> Idaho is shelling out $195,000 so two out-of-state consulting firms can analyze the potential effects of Medicaid expansion, the Associated Press reported. Earlier this month, the Obama administration urged states to expand Medicaid or risk losing federal funds if they delay. Article
> Healthcare providers in Northeast Pennsylvania are praising mergers and acquisitions, noting that patients no longer need to travel outside of the region for treatment, Scranton Times-Tribune noted. Article
> A new study found that for critically ill patients, transfusing fresher blood doesn't mean better outcomes, MedPage Today reported. Whether given red blood cells that were less than eight days old or more than two weeks old, patients had similar overall rates of transfusion complications and similar length of stays in the intensive care unit and hospital, according to researchers from the Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic. Article
> A small British study found more than half (55 percent) of intensive care patients develop post-treatment psychological disorders, highlighting the need for increased focus on the psychological care of ICU patients, according to BBC News. Article
And Finally… And I thought singing mice were only in cartoons. Article