Chiropractic OnLine Today's
In The News feature: Part Eighteen.

January 1, 1999 - December 31, 1999

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- President Clinton has signed into law a bill that will make chiropractic care more accessible to U.S. veterans.

The Veterans' Millennium Health Care Act (H.R. 2116), signed by Clinton on November 30, contains a provision requiring the Veterans Administration (VA) to develop a policy regarding the utilization of chiropractic care in the VA health care system. The chiropractic provision was included in the legislation as a result of the lobbying efforts of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC).

Attourney Rob Sherman List from 11/30/99

The following inspection report was posted to the OIG Web site on Monday, Nov.29, 1999. To access the report, go to

Utilization Parameters for Chiropractic Treatments (OEI-04-97-00496; 11/99)

OEI analyzed the potential impacts of establishing utilization review parameters at either 18 or 12 treatments per year. Implementing either option would ensure that Medicare pays for all chiropractic services that Medicare beneficiaries are entitled to and would help prevent payments for services not authorized under the program. By requiring carriers with high chiropractic utilization review parameters to implement lower review parameters, Medicare outlays would be reduced. One carrier has demonstrated the effect of reducing chiropractic utilization parameters.

That carrier cut its chiropractic parameter in half and saved almost $3 million with virtually no change in program administrative costs. By establishing utilization review parameters at 18 or 12 beginning in 2000, we estimate annual Medicare outlays would be reduced by about $19.4 or $30.2 million respectively. We, however, recommended implementing a utilization review parameter of 12. This is the most commonly used parameter (29 of 55 carriers), and it would require the least administrative change for carriers overall. The HCFA concurred with our findings and recommendation.

Blue Cross to Offer Complementary Healthcare Programs

COLUMBIA, S.C., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina has signed an agreement with American Specialty Health Networks (ASHN) to provide discounted complementary healthcare programs for customers of Blue Cross and 4% subsidiary companies, Companion HealthCare, HMO Blue and Planned Administrators, Inc. The new program is called Natural Blue -- Holistic Health Choices. USA Today from 10/29/99

Clinton proposes patient privacy plan
WASHINGTON - President Clinton said Friday it's time to put Americans in charge of their own medical records and is proposing regulations to keep electronic medical records from employers and marketers. ''Every American has a right to know his or her medical records are protected at all times,'' he said. As it stands, there are no federal guarantees that private information won't be passed along to employers or sold by insurance companies; existing laws vary from state to state. Clinton's proposal would apply to all health plans.

NYTimes from 10/7/99

Health Care Bill Passed by House Intensifies Furor
The House of Representatives this past week, passed a bill creating tax breaks to help millions of people buy health insurance. But it also took a procedural step that may jeopardize legislation to define patients' rights and regulate health maintenance organizations. NewsPage from 10/8/99

HMOs Expect a 10.6% Increase in Insurance Rates and a 1.6 Percentage-Point Improvement in Medical Expense Ratios During 2000
HMOs nationwide are anticipating a 10.6% increase in premium rates and a 1.6 percentage point decrease in their medical loss ratios during 2000 according to Sherlock Company's Fifth Annual HMO Pricing Survey. [PR Newswire, 382 words]

Alternative Healing for Arthritis
Patients taking alternative medicine treatments for arthritis are much more likely than previously thought to be discussing the alternative therapy with their physicians, according to a new study. [Associated Press, 663 words]

Is Aging Inevitable? Leading Scientists Say No
International Anti-Aging Congress to Spotlight Breakthrough Medical Advances And New Ideas Such as the Use of Biobots, Nanobots and Brain 'Check-Ups' The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine will present new research on how biomedical technology can dramatically increase lifespans and enhance the quality of living at the Seventh International Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine, Dec. 11-13, 1999 in Las Vegas. [PR Newswire, 402 words]

Study: Obesity Can Shorten Lifespan
A study of more than 1 million Americans provides the most convincing evidence yet that simply being overweight can cut your life short. The study, the largest ever done on obesity and mortality, found that overweight people run a higher rate of premature death. [Associated Press, 682 words]

NY Times from 9/28/99

Trailblazing California Broadens the Rights of Its H.M.O. Patients
Gov. Gray Davis signed a package of bills Monday that will give patients a variety of new rights in their relationship with health maintenance organizations in California and could well influence managed health care coverage across the country.

Most important, the broad set of bills, hammered out between advocates on both sides over several months, gives patients the right to sue their health insurers for punitive damages and solicit outside reviews of decisions denying them coverage.

