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Viewpoints: Is Wyden-Ryan Medicare plan a game changer?; The GOP and the individual mandate

In the maelstrom of dysfunction and partisanship better known as the 112th Congress, it is always surprising and gratifying when lawmakers from opposing parties manage to work together. That is particularly true when their collaboration involves an issue as politically charged and substantively complex as Medicare. So we begin by congratulating Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) for having the tenacity to try again, with a revamped version of Medicare reform unveiled last week.

20 Dec 2011

First nutrition and cognition research center

Abbott and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign announced today they have established the first-ever multi-disciplinary nutrition and cognition research center, which will be located on the Urbana campus. The Center for Nutrition, Learning, and Memory will lead directed and-solicited research on the impact of nutrition on learning and memory in the human brain.

19 Dec 2011

Same sex marriage legalization improves health, reduces stress among gay men: Study

According to US researchers legalizing same-sex marriage may create a healthier environment for gay men. The number of visits by gay men to health clinics dropped significantly after same-sex unions were allowed in the state Massachusetts. This was regardless of whether the men were in a stable relationship, reported the American Journal of Public Health.

19 Dec 2011

Chindex opens Tianjin United Family Hospital in China

Chindex International, Inc., an American health care company providing health care services in China through the operations of United Family Healthcare, a network of private primary care hospitals and affiliated ambulatory clinics, today announced the official opening of its Tianjin United Family Hospital, one of the latest development projects of the United Family Healthcare network.

19 Dec 2011

India's cabinet passes food security bill

"India's cabinet agreed on Sunday to tackle widespread malnutrition with food subsidies for two-thirds of the country's 1.2 billion population, a move that may shore up support for the government but carries risks for the faltering economy," Reuters reports.

19 Dec 2011

U.N. asks for $447M in humanitarian aid for Yemen

The U.N. on Sunday released its Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan 2012, asking for $447 million in humanitarian assistance targeted toward four million vulnerable people in the country, Reuters reports (Fuchs, 12/18).

19 Dec 2011

More digital data equals more risk of breaches

The New York Times reports that, as more patient data become digital, the risk of breaches increases.

19 Dec 2011

Health panel under fire for screening advice

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is right on the firing line. For much of its 27-year history, it helped convince millions of Americans to get screened early for disease.

19 Dec 2011

Political cartoon: 'Reindeer Games?'

Kaiser Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Reindeer Games?" by Clay Bennett.

19 Dec 2011

Gulf War illness research get $10 million boost

Congress has approved dedicating $10 million to research the mysterious Gulf War illness, ending concerns from veterans' groups that the money would disappear because of budget problems.

19 Dec 2011

Halcyon Healthcare acquires Compassionate Hospice and Altus Healthcare & Hospice

Halcyon Healthcare, a portfolio company of Health Evolution Partners, announced today the completion of two hospice acquisitions in central and northern Georgia. The acquired companies, Compassionate Hospice and Altus Healthcare & Hospice, mark the first two transactions for Halcyon. Halcyon was formed in 2010 by HEP, Dan Kohl and Jack Draughon to build a leading hospice and home health company in the Southeastern U.S.

19 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 19, 2011

In today's headlines, the tax cut extension bill -- which includes a temporary Medicare 'doc fix' -- has hit a new snag.

19 Dec 2011

ESC, SAGE to launch European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care

SAGE and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have announced the launch of the European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care.

19 Dec 2011

Boehner rejects deal; Fate of 'doc fix' in doubt

A day after the Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation to extend a payroll tax cut for two months, House Republicans made clear Sunday that they would not support the measure. Speaker John A. Boehner, who was among the Republican and Democratic leaders who on Friday had worked out a deal on the $33 billion package, did an about-face on Sunday and said he and other House Republicans were opposed to the temporary extension.

19 Dec 2011

LFA praises Congress for vital lupus funding in Fiscal Year 2012 Omnibus Appropriations Bill

The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) applauds Congress for including vital lupus funding in the Fiscal Year 2012 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which passed today, Saturday, December 17.

19 Dec 2011

A Texas-sized Medicaid deal

KUHF's Carrie Feibel, reporting as part of a partnership with Kaiser Health News, NPR and KUHF, writes: "The deal that federal regulators struck with Texas this week to expand managed care coverage for the poor allows both Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican presidential contender, and a Democratic White House to claim victory for their very different healthcare agendas."

17 Dec 2011

SGR in the spotlight: Examining the 'doc fix' dilemma

News outlets report on how this formula, created to control Medicare spending on physician services, has evolved into a "budget-busting juggernaut."

17 Dec 2011

Women, girls affected by HIV in Indonesia face poverty

"The number of reported HIV cases has tripled in Indonesia in recent years, curtailing productivity and trapping affected girls and women, especially, in poverty, according to a recent U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) report," PlusNews reports.

17 Dec 2011

Balancing optimism and realism in battle against HIV/AIDS

In his monthly column "Pulling It Together," Kaiser Family Foundation President and CEO Drew Altman discusses a recent conversation between The Daily Show host Jon Stewart and U2 lead singer Bono that "captures the tension between the opportunity for new optimism and the continuing need for realism about the AIDS epidemic."

17 Dec 2011

Gingrich's policies appear to advance gov't role in health care

Many of his public statements indicate he has advanced policies that would give the government a "bigger hand" in the delivery of health care. Meanwhile, a new poll shows support for President Barack Obama is low and that opinions about the health law continue to be mixed.

17 Dec 2011