health policy report news from FierceHealthcare
News
PhRMA imposes voluntary guidelines on pharma giving
These days everyone wants to know exactly what's passing between pharmaceutical companies and doctors: Down to the cheapest pen, they want to know how doctors might be influenced by pharma. So, to... Read more...
Generics save consumers, insurers $1 billion
Apparently, the worsening economy has an upside: it drove consumer demand for generic treatments up by 5.4 percent. That, combined with the large number of generics entering the market this year and... Read more...
Study: Wellness programs common despite lack of savings
According to a new study, health and wellness initiatives seem to be a matter of faith among big employers. According to research by the Center for Studying Health System Change, many employers are... Read more...
FTC: Pharmas cut 14 deals to delay generic sales in '07
Makers of brand-name prescription drugs reached 14 agreements with makers of generic drugs to delay the generic drug makers entry into the market, according to a new report released by the Federal... Read more...
Merck agrees to $58M settlement on Vioxx ads
Merck has agreed to a $58 million settlement with 29 states and the District of Columbia to settle allegations that it downplayed heart risks created by Vioxx in direct-to-consumer advertising. Under... Read more...
Health plans drop out of CT Medicaid over disclosure rules
Connecticut's Medicaid program is struggling to regain its equilibrium after a standoff over new provider contracting disclosure rules prompted a handful of health plans to jump ship. In 2007, Gov.... Read more...
Study: Acute shortage of adult primary care MDs coming
A new study appearing in the journal Health Affairs attaches some numbers to a problem we all see coming--the growing U.S. shortage of primary care physicians. According to the study, by 2025 the... Read more...
Hospitals requiring upfront cash payments
Of late, a growing number of hospitals--including not-for-profits--have been insisting on cash payments before they offer services to non-emergency patients. While it may not generate the best PR,... Read more...
GA minorities suffer big health disparities
A new report concludes that Georgia's minorities suffer significantly worse health than non-minority citizens, with the report awarding an "F" to 16 Georgia counties on scores of minority... Read more...
Healthcare industry top spender on federal lobbying in '07
It's good to get attention from federal legislators, but it's going to cost you. That's no mystery to some key healthcare groups, who collectively spent $445 million on federal lobbying during 2007,... Read more...
