Aetna 28 Percent Profit Drop Signals Storm Clouds for Healthcare

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 27, 2009 Aetna Inc., one of the largest health insurers in America, announced a 28 percent drop in profit for Q 2 2009. Mark Bertolini, Aetna's president, attributed the loss to "higher claim intensity, such as services rendered in ...

Students with depression twice as likely to drop out of college

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---College students with depression are twice as likely as their classmates to drop out of school, new research shows. However, the research also indicates that lower grade point averages depended upon a student's type of depression, according to Daniel Eisenberg, assistant pro...

Arizona Shows More Than a 20% Drop in Smoking Rates

170,000 Arizonans quit smoking since 2007 PHOENIX, May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- New information from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2008, shows that the rate of smoking among adults in Arizona has dropped significantly -- more than four percentage points representing a 20.7 percent ...

Educating referring clinicians about advanced imaging leads to drop in imaging exams

Unnecessary advanced imaging (CT, MRI and nuclear medicine) can be significantly reduced by providing a simple intervention of education to ordering physicians of the risks, benefits and alternatives of various imaging modalities, according to a study performed at Staten Island University Hospital...

A Drop of Blood May Help Assess Cancer Therapy

Technique could one day quickly detect if treatment is working, study suggests MONDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- A specialized technique that can detect subtle changes in cancer cells contained in a drop of blood or a tiny piece of tissue may one day be used by doctors to better as...

Drop in Breast Cancer Rates Due to Drop in HRT Use

Researchers say first two years of combined hormone therapy a 'safe' period WEDNESDAY, Feb. 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new analysis shows that the drop in breast cancer cases that began in 2003 is indeed due to women stopping hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after a large, U.S. study sho...

Medicare to Reimburse for the Bioness L300™ Foot Drop System for Spinal Cord Injury

Bioness Inc., a leading neuromodulation company, announced today that beginning January 1, 2009, the NESS L300 will be reimbursed by Medicare for incomplete spinal cord injury patients suffering from foot drop. The decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) establishes a new...

Worldwide Measles Deaths Drop Dramatically

They plunged 74 percent from 2000 to 2007, report shows THURSDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Worldwide deaths from measles plunged 74 percent between 2000 and 2007, according to a new report, and experts say the trend is clear evidence that an international campaign to increase measles...

Global Measles Deaths Drop By 74%

The Eastern Mediterranean region achieves measles goal three years early ATLANTA and GENEVA and NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Measles deaths worldwide fell by 74% between 2000 and 2007, from an estimated 750,000 to 197,000. In addition, the Eastern Mediterran...

ASGE encouraged by drop in colorectal cancer deaths

OAK BROOK, Ill. November 26, 2008 The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) heralds the recent news of a decline in U.S. cancer deaths and incidence rates, with colorectal cancer among the top three cancers with significant declines. ASGE, representing the specialists in colore...

CDC Reports Drop in Adult Smoking, But Death Toll and Health Costs Are Still Growing; Congress, States Should Implement Proven Solutions

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement of Matthew L. Myers President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080918/CFTFKLOGO ) Two new reports released today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...

No Drop in I.Q. Seen After Bypass for Child Heart Surgery

Neurological Side Effects Not Found in School-Age Children with Less Complex Heart Defects PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The use of cardiopulmonary bypass does not cause short-term neurological problems in children and teenagers after surgery for less complex heart defects...

No drop in IQ seen after bypass for child heart surgery

The use of cardiopulmonary bypass does not cause short-term neurological problems in children and teenagers after surgery for less complex heart defects, according to pediatric researchers. The new finding contrasts favorably with previous studies that showed adverse neurological effects after new...

Philip Morris International Forced to Drop Another Concert Sponsorship; Philippines Health Department Applauded for Taking Action

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: For the second time in a month, Philip Morris International has had to withdraw sponsorship and promotion of a concert in a developing country after com...

