Three major hospital associations have agreed to contribute US$155 billion over ten years to the healthcare reform, it was announced on 8th July 2009.
Vice President Joe Biden did not provide specific details, but said the savings would come from delivery system reforms and trimming the annual inflationary adjustments to hospital reimbursement payments from two government health programmes.
It is expected that around US$100 billion will come from lower Medicare and Medicaid payments to hospitals, while a further US$40 billion will be saved by reducing the subsidies paid to hospitals to care for the uninsured.
The three hospital associations participating in the deal are the American Hospital Association, the Hospital Corporation of America and the Catholic Health Association of the United States.
The deal is similar to the agreement made with the pharmaceutical industry in June 2009, under which drug companies agreed to contribute US$80 billion over ten years towards the costs of the healthcare reform. However, both deals are contingent on the healthcare reform legislation being passed.
Further reading - An in-depth review of the US medical device market, including some background information on the healthcare system, is available from Espicom: The Medical Device Market: USA (published March 2009)
Monday 13 July 2009
Friday 3 July 2009
UK - Brown Promises New Rights for NHS Patients
Prime Minister Gordon Brown promised new rights for NHS patients in June 2009, under the draft legislative programme, Building Britain’s Future, which includes many other public reforms.
In a statement to the Commons, Mr Brown pledged that NHS patients would have “enforceable rights to high standards of care” including hospital treatment within 18 weeks, access to a cancer specialist within two weeks, and free health checks on the NHS for people aged 40-74. Mr Brown also said they would look into the possibility of new rights regarding NHS dentistry, extended access to GPs, individual health budgets for patients with long-term illnesses and the right to choose to die at home.
Mr Brown also pledged that Health Secretary Andy Burnham would bring forward proposals to strengthen the NHS’ focus on disease prevention and early intervention, to extend patient choice, and to reform early years and maternity services.
In addition, Mr Brown said ministers would consult on “far-reaching proposals for how we need to modernise our health and social care systems so that our country can meet the challenge of an ageing society”.
However, the British Medical Association claims the changes will have little impact, with the “vast majority” of patients referred to a cancer specialist already seeing one within two weeks and claiming that “further improvements will depend on an expansion in numbers of consultants”.
Further reading - An in-depth analysis of the UK medical device market, including some background information on the healthcare system and health policies, is available from Espicom: The Medical Device Market: United Kingdom (published March 2009)
In a statement to the Commons, Mr Brown pledged that NHS patients would have “enforceable rights to high standards of care” including hospital treatment within 18 weeks, access to a cancer specialist within two weeks, and free health checks on the NHS for people aged 40-74. Mr Brown also said they would look into the possibility of new rights regarding NHS dentistry, extended access to GPs, individual health budgets for patients with long-term illnesses and the right to choose to die at home.
Mr Brown also pledged that Health Secretary Andy Burnham would bring forward proposals to strengthen the NHS’ focus on disease prevention and early intervention, to extend patient choice, and to reform early years and maternity services.
In addition, Mr Brown said ministers would consult on “far-reaching proposals for how we need to modernise our health and social care systems so that our country can meet the challenge of an ageing society”.
However, the British Medical Association claims the changes will have little impact, with the “vast majority” of patients referred to a cancer specialist already seeing one within two weeks and claiming that “further improvements will depend on an expansion in numbers of consultants”.
Further reading - An in-depth analysis of the UK medical device market, including some background information on the healthcare system and health policies, is available from Espicom: The Medical Device Market: United Kingdom (published March 2009)
UK - Cervical Cancer Screening Age Will Not Be Lowered
The Department of Health will not lower the age for cervical cancer screening, following a review by the independent Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening (ACCS) in June 2009. The ACCS cited evidence that shows earlier screening can lead to more harm than good, with too many false positives and an increase in the risk of premature births in some women.
However, at the British Medical Association’s annual conference on 2nd July 2009, doctors voted three to one that women should be screened from the age of 20.
Cervical cancer screening takes place from the age of 20 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but was raised to 25 in England in 2003.
It was also noted that the number of women attending smear tests has fallen by 10 per cent over the past 10 years, and the poorest attendees - around 72 per cent - are those in the younger age group.
However, part of the review by the ACCS also recommended expanding work to increase screening uptake in women aged 25 to 34.
Further reading - An in-depth analysis of the UK Medical Device Market, including some background information on health policies and cancer statistics, is available from Espicom: The Medical Device Market: United Kingdom (published March 2009)
However, at the British Medical Association’s annual conference on 2nd July 2009, doctors voted three to one that women should be screened from the age of 20.
Cervical cancer screening takes place from the age of 20 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but was raised to 25 in England in 2003.
It was also noted that the number of women attending smear tests has fallen by 10 per cent over the past 10 years, and the poorest attendees - around 72 per cent - are those in the younger age group.
However, part of the review by the ACCS also recommended expanding work to increase screening uptake in women aged 25 to 34.
Further reading - An in-depth analysis of the UK Medical Device Market, including some background information on health policies and cancer statistics, is available from Espicom: The Medical Device Market: United Kingdom (published March 2009)
UK - Elderly Cancer Deaths on the Rise
Around 15,000 cancer patients aged 75 years and over may be dying unnecessarily every year in the UK, according to research from the North West Cancer Intelligence Unit. The findings show that the number of under-75 year olds dying from cancer has fallen, but that little progress has been made in the over 75 years category. Every year 75,000 people aged over 75 years die of cancer.
The researchers blamed the findings on delays in diagnosis and poor treatment. According to the lead researcher, Dr Tony Moran, elderly cancer patients are not benefiting from cancer care improvements made in the past 10 years. He stated that if the UK was performing as well as Western Europe in the 75-84 year olds age group, and as well as the US in the over 85 year old group, there would be 15,000 fewer cancer deaths in the elderly each year.
The study also showed that UK cancer deaths in people aged over 85 years increased by two per cent in eight years, while in Europe they fell by 16 per cent.
Further reading - An in-depth analysis of the UK Medical Device Market, including some background information on UK cancer statistics, is available from Espicom: The Medical Device Market: United Kingdom (published March 2009)
The researchers blamed the findings on delays in diagnosis and poor treatment. According to the lead researcher, Dr Tony Moran, elderly cancer patients are not benefiting from cancer care improvements made in the past 10 years. He stated that if the UK was performing as well as Western Europe in the 75-84 year olds age group, and as well as the US in the over 85 year old group, there would be 15,000 fewer cancer deaths in the elderly each year.
The study also showed that UK cancer deaths in people aged over 85 years increased by two per cent in eight years, while in Europe they fell by 16 per cent.
Further reading - An in-depth analysis of the UK Medical Device Market, including some background information on UK cancer statistics, is available from Espicom: The Medical Device Market: United Kingdom (published March 2009)
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