The legislation also requires managed care providers to pay for second opinions on some treatments, cover the testing and treatment of breast cancer, pay for contraceptives and expand coverage for serious mental illnesses.

NewsPage from 8/25/99

STREAMING VIDEO: FDA Approval of New Hip Implant Technology a Breakthrough For Up To 250,000 Americans Each Year
American hip replacement patients will now be able to benefit from advanced metal-on-metal technology, with the recent United States Food and Drug Administration approval of Metasul , manufactured and marketed by Sulzer Orthopedics, Austin, Texas, a division of Sulzer Medica. [Business Wire, 160 words]

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER: Rescuing brain cells in stroke patients from the brink of suicide
For several days after a patient suffers a stroke, brain cells are bombarded with molecular "pro-death" signals carrying such bad news about the brain environment that the cells are tempted, even urged by other molecules, to commit suicide. [M2 Communications, 934 words]
NewsPage from 8/12/99

Features: Are you sick in the head?: New research proves what many have long suspected - that negative emotions really can make us ill.
At a recent conference in Galveston Texas, more than 350 international experts were presented with evidence of links between feelings such as stress and anxiety, and diseases as serious as oral cancer and HIV, and as commonplace as flu. [McCarthy Files, 1303 words]

NetGrocer.com Introduces New Holistic Health Aisles; On-line Grocer Encourages Healthy Lifestyles with `Ride 4 Free Shipping
NetGrocer , the leading nationwide on-line grocery and drug store supercenter, announced today the addition of its new holistic health aisles which include a wide array of vitamins and homeopathic items. [PR Newswire, 439 words]

USA Today from 7/30/99

Medicare HMO program loses ground
More than 90 insurers are dropping Medicare HMO coverage for 327,000 elderly and disabled Americans next year, according to data released by the Health Care Financing Administration, which oversees Medicare. Everyone affected by the changes will be notified by their insurers by September, and all current plans will remain in effect until Dec. 31. Members can opt to switch to another Medicare HMO if one serves the area; otherwise, they will automatically be enrolled in traditional Medicare. But consumer groups are urging patients not to change plans too quickly because those who stay enrolled through the end of the year can apply for certain Medicare supplemental policies, which cover hospital and physician deductibles.

Follow this link to see how your state will be affected by the changes.

USA Today from 7/29/99

Older people can shape up thinking
Older adults who don't exercise can improve their higher brain functions, such as those needed for driving a car or scheduling events, by doing a little walking, research shows.

The study, in Thursday's Nature, is simple in principle but reveals insights into brain function and how to better preserve at least some of it .

Note: As always, COT recommends that readers consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to starting or changing any exercise program.

NY Times from 7/15/99

Senate G.O.P. Again Prevails on Health Care Bill
Republicans on Wednesday showed that they were calling the shots in the Senate's managed care debate, approving their own measure on hospitalization for women undergoing mastectomies and turning back three efforts by Democrats to strengthen the rights of patients.

.... A day after defeating a broader Democratic amendment on women's health measures, the Republicans passed, 55 to 45, their own measure to prevent insurance companies from forcing women to have mastectomies as outpatients.

And the Republicans on Wednesday introduced a multipart measure to guarantee patients emergency room care, as well as access to specialists and to obstetricians and gynecologists. The action came after they defeated broader Democratic versions of the same provisions that would have covered far more people.

Democrats, who had forced the Senate to consider the issue of regulating managed care, stepped up their efforts to show how their version of the legislation known as the Patients' Bill of Rights differed from the rival Republican plan. And they drew support from various doctors' groups.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists came out in opposition to the Republican version of a plan to give women direct access to obstetricians. It said the Republican amendment would give direct access in cases of a routine visit but weaken access to follow-up care.

NY Times from 7/14/99

Report Says Profit-Making Health Plans Damage Care
Patients enrolled in profit-making health insurance plans are significantly less likely to receive the basics of good medical care -- including childhood immunizations, routine mammograms, pap smears, prenatal care, and lifesaving drugs after a heart attack -- than those in not-for-profit plans, says a new study that concludes that the free market is "compromising the quality of care." The research, conducted by a team from Harvard University and Public Citizen, an advocacy group in Washington, is the first comprehensive comparison of investor-owned and nonprofit plans. The authors found that on every one of 14 quality-of-care indicators, the for-profits scored worse.

