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RetireSafe calls for Senators to oppose the rationing of Medicare hospital benefits at physician hospitals

Today RetireSafe, representing 400,000 senior supporters across America, called on the U.S. Senate, starting with the Senate Finance Committee, to stop the proposed rationing of high-quality hospital care to Medicare patients.

24 Sep 2009

PCMA releases statement regarding the Senate Finance Committee’s ongoing deliberations on health-care reform

“As the Senate Finance Committee continues to craft legislation, the next 48 hours will be critical in determining whether health reform delivers on the promise of making prescription drugs more affordable for all Americans. With nearly $245 billion spent annually on prescription drugs, Americans want the peace of mind that comes from knowing that reform makes common-sense improvements that lower the cost of prescriptions for everyone.

24 Sep 2009

New report on seniors and health insurance reform released

Vice President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today hosted a town hall meeting with seniors in Silver Spring, Md., and released a new report, Health Insurance Reform and Medicare: Making Medicare Stronger for America’s Seniors.

24 Sep 2009

MetLife unveils its enhanced web-based resource for oral health care

Understanding how to maintain or improve oral health just got easier. MetLife, the largest commercial dental carrier, which administers dental benefits for over 21 million people, today unveiled its enhanced consumer resource, the MetLife Oral Health Library.

24 Sep 2009

Senators take to trenches for Finance Committee health bill mark up

As they consider chairman Max Baucus' health proposal, Senate Finance Committee Republicans and Democrats are debating costs, subsidies and the future of Medicare.

24 Sep 2009

Finance senators debate issues of timing, transparency

The Finance Committee resumed its mark-up of a proposal authored by its chairman, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., on Wednesday, with much of the debate gravitating to amendments concerning speed, timing and transparency. Republicans sought to delay the vote, while Democrats argued for a compromise that would bring the committee's deliberations to a swifter conclusion.

24 Sep 2009

Insurers, GOP react to criticism of letters to seniors

Insurers and Republicans react to the Obama administration's criticism of letters about health care reform from insurance companies, including Humana, to seniors. The Associated Press reports: "Republican lawmakers rebuked the Obama administration Tuesday for telling health insurance companies to stop warning elderly customers about proposed health care legislation, which some equated to a gag order."

23 Sep 2009

Some Medicare benefit cuts, increasing premiums could create 'political nightmare'

News outlets examine Medicare costs and long-term financing while the budget chief contradicts the president's repeated claim that seniors wouldn't see their Medicare benefits cut under health care reform.

23 Sep 2009

Safety tips for OTC and prescription medications

The beginning of October marks the start of Talk About Prescriptions Month, which is sponsored by the National Council on Patient Information and Education. In support of this annual awareness effort, Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) is sharing tips to help consumers safely take over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.

23 Sep 2009

First Edition: September 23, 2009

Today's headlines mark the opening day of the Senate Finance Committee's health bill mark up as well as a new round up of changes to the chairman's mark.

23 Sep 2009

Leading independent lives with help from Seniors Helping Seniors

Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home services demonstrate that with a powerful mission and strong values anything is possible. Despite the turbulent economic climate and challenges facing our nation, Seniors Helping Seniors franchise organization continues its steady growth as they gear up for their biggest fall season to date.

23 Sep 2009

FDA warns: Personal emergency response buttons are a potential choking hazard

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today cautioned users of personal emergency response buttons worn around the neck of a potential choking hazard associated with this product.

23 Sep 2009

Making ACOs a permanent part of health reform will help control costs: CAPG

Leaders from California’s physicians groups are in Washington DC this week meeting with key members of Congress to offer their experience at the forefront of a key health care reform element – Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).

23 Sep 2009

Proposed cuts can impact Ohio's health care services

The health reform bill currently pending in the House of Representatives, combined with the impact of the cuts being waved in front of Medicare-funded nursing homes -- an estimated $12 billion over 10 years -- will find Ohio's seniors in need of nursing and rehabilitative care on shaky ground.

23 Sep 2009

The YAI Network launches new website to support people with disabilities

The YAI Network (YAI), one of America’s foremost non-profit organizations devoted to creating hope and opportunity for people with developmental and learning disabilities and their families, announced today the introduction of a new Web site at www.yai.org. The new site provides visitors with a crisp and clear presentation of the organization’s mission and opportunities to engage with the network to support people with disabilities as well as access services and information.

22 Sep 2009

State budget cuts endangering lives in LA County

At the September meeting of the Los Angeles County Personal Assistance Services Council (PASC), officials from the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) announced that nearly 40,000 Los Angeles County seniors and people living with disabilities who rely on the State's In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program for vital care will either lose all or some of their care hours due to State budget cuts.

22 Sep 2009

Research to study how eukaryotic cells help in building proteins

Federal stimulus funding is helping a Kansas State University biologist continue to collaborate with the Harvard Medical School. Their research is creating a clearer picture of a certain cellular process that can play a role in chronic diseases like cancer.

22 Sep 2009

NYC Health Insurance Link launches new website for high quality health insurance access

HealthConnect Systems, the leading online network for buyers and sellers of health insurance and employee benefits, announced today that its technology powers the NYC Health Insurance Link (www.nyc.gov/HILink), which went live today at a ceremony hosted by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. New York City’s Office of Citywide Health Insurance Access (OCHIA) and Management Information Systems (MIS), divisions of NYC’s Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services (HRA/DSS), developed this innovative website to bring high quality health insurance access to New York City residents and small businesses.

22 Sep 2009

Seniors worry about Democratic proposals as well as so-called myths spread by opponents

In response to Democratic health reform proposals, seniors are attending town halls, writing letters to lawmakers, showing support for the GOP in polls, and "giving their legislators a piece of their mind that a way of life is slipping away," The Washington Times reports.

21 Sep 2009

Today's selection of opinions and editorials

Obama's Nontax Tax Wall Street Journal It turns out the President thinks a health-care tax is not a tax if he thinks the tax is for your own good (9/21).

21 Sep 2009