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Lack of access to primary care leads reasons for poorer health in US

Why do other countries spend less on health care and yet achieve near-universal coverage and often better outcomes than the United States? This question has come up repeatedly during the health reform debate, and yet the answers still aren't clear. How much of a factor is the health care system? Population differences? These are some of the questions addressed in Health Care in World Cities, a new book co-authored by Hastings Center scholar Michael Gusmano and published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

11 Jun 2010

California to succeed in achieving health insurance exchange: New white paper

One of the most significant provisions contained in the new federal healthcare reform legislation is the establishment of health insurance exchanges designed to provide consumers greater choice and affordability. The legislation mandates that each state launch such exchanges by January 1, 2014.

10 Jun 2010

Pelosi releases statement on the benefits of Affordable Care Act for America's seniors

Speaker Nancy Pelosi today released the following statement on the benefits of the Affordable Care Act for America's seniors. President Obama held a tele-town hall with seniors in Wheaton, Md. today on the legislation's provisions to strengthen Medicare, close the 'donut hole,' and protect seniors from fraud.

9 Jun 2010

In the news: Senate and jobs bill; Obama appeals to seniors; States' Medicaid squeeze; Beyond COBRA

Today's headlines highlights President Obama's planned visit to a senior center to tout health reform, while several columns examine insurance issues, what doctors say about electronic medical record goals and military treatment of traumatic brain injuries is investigated.

9 Jun 2010

CMI must implement payment initiatives to improve health care delivery, reduce spending: New article

The new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation must be inclusive and flexible in developing and implementing payment initiatives, continuously monitor their impact, and rapidly disseminate them if they appear to be successful, in order to realize the potential for improved health care delivery and reduced spending, according to a new Health Affairs article by Commonwealth Fund researchers.

8 Jun 2010

New federal health care reform law covers large number of Americans at lower cost: RAND study

The recently enacted federal health care reform law provides health insurance coverage to the largest number of Americans while keeping federal costs as low as reasonably possible, according to a new analysis from the RAND Corporation.

8 Jun 2010

People conflicted and stymied between public and private long term care insurance

The CLASS Act, part of the new health reform law (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), will offer a type of long term care insurance for working people and others who may become disabled. But confusion and doubt are widespread. "Many wonder how the CLASS Act will affect them personally," says Jonas Roeser, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Operations for LTC Financial Partners LLC, one of the nation's most experienced long term care insurance agencies.

7 Jun 2010

First Edition: News coverage on Dems' health reform campaign; Medicare fees; Medical marijuana

In his latest Kaiser Health News column, done in collaboration with The New Republic, Jonathan Cohn writes: "Will health care reform reduce spending on health care too little? Or too much? Over the last several days, one respected authority made a version of the former argument while another made a version of the latter--offering a reminder of why reform is so complicated and why the new law, for all its imperfections, is still an important step forward" (Kaiser Health News).

7 Jun 2010

Oslo University Hospital, Induct announce long term strategic partnership Agreement

Oslo University Hospital and Induct Software AS, "The Open Innovation Company," today announced a long term strategic partnership Agreement under which the parties will work together to help Oslo University Hospital achieve its goal of becoming the world leader in healthcare innovation.

7 Jun 2010

Congress returns to controversy over COBRA, doctors' Medicare pay

CongressDaily reports that when members of Congress return to Washington Monday "they face a raft of unfinished business on tax 'extender' legislation. … The Senate will look to take up a $114.5 billion package of unemployment benefits, tax breaks, physician payments and other provisions this week amid calls from the right to scale it back, from the left to expand it and from businesses to mitigate its tax increases.

7 Jun 2010

Boston hospitals increasingly scrutinized for costs while Buffalo hospitals will receive more Medicare funding

Officials in Gov. Deval Patrick's administration, "seeking to pressure hospitals as well as insurers to rein in costs, say they will more closely scrutinize plans for new medical buildings and technologies to determine how they might affect the cost of health care in Massachusetts.

5 Jun 2010

ASCO 2010 marks first anniversary of "Cancer Patient Statement of Principles"

The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), the oldest and largest foundation dedicated to improving the life and care of myeloma patients, notes the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) marks the first anniversary of the "Cancer Patient Statement of Principles."

