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Sen. Appropriations Committee approves $54.1B FY2011 foreign ops spending bill, including $8.2B for global health programs

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved a $54.1 billion FY 2011 spending bill for the State Department and related agencies "that includes potentially controversial abortion language," CQ reports.

31 Jul 2010

RN layoffs far more extensive than Peterborough Regional Health Centre's announcement

Cuts of registered nurses (RNs) at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) are far more extensive than the hospital has informed the community of and will have a serious impact on patient care.

31 Jul 2010

FDA announces approval of vaccines for 2010-2011 US influenza season

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has approved vaccines for the 2010-2011 influenza season in the United States.

31 Jul 2010

Nature series examines role science can play in securing food for the future

As part of a series of stories and editorials on the role science can play in securing food for the future, Nature News examines the challenges associated with feeding the world's hungry.

31 Jul 2010

Rep. Chris Smith applauded for introducing legislation to enact government-wide abortion funding ban

D.C. Family Research Council Action today praised U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) for introducing bipartisan legislation to codify federal abortion funding restrictions that have been greatly undermined this year. With passage of a health care law that will fund and subsidize abortion, and with efforts by pro-abortion senators to open up military bases to abortion, Rep. Smith is introducing legislation to enact a government-wide abortion funding ban.

31 Jul 2010

Illinois quickly begins implementing new law to end violence in nursing homes; N.J. reverses cuts in AIDS drug program

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn Thursday signed a law establishing new nursing home safety measures "aimed at ending chronic violence in the facilities. Work already has begun on hiring dozens of additional nursing home inspectors, as well as writing rules that will increase licensing fees and nursing staff levels in the homes. State authorities also say they are tackling one of the thorniest issues: finding ways to fund the law's multifaceted provisions even as Illinois faces a $13 billion budget deficit" (Jackson and Marx, 7/29).

31 Jul 2010

WHO expert: Faster MDR-TB test should be made available to vulnerable populations

A new diagnostic tool that shortens the diagnosis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) from eight weeks to two hours should be made available to vulnerable populations according to a WHO expert, Reuters reports.

31 Jul 2010

Need for shelter in Haiti; Avoiding disease outbreaks; Presidential election

USAID Director Rajiv Shah "says shelter and rubble removal are immediate priorities in the reconstruction efforts in earthquake-devastated Haiti," VOA News reports. Shah briefed the House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere Thursday, and also "said between 300,000 and 400,000 units of shelter are needed. He said aid workers are trying to provide about 135,000 transitional structures right now."

31 Jul 2010

Sanofi Pasteur announces shipping of Fluzone Influenza Virus Vaccine in the U.S.

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group, announced today that shipping of the 2010-2011 formulation of its seasonal influenza vaccine Fluzone Influenza Virus Vaccine is underway in the U.S.

31 Jul 2010

Innovative health care effort in Chicago reports successes and disappointments

"An initiative designed to transform health care on Chicago's South Side ... has linked 5,600 people to a 'medical home' since 2005, University of Chicago executives said Thursday," The Chicago Tribune reported.

31 Jul 2010

Health care sector to lead sources of employment in upcoming decade

"In the coming decade, the health care and social assistance sector will be one of the leading sources of employment. It is going to be one of the most vital sectors in the economy and it is going to be a place of job growth," said Ithaca College sociologist Stephen Sweet. Since women make up a whopping 80 percent of the workforce in the health care industry, allowances will have to be made for their lifestyle needs.

31 Jul 2010

As COBRA subsidies run out, thousands of laid off workers feel the pinch of health costs

The Christian Science Monitor: A continuation of the subsidy for health insurance for newly laid-off workers was not included in the six-month extension of unemployment insurance that recently became law. "That means that as of June 1, thousands of workers are either paying out most of their unemployment checks for health coverage under 'COBRA,' or just not getting covered."

31 Jul 2010

Louisiana's Medicaid rate cuts kick in Aug. 1; Other states seek health program assistance, make tough choices to balance budgets

"The rates paid to many of the private health providers in Louisiana's Medicaid program will fall Sunday to trim spending by $168 million in the program that provides care to the poor, elderly and disabled. The latest cuts to private hospitals, home- and community-based care providers, doctors and specialty service providers are the final piece of balancing this year's $6.5 billion Medicaid budget. Department of Health and Hospitals Undersecretary Jerry Phillips said Medicaid funding was cut by $277 million in the 2010-11 fiscal year that began July 1."

