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Health policy research roundup

Urban Institute: Variation in Insurance Coverage Across Congressional Districts New Estimates from 2008 -- Drawing from data from the American Community Survey, the authors of this brief explore the variation in rates of uninsurance, public and private coverage across congressional districts.

9 Oct 2009

Hospital-insurer tug of war leaves patients in middle

The Washington Post reports on a health care battle between a hospital and insurers that is leaving patients caught in the middle. At Bayonne Medical Center in New Jersey, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield delivered letters to patients at the hospital "warning that the patient would face a huge hospital bill if he did not leave right away."

9 Oct 2009

Arizona clinic stops accepting Medicare, some Penn. Medicare Advantage plans cancelled

The Arizona Republic reports: "One of the Mayo Clinic's two family-medicine practices in Arizona soon will stop accepting Medicare, leaving thousands of patients to pay out of pocket for routine doctor's visits or find a new physician." The changes go in effect on Jan. 1 and apply to primary-care services at the Mayo Clinic Family Medicine-Arrowhead.

9 Oct 2009

Health industries: Changes could kill health reform bill

Insurers and pharmaceutical manufacturers are concerned that changes in a Senate bill could derail efforts — and their agreement — to overhaul the nation's health care system.

9 Oct 2009

Harris Poll shows physician and consumer interests in mobile healthcare technologies

Mobile healthcare companies can increase adoption of the new technology by understanding their customers' "activation levels" in light of a newly released Harris Poll showing strong physician and consumer interest in the emerging industry.

9 Oct 2009

AST urges Senate Finance Committee to adopt a health care provision for transplant drug extension

As the Senate Finance Committee prepares to vote on the amended health care reform package, members of the American Society of Transplantation (AST) arrived on Capitol Hill armed with a letter encouraging the Senate to adopt a health care provision that will extend Medicare's coverage of post-transplant drugs, which are critical to maintaining the health of the transplant patient. Immunosuppressive drugs are currently covered for a period of 36 months.

9 Oct 2009

Generic medicines and mail-service pharmacies are viable options for reducing health care costs

Many consumers looking for ways to reduce their health care costs are taking potentially dangerous steps such as foregoing prescription drug medications altogether or skipping necessary refills, according to a new survey from Consumer Reports.

9 Oct 2009

House Republicans, disputatious Democrats discuss health reform bills

The Hill reports that "three dozen" House Republicans were invited, for the first time since the health reform debate started, to talk with top-level Democrats: "'The bottom line is, [Democrats are] going to do what they are going to do. I guess they just don't want to look like they didn't (sit down); it's more of a dog and pony show,' Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) told The Hill as he walked out of the Republican Study Committee (RSC) meeting with Sebelius."

9 Oct 2009

Public plan debated as health proposals come closer to floor votes, unions pressure lawmakers

Unions and some lawmakers are continuing their efforts to have a government-run public plan included in health reform legislation.

9 Oct 2009

Obama, health care regain ground in public opinion polls

President Obama's approval rating climbed to 56 percent in the latest Associated Press-GfK poll, up from an August trough of 50 percent; disapproval dropped from 49 percent to 39 percent, Politico reports. Obama's handling of issues improved on every measure, including a 48 percent rating for health care, except the war in Afghanistan.

9 Oct 2009

Industry executives say health reform won't be lasting cure

Doctors and drug company executives say current reform legislation doesn't do enough to fix the problem of rising costs in the U.S. health care system or encourage healthier lifestyles.

9 Oct 2009

CBO: Over 10 years, finance health reform bill will cost $829 billion but reduce deficit

The Congressional Budget Office yesterday released its updated cost estimates for the health bill being considered by the Senate Finance Committee.

9 Oct 2009

Children's Hospital Boston conference explores innovative ways to transform the national Health IT system

As government, industry and academic leaders work to transform the nation's health information system, there is increasing interest in the notion of a national health information network in which consumers can actively engage, and which can provide the foundation for an "iPhone-like" ecosystem of applications to compete on price and value.

9 Oct 2009

Today's editorials and opinions

As Congress debates the costs of reforming our health-care system, it should consider one significant collateral cost of not acting: maintaining the world's highest rate of incarceration (Tracy Velazquez, 10/7).

9 Oct 2009

CBO score a score for Baucus, but others balk

The Congressional Budget Office's score was mostly good news for Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus as he works to gain approval for his health bill and move it to the Senate floor.

9 Oct 2009

GOP continues health reform opposition, quotes concerned Democrats

"Congressional Republicans fired back Wednesday at the White House public relations campaign for health-care reform, highlighting concerns voiced by two Democratic governors about a possible expansion of Medicaid," The Washington Post reports. The cost of Medicaid is "already driving states to the fiscal brink."

8 Oct 2009

First Edition: October 8, 2009

Today's headlines reflect yesterday's big health reform news: The CBO's revised cost analysis is good news for the Baucus bill.

8 Oct 2009

RWJF honors Arizona advocate with 2009 Community Health Leaders Award

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) today announced the selection of David Carey, chair of Inspire Human Services Co-op in Phoenix, to receive a Community Health Leaders Award.

8 Oct 2009

Insurer denies out-of-network liver transplants, lawsuit filed

A trial beginning next week targeting the nation's largest health insurer and its California subsidiary for allegedly automatically denying requests for out-of-network liver transplants will help shed light on the need for stronger health reform than is currently being considered, according to Consumer Watchdog. The group urged President Obama, White House representatives, and the national news media to follow the trial.

8 Oct 2009

Senate Finance health reform bill still facing challenges from Committee Democrats

Chairman Max Baucus is trying to hold his own party together on the health reform package soon to be considered by the Senate Finance Committee even as the impact on the deficit and taxes make some Democrats question the measure.

8 Oct 2009

Health Reform News and Research

Health policy research roundup

Hospital-insurer tug of war leaves patients in middle

Arizona clinic stops accepting Medicare, some Penn. Medicare Advantage plans cancelled

Health industries: Changes could kill health reform bill

Harris Poll shows physician and consumer interests in mobile healthcare technologies

AST urges Senate Finance Committee to adopt a health care provision for transplant drug extension

Generic medicines and mail-service pharmacies are viable options for reducing health care costs

House Republicans, disputatious Democrats discuss health reform bills

Public plan debated as health proposals come closer to floor votes, unions pressure lawmakers

Obama, health care regain ground in public opinion polls

Industry executives say health reform won't be lasting cure

CBO: Over 10 years, finance health reform bill will cost $829 billion but reduce deficit

Children's Hospital Boston conference explores innovative ways to transform the national Health IT system

Today's editorials and opinions

CBO score a score for Baucus, but others balk

GOP continues health reform opposition, quotes concerned Democrats

First Edition: October 8, 2009

RWJF honors Arizona advocate with 2009 Community Health Leaders Award

Insurer denies out-of-network liver transplants, lawsuit filed

Senate Finance health reform bill still facing challenges from Committee Democrats

Industry Focus eBook - Analytical Chemistry (2nd Edition) eBook

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

Applications Engineer

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