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July 11, 2012 -- Pacemakers and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans traditionally go together like oil and water. Not anymore. Tuality Healthcare is the first hospital in the Portland metropolitan area with a diagnostic imaging staff certified to perform MRI scans for patients who have the new Medtronic Revo MRI® SureScan® pacing system. Patients with traditional pacemakers cannot undergo MRI scans because of potential heart tissue damage or interference with the pacing circuitry. Magnetic fields from an MRI scan can interact with the circuitry causing pacemaker failure or malfunction.

July 11, 2012 -- Providence Health Plans is seeking a 15.7 percent average increase for people who purchase their own coverage starting November 1. If approved, 12,162 Oregonians would be impacted. The actual rate increase depends upon a person’s age and whether their family members are on their insurance plan.A public hearing is scheduled for August 2 starting at 1:30 in the Labor and Industries Bldg. in Salem.

July 9, 2012 — Three years and nearly 1.5 million work hours after breaking ground, major construction on Kaiser Permanente Westside Center is now complete.The 126-bed hospital is targeted to open in August 2013.

July 10, 2012 -- Oregonians who have long-term care insurance now have the right to have their claims paid promptly and to appeal an insurance company decision to deny benefits.

July 10, 2012 -- In Oregon, the Affordable Care Act – the new health care law – helped 141,844with original Medicare get at least one preventive service at no cost to them during the first six months of 2012, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today. This is 40% of those eligible for these services in Oregon. This figure also includes 11,763 in Oregon who have taken advantage of the Annual Wellness Visit provided by the Affordable Care Act.