Health Highlights: April 7, 2009
April 8 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:
U.S. Sets 2010 Medicare Advantage, Part D Drug Rates
The national average growth percentage per capita for Medicare Advantage plans will increase 0.8 percent in 2010, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid said Monday.
That's higher than the 0.5 percent increase in preliminary rates announced by the CMS in February, but much lower than the 4.24 percent and 5.71 percent increases this year and in 2008, the Associated Press reported.
The main reason for the large difference is a proposed 21 percent pay cut in physician reimbursement for 2010.
Despite the 0.5 percent increase in the rate used to determine Medicare Advantage reimbursement to insurers, many analysts expect overall payment rates to decline in 2010, the AP reported.
The CMS also announced that next year there will be an average 4.66 percent increase in average per capita Part D Prescription Drug Plan spending that's used to update the deductible, initial coverage limit, and out-of-pocket threshold for defined standard benefits.
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Pistachio Recall Expanded
A nationwide recall of pistachio products from a California plant was significantly expanded Monday after federal and state health officials found salmonella bacteria in "critical areas" of the Setton Pistachio facility. Investigators didn't provide any more details.
The company announced it's now recalling all lots of roasted in-shell pistachios, roasted shelled pistachios and raw shelled pistachios produced from nuts harvested in 2008, the Washington Post reported.
Last week, Setton recalled about 2 million pounds, which represents just a small portion of the 2008 harvest. At the time, it was believed the pistachios may have been contaminated by a sanitation problem that affected only one or two production lines.
Setton is the second-largest pistachio processor in the United States and supplies about 35 wholesalers and food manufacturers that repackage the nuts for retail sale or use them as ingredients in other products, the Post reported. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it could take weeks before there's a complete list of affected products.
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