Health Care Stocks That Will Continue to Benefit From Obamacare

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- TheCovestor Healthcare Model predicted that the implementation of the Affordable Care Act would be good for health care stocks because Americans previously lacking health insurance would join the ranks of the insured. Contrary to some observers, who had predicted that Obamacare would be a disaster, the Covestor Healthcare Model anticipated that this would be a job-creator and a business stimulus badly needed in an economy still weak following the financial crisis of 2008.

Let's take a look at some of the companies that have benefited from Obamacare and are likely to continue to do well. The Affordable Care Act sets up prescription drug coverage and encourages generics in order to minimize costs. One of the successful holdings in the Healthcare Model is Actavis (ACT) , which recently outbid Valeant (VRX) for Allergan (AGN) . Actavis is the third largest generic pharmaceutical company in the U.S.

Must Read: 10 Stocks Billionaire John Paulson Loves in 2014

One of the foundations of the broadening of health care coverage under Obamacare was the expansion of Medicaid that was initially required under the ACA. It became a voluntary decision by the states after a ruling of the Supreme Court. As of November 2014, 28 states (including the District of Columbia) have accepted federal funds for Medicaid expansion. It is estimated that 6 million people have been added to Medicaid since Obamacare was initiated. This brings Medicaid enrollment to about 65 million Americans, and work of managing these patients also creates investment opportunities for the Healthcare Model.

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Health Care Stocks That Will Continue to Benefit From Obamacare

Masks soon required for health care facility visitors who havent had the flu shot

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) All visitors to provincial health care facilities will soon need to be vaccinated against the flu or wear a mask.

The rules kick in on Monday.

This is the third flu season the Ministry of Health has put the policy in place to help protect vulnerable patients and seniors from getting the virus.

Tiffany Akins with Vancouver Coastal Health says the honour system will be used to help enforce the new regulations and masks will be handed out to any visitors who havent been vaccinated.

The policy is applicable to any patient care area in any of our Vancouver Coastal health hospitals, our long-term care homes, community health care centres, anywhere you go that is a Vancouver Coastal Health facility, she explains.

The best way to protect your loved ones. is to get a flu shot even if you are normally a healthy person. The shot doesnt only protect you from getting the flu but it also protects everyone around you, including your grandma, your pregnant friends [or] your small child.

She adds if you do plan to visit someone or take family to outpatient appointments, you are eligible for a free flu shot.

Each year, about 3,500 Canadians die from the flu and flu-related complications.

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Masks soon required for health care facility visitors who havent had the flu shot

Health Care Sector Update for 11/28/2014: ALXN, NVS, DVAX

Top Health-care stocks:

JNJ: +0.2%

PFE: flat

ABT: flat

MRK: +0.1%

AMGN: +0.4%

Health-care shares were generally mixed in pre-market trading Friday.

In health-care stocks news, Alexion Pharmaceuticals ( ALXN ) said the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Highly Specialised Technologies Evaluation Committee has recommended that Soliris be commissioned for all patients in England suffering from atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe and life-threatening ultra-rare disorder. Shares were unchanged during Friday's pre-market trading session at $194.72. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has traded between $120.14 and $197.64.

Novartis AG ( NVS ) won faster approval for a heart-failure drug in the European Union, shortening the review period to 60 days. NVS said it expected to ask EU regulators early next year for approval to sell the drug, which it expected to be a "multi-blockbuster" with sales between $2 billion and $5 billion. It also expected to submit the drug to U.S. health regulators by next month. Shares were 1% higher during Friday's pre-market trading session at $96.48. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has traded between $76.36 and $96.02.

Dynavax Technologies ( DVAX ), a biopharmaceutical company, said it has regained full rights to DV1179, an investigational bifunctional inhibitor of toll-like receptors, following the expiration of a research and development collaboration and license agreement with GlaxoSmithKline ( GSK ). The company will now have global rights to continue the development of DV1179 and other TLR 7/9 inhibitors for all indications. Shares in were trading 4% lower at $14.50 during Friday's pre-market trading session. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has traded between $12.50 and $21.40.

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Health Care Sector Update for 11/28/2014: ALXN, NVS, DVAX

Health care's big deal

In a big year for deal-making, the health care industry is a standout.

Large drugmakers are buying and selling businesses to control costs and deploy surplus cash. A rising stock market, tax strategies and low interest rates also are fueling the mergers and acquisitions.

It's all combining to make 2014 the most active year for health care deals in at least two decades.

The industry has announced about $438 billion worth of mergers and acquisitions worldwide so far, about 14 percent of the $3.2 trillion total for all industries, according to data provider Dealogic.

Overall, the business of mergers and acquisitions M&A is on track for its best year since 2007, the year before the financial crisis intensified.

Health care has been a sleepy niche of M&A until recently, but the giant has been awakened, says Ken Menges, a senior partner handling M&A at law firm Akin Gump in New York.

To a large extent, says Ashtyn Evans, pharmaceutical and biotech analyst with investment firm Edward Jones in St. Louis, the deals are being driven by cost pressure on the entire health care system as insurers and government health plans increasingly hold down or even reduce reimbursements to drug, device and service providers.

