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Consensus forming among most Democrats on health reform

Democratic leaders have begun moving the rank and file closer to acceptance of basic tenets of health reform proposals, but concerns remain among the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats on how it will be paid for, Politico reports.

10 Jun 2009

Kennedy's absence felt as health reform push intensifies

Congressional Democrats seeking leadership are feeling Sen. Edward Kennedy's absence in the looming health care reform debate as he continues his battle with brain cancer, and struggles to return to Washington, The New York Times reports.

9 Jun 2009

House Democrats unveil reform outline

CQ reports that details are emerging regarding House Democrats' Plan. "The health care overhaul under development by House Democrats would subsidize insurance premiums for families earning as much as four times the poverty level, while expanding Medicaid and improving its payments to health providers."

9 Jun 2009

How Congress might tax your health benefits

If you work at a company that reimburses employees for joining a gym, you pay income taxes on the value of that perk. If you get life insurance through work, there's a good chance that you pay taxes on a portion.

9 Jun 2009

Doctors and hospitals look for ways to cut costs, improve quality

The "patient-centered" practices movement is growing in popularity, the New York Times reports. Primary care physicians in the practices "spend more time with patients, emphasize prevention and education" to keep patients healthy and "can handle many medical problems without referrals to specialists." Often, "this kind of care can reduce a patient's medical bills."

9 Jun 2009

Grassley strikes back at Obama, other strong personalities emerging in health debate

Several newspapers had articles about major congressional players in the health care debate.

9 Jun 2009

Reform bill details emerge, lobbyists gear up for fight

Industry groups reacted "warily" this weekend to a draft of the Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) Committee's health overhaul plan. The first details emerged late Friday and lobbyists began speaking up, USA Today reports.

9 Jun 2009

Democrats prepare message as congress reacts to Kennedy's health reform draft

Congressional Democrats are preparing the message to go with their sweeping health reform in both the House and the Senate, after Sen. Edward Kennedy's draft reform bill was circulated, CNN.com reports.

9 Jun 2009

Lawmakers pick up pace on health legislation

House and Senate Democrats are gearing up for what could be a crucial, month-long drive to craft health care legislation before the July 4 recess.

9 Jun 2009

Dodd: HELP Committee to release reform bill within days

An initial version of health reform legislation could be available "in the next several days," Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, told Dow Jones Newswires.

4 Jun 2009

GOP: public plan option big obstacle to health reform

Democrats and Republicans moved further apart this afternoon over the possibility of including a public plan in any health care reform legislation.

4 Jun 2009

Baucus: Obama open to taxing health benefits to pay for health reform

On the same day President Obama expressed the urgent need for health care reform, he also met with two dozen Senate Democrats and suggested that he is open to considering taxing employer-provided health benefits to pay for health care reform, The Washington Post reports.

3 Jun 2009

Sen. Baucus tells single-payer advocates he regrets there wasn't more discussion of single-payer plan

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., told single-payer advocates Wednesday that he regrets not allowing more discussion of the single-payer plan in his efforts to draft a health system overhaul proposal, according to participants at the meeting.

3 Jun 2009

Obama open to individual insurance requirement

In a letter released today by the White House today to Sen. Edward Kennedy, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, President Obama "suggests he may be open to a requirement that every American have health insurance, even though he opposed the so-called individual mandate in the presidential campaign," the Washington Post reports.

3 Jun 2009

Vietnam publishes report documenting Millennium Development Goal progress

Vietnam recently published a report tracking its progress towards the U.N. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets, which outlines the health ministry's work with other government and international agencies, Vietnam News reports.

3 Jun 2009

Australian food industry told to 'shape up' over fat, sugar and salt

The food industry in Australia has been told in no uncertain terms to shape up when it comes to the fat, sugar and salt content in food products.

3 Jun 2009

Major liberal groups will back Obama on health reform

Several of the country's largest liberal groups said they were prepared to spend $82 million to promote President Obama's health care reform agenda, the Boston Globe reports.

2 Jun 2009

Sen. Kennedy circulates draft of health reform legislation

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) is circulating an outline of health care overhaul legislation that includes a requirement that all individuals obtain coverage and requires contributions from employers, the Washington Post reports.

31 May 2009

About 0.59% of Vietnamese fishery workers are HIV-positive, prevalence could rise by 2013, survey says

An estimated 33,000 of the total 5.5 million workers in Vietnam's fishery sector, or about 0.59%, were living with HIV in 2008, according to a survey released Tuesday by Vietnam's fishery program, VNA/VOV News reports (VNA/VOV News, 5/27).

28 May 2009

New surgical tool for complicated eye surgery

Eye surgeons will soon have a new surgical tool to help make a complicated eye surgery less labor intensive while providing significant advantages for corneal transplant patients, as a result of an invention by a Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center physician.

28 May 2009