> The U.S. Health & Human Services Department today released the final rule on health insurance exchanges, allowing consumers flexibility in choosing health plans. Announcement
> A new study suggests that older men treated for cancer at Veterans Health Administration hospitals had higher or equal survival rates than Medicare beneficiaries, attributed in part to VHA-provided preventive care, according to research in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Study
> Amid an aging U.S. population, a new program pairs patients with hospital volunteers to get older patients out of bed and moving around, according to The Associated Press. Article
> Screening identified more patients for referral to a hospital's palliative care team than ordinary evaluation, according to a study at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, according to HemOncToday. The screenings took less than 5 minutes per patient. Article
> Ohio's MetroHealth System wants to create a special Medicaid program that covers low-income patients who are not eligible for the federal program, using $72 million in subsidies, The Plain Dealer reported. Article
> A revised 2012 budget will cut about 40 positions from Elkhart General Hospital, the Indiana hospital announced Friday. Elkhart General President Gregory Losasso cited salary and benefits as the largest expense in a hospital. Statement
And Finally... What does your heartbeat say about you? Article