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Insurance companies denied policies to 1 of every 7 applicants, probe finds

The Wall Street Journal: The four largest for-profit health insurers in the U.S. -- Aetna Inc., Humana Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc., and WellPoint Inc. -- "on average denied policies to one out of every seven applicants based on their prior medical history," according to a congressional investigative report released yesterday by Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.).

14 Oct 2010

GSK to expand donation of albendazole medicine to treat children with STH risk

At the launch of the World Health Organization's (WHO) first report on Neglected Tropical Diseases today, GSK announced a new five year commitment to expand the donation of its medicine albendazole to treat children at risk of intestinal worms, known as soil-transmitted helminths (STH).

14 Oct 2010

Anger, seniors and Ad campaigns: Health reform politics

A poll released Tuesday shows most seniors in Medicare's prescription drug benefit program don't know that the health law "closes Part D's coverage gap," The Hill's Healthwatch blog reports.

14 Oct 2010

Justices wrestle with issue of protecting vaccine makers

The Supreme Court is grappling with the question of how much protection the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act was meant to provide vaccine manufacturers against lawsuits. The case involves Hannah Bruesewitz, whose parents claim that a Wyeth-manufactured D.T.P. vaccine she received as an infant in 1992 led to developmental problems.

14 Oct 2010

Today's Opeds: Individual mandate in court, on ballot and in campaigns

The first federal court decision on the constitutionality of the new health care reform law upheld its validity and dealt a well-deserved setback to opponents who are trying to overturn it.

14 Oct 2010

Children recognise signs of neglect in peers: Survey

Researchers for Action for Children in a survey of over 3,000 eight to 12 year-olds found that 44% of children under 12 have seen other children who were dirty and smelled. Nearly two-thirds of children have seen suspected signs of neglect among their peers in classrooms, playgrounds, neighborhoods and activity clubs.

13 Oct 2010

Taller kids with IVF: Study

A new study has found that children born via IVF are typically taller than those born naturally. Newborn IVF babies created from a fresh embryo transferred back into the mother, also tended to be about 190g lighter than naturally conceived children.

13 Oct 2010

Four British Columbia students awarded 2010 UCBeyond Scholarship

For four students from British Columbia, their stories of perseverance in pursuing their hopes and dreams despite their illnesses is why they have been awarded $5,000 CAN each as the 2010 recipients of the UCBeyond Scholarship.

13 Oct 2010

NCQA reports two new findings on nation's health care

The new State of Health Care Quality report from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has two new findings about the nation's health care.

13 Oct 2010

Fourth annual luncheon benefits MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital

Golf great Jack Nicklaus and veteran CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz take the stage Oct. 19 at the Hilton Americas-Houston for the 2010 Houston A Conversation With a Living Legend benefiting The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The fourth annual luncheon, featuring an exclusive onstage interview, benefits the MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital and already has raised more than $472,000.

13 Oct 2010

Employees need to review health insurance plans during open enrollment

Open enrollment, starting in October for most companies, allows employees to make changes to their benefits for the coming year. It's often the only time during the year that employees can make changes to their health insurance plans, and the passage of the recently enacted healthcare reform means that Americans could be facing more changes to their existing health insurance plans.

13 Oct 2010

Terason and HEARTS Program seek to prevent SCA

The Terason t3000 CV Ultrasound is the ultrasound system of choice for The HEARTS Program a project of Memorial Hermann and UT Southwestern Hospitals. Houston Early Age Risk Testing and Screening (HEARTS) program, is a study designed to detect any abnormal heart conditions that can cause the heart to arrest.

13 Oct 2010

Food allergies are becoming more common in U.S. children

The scary reality is that food allergies are becoming more and more common in the United States. In the last 10 years there has been an 18 percent increase in children with food allergies. In fact, one in 22 children has a food allergy. That means most likely there is at least one child in each classroom with a food allergy. Halloween parties and trick or treating are just a few of the end of fall activities that can heighten the danger for kids with food allergies.

13 Oct 2010

New global plan for elimination of TB

The world could be on its way towards eliminating tuberculosis (TB) if governments and donors fully invest in a plan released today by the Stop TB Partnership. The global plan to stop TB 2011-2015: transforming the fight towards elimination of tuberculosis for the first time identifies all the research gaps that need to be filled to bring rapid TB tests, faster treatment regimens and a fully effective vaccine to market.

13 Oct 2010

Study finds variations at state and national levels in children's health insurance coverage

Children's health insurance coverage still varies significantly at both the state and national levels, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (SPH). In particular, researchers found gaps in coverage that vary across states by age, race/ethnicity and income.

13 Oct 2010

Study finds increase in hospitalizations for children due to ATV-related injuries

All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are associated with a significant and increasing number of hospitalizations for children in the U.S., according to a new report by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Over a nine- year period (1997-2006) hospitalizations for ATV injuries increased 150 percent among youth younger than 18 years, with important demographic variations.

13 Oct 2010

10% of children have serious mental health condition, but only one-third receive treatment

One in ten children has a mental health condition that causes significant impairment and more than half of all lifetime cases begin by age 14, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reported today, but only one-third get the help they need..

13 Oct 2010

SNM and SPR approve new North American Guidelines for Radiopharmaceutical Doses for Children

The Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) and the Society for Pediatric Radiology's Board of Directors recently approved new North American Guidelines for Radiopharmaceutical Doses for Children. These societies have expanded their pediatric radiation protection initiative by standardizing doses (based on body weight) for 11 nuclear medicine procedures commonly performed in children. The Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging has collaborated in this effort, and will support efforts to promote the new, lower radiopharmaceutical doses.

13 Oct 2010

LifeWise improves access to common immunizations at pharmacies

LifeWise Health Plan of Oregon is announcing a new step to remove barriers to care by providing improved access to common immunizations at pharmacies. LifeWise members can now simply present their member card at a pharmacy just as they do at their doctor's office to receive immunizations.

13 Oct 2010

Global Hunger Index shows importance of addressing childhood malnutrition

The Global Hunger Index released Monday finds that many developing countries primarily in South Asia and Latin America have made significant progress in reducing hunger.

13 Oct 2010