NewsPage from 7/8/99

Tobacco Cos. Liable in Fla. Case
A landmark lawsuit by smokers yielded a verdict Wednesday that could cost the tobacco industry billions in damages, as a jury held the companies liable for making a defective product that causes emphysema, lung cancer and other illnesses. [Associated Press, 613 words]

A.S. Degree in Massage Therapy Offered for First Time in California by Nationally Accredited College
Western Institute of Science & Health is the first nationally accredited college in California to offer the Associate of Science degree in Massage Therapy. Applications for admission to the first graduating class are being accepted now. [Business Wire, 501 words]

USA Today from 6/29/99

Clock ticks to brain pain relief
Scientists have discovered a brain abnormality in people who suffer from cluster headaches -- fierce and sudden attacks that strike with more intensity than migraines.

The findings someday could lead to better painkillers for the 1 million people, most of them men, who suffer from cluster headaches.

But the research could have broader implications as well: It ultimately might benefit the 25 million people in the USA, most of them women, who suffer from migraines.

The findings, which appear in the Thursday Nature Medicine, help explain the fact that cluster headaches strike at the same time each day or night, with such regularity that they're often called "alarm-clock" headaches.

Sherman-List 6/23/99

AMA Physicians Vote to Form National Negotiating Organization
CHICAGO, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the American Medical Association (AMA) voted today to develop an affiliated national labor organization to represent employed physicians and where allowed by law, residents.

The move will enable eligible physicians to advocate more effectively on behalf of their patients.

AMA membership keeps shrinking
A new report from the AMA Task Force on Membership shows that only 34 percent of American physicians and medical students belong to the AMA, compared with 45 percent a decade ago.

If current trends continue, only 23 percent of 1.1 million doctors and students will be members in the year 2010.

CNN Interactive from 6/24/99

AMA to set guidelines for Internet prescriptions
(CNN) -- In light of the growing number of prescription drugs available on the Web, doctors attending the annual meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA) in Chicago this week will vote on the association's first set of Internet prescribing rules.

Consumers can order a variety of prescription drugs over the Internet without ever seeing a doctor. All that is required is the answering of a few questions and a credit card.

Doctors decry health claims in ads for dietary supplements
CHICAGO (AP) -- A delegation of doctors Monday asked the American Medical Association to seek a stronger federal law on dietary supplements that promise everything from banishing cellulite to boosting brain power.

Under the current law, dietary supplements -- often used for medicinal purposes such as garlic for heart benefits and St. John's wort to relieve depression -- are allowed to be marketed without the prior approval required of drugs. But they are prohibited from making health claims.

NewsPage from 6/8/99

Kaiser Permanente Colorado Offers Alternative Therapy Benefits and Discount to Members
Kaiser Permanente Colorado today announced plans to offer alternative therapies to its 360,000 members, effective June 1. [Business Wire, 394 words]

Stem Cells May Restore Neurons
Injections of neural stem cells, a so-called master cell that can mature into any type of brain tissue, may be able to restore neurons killed by Alzheimer's and other diseases that affect the whole brain, laboratory studies with mice suggest. [Associated Press, 730 words]

BRITAIN IS WINNING THE BREAST CANCER WAR
MORE women than ever before are alive five years after being diagnosed with breast cancer, it was revealed yesterday. The rise, according to figures due to be published next month, has been linked to the introduction of new drugs and better hospital treatment. [McCarthy Files, 353 words]

Overweight children have increased risk of disease
WASHINGTON, June 7 - Children who are overweight run an increased risk of suffering cardio-vascular problems, according to a new study. [Agence France Presse, 122 words]

Nutrition; Folic Acid May Have Effect on Alzheimer's
An adequate amount of the B-vitamin folic acid may help prevent or slow the progress of Alzheimer's disease, University of Kentucky researchers have found. [CW Henderson, 546 words]

Note: As always, COT recommends that readers consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to starting or changing any nutritional program.

IntelliHealth from 5/28/99

(Reuters Health) - The possibility of regenerating spinal cord neurons is no longer science fiction, according to Dr. Clifford J. Woolf. In the May issue of Neuron, Dr. Woolf and a team of colleagues report their success in inducing regrowth of injured spinal cord neurons in adult rats. Dr. Woolf told Reuters Health that most researchers believe that there are two possible reasons for the inability of central nervous system neurons to regenerate naturally after injury: "...either the lesion in the central nervous system represents an impenetrable barrier to growth...[or] the central environment is hostile to growth."

