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Secretary of Labor issues statement on mental health and substance abuse benefits, services

We are very pleased that the court ruled in favor of the U.S. Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services, thereby allowing us to continue a regulatory process designed to benefit vulnerable members of our society. It will make mental health benefits more affordable by putting the cost on par with other health benefits.

24 Jun 2010

Warren Mosler signs pledge to never vote for any reductions in Medicare benefits

Warren Mosler, a leading voice in the fight against the bipartisan move to slash Social Security and Medicare, has signed a University of Missouri Kansas City economics department pledge to never vote for any reductions in Social Security or Medicare benefits, or any delays in eligibility.

24 Jun 2010

WGU gains approval to commence enrolling Utah students in B.S. in Nursing program

Western Governors University's College of Health Professions has gained approval from the Utah Board of Nursing to begin enrolling Utah students in its innovative B.S. in Nursing (Prelicensure) program. The program, which is offered in partnership with seven Utah hospitals, is the nation's first online, competency-based bachelor's degree program designed to prepare students for initial licensure as registered nurses. Enrollment will begin this fall, and applications are now being accepted.

24 Jun 2010

New poll illustrates difficult situations cancer patients face in affording needed health care

A new poll illustrates the difficulty that cancer patients, survivors and their families face in affording needed health care and paying for other basic necessities such as food and heat, underscoring the need to strongly implement the Affordable Care Act so that it works for people with cancer.

24 Jun 2010

Florida obstetricians collaborate to lower premature and Cesarean birth rates

Much has been published of late, in medical journals as well as in the general media, concerning the national rise in both the Cesarean section and premature birth rates. While not directly connected, the two medical concerns have many interrelated variables. Nationally, the Cesarean section rate has risen to 32 percent of all births, while the rate of premature birth has climbed to just over 12 percent.

24 Jun 2010

White House unveils consumer protections in health law

New health-law-prompted regulations were released Tuesday, Kaiser Health News reports. The regulations could likely affect a small fraction of the country, but address key insurance concerns.

24 Jun 2010

New hospital gown ensures patient privacy, dignity

Patients seeking to conserve privacy and personal dignity - i.e. anyone who's ever been forced to wear a traditional hospital gown that often reveal too much - may soon bid adieu peek-a-book hospital garb. Indeed, researchers from the University of Montreal have designed a revolutionary healthcare garment that preserves modesty.

24 Jun 2010

How new health insurance regulations could affect some premiums, coverage

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports: "As he trumpeted what he called a new 'Patient's Bill of Rights' Tuesday, President Barack Obama tried to calm fears that the new health law would increase insurance costs.

23 Jun 2010

Several hospitals seek buyers or mergers to strengthen their bottom lines

The Boston Globe: Massachusetts officials are holding public comment sessions on a proposed sale of chain of hospitals in the state, and "scores of local officials, state representatives, community leaders, and employees and retirees of Caritas hospitals in Eastern Massachusetts have paraded to the podium to praise Caritas management and the private equity firm, Cerberus Capital Management, that has pledged to preserve the chain of six hospitals, at least for three years."

23 Jun 2010

First Edition: June 23, 2010

Today's health policy headlines focus on President Obama's Tuesday meeting with health insurance executives and the administration's new version of the "Patient's Bill of Rights."

23 Jun 2010

Obama to grant federal workers time off to care for same-sex partner's kids

"President Obama will soon expand the rights of gay workers by allowing them to take family and medical leave to care for sick or newborn children of same-sex partners, administration officials said Monday," according to The New York Times. "The policy will be set forth in a ruling to be issued Wednesday by the Labor Department's wage and hour division, the officials said.

23 Jun 2010

Obama warns health insurers against using reform to boost premium rates, unveils new patient bill of rights

Today, during an address in the East Room of the White House following a meeting with executives of leading health insurance companies and state insurance commissioners, "President Barack Obama warned insurance firms … not to use his healthcare overhaul as an opportunity to enact big rate increases and said the federal government would work with states to monitor them."

23 Jun 2010

GHX cuts over $155.6M in healthcare costs during first-quarter

GHX and its participating suppliers and providers are on target to cut a total of $5 billion in healthcare costs in the next 5 years by improving supply chain efficiencies, visibility and trading partner collaboration. GHX provides technology and services to automate and optimize business processes throughout the healthcare supply chain, and has achieved its first-quarter goal of cutting more than $155.6 million in healthcare costs.

23 Jun 2010

Walgreen third-quarter sales up 6.1% to record $17.2 billion

Walgreens today announced earnings and sales results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2010.

22 Jun 2010

Most Americans view paid sick days as basic worker right

Paid sick leave is a benefit prized by American workers but frequently missing on the job — a situation that leads to serious consequences, a new study released Monday by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago shows.

22 Jun 2010

Six Rio South Texas hospitals among nation's top 5%

Successful regional economic development has to focus on more than tax incentives, skilled labor pools and transportation infrastructure. In considering possible locations for starting or expanding operations, corporations look closely at quality of life issues such as the availability of excellent healthcare. And Rio South Texas has a healthy quality of life outlook, with six of the nation's safest hospitals among its offerings.

22 Jun 2010

Biotage launches ISOLUTE SLE+ sample preparation columns

Biotage, a leading supplier of tools and technology for medicinal and analytical chemistry, announced the introduction of ISOLUTE SLE+ High-Performance Supported Liquid Extraction sample preparation columns. The announcement occurred during the 58th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics in Salt Lake City, Utah USA.

22 Jun 2010

Also in Global Health News: WHO scraps drug development group; Access to medication in Philippines; Yellow fever vaccine shortage; HIV-positive employee protection

Lancet World Report examines how "[d]isappointment over a long-awaited report on improving drug research and development for neglected diseases" led the WHO to form a new Consultative Expert Working Group (CEWG) to strategize around drug research and development. The formation of the new group comes after the report from the previous working group (EWG) was questioned due to "what some perceived to be a missed opportunity, unclear methods, a lack of transparency and signs of industry interference" and after "suspicions of impropriety" surfaced.

21 Jun 2010

NLRB issues third strike against Sal Rosselli, other former SEIU-UHW officials

The National Labor Relations Board issued a third strike against Sal Rosselli, ousted president of the Service Employees International Union - United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), and other former union officials who formed the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) after they were removed from office.

19 Jun 2010

CNA blasts PERB for colluding with UC in suppression of RNs democratic rights

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses United today blasted the state agency that oversees public employee relations for its active collusion with University of California hospital officials in seeking to suppress the democratic rights of registered nurses, and charged the UC hospital system with employing unfair market competition with other corporate hospital chains in its attacks on UC RNs.

19 Jun 2010