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First Edition: December 9, 2009

Today's coverage details last night's tentative agreement struck by Senate Democratic negotiators in an effort to clear the public option impasse, and a vote on an abortion amendment.

9 Dec 2009

No co-pays for patients enrolled in AstraZeneca's Medicare Part D prescription savings program

AstraZeneca announced today that patients enrolled in the company's Medicare Part D prescription savings program will no longer pay co-pays for their medicines through the program.

9 Dec 2009

Medicare covers HIV screening: AHF lauds CMS

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, today lauded the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), for its decision earlier today to cover HIV testing for Medicare beneficiaries who may be at increased risk for HIV exposure (MSM, IDU) as well as women who are pregnant, and beneficiaries of any age that request to be tested. The decision is effective immediately.

9 Dec 2009

CMS to cover HIV infection screening for Medicare beneficiaries

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced its final decision to cover Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection screening for Medicare beneficiaries who are at increased risk for the infection, including women who are pregnant and Medicare beneficiaries of any age who voluntarily request the service.

9 Dec 2009

State and national medical societies join to oppose the 'Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act'

Tens of thousands of physicians in America, who are deeply concerned over the direction of health reform legislation, have joined forces to deliver a strong message to Congress: it’s not too late to get it right; slow down and change course.

9 Dec 2009

Despite rising costs of U.S. health care, quality lags in ambulatory care

Most primary care physicians active in the Medicare program work in practices with too few patients to reliably measure significant differences in common measures of quality and cost performance, according to a study in the December 9 issue of JAMA.

9 Dec 2009

Senate Democrats continue pursuit of health care deal

The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones: "Senate Democrats worked to forge agreement Tuesday on health-care overhaul legislation, as they finalized major new provisions to the bill that would expand the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

8 Dec 2009

Reid: 'Broad agreement' reached by Senate Democrats on health bill

The Associated Press: "After days of secret talks, Senate Democrats tentatively agreed Tuesday night to drop a government-run insurance option from sweeping health care legislation, several officials said, a concession to party moderates whose votes are critical to passage of President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.

8 Dec 2009

Lieberman draws increasing ire from Democrats, Reid criticized for GOP/slavery comments

News organizations are honing in on key players in the health reform debate.

8 Dec 2009

Liberals may trade public option for expansion of Medicare, Medicaid

In exchange for accepting a proposed compromise on a public option in the health bill, liberal Democratic Senators are hoping to win expansions of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, The New York Times reports. "One of the changes being pushed by the liberals would lower the age of eligibility for Medicare to 55, from 65. Another would expand Medicaid to cover people with incomes up to 150 percent of the poverty level."

8 Dec 2009

Drug reimportation emerges again in health debate

The Hill reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid "has agreed to allow Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) to bring an amendment to a vote this week that would allow the importation of cheaper prescription drugs from abroad despite the fact that it could blow up a truce between the White House, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) on healthcare reform." Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) is among the amendment's co-sponsors.

8 Dec 2009

New report: CBO underestimates savings from health bills but economists worry savings aren't enough

"Previous analyses have underestimated the potential cost-saving effects of the House and Senate health reform bill, according to a new report co-authored by the Center for American Progress Action Fund and the Commonwealth Fund," Modern Healthcare reports.

8 Dec 2009

Medicare seeks to cut hospital readmissions with 'Care Transitions' project

The Associated Press reports that a "major push is underway around the country to cut rehospitalizations, in part by arming patients with simple steps to keep their recovery on track," such as getting quicker follow-up doctor visits and lessening medication confusion.

8 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 8, 2009

Today's headlines highlight how Senate consideration of the health bill could become even messier with amendments pending on abortion funding restrictions and the reimportation of prescription drugs. All the while, Senate Dems continue to work to find common ground on the public option.

8 Dec 2009

Consumer Watchdog: Opponents of health reform are fear-mongering relentlessly during Senate debate

Opponents of health reform are fear-mongering relentlessly during prolonged Senate debate, said Consumer Watchdog, spinning endlessly the lobbying messages of the insurance industry.

8 Dec 2009

VisionShare to enable connectivity to the NHIN and HIEs from its secure exchange platform

VisionShare, one of the nation’s largest and most secure health information exchanges for administrative transactions, today announced plans to expand support for the exchange of clinical transactions on its platform and making connectivity to the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) and state and community-based Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) available to its customers.

8 Dec 2009

'Hand Hygiene Saves Lives' encourages patients to remind healthcare staff to wash their hands

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Catholic Healthcare Partners (CHP) and the Premier healthcare alliance today released research showing that a video can be an effective tool for encouraging patients to remind healthcare staff to wash their hands.

8 Dec 2009

HHS joins with Ad Council to launch new nationwide PSA campaign

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is joining with the Ad Council to launch a new nationwide public service advertising (PSA) campaign called “Together We Can All Fight the Flu.”

7 Dec 2009

Senate Democrats seek agreement on public plan alternative

The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones: "Senate Democrats appear ... closer to reaching agreement on an alternative to a government-run health-insurance plan in health-care overhaul legislation, even as they dealt with disagreement within their party on abortion. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, (D., Mich.) told reporters Monday that Democrats are 'rapidly coming to a conclusion' on language within the bill, including a public-plan alternative."

7 Dec 2009

Demand for doctors in rural areas and primary care physicians increases

The Dallas Morning News reports that rural health providers "are keeping a wary eye on proposed health care changes under debate in Congress. ... Democrats and Republicans from rural areas in the South and Midwest succeeded in getting some relief for the rural health care system written into the Senate and House bills under debate.

7 Dec 2009