NewsPage from 5/27/99

U.S. study backs restaurant smoking bans
U.S. communities which have banned cigarette smoking in restaurants have not suffered a fall-off in tourism, according to a study published on Tuesday. [Reuters [WN], 217 words]

New Survey Reveals Americans Don't Take Precautions Against Deadly Skin Cancer
Summer is Critical Time for Increased Understanding of Melanoma, and Cancer Care Can Help More than 80 percent of Americans say they have had a serious sunburn that has caused their skin to peel or blister , yet less than half consistently apply sunscreen when they're outside, according to a national survey by Opinion Response Corporation for Cancer Care, Inc. [Business Wire, 787 words]

Women Suffering From PMS Uninformed About Benefits of Natural Supplements, Survey Shows
Survey Commissioned by MotherNature.com and Released in Honor of Women's Health Care Month Vitamins and natural supplements - ranging from Vitamin B6 to dong quai - can be one of the most effective ways to combat premenstrual syndrome , yet only 8% of women polled in a recent survey reported using dietary supplements for PMS. [Business Wire, 645 words]

Note: As always, COT recommends that readers consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to starting or changing any nutritional program.

BMJ from 5/22/99

Occupational disease
An occupational disease may be defined simply as one that is caused, or made worse, by exposure at work. While epidemiological studies of populations can determine whether disease is attributable to a particular type or level of exposure, for an individual patient this is less clear. Judgments about the patterns of exposure likely to be causal may be made in medicolegal cases or claims for compensation but these decisions have little value in determining the true extent of disease caused by work, not least because of the absence of reliable exposure data. Information about the incidence and distribution of such diseases is thus far from complete. This review describes recent advances in the understanding of the patterns and causes of occupational disease.

An understanding of the causes of occupational disease requires both good epidemiology and detailed knowledge of the nature of exposure and the susceptibility of those exposed

Concern about the effects of workplace exposures on male reproductive capacity remains great despite the paucity of evidence for hypotheses about male mediated effects on the fetus

Good evaluative studies of preventive programmes are needed but are in short supply

Future advances in prevention of chronic non-malignant disease may come in part through better understanding of the role of psychosocial factors in the workplace

Despite our best efforts, occupational disease persists and may contribute significantly to disability in elderly people long past retirement

PRNewswire from 5/19/99

Senators Introduce Resolution Bolstering American Chiropractic Association's Lawsuit Against HCFA
Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) introduced a concurrent resolution on Monday, May 17, 1998 supporting the American Chiropractic Association's (ACA) position that participants in the Medicare+Choice managed care program should be guaranteed the same access to chiropractic services enjoyed by participants in the Medicare fee-for-service program.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 32 (S. Con. Res. 32) was referred to the Committee on Finance, and if approved by Congress, the resolution would bolster ACA's position in the lawsuit against the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). In that suit, the ACA asserts that the new Medicare+Choice regulations proposed by HCFA unfairly deny Medicare beneficiaries' access to chiropractic services in Medicare managed care.

NY Times from 5/16/99

American Interest in Alternative Therapies Leaves Tradtional Medicine Behind
Americans are flocking to alternative and complementary therapies for cancer and doctors had better catch up on what they are and whether they work, cancer specialists believe.

A 1997 survey at Harvard University showed that 42 percent of U.S. adults with cancer had tried alternative or complementary medicine, compared to 34 percent in 1990. They spent $21 billion on it, $12 billion out of their own pockets, said Dr. David Rosenthal, the immediate past president of the American Cancer Society.

PRNewswire from 5/13/99

Nevada Attorney General Warns Animal Chiropractor Dr. Daniel Kamen Forced to Respond to Warnings
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., May 13 /PRNewswire/ -- An Illinois chiropractor has been warned by the State of Nevada Office of the Attorney General not to conduct his animal chiropractic seminars there.

Dr. Daniel Kamen, a chiropractor from Arlington Heights, Ill., said he conducts about 40 animal chiropractic seminars a year around the country, teaching chiropractors, veterinarians, and even pet owners how to manipulate horses, dogs and cats. Kamen said that many chiropractors are looking for ways to expand their patient base to include animals in light of the recent inroads made by HMO's which has eroded or even devastated their human practices. "My seminars are very popular," said Kamen. "Sometimes I have as many as 120 registrants in one city. Out of that number, about 30 are chiropractors, 5 are vets, and the rest are horse and dog owners."

NY Times from 5/9/99

Insurers and Uninsured Put Hospitals in a Squeeze
After a run of profitable years, hospitals across the country face cash-flow problems -- squeezed, officials say, by slow-paying managed-care companies, cutbacks in government programs and rapidly growing numbers of uninsured patients.