Primary Care Physicians' Prescriptions of Aricept for Alzheimer's Disease Will Drop by 20 Percent Following the Availability of Generic Razadyne in December 2008

Most Surveyed MCO Pharmacy Directors Will Move Razadyne and Razadyne ER from Tier 2 to Tier 3 When Generic Razadyne is Launched, According to a New Report from Decision Resources WALTHAM, Mass., July 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research ...

CA Legislature's 'Reform' of Health Insurance Cancellations Resembles Insurance Industry's Own Plan; Insurers, Satisfied With Getting a Legal Edge Against Patients, Drop Opposition to the Bill

SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer Watchdog warned today that a new bill to be voted on tomorrow would make it more difficult for patients to recover unpaid medical bills resulting from cancellations of coverage, even when the cancellations were illegal and unwar...

Video: 18th Annual Retirement Confidence Survey(R): Health Care, Economy Major Concerns in Workers' Record Drop in Retirement Confidence

WASHINGTON, April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Reflecting the growing concern over health care costs and economic issues, American workers' confidence in being able to afford a comfortable retirement decreased over the past year by a rate unmatched in the 18 years of the Retirement Confidence Survey(R) ...

Breast Cancer Unchanged in Black Women, Despite Drop in HRT Use

More estrogen-receptor negative tumors may be a factor, experts suggest,,,, TUESDAY, April 15 (HealthDay News) -- Although the overall incidence of breast cancer dropped dramatically after millions of American women stopped using hormone-replacement therapy in 2002, that decline doesn'...

Teen Pregnancies, Abortions Drop From 1990 to 2004: CDC

But more recent federal statistics saw uptick in teen pregnancies in 2006 MONDAY, April 14 (HealthDay News) -- Teen pregnancy rates in the United States declined from 1990 to 2004, as did the number of abortions, while the number of pregnancies among unmarried women increased slightly ...

18th Annual Retirement Confidence Survey:(R) Workers Show Record Drop in Retirement Confidence, Health Care and Economy Are Major Concerns

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Reflecting the growing concern over health care costs and economic issues, American workers' confidence in being able to afford a comfortable retirement decreased over the past year by a rate unmatched in the 18 years of the Retirement Confi...

Acute Coronary Events Drop After Italy's Public Smoking Ban

Analysis shows young people in low socioeconomic areas had greatest reduction THURSDAY, Feb. 14 (HealthDay News) -- The number of acute coronary events dropped significantly among adults in Rome after Italy banned smoking in public places in 2005, a new report shows. Researchers in...

Co-Pays Contribute to Drop in Preventive Care

Even small co-pays made some women opt out of screening mammographies, study finds,,,, WEDNESDAY, Jan. 23 (HealthDay News) -- A co-pay as small as $10 can stand in the way of a woman getting a potentially lifesaving mammography, new research suggests. When women in Medicare managed-...

Michigan State Medical Society Says Rate Drop Shows Tort Reform is Working

DETROIT, Nov. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A clear indication that Michigan's 1993 tort reforms are working is that the state's largest physician medical malpractice insurer is cutting its premiums by 12 to 25 percent for Wayne County physicians, the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) anno...

Overall Drop in Cancer Death Rate Does Not Apply to Women With Lung Cancer

Research Funding, Screening Missing For #1 Cancer Killer WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) President and CEO Laurie Fenton Ambrose said that figures released earlier today showing an overall drop in cancer mortality rates are encouraging and laudatory,...

ASGE Applauds News of Drop in Colorectal Cancer Deaths

Prevention through screening and removal of precancerous polyps among key factors in saving lives Oak Brook, Ill., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) heralds the recent news of a decline in U.S. cancer death rates, with the biggest d...

Pelosi: 'Mr. President - Drop the Partisan Rhetoric, Put Down the Veto Pen'

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today following President Bush's remarks this morning on fiscal responsibility. Documents are available on the Administration's record on fiscal policies and the New Direction Congress' Commitme...

