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Health Inc. : Shots - Health News As spending on care rises, the business of health keeps getting more important. We feature news on and analysis of drugmakers, health insurers, hospitals, doctors and others in the business of providing health care.

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Health News From NPR

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Tuesday September 27, 2011

Employer Survey: Big Jump In Health Insurance Premiums

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Health Inc.

Employer Survey: Big Jump In Health Insurance Premiums

September 27, 2011 • Premiums jumped by 9 percent this year, with the average price for employer-provided family coverage topping the $15,000 mark for the first time.

Employer Survey: Big Jump In Health Insurance Premiums

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Monday September 26, 2011

Growth Of Children's Hospitals Raises Adult-Size Questions

Construction at the new Nemours Children's Hospital, at the medical city at Lake Nona, Fla., in late 2010. Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel hide caption

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Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel

Health Inc.

Growth Of Children's Hospitals Raises Adult-Size Questions

September 26, 2011 • Most big children's hospitals are nonprofits, but you wouldn't know that looking at the bottom lines of many of them. They're pouring billions of dollars into new buildings, adding beds and equipment and staff at the same time Washington, the states and employers grapple with health care spending.

Monday September 12, 2011

Watson, IBM's Quiz Show Champ, Moves Into Health Care

"Jeopardy!" contestants Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter compete against Watson at a press conference in January. Soon Watson could be giving answers to your doctor's questions. Ben Hider/Getty Images hide caption

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Ben Hider/Getty Images

Health Inc.

Watson, IBM's Quiz Show Champ, Moves Into Health Care

September 12, 2011 • Health insurer WellPoint is signing up IBM's Watson, the mainframe computer outfitted with some nifty software to make human-like decisions in seconds. The computer will sift through medical data and patient information to make recommendations to doctors. IBM says it is Watson's first paying job.

Friday September 9, 2011

How To Find Out If Your Doctor And Drugmakers Are In A Relationship

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How To Find Out If Your Doctor And Drugmakers Are In A Relationship

September 9, 2011 • Financial interests have the potential to influence what your doctor decides to do or prescribe for you. ProPublica has a fresh data you can mine to find out if your doctor gets money from drugmakers.

Thursday September 8, 2011

Health Inc.

Pay For U.S. Doctors Is Tops

September 8, 2011 • In 2008, the U.S. spent roughly $1,600 per person on physician care. The rest of the nations that belong to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, spent just over $300.

Tuesday September 6, 2011

Health Inc.

Haggle, Don't Settle, When It Comes To Health Costs

September 6, 2011 • Most patients don't negotiate with doctors and hospitals over the cost of health care. Consumer Reports says it's time they did. The shopping mavens say doctors can deliver better care for less if patients let them know that cost is an issue. But many patients are afraid to ask.

Friday September 2, 2011

Health Inc.

FDA Chides Pfizer For Omitting Drug Risks On Lipitor Website

September 2, 2011 • The company's website linked to pages about several drugs without mentioning any of the risks they pose in the promotional text, FDA said. Pfizer said it has removed the "cited content" and is working on a response to the agency.

Thursday September 1, 2011

Health Inc.

UnitedHealth Buys Another Calif. Doctor Group

KFF Health News

September 1, 2011 • The nation's largest insurer by revenue is buying the operations of a big doctor group practice in Calif. The deal is the latest in a string of similar purchases for UnitedHealth and is part of growing trend among insurers seeking to control medical costs.

Wednesday August 24, 2011

Google Forking Over $500 Million In Ad Settlement

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Google Forking Over $500 Million In Ad Settlement

August 24, 2011 • Search giant Google has agreed to settle a federal probe into ads it ran for online Canadian pharmacies by forfeiting $500 million. The settlement assures the company will not face criminal charges.

Monday August 22, 2011

Drug Companies Shy About Facebook Sharing

Drug firms fear that being "liked" on Facebook could get them in trouble with the FDA. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Drug Companies Shy About Facebook Sharing

August 22, 2011 • Drug companies are taking down Facebook pages that refer to prescription drugs, fearing the ire of the FDA. But patients may lose out if they can't ask companies about how to use their products.

Drug Companies Shy About Facebook Sharing

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Wednesday August 17, 2011

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For Love Or Insurance? Rabbi Seeks Young Wife To Lower Health Costs

KFF Health News

August 17, 2011 • A widowed Florida rabbi saw the cost of his insurance coverage rise by 38 percent this year. So he decided to look for a new, younger spouse to help him bring costs back down.

What's In A Drug Name? Sometimes, Enough To Cause Mix-Ups

There are more than 800 pairs of medications that look or sound alike, according to a patient safety group. David Sucsy/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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What's In A Drug Name? Sometimes, Enough To Cause Mix-Ups

August 17, 2011 • The government has a system in place to try to keep similar looking and sounding drugs from ending up on the market together. But the pharmaceutical industry has been pushing to kill that system.

Health Care Giants' Merger May Affect Your Wallet

Express Scripts and Medco Health Services say their merger will help control prescription drug costs. But many prescriptions may only be available by mail, which may not sit well with some consumers. Sean Locke/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Sean Locke/iStockphoto.com

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Health Care Giants' Merger May Affect Your Wallet

St. Louis Public Radio

August 17, 2011 • Express Scripts and Medco Health Services manage the prescription drug coverage that health insurance companies offer to large organizations. The two firms say their plans for a $29 billion merger will help control health care costs for consumers. But will bigger really be better?

Health Care Giants' Merger May Affect Your Wallet

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Wednesday August 10, 2011

Big Spenders With Private Insurance Found In Unexpected Places

Ocean City, N.J. has among the high medical spending from people with private insurance. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Big Spenders With Private Insurance Found In Unexpected Places

KFF Health News

August 10, 2011 • A Thomson Reuters analysis of what the privately insured spend on health care shows that it's wrong to presume that a region with high Medicare spending also has a cost problem from private insurance.

Wednesday August 3, 2011

Health Inc.

Do Hospitalists Cost More Than They Save?

August 3, 2011 • Doctors who specialize in coordinating the care of hospitalized patients are supposed to save money and boost quality. But a new study suggest that may not be the whole story. Patients in their care may be readmitted sooner than those seen by other doctors.

Do Hospitalists Cost More Than They Save?

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