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Category Archives: Health Care

Fight Ebola, Stigma & Racism, Solidarity With African Communities & Health-Care Workers – Video

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Fight Ebola, Stigma Racism, Solidarity With African Communities Health-Care Workers
Speakers encouraging the fight against Ebola, Stigma Racism, and urging Solidarity With African Communities Health-Care Workers. December 9, 2014 at Black Theater of Harlem.

By: Joe Friendly

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Fight Ebola, Stigma & Racism, Solidarity With African Communities & Health-Care Workers - Video

Part II: The Downtown — Virtual Tour of the Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care Building – Video

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Part II: The Downtown -- Virtual Tour of the Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care Building
Part II: The Downtown Deb Corring, Director, Mental Health Care and Cameron Shantz, Principal Parkin Architects Limited tour through spaces in the #39;The Downtown #39; area of the Mental Health...

By: stjosephslondon

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Part II: The Downtown -- Virtual Tour of the Parkwood Institute Mental Health Care Building - Video

State retiree health care gap reaches $72B

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California's unfunded obligation to pay for the health and dental care of retired state government workers grew by 11 percent during the most recent fiscal year to nearly $72 billion, according to a report released Tuesday by the state controller's office.

In a report he has issued annually since 2007, Controller John Chiang proposed a five-year plan to start pre-funding the benefit, which is rarely offered in the private sector.

Retiree health care is an obligation of state government similar to public employee pensions, a system that also is badly underfunded. Unlike pensions, however, the cost of providing health and dental care to retirees is handled annually on a pay-as-you-go basis. The cost of future pension obligations is partially covered by investment returns on contributions made by workers and the government agencies that employ them.

The controller's report says California's budget should allocate more than $5 billion in this fiscal year to fund the current and future costs of retiree health care. Instead, the budget provides just $1.9 billion. Doing nothing about the funding gap will lead to a future financial crisis, Chiang said.

"This is a liability that has grown over decades of poor fiscal planning and a callous willingness to pass along debt to our children's generation," he said in the report.

Specifically, the unfunded liability represents the cost of paying for the health benefits earned by retired state workers and current employees when they eventually retire.

The system covers 167,839 retired employees, according to the controller's office. Their immediate family members also are eligible with some exceptions, including parents, grandparents and children who are married.

Longer life spans are one reason the unfunded cost has soared by $24 billion in just the past eight years, the controller said. The fact that retirees are living longer outweighs the savings that have been realized through changes in the design of health care plans and slower growth in the payouts for medical claims.

An initial goal of pre-funding the benefit is to set aside enough money each year in the state budget to cover the expected health care costs of the current crop of state government workers when they retire. Money also would be set aside in a trust that would be dedicated solely to future retiree health care benefits, with investment earnings used to reduce the liability.

Gov. Jerry Brown plans to address the issue in the state budget proposal he will release in January, said H.D. Palmer, spokesman for the administration's finance department. The Democratic governor already has begun making changes to the pension funds covering state workers and teachers, although the fiscal benefits are expected to be decades away.

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State retiree health care gap reaches $72B

Czech health care to get 10 billion crowns more in 2015

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A total of 239 billion crowns should go to health care next year, which is nine billion crowns more than this year. The add-up has been made possible by a higher collection of health insurance and one billion crowns come from health insurance companies.

"The decree on payments for treatments next year is pro-growth and it ensures the fulfilment of the priorities set, or the compensation of the abolished health care fees, the raising of salaries by 5 percent, and quality and available care," Nemecek said.

The fees per visit to a doctor, per day in hospital and per prescription in pharmacies were introduced by the rightist government in 2008. The current centre-left government decided to abolish them this year and to only keep 90 crowns per visit to extra-hours.

The decree sets the value of the point with which treatments and prevention are evaluated, the level of payments for health care services paid from public health insurance and regulatory limits.

Of the 10 billion crown add-up, 4.2 billion crowns are destined for the compensation of the abolished regulatory fees, 1.6 billion crowns for an increase in the payments for treatments in out-patient surgeries, 0.5 billion crowns in specialist centres and 3.8 billion crowns for bed care.

Nemecek said he could not fulfill all demands for which he would need another 50 billion crowns.

He said the employee health insurance companies have a balance of four billion crowns as from the years end and their reserve funds are filled. The largest, state-run General Insurance Company (VZP) has a zero balance and it did not fill its reserve fund this year. In the course of next year, it will repay half-a-billion crowns of a loan from the state.

Nemecek said the health insurance companies can spend more money on care because the collection of health insurance increased last year and further rise is expected next year too.

The companies will also use for health care 700 million crowns originally earmarked for their own operation and another 600 million crowns will go from their reserves.