Industry Standard from 4/30/99

Online Medical Journal to Publish in Real Time
Medscape General Medicine, a new Web-only, peer-reviewed research publication, could shake up the staid process of disclosing medical breakthroughs.

NewsPage from 4/22/99

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Selects Consensus Health for Complementary and Alternative Medical (CAM) Services to Nearly 1 Million Members
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has selected Consensus Health, based in Emeryville, Calif., to provide a network of complementary and alternative medical providers to members located throughout the state. [Business Wire, 683 words, BASIC]

Tobacco victory trimmed in sick-smokers trial
The judge overseeing a massive sick-smokers lawsuit widened possible claims against cigarette makers by restoring four illnesses for jury consideration that he had ruled ineligible, a court official said Tuesday. [Reuters [WN], 278 words, PAY PER VIEW $0.00]

Protect Your Children from Lead Poisoning
Lead poisoning is the most common environmental health hazard to children according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but a recent study published in Pediatrics suggests that proper housecleaning can significantly reduce the amount ... [PR Newswire, 234 words, BASIC]

New Survey Reveals Sex Can Get Even Better With Age; ARHP Launches Long-Term Mature Sexuality Initiative for Those Over 50
Getting older no longer means having to say goodbye to good sex. According to a new nationwide survey, more than 70 percent of people aged 50 and over who responded said they consider themselves to be sexually active and are satisfied with their sex lives. [PR Newswire, 614 words, BASIC]

American Dental Hygienists' Association: Timing Right For Smokeless Tobacco Legislation
The American Dental Hygienists' Association today announces its strong and enthusiastic support for the Smokeless Tobacco Warning Label Act. [PR Newswire, 339 words, BASIC]

Vitamin D Deficiency in Babies Continues to Be a Health Concern in Canada
Eighty per cent of new moms breastfeed their babies right away. They know that mother nature is on their side in providing the best nutrition for their baby. [Canada Newswire, 361 words, BASIC]

Note: As always, COT recommends that readers consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to starting or changing any nutritional program.

NIH Researchers Recommend Higher Vitamin C Intake; Role in Cancer Prevention is Cited
The daily recommended dietary allowance for Vitamin C should be raised from the current 60 milligrams to 100 to 200 milligrams, according to a team of researchers from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. [PR Newswire, 393 words, BASIC]

Note: As always, COT recommends that readers consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to starting or changing any nutritional program.

AP from 4/20/99

Lawsuit accuses Aetna of luring clients with lies
Class action sought for members of HMO
PHILADELPHIA -- Aetna, one of the nation's largest health maintenance organizations, was accused in a lawsuit yesterday of reeling in customers with false claims.

The suit, which seeks class action status on behalf of nearly 6 million Aetna customers, was filed in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia by the California-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.

The lawsuit claims Aetna attracted potential customers by falsely saying it is dedicated to quality medical care, when in fact the company encourages system-wide cost-cutting undermining quality health care. It is believed to be the first suit to accuse an HMO of violating a federal anti-racketeering law.

Plaintiffs are seeking unspecified money damages and an order to halt Aetna's marketing claims.

NewsPage from 4/13/99

Healthcare industry earnings up 21% in 4thquarter 1998
HealthCare Markets Group released today its fourth quarter 1998 analysis of the financial performance of public healthcare companies. Fourth quarter 1998 Healthcare Industry adjusted earnings increased 21 percent, on 16.3 percent revenue growth. [Business Wire, 378 words, BASIC]

Homeopathy May Reduce Health-Care Costs
--Physicians using homeopathy may help America cut health-care costs- ... [Business Wire, 526 words, BASIC]

Study shows soy may cut breast cancer risk
Soy products may protect against breast cancer by reducing levels of the female hormone oestrogen which is linked with the disease, researchers said on Monday. [Reuters [WS], 295 words, PREMIUM]

Note: As always, COT recommends that readers consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to starting or changing any nutritional program.

Vitamins May Make Cancer Less Aggressive
Vitamins may not prevent cancer but they could help make it less aggressive in patients at high risk of the disease, researchers said Monday. [Reuters [OL], 595 words, BASIC]

Note: As always, COT recommends that readers consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to starting or changing any nutritional program.

New Karmanos Cancer Institute Study Shows Tomatoes May Protect Against Cancer
New medical research suggests that the consumption of lycopene -- the stuff that makes tomatoes red -- may prevent cancer. [PR Newswire, 440 words, BASIC]

Note: As always, COT recommends that readers consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to starting or changing any nutritional program.

