Outcome from Roundtable of Experts Identifies Solutions, Need for More Research ASHBURN, Va., Feb.

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug.

In a study conducted by researchers from George Mason University and the Urban Institute, it was determined that variations in Medicare beneficiaries' health across geographic areas accounts for a significant share of Medicare costs that vary widely by region.

At a time when the state is struggling with increasing deficits and decreasing revenues, and many Californians are scrambling to keep their homes while balancing an array of expenses that are increasing faster than the rate of inflation, a new report finds that if California were to invest in community-based disease prevention programs both the state and private health insurance payers could save significant amounts in health care costs annually.

Researchers at the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank, claim that iPods and other portable media devices may be the cause of a noticeable “recent increase in violent crime” over the past two years, which “defies easy explanation.”