RAND finds cases of undiagnosed diabetes drop sharply

The number of men in the United States with undiagnosed diabetes has declined sharply over the past 25 years, with Hispanics and African-Americans no longer more likely than whites to unknowingly have the disease, according to a RAND Corporation study issued today. Study author James P. Smith f...

Report says half a million cancer deaths have been averted since death rate drop

ATLANTA Feb. 20, 2008 The American Cancer Societys annual cancer statistics report finds that death rates from cancer in the United States have decreased by 18.4 percent among men and by 10.5 percent among women since mortality rates began to decline in the early 1990s, which translates to the a...

American Cancer Society report finds breast cancer death rate continues to drop

ATLANTA Sept. 25, 2007 A report from the American Cancer Society finds the breast cancer death rate in the United States continues to drop more than two percent per year, a trend that began in 1990 and is credited to progress in early detection and treatment. But the report says African American...

Japan's Kobayashi Might Drop Out of Hot Dog Eating Championship

Discomfort from a pulled wisdom tooth might force Japan's Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi to drop out of Wednesday's Hot Dog Eating contest that he has won six years in a row. "I don't know yet," the 29-year-old told AFP through an interpreter when asked if he would face his 16 rivals, includin...

Salt Consumption Needs To Drop Further

A new study that was published in Britain indicates that the salt intake of the Britishers has come down but it is still more than the desired// level. Health experts opine that cardiac arrests and strokes can be prevented by reducing the level of salt intake. According to the report, there is ...

Shoppers Advised to Drop Foods Not Worth Their Salt

Shoppers are being fed with healthy counsel about dropping salt-laden foods. The campaign group - Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) has begun working its way to beat// excess salt out of food stuff. The group has urged shoppers to take a conscious decision to shun salty foods, which w...

Shop Till You Drop Heroin - Plan to Provide Incentives to Drug Users

A plan to provide incentives to drug users on methadone for heroin addiction, on the likes of shopping vouchers,// might be a way to encourage drug users to give up the habit, a draft guidance has indicated. Such incentive schemes employed in the past, in the United States, have always proved...

Significant Drop of Measles Cases Across the World

A considerable decrease in measles cases have been reported worldwide due to vaccination programmes.// UN General Assembly aimed to bring down death due to measles by 50%. But a sixty percent success has already been achieved towards realizing this goal. Western Pacific Region stands first with...

Drug-Related Death Drop In Scotland

General Register Office statistics show that drug deaths in Scotland have dropped to a eight-year low. There were 336 fatalities from drugs in Scotland in 2005 compared with 356 in 2004.// "Every death associated with drug misuse is a tragedy and reminds us that drug abuse is a blight on the l...

Birth Rate Drop In Europe – Fertility Experts War

Health experts warned the demographic crisis of Europe threatens the public health systems leading to fall in birth rates //. Due to lack in the fertility-related studies and clinics performing assisted conception, a fall in the birth rate was seen – said Paul Devroey, the chairman of the Europ...

Suicide Rates Drop To Lowest Ever In England

Official statistics show that the suicide rate in England is at its lowest ever with 8.5 deaths per 100,000 people reported// in the population from 2002 to 2004. It is also noted that for the first time in 25 years there has been a steady fall in the number of young men committing suicide. The...

Measles Resurges Due To Drop In Immunization With MMR

The fall in number of children getting the MMR (combined Measles, Mumps &Rubella) vaccine by their parents has been blamed for the resurgence of measles that has claimed the life of a 13-year-old boy. // In the first three months of 2006 alone it is found that there are more people infected th...

Ireland: Heart Disease Deaths Drop By Half.

Research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reports that deaths from coronary artery heart disease in Ireland has reduced by almost half since the Mid 1980s. // This is attributed mainly to lifestyle changes, and reduction in smoking, the study reveals. Deaths from corona...

Drink till you drop dead in English Pubs- Restriction on Timings Lifted

London: For the first time in 90 years the timings for the last order for drinks has been lifted from the traditional 11PM to round the clock drinking. Thousands of revelers up and down the country greeted the news with an extra drink in pubs and bars after midnight. // No major untoward inciden...