Florida firms develop creative ways to improve employee health, save jobs
Members of the Florida Health Care Coalition are working to improve employee health, save jobs and reduce healthcare costs. One example shows that when the State of Florida passed a rule prohibiting those with high blood pressure from driving school buses, the Broward County School Board began to offer education, consultations with a dietitian, and free gym memberships to drivers. Read how this program worked to reduce blood pressure by an average of 20 points and saved precious jobs for workers. Click here.

Scientists link two genes to bipolar disorder
People with bipolar disorder are more likely to have certain mutations of the ANK3 and CACNA1C genes, which have been found to affect the activity of nerve cells in the brain, an international team of scientists reported. The findings could help explain the chemicals and mechanisms that are tied to the condition and could improve diagnosis and treatment. Click here for more.

Medication for Huntington’s disease gets U.S. approval
The FDA approved Prestwick Pharmaceuticals’ Xenazine, making it the first medication for Huntington’s disease to obtain U.S. clearance. The drug, which decreases levels of dopamine, is designed to suppress chorea, which is involuntary body movements associated with the disease. To learn more about this rare disease, click here.

HHS to start implementing ICD-10 codes in 2011
Coding is becoming an important part of the equation for case managers, and big changes are on the horizon. Remember the date October 1, 2011, and read what the Department of Health and Human Services has in store so you can be prepared. Click here.

Healthcare cost trends continue downward through 2009
A Segal Group survey found the downward trend in healthcare costs is expected to continue in 2008 and 2009, driven by proactive plan management by health insurers and by physicians’ practice patterns. Click here for the report.

Few children get appropriate mental health care
A new report shows that only 25 percent of children diagnosed with a mental health disorder receive appropriate care. The American Psychological Association task force says guidelines and evidence-based practices for care should be more widely distributed to healthcare providers and integrated into clinical practice and mental health policies. Click here for more.