Written by: TK http://www.ctk.cz

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Czech health care to get 10 billion crowns more in 2015

Colorado receiving $65M mental health care grant

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Dense Fog Advisoryissued December 17 at 7:46AM MST expiring December 17 at 11:00AM MST in effect for: Cheyenne, Kit Carson

Winter Weather Advisoryissued December 17 at 4:08AM MST expiring December 17 at 11:00PM MST in effect for: Dolores, Mesa, Montrose, San Miguel

Winter Weather Advisoryissued December 17 at 4:08AM MST expiring December 18 at 3:00AM MST in effect for: Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, Garfield, Gunnison, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mesa, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Juan, San Miguel

Winter Weather Advisoryissued December 17 at 4:08AM MST expiring December 17 at 11:00PM MST in effect for: Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, San Miguel

Winter Weather Advisoryissued December 17 at 4:01AM MST expiring December 18 at 3:00AM MST in effect for: Conejos, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache

Winter Weather Advisoryissued December 16 at 3:01PM MST expiring December 18 at 3:00AM MST in effect for: Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, Garfield, Gunnison, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mesa, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Juan, San Miguel

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Colorado receiving $65M mental health care grant

A C E Home Health Care Receive Tribute & Medicine Discount Cards by Charles Myrick of ACRX – Video

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A C E Home Health Care Receive Tribute Medicine Discount Cards by Charles Myrick of ACRX
http://www,freemedicinecoupons.com -Identifying individuals and organizations giving back to others in need. "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is...

By: Charity Nation

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A C E Home Health Care Receive Tribute & Medicine Discount Cards by Charles Myrick of ACRX - Video

Health Chiefs Warn Millions Of Dollars Needed To Revive West Africas Health Care Systems – Video

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Health Chiefs Warn Millions Of Dollars Needed To Revive West Africas Health Care Systems
Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia continue to battle the Ebola virus that #39;s killed nearly 6400 people. But the focus is also turning to rebuilding shattered ...

By: CCTV Africa

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Health Chiefs Warn Millions Of Dollars Needed To Revive West Africas Health Care Systems - Video

CCNS Bayside Senior Center Receive Tribute & Health Care by Charles Myrick of ACRX – Video

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CCNS Bayside Senior Center Receive Tribute Health Care by Charles Myrick of ACRX
http://www.2healthhelp.com -Enjoy a brief recap of this great organization doing a fantastic service in the community!" -Charles Myrick - President and CEO of American Consultants Rx...

By: Community Outreach

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CCNS Bayside Senior Center Receive Tribute & Health Care by Charles Myrick of ACRX - Video

Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary $40,000 Leadership Gift for ICU through Starlite

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Chris Shumka, IH Health Service Director Acute-East Kootenay, EKFH Chair Brian Clifford, KHCA President Jacquie Perrault and AJ Brekke, IH Critical Manager ER & ICU

image credit: submitted

Kimberley, BC. The Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary continues to show its commitment to the regional hospital with a third leadership gift for the Intensive Care Unit. In 2013, the KHCA and its members made an unprecedented gift of $20,000 through EKFHs Starlite Campaign, lighting four stars atop the regional hospital.

That Starlite gift combined with several other donor gifts is purchasing two ceiling booms for the new ICU in Cranbrook. With the recent funding realignment between Interior Health, Kootenay East Regional Hospital District and EKFH, a resurgence and focus for additional equipment for the ICU is taking centre stage.

Upon hearing the news, members of the KHCA took no time to decide that they wanted to continue their focus on equipment critically needed for the Intensive Care Unit.

At todays KHCA Christmas luncheon President Jacquie Perrault on behalf of the KHCA members announced a second gift of $40,000 to the Starlite Campaign and the ICU redevelopment project. In total the KHCA has dedicated $60,000 EKRHs intensive care unit.

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Kimberley Health Care Auxiliary $40,000 Leadership Gift for ICU through Starlite

Health care challenge: More coverage often means higher cost

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Susan Kennedy is part of the five-member board overseeing Californias health benefits exchange, called Covered California. She was the keynote speaker at the Health Care Conference on Nov. 18, 2014.

SANTA ROSA Californias new health-benefits exchange greatly expanded coverage to millions of residents, but the costs of doing so may be difficult to contain, an overseer of the exchange said at the Business Journals Health Care Conference.

The keynote speaker at the Nov. 18 conference was Susan Kennedy, part of the five-member board for the exchange, called Covered California, created after the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly called ACA or Obamacare.

Ms. Kennedy has a reputation of getting things done. She was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to the five-member Health Benefits Exchange, the body charged with designing the health insurance market for individuals and small businesses in California as part of national health reform. She served as the former chief of staff for then Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and also in this capacity and as cabinet secretary for former Gov. Gray Davis.

