Health Reform News and Research

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Health insurance roundup: N.Y.'s high costs, COBRA concerns, high-risk pools

News outlets are covering various aspects of the health insurance industry, especially in light of health reform.

19 Apr 2010

Research roundup: Revamping NCI Clinical Trials, reducing malpractice suits, health disparities persist

A National Cancer Clinical Trials System For The 21st Century: Reinvigorating The NCI Cooperative Group Program - The "system for conducting cancer clinical trials in the United States is approaching a state of crisis," according to this report on inefficiencies and funding issues faced by the NCI's Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program - which comprises 10 groups, more than 3,100 institutions, 14,000 investigators and more than 25,000 patients in clinical trials each year.

17 Apr 2010

Conservative target Rep. Betsy Markey on health law: 'I'm proud to have voted for it'

Kaiser Health News staff writer Andrew Villegas reports: "Like other swing-district Democrats, Rep. Betsy Markey has a health care target on her back, and is working to defuse criticism before the November elections.

17 Apr 2010

Opinion: After health reform, U.S. should focus on responding to global health needs

"Now that the Obama administration has delivered on health care in the United States, we should think about families around the globe who suffer from malnutrition and lack access to basic maternal and child health-care services, including family planning," Thomas Lovejoy of Population Action International and Jim Harkness, president of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, write in a MinnPost.com opinion piece that examines the health needs of people living in developing countries and ways Congressional leaders can respond.

17 Apr 2010

Mass. health official quits, rumors say he's Washington bound

"Jon Kingsdale, head of the quasi-state agency that oversees Massachusetts' landmark health law, is stepping down June 4, Governor Deval Patrick said yesterday."

17 Apr 2010

States gear up for implementation, others continue to fight overhaul

Chillicothe Gazette/Gannett: "The spotlight on health care has shifted from the federal government, which wrote the recently passed overhaul legislation, to states, which will be in charge of much of the implementation. States will oversee the expansion of Medicaid, enforce the new insurance reforms and set up and run the new insurance 'exchanges' for small businesses and people who aren't offered coverage through an employer.

17 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 16, 2010

Today's headlines highlight the passage of a temporary extension of jobless benefits -- including a COBRA subsidy -- and a directive issued by President Obama to extend medical rights for same-sex partners.

16 Apr 2010

HHS Secretary hosts webcast to discuss benefits of the Affordable Care Act

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office on Health Reform, will host a webcast Thursday, April 15, 2010 to discuss the benefits of the Affordable Care Act.

16 Apr 2010

Waxman backs away from challenge to big corporations on health costs

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver writes about the cancellation of an upcoming House Energy and Commerce Hearing and what it might mean: "A new congressional staff report has defused a standoff between Democrats and large corporations over losses the firms anticipate because of the new health overhaul law" (Weaver, 4/14).

16 Apr 2010

Private insurers seek to help states manage Medicaid expansion

The Wall Street Journal reports on plans by the health insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc. to issue a report Thursday on managed care strategies that "it says will help cash-strapped states solve budget problems and doctor shortages that hobble the government health-care programs for the poor."

16 Apr 2010

New long-term care insurance will provide flexible cash benefits

Writing for Kaiser Health News, Harris Meyer explains the CLASS Act, which is a part of the new health reform law: "Millie Toda of Toledo, Ohio, takes cares of her husband Richard, 83, who is severely disabled from Parkinson's Disease.

16 Apr 2010

Lawmaker cancels hearing on big corporations' tax deductions related to health reform

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., canceled a hearing set for next week that would have probed recent announcements by large firms that they are taking millions of dollars in health law-related write-downs, Kaiser Health News reports.

16 Apr 2010

Health reform affects high-risk patients, abortion and doctor practices

NPR: "Recent fights between anti-abortion groups could leave people with the impression that the new health overhaul law expands women's access to abortion. But abortion-rights groups vehemently disagree."

16 Apr 2010

Director of Mass. Health Connector Authority steps down

Jon Kingsdale, the executive director of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, the state agency that helps people in Massachusetts find health insurance, is leaving his job, Gov. Deval Patrick" announced Thursday, the Boston Herald reports.

16 Apr 2010

CLASS Act provision in health law will provide long-term care for elderly, disabled

The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act program, a provision of the health reform law, "establishes a voluntary, long-term care program that will provide cash to enrollees who suffer at least two limitations in daily activities, such as eating, bathing and dressing. … There are about 10 million Americans who need long-term care services, including 4 million under age 65."

16 Apr 2010

HHS: Early retiree claim forms for new temporary program to help businesses will be ready in June

Business Insurance: The Department of Health and Human Services says that reimbursement forms to have the federal government help pay employers for early retiree health care claims will be available in June.

15 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 15, 2010

In today's headlines: The jobless benefits package, including a COBRA subsidy extension and Medicare-doctor pay fix, advances in the Senate. In the House, a committee chairman cancels a hearing on business health care complaints.

15 Apr 2010

Partners HealthCare offers $40 million to control health insurance costs in Massachusetts; Neb. Gov. signs new abortion law

Partners HealthCare, whose Boston teaching hospitals have been blamed for helping to drive up medical spending, is offering $40 million toward reducing double-digit health insurance rate increases for small businesses, part of a broader package that will be unveiled today by Senate President Therese Murray.

15 Apr 2010

Campaign for Better Care focuses on older adults with multiple health problems

"Will you help her?" That's the question the Campaign for Better Care, led by the National Partnership for Women & Families, Community Catalyst and the National Health Law Program, is asking policymakers today in new print and banner ads running in The Hill, Politico and Roll Call.

15 Apr 2010

Medicare doc payment cut looms with new deadline: Tomorrow

Congress has already missed the deadline for new legislation to block cuts of 21% in Medicare payments to doctors. The pay reduction officially took effect April 1, but the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — the federal agency that oversees the giant health systems — put a hold on processing physician payments for 10 business days, effectively pushing off the bite on payments for physicians' services until April 15.

15 Apr 2010

Health Reform News and Research

Health insurance roundup: N.Y.'s high costs, COBRA concerns, high-risk pools

Research roundup: Revamping NCI Clinical Trials, reducing malpractice suits, health disparities persist

Conservative target Rep. Betsy Markey on health law: 'I'm proud to have voted for it'

Opinion: After health reform, U.S. should focus on responding to global health needs

Mass. health official quits, rumors say he's Washington bound

States gear up for implementation, others continue to fight overhaul

First Edition: April 16, 2010

HHS Secretary hosts webcast to discuss benefits of the Affordable Care Act

Waxman backs away from challenge to big corporations on health costs

Private insurers seek to help states manage Medicaid expansion

New long-term care insurance will provide flexible cash benefits

Lawmaker cancels hearing on big corporations' tax deductions related to health reform

Health reform affects high-risk patients, abortion and doctor practices

Director of Mass. Health Connector Authority steps down

CLASS Act provision in health law will provide long-term care for elderly, disabled

HHS: Early retiree claim forms for new temporary program to help businesses will be ready in June

First Edition: April 15, 2010

Partners HealthCare offers $40 million to control health insurance costs in Massachusetts; Neb. Gov. signs new abortion law

Campaign for Better Care focuses on older adults with multiple health problems

Medicare doc payment cut looms with new deadline: Tomorrow

Industry Focus eBook - Analytical Chemistry (2nd Edition) eBook

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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