31 Jul 2010

Poll: Many Americans not sure of provisions of new healthcare legislation

Not sure what's in—and not in—the new healthcare legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama in March? You're not alone. More than 2,100 adults were given a list of 18 reform items and asked to identify what's included and what's not included in the law. Only four items were correctly identified by the majority of those polled.

31 Jul 2010

Senate panel votes to end drug industry's practice of 'pay-to-delay' generics

The Associated Press: "In a defeat for the powerful drug lobby, a Senate panel approved legislation to prohibit drug companies from paying generic drug makers to delay bringing less costly products to market. … The measure would ban a 'pay-to-delay' practice — opposed by the [Federal Trade Commission] in a series of lawsuits brought since 2001 — in which brand-name drug companies and generic drug makers both profit. Brand-name drug makers get higher prices while the generic companies are paid to stay out of the market."

31 Jul 2010

High-risk health insurance pool rules bar abortions, limit patient costs

"Elective abortions will be prohibited and people with pre-existing conditions will be able to get comprehensive benefits without paying any more than healthy people, under new federal regulations for high-risk health insurance pools released today by the Obama administration" (Galewitz, 7/30).

31 Jul 2010

Consumers who have MMS should stop using it immediately, FDA warns

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to take Miracle Mineral Solution, an oral liquid solution also known as "Miracle Mineral Supplement" or "MMS." The product, when used as directed, produces an industrial bleach that can cause serious harm to health.

31 Jul 2010

Nashville hospitals cut costs to keep up revenues, despite fewer patients

"Over the past year and a half, keeping costs in check has helped the large hospital chains based in the Nashville area to increase quarterly earnings, even when seeing fewer patients come through their doors," The Tennessean reports. "The recent second quarter was no different. Cost controls fueled an 18 percent increase in net income at Franklin-based Community Health Systems, despite a decline in the number of patients. HCA Inc. saw fewer inpatient visits, and higher interest expense kept its pre-tax profits flat.

31 Jul 2010

Florida judge blocks state constitutional amendment on federal health law

A Leon County circuit judge today blocked a proposed [state] constitutional amendment that targets the federal health-reform law, saying Florida Republican lawmakers included wording in the proposal that would mislead voters. Judge James O. Shelfer said the proposal --- dubbed by lawmakers as the 'Health Care Freedom' amendment --- should not go on the November ballot. He described wording in a ballot summary as 'manifestly misleading.'

31 Jul 2010

Circuit Court Judge removes Amendment 9 from November ballot

Today, Circuit Court Judge James Shelfer removed Amendment 9—modeled after the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act now proposed in 42 states—from the November ballot. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is expected to appeal to Florida's Supreme Court.

31 Jul 2010

Health Care News and Research

Sen. Appropriations Committee approves $54.1B FY2011 foreign ops spending bill, including $8.2B for global health programs

RN layoffs far more extensive than Peterborough Regional Health Centre's announcement

FDA announces approval of vaccines for 2010-2011 US influenza season

Nature series examines role science can play in securing food for the future

Rep. Chris Smith applauded for introducing legislation to enact government-wide abortion funding ban

Illinois quickly begins implementing new law to end violence in nursing homes; N.J. reverses cuts in AIDS drug program

WHO expert: Faster MDR-TB test should be made available to vulnerable populations

Need for shelter in Haiti; Avoiding disease outbreaks; Presidential election

Sanofi Pasteur announces shipping of Fluzone Influenza Virus Vaccine in the U.S.

Innovative health care effort in Chicago reports successes and disappointments

Health care sector to lead sources of employment in upcoming decade

As COBRA subsidies run out, thousands of laid off workers feel the pinch of health costs

Louisiana's Medicaid rate cuts kick in Aug. 1; Other states seek health program assistance, make tough choices to balance budgets

Poll: Many Americans not sure of provisions of new healthcare legislation

Senate panel votes to end drug industry's practice of 'pay-to-delay' generics

High-risk health insurance pool rules bar abortions, limit patient costs

Consumers who have MMS should stop using it immediately, FDA warns

Nashville hospitals cut costs to keep up revenues, despite fewer patients

Florida judge blocks state constitutional amendment on federal health law

Circuit Court Judge removes Amendment 9 from November ballot

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