Companies also want to expand market share and boost their portfolios in hot areas such as drugs for cancer and hepatitis C, she says.

Drugmaker Merck & Co., for example, agreed in June to pay nearly $4 billion for Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc. to combine that company's hepatitis C medicines with its own.

Taxes are another reason behind the rush to the negotiating table.

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Health care's big deal

PARS & Turuki Health Care collaborate on health and services

November 2014 Media release

PARS & Turuki Health Care collaborate on health and social services for those at risk

Auckland-based PARS (People at Risk Solutions) have partnered with the Turuki Health Care Trust, to offer improved healthcare services to those in need. PARS works closely with former prisoners, providing mentoring, housing, and social services to ensure they have the necessary support and skills to successfully reintegrate into society.

For many who have been incarcerated, returning to society is extremely challenging. Many are stigmatised or dont have adequate support in place to help them readjust to daily life, meaning the risk of reoffence is high.

Reconizing that they share both values and clients, PARS and charitable organisation Turuki Health Care are now developing a health and wellness service, focusing primarily on Maori and Pasifika clients who have recently been released from prison. Having signed a memorandum of understanding, the alliance between the two organisations will allow former prisoners to access a comprehensive range of primary health care and social services more effectively.

As an all-round care service, Turuki Health Care and PARS will address issues including physical health, mental health and substance abuse, and solutions offered will include use of whanau, community, employment and housing resources. Easily accessible health and social services to those at risk will provide an easier transition into life outside prison, improved whanau relationships and greater prospects of contributing positively to their communities.

Were excited about the prospect of this collaboration, says Tui Ah Loo, Executive Director of PARS. Targeted services and support, offered both prior to and following a prisoners release, will improve both the health and social outcomes for former prisoners and their whanau.

Both organisations are committed to a kaupapa Maori and whanau-centred approach, with a focus on hauora (holistic wellbeing). This ensures whanau can access multiple services from one central hub, the staff of whom are familiar and understanding of their needs and values. A single operational culture that provides easily accessible services will help to remove barriers to whanau engaging with and seeking support.

Both PARS and Turuki Health Care are currently offering peer support and training, and building opportunities for their staff to network together. The next developments will see PARS and Turuki Health Care expanding their scope. Currently based in South Auckland, Turuki will eventually extend their integrated services to the wider Auckland community, including those accessing PARS services in Mt Eden.

Collective impact approaches to dealing with social issues are becoming much more common in the not-for-profit sector, and many organisations are now teaming up to share resources, services and ideas. Recognising that a collaborative approach is often hugely beneficial for those in need of support, PARS are looking forward to building and maintaining high quality relationships with Turuki Health and other, similar organisations.

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PARS & Turuki Health Care collaborate on health and services

Fraser Institute: Waiting Your Turn, Medical Wait Times in Canada 2014 – Video


Fraser Institute: Waiting Your Turn, Medical Wait Times in Canada 2014
The Fraser Institute study, Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, is Canada #39;s only comprehensive measurement of wait times for medically necessary health care. Based on...

By: FraserInstitute

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Fraser Institute: Waiting Your Turn, Medical Wait Times in Canada 2014 - Video

"The Wu Project" First Mission, Upper Mustang, Nepal August 2014 – Video


"The Wu Project" First Mission, Upper Mustang, Nepal August 2014
The Wu Project is a non-profit organization that provides healthcare training in the Oriental medical tradition health care workers in remote rural areas all over the world. Our first mission...

By: Alicia Villamarin

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"The Wu Project" First Mission, Upper Mustang, Nepal August 2014 - Video

Health Care Workers Ebola Recruitment Campaign

General overview

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the largest in history, has been ongoing since March 2014. The countries most affected are Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, with widespread and intense transmission of Ebola continuing. The outbreak has been declared over in Senegal and Nigeria. As of November 23, 2014, the World Health Organization was reporting a total of 15,935 cases and 5,689 deaths.

Canada continues to be a world leader in its efforts to help fight Ebola in West Africa with considerable resources being dedicated to supported health, humanitarian and security interventions.

Join the Fight Against Ebola

Today, the Government of Canada launched the Join the Fight Against Ebola campaign to recruit Canadian healthcare workers, including federal government employees, to go work in existing Ebola Treatment Centres in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. With some of the most skilled and experienced healthcare professionals in the world, Canada is well placed to help stem the tide of this deadly outbreak.

The Government of Canada will promote and support the recruitment of healthcare workers through the Canadian Red Cross to help manage existing Treatment Centres in West Africa, providing care for patients and allowing facilities to expand the number of treatment beds to keep up with growing demand.

The goal of the campaign is to recruit medical doctors and nurses, psychosocial support workers, water and sanitation engineers, and infection prevention and control workers starting in December 2014 The Canadian Red Cross will be responsible for screening, training and sending volunteers, as well as providing in-country accommodations, transportation and logistic support, including medical evacuation.

The government-led online and social media campaign will include recruitment web pages, online advertising, stakeholder outreach and a number of media and other promotional events.

