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More high deductible plans, new individual policies helping to reshape insurance market

Local news accounts detail changes in the market. In Iowa, Wells Fargo employees are choosing between high deductible options, while in Minnesota one insurer is rolling out a new individual policy that may help buoy its position when the state health exchanges begin operation.

11 Nov 2011

Health law alphabet soup: ACOs, MLR and other implementation news

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the application for its shared savings program, and Health News Florida reports which of that state's providers will likely throw their hats into the ring.

11 Nov 2011

Medicaid directors ask Feds for more flexibility

State Medicaid directors are asking the federal government to fast-track state Medicaid improvements by emphasizing health over bureaucratic process and rapidly disseminating best practices so that states can benefit from the success of others.

11 Nov 2011

Ga., Texas expand mental health services but advocates say more is needed

Georgia has opened new facilities for the mentally ill under an agreement with the U.S. Justice Department. Meanwhile, Texas increased mental health spending by 4.3 percent in the past 3 years, but critics say that spending is not keeping pace with the growing uninsured population.

11 Nov 2011

Conn. Gov.'s orders on home and child care workers raise concerns; Calif. lawmakers explore long-term care costs

Gov. Dannel Malloy established a way for home care and child care workers to unionize. Meanwhile, in California, a legislative committee looked at the financial burden of long-term care.

11 Nov 2011

AARP poll: Iowa, Florida Republicans disagree with candidates on Medicare cuts

In Iowa, the AARP polled 400 past Iowa primary voters on Oct. 17 -18 who said they would attend the Iowa caucuses. The Florida poll, which was similar to the one conducted in Iowa and some other states, involved 500 respondents. Florida has the largest number of retirees in the nation.

11 Nov 2011

Guardian interactive timeline highlights milestones in modern philanthropy

The Guardian examines the origins of modern philanthropy in this "interactive timeline of important milestones from the late 19th century to the present day."

11 Nov 2011

First Edition: Nov. 11, 2011

In today's health policy headlines, reports about the challenges the super committee continues to confront as the clock ticks toward its deadline, as well as news about the Supreme Court's expected announcement on whether it will hear health law appeals.

11 Nov 2011

Consumer advocates push for insurance oversight promised by health law

A letter was sent to the White House by more than 50 organizations demanding that the administration require simple, standardized health insurance forms starting next year, as called for in the law. Also in the news, Politico Pro reports on a political fight brewing in Michigan over the health law's medical-loss ratio requirements.

11 Nov 2011

NAMI report: States cut mental health budgets just as demand goes up

Modest increases in some states' mental health budgets have done little to erase massive cuts nationwide over the past three years and a reduction in Medicaid funds, according to a report to be released Thursday by the nation's largest mental health advocacy group. All told, the Washington-based National Alliance on Mental Illness found, 28 states and the District of Columbia have cut nearly $1.7 billion from their mental health budgets since the 2009 fiscal year.

11 Nov 2011

AHAF: Requests for ADR research grants increase by 33% this year

The American Health Assistance Foundation (AHAF), a nonprofit organization funding innovative research through its Alzheimer's Disease Research (ADR) program, today announced that the number of scientists seeking ADR research grants through its annual application process increased by 33% this year.

11 Nov 2011

China considers ban on infant formula ads to encourage breastfeeding

"China may ban sales promotions and advertising for milk formula designed for babies younger than six months in an effort to encourage breastfeeding, the Ministry of Health" said Wednesday in a statement, Bloomberg reports, adding that "the government is canvassing public opinion on a draft plan." UNICEF "said it supported measures to curb the use of infant formula, whose sales in China more than doubled in four years," Bloomberg writes.

11 Nov 2011

Next chapter in health law legal challenges could be decided Thursday

Meanwhile, some conservative activists are renewing their calls for Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan to step aside in regard to cases that involve the health law. And, a judge makes a case for delaying a final decision until after 2014 in a dissenting opinion regarding the DC Circuit Court's ruling.

11 Nov 2011

Global Press Institute examines HIV/AIDS among women in Zambia

"With the HIV prevalence rate higher among women than men in Zambia, experts say the epidemic now has a women's face here and, therefore, requires more specialized intervention programs," and "women living with HIV say that women must be taught how to live positively with it," the Global Press Institute reports in a story examining the epidemic among women in Zambia.

11 Nov 2011

USAID releases new issue of Frontlines

The November/December issue of USAID's Frontlines focuses on the agency's 50th anniversary and food security in the Horn of Africa. In his "Insights" column, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah writes, "As we continue to shape a brighter future for generations to come, we must rededicate ourselves to continually improve the way we work and strengthen our capacity to deliver meaningful results for people around the world and at home."

11 Nov 2011

Report examines donor funding for health in low- and middle-income countries

A new report by the Kaiser Family Foundation tracks the most recently available data on funding from donor governments, including the United States, and from multilateral institutions for health in low- and middle-income countries. The report examines funding data through 2009 for a variety of health efforts, including malaria, AIDS and HIV, family planning, basic health and other areas.

11 Nov 2011

Romney has strong debate showing; Obama takes on congressional Republicans

With eight weeks left before Republicans start voting for a presidential nominee, things could hardly be going better for Mitt Romney. ... Romney, more so than the seven other debate participants, used almost every question as a chance to criticize not his GOP rivals but Obama's record on jobs, health care and overall leadership.

11 Nov 2011

Longer looks: Do extra brain cells offer a clue to autism?; doctors leaving medicine

There's growing evidence that the brains of autistic children are very different from the brains of other youngsters. Now a new study that found an excess of brain cells in children with autism comes closer to pinpointing the origins of the condition: in utero versus in toddlerhood. In research reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), scientists at the University of California, San Diego, found that autistic children have about 67% more nerve cells in a part of the brain known as the prefrontal cortex than children without autism.

11 Nov 2011

Pharmaceutical industry should invest more in NTDs

In this Forbes opinion piece, contributor Sarika Bansal examines "what needs to happen for the pharmaceutical industry, academic researchers, and other key players to begin investing more seriously in" neglected tropical diseases.

11 Nov 2011

PSI official discusses organization's innovations strategies in Washington Post feature

As part of its series on innovation, the Washington Post features an interview with PSI Vice President for Corporate Marketing and Communications Kate Roberts, who answers several questions regarding PSI's work in global health.

11 Nov 2011