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ACO 'predecessor' saved Medicare money, according to JAMA study

The study, found that the Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration resulted in health care savings.

13 Sep 2012

With rock star Fanfare, Clinton talks health care on the campaign trail

Speaking to what the New York Times described as a sellout crowd in Florida, former President Bill Clinton reprised many of his convention speech themes regarding how the health law is strengthening Medicare and providing benefits to millions of Americans. The Obama campaign is expected to continue to rely on Clinton as a surrogate in battleground states.

13 Sep 2012

Seniors: An increasingly politically motivated demographic

It's hard to come by numbers to describe how many retirees are going into politics. But organizations on the left and the right say that this year's election may be an especially active one for people of retirement age. It is the first presidential contest since the advent of the Tea Party movement, which has been driven largely by voters age 65 and older.

13 Sep 2012

Viewpoints: Questions Obama, Romney not likely to answer in debates; Disturbing news on tests for ovarian cancer

New evidence that women are more likely to be harmed than helped by screening tests for ovarian cancer is disturbing. The tests do nothing to prevent healthy women from dying from the usually fatal disease. Yet they often lead doctors to perform needless surgeries that cause serious complications in many patients.

13 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 12, 2012

Today's headlines include news about former President Bill Clinton's role on the presidential campaign trail as well as reports from Capitol Hill and details of a new survey regarding health insurance costs.

12 Sep 2012

Campaigns dispute impact of Medicare 'voucher-type' plan; Some Dem advisers reportedly favor increasing private options

Republican proposals to replace Medicare insurance benefits with vouchers that seniors could use to buy insurance would drive up healthcare costs for the nation's elderly, said a newly released report from the Center for American Progress Action Fund, an advocacy arm for the liberal think tank the Center for American Progress. The vouchers would not grow as quickly as healthcare costs and seniors would be required to pay the difference for plans that exceed the vouchers, the authors said.

12 Sep 2012

Serum-concentration of antioxidants is significantly lower in patients with mild dementia

Forgetfulness, lack of orientation, cognitive decline… about 700, 000 Germans suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD). Now researchers from the University of Ulm, among them the Epidemiologist Professor Gabriele Nagel and the Neurologist Professor Christine von Arnim, have discovered that the serum-concentration of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene are significantly lower in patients with mild dementia than in control persons.

12 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 11, 2012

Today's headlines explore how, based on his recent comments, Mitt Romney's health law replacement goals could become tricky.

11 Sep 2012

In Florida, Obama talks Medicare

President Barack Obama promised to fight GOP efforts to "privatize" the health insurance program for senior citizens, charging that the plan advanced by Republican nominee Mitt Romney would cost seniors more.

11 Sep 2012

As candidates attempt to woo swing voters, Medicare, health law become fodder on campaign trail

In addition, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports how wary voters are struggling to sort out what the candidates' different positions on Medicare would mean for them.

11 Sep 2012

Viewpoints: Home health workers need better pay; Is there a better solution than Medicaid to cover seniors' long-term care?

[F]or the stay-at-home elderly to have so-called "independent living" they must be highly dependent on the home care aides who look after medication schedules, cook meals, assist with bathing and generally keep them happy and healthy. And yet these workers are anything but well cared for. The vast majority are dreadfully overworked and woefully underpaid. The average hourly wage of a home care worker in the United States is less than $10.

11 Sep 2012

Romney says health law isn't 'all bad'

In Sunday news appearances, GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney said that if elected, he would dismantle the health care law, but retain some of the more popular provisions, including coverage of pre-existing conditions for those who had had continuous health insurance.

10 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 10, 2012

Today's headlines include news from the presidential campaign trail, including reports detailing how GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said, if elected, he would retain some parts of the 2010 health law.

10 Sep 2012

Post-conventions, parties sharply divided on health care politics

President Barack Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney, their contest defined anew by joblessness, are seeking to frame the campaign on their own terms. Romney was concentrating on the economy while Obama sought to play to his strengths, with top aides all but daring their challenger to engage in a debate over Medicare.

10 Sep 2012

Schumer seeks to put GOP Senators on defensive regarding Ryan Medicare plan

Sen. Chuck Schumer says he wants the Senate to vote soon on the Ryan budget to put Republicans, including presidential running mates Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, on the defensive.

7 Sep 2012

Health law among Obama's accomplishments as he makes case for second term

During the final night of the Democratic convention, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden pledged to protect Medicare from GOP proposals to turn it into what they called a voucher program and extolled the benefits of the health law.

7 Sep 2012

Paul Ryan sticks to Medicare stump speech, even after Clinton critique

Headlines offer a range of developments from the Romney-Ryan campaign, including reports about its advertising strategy, Ryan's response -- or lack of one -- to former President Bill Clinton's criticism and a fact check regarding their Medicare policy.

7 Sep 2012

Lack of support hinders evidence-based nursing

The reasons US nurses do not conduct evidence-based practice include a lack of support from their organization, resistance among their seniors, and a lack of education, show survey results.

7 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 7, 2012

Now on Kaiser Health News' blog, Sarah Varney reports on California Gov. Jerry Brown, his absence from the Democratic convention and efforts to implement the health law: "California's Jerry Brown, the governor of the most populous state in the union, a state that has aggressively pushed ahead with the Affordable Care Act even when it wasn't the "in-thing," is sitting out this year's Democratic National Convention.

7 Sep 2012

Clinton skewers GOP on Medicare, offers strong defense of Obama on health law

In former President Bill Clinton's speech to nominate Barack Obama for re-election, he made a point-by-point case to return Obama to a second term, lauding his efforts to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid and to pass the health law.

7 Sep 2012