4 Jun 2010

AMGA releases Accountable Care Organization Principles for healthcare delivery systems

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) today released "Accountable Care Organization Principles" which it hopes will help guide regulatory activity regarding the development of these high-performing care systems mandated by recent health reform, as well as inspire significant improvements in the healthcare delivery system nationwide.

4 Jun 2010

Some say calculated risk of 'no' vote failed for Alabama Democrat in Gov. race

Pundits and politicos are saying that Rep. Artur Davis' calculated "no" vote on the federal health care reform backfired and contributed to his unsuccessful bid for the Democratic nomination for Governor in Alabama.

4 Jun 2010

State roundup: Health law could be critical for Miss.'s poor; Colorado passes end-of-life care laws, Penn. details plan for high risk pool

The health care overhaul, which "provides hundreds of billions of dollars to help states expand medical insurance for the poor," could prove critical for Mississippi, which "has the highest poverty rate in the nation and some of the sickest people, with the country's highest rate of heart disease and the second-highest rate of diabetes.

4 Jun 2010

European countries focus on drug price cuts

"European governments grappling to reduce large budget deficits are focusing their cost-cutting on a large spending item — pharmaceuticals," The Wall Street Journal reports. "Several countries in recent weeks, including Spain, Germany and Italy, have proposed or enacted reductions in what they will pay or taken other cost-control measures for various drugs.

4 Jun 2010

Health overhaul politics churn as regulators move forward

Los Angeles Times: "Congress is shattering its longstanding reputation for being a gridlocked, lethargic, 'do-nothing' institution, instead compiling a record of landmark policy changes in healthcare, financial industry regulation, economic policy and more. But at the same time, Congress is suffering sky-high levels of public disapproval, signaling a big problem for Democrats as they head into the closing months of the midterm election campaign" (Hook, 6/2).

4 Jun 2010

Today's OpEds: New Republic and National Review on health law; Conservative bloggers blast CBO numbers

The shouting war over health reform's effect on the budget got a little louder today when the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Peter Orszag, pushed back at conservative bloggers who are saying federal officials were disingenuous about the real costs of the law (Kate Steadman, 6/2).

4 Jun 2010

Over 90% of psychiatric patients treated in community hospitals are cared for in specialty units: Study

Over 90 percent of psychiatric patients who received treatment in community hospitals were cared for in hospital-based psychiatric specialty units, according to a study sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and published today in Psychiatric Services.

3 Jun 2010

First Edition: June 3, 2010

Today's headlines reflect news regarding health reform and the budget deficit as well as a new ad campaign by the AMA to press Senators to approve a freeze on scheduled Medicare payment cuts.

3 Jun 2010

Health Reform News and Research

Lack of access to primary care leads reasons for poorer health in US

California to succeed in achieving health insurance exchange: New white paper

Pelosi releases statement on the benefits of Affordable Care Act for America's seniors

In the news: Senate and jobs bill; Obama appeals to seniors; States' Medicaid squeeze; Beyond COBRA

CMI must implement payment initiatives to improve health care delivery, reduce spending: New article

New federal health care reform law covers large number of Americans at lower cost: RAND study

People conflicted and stymied between public and private long term care insurance

First Edition: News coverage on Dems' health reform campaign; Medicare fees; Medical marijuana

Oslo University Hospital, Induct announce long term strategic partnership Agreement

Congress returns to controversy over COBRA, doctors' Medicare pay

Boston hospitals increasingly scrutinized for costs while Buffalo hospitals will receive more Medicare funding

ASCO 2010 marks first anniversary of "Cancer Patient Statement of Principles"

AMGA releases Accountable Care Organization Principles for healthcare delivery systems

Some say calculated risk of 'no' vote failed for Alabama Democrat in Gov. race

State roundup: Health law could be critical for Miss.'s poor; Colorado passes end-of-life care laws, Penn. details plan for high risk pool

European countries focus on drug price cuts

Health overhaul politics churn as regulators move forward

Today's OpEds: New Republic and National Review on health law; Conservative bloggers blast CBO numbers

Over 90% of psychiatric patients treated in community hospitals are cared for in specialty units: Study

First Edition: June 3, 2010

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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