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Rise in U.S. disability health care spending, but preventive care may reduce expenditure

Just over one-quarter of U.S. adult health care spending was associated with disability in 2006, according to a new study by researchers at RTI International and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

10 Dec 2009

Pharmaceutical industry to execute new strategies in the coming year

As they pop the champagne corks to celebrate New Year's Eve, drug industry executives will likely be glad to put 2009 behind them. That's because pharmaceutical companies who make top-selling drugs for heart disease, asthma, and many other conditions had a tough year in the midst of mounting market pressures and a global recession.

10 Dec 2009

U.N. weather agency predicts heightened disease spread with rising temps; Globe and Mail examines potential health effects of climate change in Africa

The decade 2000-2009 "is very likely to be the warmest since record-keeping began in 1850, and 2009 could rank among the top-five warmest years," the World Meteorological Organization said on Tuesday at the U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen, the Associated Press reports.

10 Dec 2009

OPDQ adopts global vision on food and nutrition

The Ordre professionnel des diététistes du Québec (OPDQ) believes it is time to reflect on the future of the profession. The OPDQ has therefore initiated a wide-scale consultation process, first with its own members and later with partners and stakeholders in various food-related and nutrition-related sectors. The results of this process will ultimately be the topic of discussions during an interdisciplinary summit to be held next March.

9 Dec 2009

Reid to meet this afternoon with Democrats on health care reform deal

"Senate Democrats plan to hold a special caucus on health care reform at 5 p.m. Wednesday to discuss a tentative deal on how to change the bill's public insurance option," Roll Call reports. "A group of 10 Democrats — five centrists and five liberals — agreed Tuesday night to send a set of proposals to the Congressional Budget Office for an official score, but the details have yet to be presented to all 60 Members of the Democratic Conference.

9 Dec 2009

Reid continues to court moderates for health bill support

Some news organizations are watching how certain key swing senators are reacting to the negotiations on a public option in the health care legislation.

9 Dec 2009

Polls show stable attitudes on public option, abortion

A Bloomberg poll conducted Dec. 3-7 found, on health care, "about half of poll respondents saying they disapprove of the plans in Congress to overhaul the system. Sixty-two percent of Americans say they are mostly pessimistic they would benefit from [a health-care bill Congress may pass.] The youngest Americans are more optimistic, with 47 percent of those under 35 saying they would benefit."

9 Dec 2009

Reid says 'broad agreement' on public option, senators await details

Coverage of the Senate's "broad agreement" to create a national health insurance plan continues, with Democratic leaders remaining mum on details while insisting the compromise leaves a "public" option in the bill. (See KHN's Tuesday night breaking news round-up).

9 Dec 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

The language in our amendment is completely consistent with the Hyde Amendment, which in the 33 years since its passage has done nothing to inhibit private health insurers from offering abortion coverage. There is no reason to believe that a continuation of this policy would suddenly create undue hardship for the insurance industry — or for those who wish to use their private insurance to pay for an abortion (Rep. Bart Stupak, 12/8).

9 Dec 2009

'Hidden nuggets' on work breaks and calorie counts added to health reform legislation

USA Today reports that the health care bills moving through Congress have dozens of "lesser-known provisions" that include ideas that failed to gain traction in the past but are benefiting by hitching their proposal to health care reform.

9 Dec 2009

House staffers mull strategies to speed health bill passage

CongressDaily: "Congressional Democrats are laying groundwork that would allow the House to pass the Senate's healthcare overhaul bill without a conference, a move that would avoid additional Senate filibusters and possibly send a bill to President Obama before the end of the year."

9 Dec 2009

Senate rejects abortion amendment, sparking new fight

The Hill: "The Senate voted against strengthening restrictions for federal funding of abortion Tuesday evening, a development that could imperil Democrats' efforts to pass an underlying healthcare reform bill. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who offered the amendment, had indicated that he could support a Republican filibuster of the healthcare reform bill if the abortion language were not added to it."

9 Dec 2009

Drug makers attract scrutiny over cost and ads, but may benefit from overhaul

Drug makers came under scrutiny after the AARP published research recently showing their wholesale prices had increased by an average of 9.3 percent during the past year, offsetting the value of rebates the industry promised as part of a health care overhaul to help seniors pay for drugs.

9 Dec 2009

White House announces $600 million for community health centers, medical records

The White House announced Wednesday it would spend $600 million to build and enhance community health centers and medical records.

9 Dec 2009

Hi-Tech Pharmacal reports net sales of $40.9M for the quarter ended October 31, 2009

Hi-Tech Pharmacal Co., Inc. today reported results for the quarter ended October 31, 2009.

9 Dec 2009

UnitedHealthcare improves access to health care with DocGPS App of Apple’s iPhone

UnitedHealthcare is helping improve access to health care by putting its vast network of doctors, clinics, hospitals and other health care services on a new app just introduced on Apple’s iPhone.

9 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 9, 2009

Today's coverage details last night's tentative agreement struck by Senate Democratic negotiators in an effort to clear the public option impasse, and a vote on an abortion amendment.

9 Dec 2009

Home health care workers’ compensation cases discharged prior to 'order-end date'

Thirty percent of the home health care workers’ compensation cases managed by Total Medical Solutions (TMS) were discharged prior to the “order-end date,” the last date the physician had anticipated that services would be required.

9 Dec 2009

HIPAA Privacy and HIPAA Security Accreditations for MedRisk

MedRisk, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded the HIPAA Privacy and HIPAA Security Accreditations from URAC, a Washington, DC-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry.

9 Dec 2009

Save Flexible Spending Plans praises Sen. Charles E. Schumer for filing FSA protection amendment

Save Flexible Spending Plans, a national grassroots organization dedicated to protecting flexible spending accounts (FSAs), praised Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) for filing an amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that would help protect the future use and value of FSAs.

9 Dec 2009

Health Care News and Research

Rise in U.S. disability health care spending, but preventive care may reduce expenditure

Pharmaceutical industry to execute new strategies in the coming year

U.N. weather agency predicts heightened disease spread with rising temps; Globe and Mail examines potential health effects of climate change in Africa

OPDQ adopts global vision on food and nutrition

Reid to meet this afternoon with Democrats on health care reform deal

Reid continues to court moderates for health bill support

Polls show stable attitudes on public option, abortion

Reid says 'broad agreement' on public option, senators await details

Today's opinions and editorials

'Hidden nuggets' on work breaks and calorie counts added to health reform legislation

House staffers mull strategies to speed health bill passage

Senate rejects abortion amendment, sparking new fight

Drug makers attract scrutiny over cost and ads, but may benefit from overhaul

White House announces $600 million for community health centers, medical records

Hi-Tech Pharmacal reports net sales of $40.9M for the quarter ended October 31, 2009

UnitedHealthcare improves access to health care with DocGPS App of Apple’s iPhone

First Edition: December 9, 2009

Home health care workers’ compensation cases discharged prior to 'order-end date'

HIPAA Privacy and HIPAA Security Accreditations for MedRisk

Save Flexible Spending Plans praises Sen. Charles E. Schumer for filing FSA protection amendment

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

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