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120620/NEWS07/706219966.
Healthcare Will Need 5.6 Million New Jobs by 2020 to Meet Demand
According to a recent study, the healthcare industry will need to create 5.6 million new jobs by 2020 to meet the growing demand for care. Moreover, 72 percent (4.6 million) of those new healthcare jobs will require post-secondary education and training. Healthcare jobs will rise from 15.6 million in 2010 to 18.8 million in 2020, and account for 13 percent of all U.S. jobs. To read the research announcement, click on http://news.yahoo.com/without-obamacare-united-states-5-6-million-more-040208172.html.