Medical Device Tax Could be Repealed

Medical Device Tax

The ACA replacement plan House Republicans released Monday would permanently repeal the medical device tax, reports MinnPost. Here are four things to know: The medical device tax entails a 2.3 percent excise tax on the sale of certain medical devices, payable by the manufacturer or importer of the device, according to the report. The tax was imposed…

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Aetna breaks up with Humana for $1B (updated)

Aetna

Oh, the irony. Health insurers Aetna and Humana have officially terminated their merger plans, and they did it on Valentine’s Day. What’s more, Aetna has to pony up a cool $1 billion to do so. Aetna and Humana also said they have terminated separate agreements to sell some of their Medicare Advantage business to Molina Healthcare…

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#Engage4Health: Looking for the Invisible at HIMSS17

Engage4Health

As a physician who bridges health and tech, I always look forward to HIMSS and participating in the conversations and decisions that are revolutionizing the healthcare industry. A recent captivating #Engage4Health Twitter chat conversation which is sure to continue at the conference this year, focused on effective patient engagement. My profession gives me a unique…

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Digital Birth Certificates Could Solve Healthcare Security Issues 

Digital 'birth certificates'

A security expert has proposed enforcing the use of “digital birth certificates” to protect medical devices and patient data. The breadth and scope of cyber attacks have increased in recent years. It is now not only consumer PCs, enterprise networks, or government agencies which are the intended targets of individual attackers or state-sponsored groups; instead,…

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Patient-matching startup Verato raises $12.5M Series B 

Verato

Verato, a startup provider of what its CEO called “patient matching as a service,” disclosed Monday that it has closed on a $12.5 million round of Series B venture capital. Bessemer Venture Partners and Columbia Capital co-led the investment round. Both investors had participated in Verato’s Series A, another $12.5 million round that closed in January 2015. McLean,…

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The Internet of Things Transforming Healthcare as We Know It

Internet of Things

IoT will have an impact on the healthcare industry. It is already been used both at the doctor and patient levels. The various devices like glucose meters, thermometers, electrocardiogram etc are being connected so that the patient can keep a tab on his or her health. Some hospitals also have facilities wherein the bed can…

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CVS Announces a Cheap Generic Alternative to EpiPen

Epipen

Pharmaceutical giant CVS announced Thursday that it has partnered with Impax Laboratories to sell a generic epinephrine auto-injector for $109.99 for a two-pack—a dramatic cut from Mylan’s Epipen two-pack prices, which list for more than $600 as a brand name and $300 as a generic. The lower-cost auto-injector, a generic form of Adrenaclick, is available…

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Amazon Alexa Fund, Amgen Ventures

Amazon Alexa

Mercom Capital Group came out with an overview of the 2016 health IT investment landscape. Its report tallied up health IT deals valued at a total of $5 million, a new milestone for this category. “For three years in a row, we have seen funding settle in the $4.7 to $5 billion range. It looks…

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New Stem Cell Therapy Can Restore Sight to the Blind

Stem Cell Therapy

Without a doubt, the treatment potential of stem cell therapies is extraordinary. Yet, there is one hurdle scientists have been working to overcome: making sure the cells survive in the human body long enough to ensure they function. Well, scientists at the Buck Institute may have found a way to make it happen. In a study…

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Say Hello to Your Body’s Newest Organ: The Mesentery

organ

Over a century ago, when scientists were classifying the body’s organs, one was short shrifted, according to researchers who say part of the digestive system deserves to be upgraded to organ status. In a new medical journal report, scientists say the mesentery – connective tissue that winds around our digestive organs, holding them in place –…

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