Coventry Health Care Inc.
(CVH) posted a 52% decrease in fourth-quarter net
income as claims costs rose and membership fell.
Managed-care providers have seen profits trimmed as rising unemployment has
exacerbated declines in enrollment and the industry continues to struggle with
rising costs, investment losses, and difficulties in pricing premiums.
Late last month,
would resume his prior role
as chief executive following a series of missteps Read the rest of this entry »

TUESDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) — Dialysis patients who call higher altitudes home may live longer than patients residing at sea level.
According to a new study from Harvard researchers publishing in the Feb. 4 issue of the
, patients on dialysis living at elevations upwards of 4,000 feet have a 12 percent to 15 percent lower mortality rate than their lowland counterparts.
This information is immediately valuable in helping scientists untangle Read the rest of this entry »

DUBLIN, Ohio
Health care products and services company Cardinal Health Inc. said Wednesday its fiscal first-quarter profit dropped on restructuring charges.
For the period ending Sept. 30, Cardinal Health earned $249.1 million, or 69 cents per share, from continuing operations. The company recorded income from continuing operations of $301.8 million, or 82 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier. The results reflect the sale of the Read the rest of this entry »

(RTTNews) - 
Thursday, medical robotics manufacturer Hansen Medical, Inc. (HNSN:
) reported a wider third-quarter loss, mainly hurt by an increase in operating expenses. Revenue for the quarter surged 214%.
For the third quarter, the company’s net loss was $12.0 million or $0.48 per share, wider than a loss of $10.0 million or $0.46 per share in the previous year.
On average, eight analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Read the rest of this entry »

The problem would be bad enough if it were just a matter of cost. But it’s not. Not long ago, the United States was arguably tops in both higher education and health care. No more. To make matters worse, a nation whose cherished ideals of equality were advanced immeasurably during the 20th century by the diffusion of high-quality health care and higher education now has become troublingly inequitable in both.
The World Health Organization reports Read the rest of this entry »

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 8 (HealthDay News) — Blacks are more likely than whites to have small bleeds within the brain, increasing their chances of having a stroke, according to a new study.
Compared with whites, blacks had 32 percent more of these lesions, called cerebral microbleeds, which are tied to increased odds of having a stroke. Blacks were also more likely to have them in several different areas of the brain.
The study was published in the Oct. Read the rest of this entry »

Chandler’s four nursing homes are rated better than most in Arizona, according to a new star-rating system by federal regulators.
The city’s average of 3.5 stars topped the statewide score of 2.85 and the national score of 2.81.
Chandler also was one of the few cities with a nursing home that received a perfect 5-star rating. That score went to Park Regency Care Center at 2555 N. Price Road.
• Desert Cove Nursing Center, 1750 W. Frye Road, Read the rest of this entry »

Among the many serious health risks faced by babies born extremely prematurely, an increased risk of autism may confront moms-to-be, a new study suggests.
Autism is characterized by difficulty with social interaction, problems with all forms of communication and repetitive behaviors or obsessive interests. Depending on where a patient falls on the autism spectrum, the severity of these behaviors can range from mild to disabling.
Using a special Read the rest of this entry »

According to statistics from the American Cancer Society, more Americans are surviving cancer. Statistics for five-year cancer survival rose from 50% to 66% between 1996 and 2003, though life expectancy still varies, depending on diagnosis and disease stage. Early diagnosis and treatment intervention of all types of cancer continues to show the best outcomes. The results of the analysis should be interpreted with caution, given the incidence of cancer Read the rest of this entry »

Mindray Medical Int’l Q3 Profit Rises On Higher Revenues; Backs FY08 EPS Outlook, Cuts Revenue Guidance – Update
(RTTNews) - 
Monday, Mindray Medical International Ltd., (MR:
), a manufacturer and marketer of medical devices, reported higher third quarter earnings, driven by strong revenue growth. The company also reaffirmed its fiscal 2008 earnings guidance, while lowering fiscal year 2008 revenue outlook.
The Read the rest of this entry »