Consumers Now May Reach the Texas AIDS Health Fraud Information Network Toll-Free
The Texas AIDS Health Fraud Information Network can now be reached toll-free at their new number: 800-758-5152. [PR Newswire, 146 words, BASIC]

NewsPage from 3/31/99

News About Osteoporosis: Fruits and Vegetables Prevent Bone Decay
While we hear a great deal about the importance of milk and other calcium-containing foods for bone health, a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that fruits and vegetables are also important ... [PR Newswire, 397 words, BASIC]

Note: As always, COT recommends that readers consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to starting or changing any nutritional program.

Bottled Water Not Always As Clean As Advertised
Bottled water may be all the rage with health-conscious consumers, but a new U.S. study released Tuesday indicates it is not necessarily any healthier than most water taken directly from the tap. [Reuters [OL], 682 words, BASIC]

Test reveals whether deadly skin cancer has spread
An experimental new test for people undergoing surgery for melanoma can apparently reveal whether deadly traces of the cancer have already spread to other parts of the body. [Associated Press, 494 words, BASIC]

Dr. Koop Urges the Florida House to Support Florida`s Youth Tobacco Program
Former U.S. Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop, M.D., announced today his support for Governor Jeb Bush's budget plans to allocate $61.5 million to continue funding the Florida Tobacco Pilot program. [PR Newswire, 353 words, BASIC]

NewsPage from 3/24/99

HIV Patients: An Overview
Key facts about HIV and AIDS are available
from Scott-Levin's quarterly HIV Therapy Audit, which projects data from general and family practitioners, internists, and infectious disease specialists who are actively treating HIV patients. [Business Wire, 221 words, BASIC]

U.S. Diet Supplements To Have More Complete Detail
Rules took effect Tuesday requiring dietary supplements to carry more information on their labels, including a complete list of ingredients and levels of vitamins and minerals, the Food and Drug Administration said. [Reuters [OL], 134 words, BASIC]

FDAMA Health Claims For Nutritionals, Foods To Be Subject Of Public Meeting
FDA has scheduled a public meeting May 11 for input regarding its implementation of the provisions of the FDA Modernization Act providing for use of health claims and nutrient content claims without pre-approval if the claims are based ... [Health News Daily, 345 words, PAY PER VIEW $3.50]

NewsPage from 3/23/99

Congress Resolution Bolsters American Chiropractic Association's Lawsuit Against Federal Government
Rep. Barbara Cubin has introduced House Concurrent Resolution 62 in the House of Representatives, stating that Congress's intent under the new Medicare+Choice program is that treatment by means of manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation provided ... [PR Newswire, 439 words, BASIC]

UK GOVERNMENT: Health Minister meets interested groups to discuss way forward on herbal medicines
A range of consumer groups and representatives of practitioners and trade associations from the herbals sector have been invited to the Department of Health today to discuss a way forward on regulation of herbal medicines which balances choice and safety. [M2 Communications, 539 words, BASIC]

Internet News from 3/17/99

Medicare Beneficiaries Lose Under New Medicare+Choice Guidelines, American Chiropractic Association Testifies
WASHINGTON, March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicare beneficiaries are being deprived of the chiropractic benefits intended by law by the proposed Medicare+Choice regulations, the chairman of the board of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) testified March 15 before the Practicing Physicians Advisory Council (PPAC), an influential advisory panel to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

According to the ACA, the new Medicare+Choice regulations, as currently structured, threaten to eliminate the provision of chiropractic services by chiropractors under Medicare and threaten to establish the precedent for elimination of chiropractic in all managed health care plans. In an effort to challenge the new regulations, ACA filed suit against the government on November 12, 1998. As part of the lawsuit, HHS has been required to provide a report on chiropractic utilization by Medicare HMOs that was mandated by Congress in 1990 but never supplied to Congress.

NY Times from 3/16/99

Nurses, Patients and Managed Care
When hospitals and other health care agencies started worrying about pressures from managed care organizations, they brought in highly paid consultants to help them restructure. Though they recommended cutbacks in a number of areas, the quick, cookie-cutter solution for which many firms earned millions was to cut direct-care nursing staff. Patients, families and nurses are alarmed about what these cuts have meant to quality of care.

In 1994, when the American Nurses Association surveyed its members, 70 percent of all respondents said their employers were cutting back on staffing by leaving vacant positions unfilled, 66 percent said hospitals had already laid off nurses or were planning to do so, and 67 percent of registered nurses said the number of patients assigned to them had increased.

