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Have attitudes on health law shifted in N.H.?

Despite a beating two years ago for Democrats aligned with the health law, former President Bill Clinton and the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in New Hampshire rallied around the overhaul at a campaign appearance. Meanwhile, a conservative seniors group emerges to offer a competing view with that of AARP.

5 Oct 2012

Survey finds seniors satisfied with Medicare Part D

The national survey of 2,363 seniors, which was conducted by Medicare Today, found 90 percent are satisfied with their Medicare prescription drug coverage.

5 Oct 2012

Senate races: McCaskill surges; Rehberg, Tester spar in Montana

Two new polls Wednesday showed Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill leading Republican U.S. Rep. Todd Akin by six points as Akin faced a new round of questions about four-year-old comments about abortion providers.

5 Oct 2012

Candidates clash over health law, Medicare and Medicaid proposals

Although only a portion of Wednesday night's debate was supposed to focus on health issues, the presidential candidates sparred on Medicare, Medicaid and specific provisions of the health law throughout the entire 90-minute event.

5 Oct 2012

A flood of post-debate fact checking follows points and counterpoints

News outlets examined a range of issues brought up during last night's presidential face-off, ranging from discussions of the $716 billion Medicare cut to talk of death panels and whether the health law promise of lower health insurance costs came true.

5 Oct 2012

First presidential debate marked by policy disagreements over taxes, Medicare and health issues

Many news outlets are reporting that President Barack Obama often found himself on the defensive as GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney launched attacks against his record.

5 Oct 2012

Viewpoints: Romney's surprisingly strong defense of Mass. health plan; Challenger's 'pretend' proposal for the nation

The first debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney, so long anticipated, quickly sunk into an unenlightening recitation of tired talking points and mendacity. With few sparks and little clarity on the immense gulf that truly separates the two men and their policies, Wednesday's encounter provided little guidance for voters still trying to understand the choice in next month's election.

5 Oct 2012

First Edition: October 4, 2012

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz, working in collaboration with the PBS Newshour, reports: "The future of Medicaid -- the state-federal workhorse of the nation's health system that provides health coverage to the poorest and sickest Americans -- hangs in the balance on Election Day. President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney have vastly different approaches to the program."

4 Oct 2012

Parsing health and Medicare plans amid campaign promises

News outlets analyze the presidential candidates' proposals for tackling Medicare and Medicaid costs, as well as how these differing ideas are playing among voters.

4 Oct 2012

Swing state campaign highlights: The scoop on early voting; The latest on political ads, campaign appearances and polls

As election day approaches, KHN's Sarah Barr samples news coverage each week from swing states around the country – how health policy developments are playing in this year's vote.

4 Oct 2012

Gateway Foundation to raise awareness of synthetic drug use

In recognition of Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31, 2012, Gateway Foundation Alcohol & Drug Treatment is working to build awareness among communities regarding the dangerous health risks associated with synthetic drug use.

4 Oct 2012

Direct link between pressure ulcers, patient mortality and increased hospitalization

A new clinical study spearheaded by the dean of UCLA's School of Nursing has found a direct correlation between pressure ulcers - commonly known as bedsores - and patient mortality and increased hospitalization.

3 Oct 2012

Study finds Medicare may favor skilled-nursing facilities over hospice

According to findings published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, almost a third of Medicare beneficiaries use their benefits to pay for nursing home end-of-life services.

3 Oct 2012

Trauma surgeons identify reasons why young pedestrians are struck by motor vehicles

Trauma surgeons have identified two preventable reasons why young pedestrians are struck by motor vehicles—poor guardian supervision and distraction because of mobile device use.

3 Oct 2012

State roundup: AP probes Va. hospital's actions in woman's death; Supreme Court won't hear Neb. abortion case; Kancare preps assessment for in-home Medicaid needs

An Associated Press examination of her care highlights the dizzying array of federal, state and private agencies charged with regulating hospital care, and the differing standards they use when investigating the most serious cases of possible neglect. In addition, an investigation report filed by Virginia regulators appears to have been altered to delete parts of the report that substantiated most of the family's complaints. That prompted a former top federal regulator to say the case warrants further investigation.

3 Oct 2012

Inhibiting DUSP6 protein can restore immune cells’ responsiveness to a more youthful state

The older we get, the weaker our immune systems tend to become, leaving us vulnerable to infectious diseases and cancer and eroding our ability to benefit from vaccination. Now Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have found that blocking the action of a single protein whose levels in our immune cells creep steadily upward with age can restore those cells' response to a vaccine.

1 Oct 2012