Stories by PRNEWS

635 Massachusetts Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20001-3753 Telephone: 202/414-2000 http://www.npr.org There is a great deal of subject overlap among the desks at NPR. For example, both the science and the national desks handle environmental stories.… Continued

Most of the companies hit by online hackers two weeks ago made it through their crises without lasting damage by reacting in Internet time. A good thing, considering that as soon as a crisis hits,… Continued

The Win With growing competition from a wide array of physicians vying for the lucrative cosmetic surgery market, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) decided to launch an aggressive logo campaign that promotes the… Continued

With more than 22 million Americans searching the Internet for health-related information, healthcare companies are seeking partners to help them establish a vibrant online presence. But successfully launching and promoting a health site requires a… Continued

Despite a 16-year track record of providing long-term care for seniors who want to remain independent, the future of social HMOs was uncertain last year. Congress had to be convinced to extend the program before… Continued

Awareness of managed care mental health coverage is low among health plan members, according to a Michigan State University study. In light of a recent report by the U.S. Surgeon General that indicated mental illness… Continued

Managed care industry profits are expected to top $3 billion with for-profit companies leading the way. This represents a 60% surge from last year, according to a study published by Corporate Research Group in New… Continued

Hospitals, long term care and managed care commanded 46% of the total merger activity in Q4, according to Irving Levin Associates, a research healthcare publishing firm in New Canaan, Conn. Given this slower activity, communicators… Continued

Despite disturbing trends of hospitals and HMOs losing money on physician affiliations, developing strengthened physician relationships is critical to surviving a healthcare environment plagued by reimbursement cutbacks. In 1998, health systems lost an average of… Continued

The NCQA will evaluate PPOs on the following criteria: Consumer protection: Do members know about their appeal rights? Are medical review decisions made quickly and fairly? Is members’ privacy protected? Member service: Are appeals resolved… Continued