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Contentious party politics consume health care debate

The Wall Street Journal's Capital Journal details the tough choices facing Democrats. "At this stage in the sausage-making process that is writing legislation, nobody is under the illusion he or she is working on anything like the perfect health bill, or one that is growing in popularity. A series of recent polls shows the opposite -- that support is eroding the longer the bill hangs in the balance

15 Dec 2009

Kidney drug plan divides transplant and dialysis supporters

The New York Times: "A Congressional proposal to help pay for drugs needed by transplant recipients to prevent rejection of donated kidneys has run into opposition from dialysis providers, drug companies and the National Kidney Foundation." The groups support extending Medicare drug coverage but say the measure would cut funding for dialysis

15 Dec 2009

After tense meeting, Dems likely to ditch Medicare buy-in plan in health bill

Top Senate Democrats were prepared Monday night to sacrifice proposals to expand Medicare in a bid to win over moderates and amass the 60 votes needed to pass their health legislation, according to news reports.

15 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 15, 2009

A glance at today's health policy headlines offers a common theme: Senate Democrats are likely to abandon the Medicare buy-in plan, which just last week was heralded as part of a compromise plan in that chamber's health bill.

15 Dec 2009

New study shows healthcare spending is an investment rather than an expenditure

As the national discussion of health care focuses on costs, a new study from North Carolina State University shows that it might be more accurate to think of health care spending as an investment that can spur economic growth.

15 Dec 2009

Senator Arlen Specter's amendment to The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act applauded

More than twenty of our nation's premiere physician organizations applaud Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) for introducing an amendment to The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590).

15 Dec 2009

Medicare power mobility remains a viable option for beneficiaries

Across America, seniors, together with their families and caregivers, are making difficult decisions about the future. Did that last emergency room visit after a fall mean it's time to consider nursing homes? How much longer can their loved one remain safely in their own home or apartment?

15 Dec 2009

Private insurance companies are subject to federal jurisdiction, affirms Tenth Circuit

On December 9, 2009, the United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, affirmed the federal government's position that private insurance companies are "plans" and therefore subject to federal jurisdiction.

15 Dec 2009

Lee Enterprises cancels health coverage for retirees

In an act of corporate greed, Lee Enterprises, owner of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other newspapers, is canceling company-paid health insurance for scores of retirees, the Newspaper Guild of St. Louis announced today. Retirees will protest outside the Post-Dispatch building, 900 North Tucker Boulevard, in downtown St. Louis, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15.

15 Dec 2009

Florida doctor performs new, effective treatment for sinusitis

Local physician William Laskowski, MD has become the first doctor in Florida to perform an effective new treatment for sinusitis called FinESS® Sinus Treatment in an office setting. FinESS® (Entellus Medical, Maple Grove, MN) is a balloon sinuplasty option that is less-invasive than traditional sinus surgery and breaks the cycle of chronic or recurrent sinusitis with immediate relief and lasting results.

15 Dec 2009

Beneficiaries may need to pay coinsurance for orally delivered oncology drugs, says new report

HealthLeaders-InterStudy and Fingertip Formulary find that over the next five years, a greater percentage of health plans will transition orally delivered oncology drugs from a copayment structure to a reimbursement model that incorporates a coinsurance payment, thereby shifting more costs onto patients. Copayments represent a set dollar amount associated with a pharmacy benefit while coinsurance represents a percentage of cost that must be paid by the beneficiary.

15 Dec 2009

Study compares status of health care systems in U.S. and UK

The well-worn notion that patients in the United States have unfettered access to the most expensive cancer drugs while the United Kingdom's nationalized health care system regularly denies access to some high-cost treatments needs rethinking, a team of bioethicists and health policy experts says in a report out today.

15 Dec 2009

Spending on health care eventually leads to economic growth increase

15 Dec 2009

White House asks Reid to cut deal with Lieberman, Politico reports

"The White House is encouraging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to cut a deal with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and eliminate the proposed Medicare expansion in the health reform bill, according to an official close to the negotiations," Politico reports.

15 Dec 2009

Senate holdouts threatening '09 health care reform bill passage

The Washington Post: "The next 48 hours will be critical to the fate of health-care reform in the Senate, as Democratic leaders struggle to settle disputes that stand in the way of holding a final vote this year on the massive package reports on the distance among senators that has to be bridged before a bill can pass."

15 Dec 2009

New program to help maintain bone health in men with prostate cancer on ADT announced

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced a new program encouraging health professionals to help maintain the bone health of prostate cancer patients who are on long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).

15 Dec 2009

Medicare actuary: Health costs would rise after overhaul

The Senate's health overhaul plan would cover 33 million more people but fail to curb rising health costs, could threaten some Medicare patients' access to care, and may sink profits for one-fifth of hospitals and nursing homes, according to news accounts of an HHS report released Friday afternoon.

15 Dec 2009