NY Times from 3/3/99

Test Is Said to Reduce Colon Cancer Deaths
WASHINGTON -- A simple screening test for blood in the bowel can reduce by up to a third the death rate from colon cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, a study says.

The finding, to be published on Wednesday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is prompting a campaign to encourage people over age 50 to take the test, because they account for most of the country's 56,000 colon cancer deaths each year.

Minnesota researchers monitoring the health of 46,000 volunteers since 1976 have found that those who take the fecal occult blood test each year have 33 percent fewer deaths from colon cancer than people who do not take the test. Those tested every other year, the study found, have a 21 percent reduced rate.

"When you have a positive test for blood, the likelihood of finding a growth in the colon is about 35 percent," said Dr. John H. Bond, the study's co-author. "About 9 percent will have cancer, and the rest will have significant precancerous polyps in the colon." NY Times from 2/28/99

In Denial: Managed Care's Other Problem -- It's Not What You Think
The media, courts and consumer advocates are overlooking a problem that is precisely the opposite of the one everybody's complaining about. That problem is too many medical treatments rather than too few. For a variety of reasons, managed-care plans appear to be denying little care.

NewsPage from 2/23/99

Health-Care Provider Appeal Denied
Health-care providers who get Medicare funding cannot appeal a refusal to reopen a previous year's payment decision, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled today in a Tennessee case. [Associated Press, 352 words, BASIC]

Alternative Therapies; Patients Desire Active Role in Treatment
Brain tumor patients use alternative therapies such as herbal and vitamin supplements as a way to take an active role in their treatment and to be sure that "everything possible is being done," [CW Henderson, 422 words, PAY PER VIEW $4.00]

Two New Analyses Back Recommendation for Substantial Change in Federal Nutrition Policy WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Produce for Better Health Foundation was joined today by AARP, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Institute for Cancer Research ... [US Newswire, 813 words, BASIC]

Free Eating Disorder Screening Test Available For Eating Disorder Awareness Week (Feb. 21 - 27)
"Do you have a healthy relationship with food?" A simple, new, self-assessment quiz developed by The Renfrew Center Foundation, a non-profit organization which is dedicated to advancing research and education concerning eating disorders, can help you answer that question. [PR Newswire, 455 words, BASIC]

NYTimes from 2/17/99

Most Skin Cancers Self-Detected, Study Finds
(February 17) The most dangerous type of skin cancer is most often detected by the victims themselves, but doctors are more likely to identify it at an earlier stage, a study has found.

JAMA from 2/10/99

Impaired Chronotropic Response to Exercise Stress Testing as a Predictor of Mortality
Conclusion: Among patients with known or suspected coronary disease, chronotropic incompetence is independently predictive of all-cause mortality, even after considering thallium perfusion defects. Incorporation of chronotropic response into the routine interpretation of stress thallium studies may improve the prognostic power of this test. JAMA. 1999;281:524-529 Health Literacy Among Medicare Enrollees in a Managed Care Organization
Conclusions: Elderly managed care enrollees may not have the literacy skills necessary to function adequately in the health care environment. Low health literacy may impair elderly patients' understanding of health messages and limit their ability to care for their medical problems. JAMA. 1999;281:545-551

NYTimes from 2/10/99

Americans Gamble on Herbs as Medicine
erbal medicine, the mainstay of therapeutics for centuries before modern purified drugs relegated it to the status of near-quackery, has in the last five years emerged from the fringes of health care with an astonishing flourish and now shows clear signs of joining the medical mainstream.

Despite many cautionary tales about adulterated and even dangerous products, herbs formulated as capsules, tinctures, extracts and teas -- and increasingly as additions to common foods like potato chips and fruit drinks -- are now routinely used by a third of American adults seeking to enhance their health or alleviate their illnesses. Each day the herbal realm wins new converts, particularly among those who have become disillusioned with the cost and consequences of traditional drugs, distrustful of conventional physicians and convinced that "natural" equals "good."

Companies Will Disclose Information on Diet Plans
Leading weight-loss companies in the United States have voluntarily agreed to disclose information to consumers about the costs and risks associated with their diet plans.

Ailing H.M.O. Shutting Down; 165,00 Must Find New Insurer
New Jersey insurance regulators said they would liquidate the financially troubled H.I.P. Health Plan of New Jersey, leaving 165,000 people to find a new health insurer and saying that those people will probably pay more for coverage.

