Articles filed under Health

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Questions and answers on Illinois insurance exchange plans Jan 28, 2013 12:00 AM
Here are some fast facts about how buying health insurance will change in Illinois as President Barack Obama's health overhaul takes effect and the first insurance exchange starts operating later this year.
Personal experience drives Arlington Heights home care firm Jan 28, 2013 12:00 AM
We talk with the owners of an Arlington Heights family owned and locally operated nonmedical home care agency servicing the Northwest suburbs.
Ronald McDonald House coming to Winfield Jan 27, 2013 12:00 AM
The first Ronald McDonald House in the western suburbs will open in 2015 across from Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, providing a "home away from home" for families of hospitalized children. It will provide low-cost and often free temporary housing for families who travel great distances to get treatment for seriously ill or injured children. "It is a phenomenal service that's going to be afforded to patients and their families," said Mike Vivoda, CEO of Cadence Health.
New chapter in Northwest Community merger talk history Jan 25, 2013 12:00 AM
Arlington Heights-based Northwest Community Healthcare is seeking another health care partner for a possible merger or other alliance, but a representative stopped short of providing names. Such talk isn't new: Documents from October 2005 showed that Evanston, Highland Park and Northwest Community hospitals had discussed a potential merger as far back as 1996.
U.S. government scientists say retire most research chimps Jan 23, 2013 12:00 AM
Government scientists have agreed that all but 50 of hundreds of chimpanzees kept for federally funded research should be retired from labs and sent to a national sanctuary. Animal-rights activists said they were pleased by the recommendations. "At last, our federal government understands: A chimpanzee should no more live in a laboratory than a human should live in a phone booth," the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said in a statement.
Skypoint Medical Center grows in Schaumburg Jan 21, 2013 12:00 AM
We talk to the owner of Skypoint Medical Center in Schaumburg, a facility that treats its patients with allopathic methods that provide a natural, modern approach to well care and pain relief. The primary focus is vein care and internal medicine.
Business CEOs call for raising retirement age Jan 20, 2013 12:00 AM
An influential group of business CEOs is pushing a plan to gradually increase the full retirement age to 70 for both Social Security and Medicare and to partially privatize the health insurance program for older Americans. The Business Roundtable's plan would protect those 55 and older from cuts but younger workers would face significant changes.
More than 140 nations adopt treaty to cut mercury Jan 19, 2013 12:00 AM
A new and legally binding international treaty to reduce harmful emissions of mercury was adopted Saturday by more than 140 nations, capping four years of difficult negotiations but stopping short of some of the tougher measures that proponents had envisioned.
Lilly drug chosen for Alzheimer’s study Jan 18, 2013 12:00 AM
In October, researchers said combined results from two studies of solanezumab suggested it might modestly slow mental decline, especially in patients with mild disease.
TSA to remove controversial X-ray scanners Jan 18, 2013 12:00 AM
The Transportation Security Administration says scanners that use a low-dose X-ray will be gone by June because the company that makes them can't fix the privacy issues. The other airport body scanners, which produce a generic outline instead of a naked image, are staying.
Officials may trade gas tax for mileage tax Jan 18, 2013 12:00 AM
Vermont Transportation Secretary Brian Searles said calculating how much of a VMT tax is owed would be done through the global positioning system devices that are expected to be standard equipment in cars later this decade.
Triune wins relief from birth control mandate Jan 16, 2013 12:00 AM
A judge has granted an Oak Brook company temporary relief from a state requirement that its employee health insurance plan covers birth control. DuPage County Circuit Court Judge Terence Sheen granted a temporary restraining order Tuesday in favor of Triune Health Group.
Hospitals expand reach with stand-alone ERs Jan 14, 2013 12:00 AM
The convenience of 24-hour emergency care may be coming to more Illinois communities as hospitals make plans to build stand-alone ERs up to 50 miles from their flagship facilities. For hospital executives, it's a way to expand turf, compete for patients and prepare for an aging population and more Americans gaining insurance under the federal health overhaul law. For families who live far from a hospital, stand-alone emergency rooms provide the comfort of knowing trained doctors and nurses are nearby and ready to handle most health crises.
Cuba to free doctors from onerous travel rules Jan 12, 2013 12:00 AM
Cuba is eliminating longstanding restrictions on health care professionals' overseas travel as part of a broader migration reform that takes effect this week. For many years Cuban physicians have been limited in their ability to travel or had to undergo cumbersome bureaucratic procedures. But now they are supposed to be treated "like any other citizen" when it comes to traveling abroad.
Storm commission urges flood walls for subways Jan 12, 2013 12:00 AM
Commission Co-Chairwoman Judith Rodin says there is no “single fix” to the destruction Sandy caused. She says the commission sought to gird New York against another superstorm and build on routine maintenance, repair and replacements to “a normal, high-functioning 21st-century system.”
Hospitals crack down on workers refusing flu shots Jan 12, 2013 12:00 AM
Dr. Carolyn Bridges, associate director for adult immunization at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says the strongest evidence is from studies in nursing homes, linking flu vaccination among health care workers with fewer patient deaths from all causes.
Agency retracts reprimand to flatulent worker Jan 11, 2013 12:00 AM
The reprimand letter, which runs four pages and is dated Dec. 10, charges the Social Security Administration employee with “conduct unbecoming a federal employee” and “creating a hostile work environment” because of the repeated gas passing.
Suburban hospitals respond to flu Jan 11, 2013 12:00 AM
In light of the burgeoning flu season, Centegra Health System hospitals in McHenry County are imposing a visitor restriction policy that forbids anyone under age 18 to visit patients. Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights is restricting anyone under the age of 12 from visiting patients.
Merck warns docs to stop prescribing Tredaptive Jan 11, 2013 12:00 AM
Drugmaker Merck & Co. is suspending its sale of the cholesterol drug Tredaptive after initial results from a study showed that it wasn’t effective and could raise the risk of some serious side effects.
5 Illinois health networks approved for Medicare program Jan 10, 2013 12:00 AM
The largest Catholic health system in Illinois has gained approval from the federal government to run a so-called accountable care organization, part of a program aimed at controlling costs and improving quality in Medicare. Presence Health, formed in 2011 by the merger of Provena Health and Resurrection Health Care, will operate one of the five newly minted ACOs. The others are Alexian Brothers, Champaign-based Christie Clinic, Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Union and Independent Physicians ACO of Chicago.