Im not a health care expert, just a person interested in policy formulation which should scare you a lot, she said, jokingly.

In 1999, Ms. Kennedy helped lead efforts in the Gray Davis administration to pass comprehensive health maintenance organization (HMO) reform in California. She also helped lead Gov. Schwarzeneggers historic health care reform initiative which passed the Assembly in 2007 but stalled in the state Senate.

She was among several conference speakers who offered candid views on reforms taking place in the industry, what HMOs are doing to achieve compliance with the ACA, and how insurance companies are handling the transformation. More than 200 attended the conference, held at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel in Santa Rosa.

Thanks to Covered California and Obamacare, some 3.5 million more state residents are now insured, she said.

What is my job on the exchange? she asked. We have a massive new business to launch plus the policies that go with it.

According to Ms. Kennedy, the U.S. has a more than 100-year history of attempting to bring health care to everyone.

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Health care challenge: More coverage often means higher cost

Bronx health-care workers will fight Ebola in Liberia

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Meet two heroes of our Time.

These Bronx health-care workers are taking their skills to the frontline of the fight against Ebola.

Dr. Julie Hoffman, an infectious disease specialist at Jacobi Medical Center, and Sara Back, a family nurse practitioner and HIV/AIDS specialist at North Central Bronx Hospital, will spend the first few weeks of 2015 fighting the spread of the deadly virus in West Africa.

Being in medicine is not just treating patients locally, said Back, 52. Its trying to extend my skills elsewhere.

Back has volunteered to go to Liberia with Partners in Health. Hoffman will make the trip on Jan.2 with the nonprofit International Medical Corps. Her destination was not finalized, but she said it's likely Sierra Leone.

Hoffman, 51, said she began thinking about volunteering as soon as the outbreak began spreading through Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone earlier this year. Both humble helpers agreed that the international response to the epidemic was disorganized.

If we could have responded earlier, then less people would have probably died, Hoffman said of U.S. volunteer aid efforts. It was chaotic at first.

Since the onset of the outbreak, 6,373 people have died in the three West African nations, according to the most recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last week, Time magazine named frontline responders such as Back and Hoffman as its Persons of the Year for 2014.

For their tireless acts of courage and mercy, for buying the world time to strengthen its defenses, for the risks they took and the lives they saved, Time editor Nancy Gibbs said in a video released on the magazines website.

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Bronx health-care workers will fight Ebola in Liberia

Health Care Sector Update for 12/15/2014: SRNE,AZN,OPK,SPHS

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Top Health Care Stocks

JNJ -0.25%

PFE 0.00%

ABT -0.34%

MRK -1.18%

AMGN -2.68%

Health care stocks were mostly lower today with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index retreating about 0.6% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 down about 0.5% as a group.

In company news, Sorrento Therapeutics ( SRNE ) climbed Monday after the biotech company said it has signed a global collaboration agreement with NantWorks founder and industry entrepreneur Patrick Soon-Shiong.

SRNE shares of the biopharmaceutical company were up more than 25% at $7.28 each shortly before the closing bell, well off its $7.58 session high earlier today. The stock has traded within a 52-week range of $3.10 to $16.40, falling about 28% over the past year prior to today's rise.

Under the terms of the agreement, SRNE and NantWorks and SRNE will partner to develop next-generation immunotherapies to treat cancer and auto-immune diseases. The companies also plan to launch The Immunotherapy Antibody joint venture as a stand-alone entity, providing a combined $20 million in initial funding.

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Health Care Sector Update for 12/15/2014: SRNE,AZN,OPK,SPHS

Health Care Sector Update for 12/15/2014: ADXS, AZN, OPK, SHS, PFE

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Top Health Care Stocks

JNJ -0.55%

PFE +0.26%

ABT -0.18%

MRK -0.57%

AMGN -2.81%

Health care stocks were mostly lower, with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index retreating about 0.7% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 down about 0.6% as a group.

In company news, Advaxis Inc. ( ADXS ) was higher Monday after federal regulators cleared the biotech company to begin Phase I/II testing early next year of its ADXS-HPV anti-cancer therapy either alone or in combination with AstraZeneca's ( AZN ) MEDI4736 drug candidate.

ADXS shares were up 15% at $4.35 apiece, just 4 cents off their session high. The stock has traded within a 52-week range of $2.46 to $5.99 a share, declining almost 12% over the past year prior to Monday's advance.

Approval of ADXS' Investigational New Drug application by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows the company to proceed with a trial to evaluate ADXS-HPV as a prospective treatment for advanced, recurrent or refractory human papillomavirus-associated cervical cancer and HPV-associated head and neck cancer.

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Health Care Sector Update for 12/15/2014: ADXS, AZN, OPK, SHS, PFE


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