NYTimes from 2/2/99

Twins Study Links Parkinson's Disease to Environment
CHICAGO -- Most cases of Parkinson's disease are not caused by a genetic defect but by other factors that are probably environmental, a study of more than 17,000 twins has found. "For the first time, today we can say that for people with Parkinson's disease diagnosed after age 50, it's most commonly caused by environmental factors," said Dr. Caroline M. Tanner of the Parkinson's Institute in Sunnyvale, Calif., who led the study. It was published in the most recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

ChiroNews from 1/24/99

The Washington Court of Appeals recently issued a ruling which grants insurers the right to SUE CHIROPRACTORS who submit phony billings on behalf of insureds. In doing so, the court has increased the weaponry that insurers can use against treaters who falsely report their objective findings and who bill for services that were never provided. [ State Farm Fire & Casualty Company v. Edwin Kiniry, DC, et al{ 39212-3-I, Slip Opinion, Sept. 14, 1998}].

NewPage from 1/19/99

Disease Markers; U.S. Study Links Women's Waist Size, Heart Disease
Disease Markers; U.S. Study Links Women's Waist Size, Heart Disease Doctors reported that middle-aged women with waists of 30 inches or more run twice the risk of heart disease than their slimmer counterparts. [CW Henderson, 338 words, PAY PER VIEW $4.00]

NY Times from 1/19/99

Health Insurance Costs Rise, Hitting Small Business Hard
Steep increases in the price of health insurance are hitting small businesses hard, especially in New York City, where the cost of doing business is higher than other areas. New York's uninsured population is already higher than the national average, and employees who are priced out of the market may add to the numbers.

NY Times from 1/17/99

Children Risk Computer Injuries, Study Warns
Some elementary school computers are set up without accommodation for healthy typing postures, and that could put children at risk of developing the painful repetitive stress injuries that have plagued office workers in recent years, according to a study by researchers at Cornell University.

Legislative Update from 1/12/99

Managed Care Reform Battle Begins in the 106th Congress
On January 7, Representative Norwood (R-GA) introduced his new managed care reform legislation "Access to Quality Care Act" (H.R. 216). This legislation had no original cosponsors and will not likely have a companion bill introduced in the Senate. Although the AQCA bill contains some of the patient and provider protections included in the PARCA legislation, it fails to address a critical issue for doctors of chiropractic, anti-discrimination for providers. In an attempt to build support from the American Medical Association and medical speciality groups, Representative Norwood made a tactical decision to drop this provision out of the AQCA bill, with the promise he would address the issue later in the legislative process.

Chiro-List from 1/8/99

From the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, May 1998, Vol 46, #3. "Clinical Practice Guidelines, The Management of Chronic Pain in Older Patients"
Quote, Page 646.

"Nonpharmacologic approaches, used alone or in combination with appropriate pharmacologic strategies, should be an integral part of care plans for most chronic pain patients. Nonpharmacologic pain management strategies encompass a broad range of treatments and physical modalities. Education programs, acupuncture, transcutaneous nerve stimulation, chiropractic, heat, cold, massage, relaxation and distraction techniques have each been helpful for some patients. Moreover, these strategies carry few adverse effects other than cost."

NY Times from 1/10/99

Angry at Managed Care, Doctors Start Fighting Back
While 92 percent of doctors in New York state accepted managed care last year, it seems that a small rebellion is on. Fed up with years of acrimonious relationships with managed care companies, doctors, particularly those serving upper-middle-class patients, are starting to fight back. Many are dropping plans that have the lowest reimbursement rates, biggest administrative headaches or represent the fewest number of their patients. Read Full Story.

Xact from December 1998

The December issue of the Xact Medicare Report issued the following statement:

Chiropractic
Modifier GX

An update to Medicare Carriers Manual, Section 4118, Chiropractic Services, changes how chiropractic codes must be billed when the beneficiary refuses to have an x-ray. Effective January 1, 1999, when a beneficiary refuses to have an x-ray, the claim must be billed using the correct chiropractic HCPCS code (98940, 98941, or 98942) along with the new GX modifier.

Currently, when a beneficiary refuses to have an x-ray, the claim is billed using HCPCS code A9170 (Noncovered service by a chiropractor). This does not allow a secondary payer the ability to determine the chiropractic service that was provided. Use of the GX modifier in conjunction with one of the existing chiropractic procedure codes listed above will provide more specific information for secondary payers.

For a list of Medicare Fee schedule's, please Click Here.