1. Bureau of Labor Statistics March 9, 2012
Unemployment rates
National 8.3%
Bachelors degree and higher, 25 & over 4.2%
Management, business and financial: 4.4%
News You Can Use
Analysts for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services pointed out that the rate of growth in total
private health insurance premiums was greater than the growth in total benefits for the first time in
seven years in 2010. National Center for Policy Analysis, 1/27/12.
Legislation passed by Congress to avert a 27.4% cut in physician Medicare payments for 2012 has
created a scenario that will require a 32% reduction in 2013, the Congressional Budget Office said.
Physician groups decried the temporary fix because it will cost close to $20 billion and increase the price
tag on a permanent solution. ASNC SMartBrief, 2/22/12.
Did You Know?
AngioDynamics has agreed to acquire Navilyst Medical for $372 million in cash and company stock. The
deal, which is expected to be completed during the AngioDynamics fiscal fourth quarter ending May 31,
will allow the company to double its market share for vascular access devices and strengthen its
foothold in the peripheral vascular space. Mass High Tech (Boston)
Workforce management systems vendor API Healthcare announced this afternoon that it has acquired
Concerro, which provides hospital staffing and scheduling solutions. HIStalk, 2/8/12.
McKesson announced that it has acquired peerVue Inc., an innovative provider of solutions that simplify
diagnostic medical imaging workflow, expedite communications for improved quality and efficiency, and
support customer efforts to improve patient safety. McKesson.com, 2/8/12.
Molnlycke Health Care US LLC (Norcross, GA) acquired the assets of Brennen Medical's (St. Paul, MN)
burn and wound care business. Brennen Medical will, under a new name, continue to develop its core
2. technologies for applications in other markets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Dail-e News,
2/27/12.
Web Buzz
How to Engage Your Customers in a Connected World. http://bit.ly/zFoy6P , Open Forum, 5/23/11.
Health care workforce faces challenges, changes. http://bit.ly/whtK27, Healthcare IT News, 2/17.
ONC Announces Meaningful Use Stage 2 Proposed Rule Release. http://bit.ly/wkFv8O, HIStalk,
2/22/12.
Watch out! 10 Interview Questions Designed to Trick You. http://yhoo.it/zC5Rlr , Yahoo Finance,
2/27/12.