Access Canada.ca/ebolavirus to find out more about how you can join the fight against Ebola and make a difference as a Canadian healthcare worker.

Other Actions to date

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Health Care Workers Ebola Recruitment Campaign

USDA funds to support rural health care, education

DES MOINES The Nov. 20 celebration of National Rural Health Day acknowledges the power of Rural America,

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said. He announced 65 Rural Development Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants worth more than $20 million.

The projects will improve the delivery of health care and educational services in rural areas across 34 states by bringing programs to rural communities that often do not have access to quality, affordable medical and educational services has tremendous economic and social benefits, Vilsack said in a news release.

Of those 65 projects, 31 are health care related, totaling $8.6 million.The grant announcement is the latest in a series of USDA Rural Development investments in health information technology, following a collaborative agreement in 2011 with the Department of Health and Human Services.

We have been working closely with the USDA Rural Development in Iowa since 2012 to help Critical Access Hospitals and rural hospitals serving Iowas rural and poor communities access financing to support their telehealth and health information exchange needs, said Leila Samy, Rural Health IT Coordinator, Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).

The collaboration between ONC and USDA Rural Development started in Iowa but has now spread to more than a dozen states, with both agencies targeting rural hospitals and clinics with information on programs that can assist with funding for health IT.

In those states where the collaboration is occurring, we have seen investments of nearly $40 million in health IT, said USDA Rural Development Iowa State Director Bill Menner.

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USDA funds to support rural health care, education

Health Care Sector Update for 11/26/2014: VEEV,BDX,MRGE

Top Health Care Stocks

JNJ +0.29%

PFE +1.04%

ABT +0.25%

MRK +0.69%

AMGN +1.03%

Health care stocks were mostly higher today with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index ahead about 0.5% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 gaining about 0.4% as a group.

In company news, Veeva Systems ( VEEV ) rallied Wednesday after the health care information services company posted better-than-expected Q3 financial results, also beating analyst projections with its Q4 and FY15 guidance.

During the three months ended Oct. 31, the company earned $10.2 million or $0.07 per share, up from a $6.4 million profit during the same quarter last year. Excluding one-time items, non-GAAP net income rose to $13.6 million or $0.09 per share, up from noon-GAAP net income of $7.6 million last year and beating the Capital IQ consensus by $0.01 per share. analyst estimate is for $0.08 EPS.

Revenue rose 52% over year-ago levels to $83.8 million, exceeding the Street view by around $4.83 million.

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Health Care Sector Update for 11/26/2014: VEEV,BDX,MRGE

Advocates Help With Health Care

Good news for Upper Valley consumers shopping during the open enrollment period that began Nov. 15 for health insurance coverage required by the Affordable Care Act: It appears that help is readily available.

Consider navigator Sandy Singer of Capstone Community Action in Randolph. During last years enrollment, she worked with hundreds of people who needed help finding insurance. Most chose to get covered, and about 95 percent of those who bought private insurance qualified for subsidies to offset the cost of premiums, Singer said. Others discovered that they were eligible for free care through Medicaid. A handful chose not to be insured but did it in an informed way.

Singer, who worked as a disaster case manager after Tropical Storm Irene, characterized the navigation work as challenging and extraordinarily rewarding. On Wednesday, just returned from a trip to California, Singer saw six clients in person and spoke to an additional 30 on the telephone. Im all warmed up, she said.

For many consumers, finding help represents the first step toward realizing the ACAs promise of improved health and health care and expanded access to health insurance. But expect a long and sometimes challenging journey. The ACA tries to address complex problems and, even when it works as intended, rarely delivers simple solutions.

Consumers may find themselves puzzling over what kind of help to seek: in-person, online or over the phone? Free or for a fee? Government-trained and certified counselor or broker or, perhaps, a call center or website advertised on television or found through an Internet search?

Some parts are simple. Consumers are required to have coverage that takes effect on Jan. 1. The last day to buy that coverage is Dec. 15. People who miss that deadline can buy coverage until Feb. 15. At that point, plans sold through the online exchanges established by the ACA will only be available to new customers who have experienced certain life events such as a job loss.

While individuals and families can buy insurance in other venues, shopping on the online exchanges can matter to those who have financial worries. Only plans sold on the exchanges are eligible for the sometimes hefty subsidies available to consumers with qualifying incomes and without health insurance coverage through employment.

The ACAs so-called individual mandate the requirement that most Americans have health insurance took effect this year. In the initial enrollment period that began a little over a year ago, helpers played a crucial role. That was largely because of numerous glitches and breakdowns in the websites that were created as marketplaces for insurance shopping by individuals who lacked employment-based health insurance or coverage by Medicare or Medicaid.

This year that bottleneck seems to have eased. Vermont Health Connect, the state-operated site serving residents of the Green Mountain State, and healthcare.gov, the federal site serving New Hampshire residents, have held up much better during their sophomore seasons, according to most accounts.

But help remains important. More often than not, health insurance for Americans comes with a plethora of puzzling particulars: deductibles, co-pays, out-of-pocket maximums, pre-certification of care, preferred provider versus health maintenance organizations, health savings accounts the list goes on.

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Advocates Help With Health Care