Content about healthcare

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed a rule shortening the traditional 30-day drug cycle for long-term care centers to seven days when brand-name drugs are dispensed, prompting a supportive response from an organization representing independent pharmacies.

WALTHAM, Mass. — William Gibson, the science-fiction author who helped create the cyberpunk genre in the 1980s and paved the way for “The Matrix” movie franchise, once said, “The future is already here—it’s just not evenly distributed.”

He was correct. Emerging technologies, ranging from computers to mobile phones, historically have migrated from the theoretical to the inaccessible to the aristocratic to the indispensable and finally to the mundane.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Poor medication adherence is one of the nation’s “most persistent” healthcare problems, costing the U.S. health system as much as $290 billion a year, or 13% of total health expenditures, according to the New England Healthcare Institute. In response, the nonprofit organization is calling for an urgent national campaign to improve adherence through a team-based, collaborative approach to long-term patient therapy.

DEERFIELD, Ill. —The healthcare landscape is changing. There’s a new value-driven consumer who has emerged and, in light of this, retail pharmacy giant Walgreens is in the midst of an evolution into “a retail health and daily living store” and is on a mission to “own well.” That was a key message that an optimistic Greg Wasson, Walgreens president and CEO, had for Wall Street during the company’s Analyst Day conference on Nov. 4 in Chicago.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — There’s been quite an uproar following healthcare reform’s flexible spending account proposal that in January will force consumers to spend upward of $40 on doctor visit co-pays in order to save some $2.50 for every $10 spent on nonprescription items.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Heading into the 2010 holiday shopping season, Americans appear ready to repeat unhealthy eating and exercise habits, according to the latest Gallup-Healthways well-being index released Thursday.

CINCINNATI Even during a time when consumers are cutting back on healthcare expenditures, the probiotics category has continued to grow, according to Procter & Gamble, which announced Wednesday that its Align probiotic has become the most recommended among gastroenterologists.

NEW YORK Citi on Tuesday announced the launch of the Citi Flu Care card, a new corporate healthcare payment solution from Citi's Global Transaction Services. The Citi Flu Care card is a payment service designed to help employers reduce employee healthcare spending by shifting the administration of flu shots from doctors' offices or on-site clinics to more cost-effective pharmacy locations.

WASHINGTON Under the Affordable Care Act, the average savings for those enrolled in traditional Medicare is expected to amount to more than $3,500 over the next 10 years — and will be even higher for seniors and people with diabetes who have high drug costs — according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. Lansinoh Labs on Thursday went live with its new online portal, called "Lansinoh Professional" (LansinohProfessional.com), that will provide International board-certified lactation consultants, registered nurses, midwives, doulas, OB/GYNs and other healthcare providers with the resources they need to better educate and support breast-feeding moms.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — That Medicare doesn’t universally cover the use of retail clinics — and even create a structure that encourages their use for certain services — is a key symptom of what is wrong with the U.S. healthcare system.

THE NEWS: Duane Reade Walk-In Medical Care clinics to accept Medicare. For the full story, click here)