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Experts discuss PEPFAR funding in congressional hearing

At a recent hearing of the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, "[i]nternational health organisations working to help check the spread of AIDS in Africa said meagre increases in funds from the U.S. government this year would be a step backwards. Some experts also emphasised that prevention must get appropriate attention in any fight against the disease," Inter Press Service reports.

15 Mar 2010

Economists, Dems differ on who's to blame for insurers' rate hikes

Democrats assailed health insurers for hiking rates in recent weeks to gain popular momentum for their health overhaul, but health economists say insurers did cause high health costs, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The economists "contend that insurance companies, while often meriting criticism for their practices, aren't to blame for high health care costs."

15 Mar 2010

Also in Global Health News: East Africa food security; Issues with humanitarian aid; Texting to fight counterfeit drugs

The Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) meeting this week in Kigali, Rwanda "will provide a forum for experts, government ministers, regional economic communities and other stakeholders to discuss how best to handle the food security issue in" East Africa, New Times/allAfrica.com reports. The U.N. Economic Commission for Africa's Sub-Regional Office, East Africa (SRO-EA) will host the meeting. "East Africa is the sub-region most affected by food insecurity," according to an SRO-EA report, New Times/allAfrica.com writes (3/13).

15 Mar 2010

States struggle to balance budgets, health programs face cuts

National Journal: States are aware of the "lingering effects of recessions" on the enrollment in their Medicaid programs. "Because it takes time for people to re-enter the workforce and get insurance, it can take years for Medicaid rolls to shrink to prerecession levels and for states to restore program and funding cuts." According to a February report by the National Governors Association, states are "facing budget gaps totaling $136 billion for fiscal 2010 through 2012 and that Medicaid enrollment would grow 6.6 percent in fiscal 2010" (Werber Serafini, 3/13).

15 Mar 2010

Health on The Hill: March 15, 2010

Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey talks with KFF's Jackie Judd and Edward Epstein from Congressional Quarterly about the weekend's health reform action on Capitol Hill.

15 Mar 2010

Today's Opinions and Editorials

After a year of national debate, a handful of House Democrats who oppose abortion may be the ones to decide whether health care reform goes forward or not. ... We are puzzled and dismayed that these legislators are willing to waste that opportunity because they say the onerous anti-abortion provisions in the Senate's bill are still not onerous enough (3/14).

15 Mar 2010

Insurers describe coverage of abortion in states with separate premiums

The Washington Post explores the use of riders on health insurance policies to cover abortion, a proposal that has sparked controversy in the national health overhaul debate. "In North Dakota, where insurers can cover abortions if customers pay a separate premium, the state's largest provider says it sells no abortion policies because no one has asked to buy one," The Post reports.

15 Mar 2010

Democrats confident health overhaul bill will pass despite hurdles

Democrats spent Sunday trying to pull enough votes together in the House to pass a health care reform bill later this week but said they were optimistic that they can get the support they need.

15 Mar 2010

FDA questions third-party review of medical devices

The Wall Street Journal: The FDA is considering ending a program that allows medical-equipment makers to have their products reviewed by third-party companies instead of by FDA officials.

15 Mar 2010

'Vaccine court' finds no link between vaccines and autism

A federal court finds no link between vaccines and autism after examining three cases that started in 2007. CNN reports: "A federal court ruled Friday that the evidence supporting an alleged causal link between autism and a mercury-containing preservative in vaccines is unpersuasive, and that the families of children diagnosed with autism are not entitled to compensation.

15 Mar 2010

Advertising on heath overhaul picks up again

"A slew of interest groups lobbying on the health care overhaul is cranking up the volume of advertising spots and grass-roots organizing this week as Congressional leaders race to put the finishing touches on controversial legislation to remake the nation's medical system," Roll Call reports.

15 Mar 2010

Stimulus funds spur Indiana doctors, hospitals to switch to electronic records more quickly

The offer of federal stimulus funds is spurring Indiana health care providers to convert to electronic medical records, The (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Journal Gazette reports.

15 Mar 2010

COBRA health insurance program changes confuse consumers

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jenny Gold writes about the confusion currently surrounding consumers. "Every day, dozens of confused, laid-off workers call the COBRA Help Center in Long Island, N.Y., a small private company which administers COBRA group health insurance plans.

15 Mar 2010

Program to obtain transplant organs from ER patients creates controversy

The Washington Post: "In the hope of expanding a controversial form of organ donation into emergency rooms around the United States, a federally funded project has begun trying to obtain kidneys, livers and possibly other body parts from car-accident victims, heart-attack fatalities and other urgent-care patients.

15 Mar 2010

Video-based supervision method helps caregiver offer better care for dementia patients

Astrid Andersen's master thesis at NHV has shown that the video-based supervision method, Marte Meo, used in dementia care has given the caregiver a concrete tool. It also has increased their consciousness and given them collective knowledge. They experience that they meet each patient's need in a better way.

15 Mar 2010

First Edition: March 15, 2010

Today's headlines drive home one key point -- for the Democrats' health bill, it's all about gathering the votes.

15 Mar 2010

HealthInsight provides HealthMedia online Digital Coaching solution to Sutter Physician Services

HealthInsight, provider of the leading value-based health care administration platform, today announced the company is providing the HealthMedia®online Digital Coaching solution to Sutter Physician Services for their new Wellness 2010 program. The combination of HealthInsight’s value-based compliance tracking and HealthMedia’s online Digital Coaching solution will help Sutter dramatically reduce their health care costs while improving their employees’ health.

15 Mar 2010

Christiana Care Breast Center nurse awarded 2010 Pearl Moore Making a Difference Award from ONS

Darcy Burbage, RN, MSN, AOCN®, CBCN®, clinical nurse specialist at the Christiana Care Breast Center at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, is the 2010 recipient of the Pearl Moore Making a Difference Award from the Oncology Nursing Society.

15 Mar 2010

More focus on reaching MDGs needed, development officials say

During a conference in London Thursday, development officials urged world leaders to "accelerate efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 and [said] rich countries must make good on promises to boost aid to poorer nations," Reuters AlertNet reports.

15 Mar 2010

DMC announces new agreements with Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital and Hurley Medical Center

Detroit Medical Center's Children's Hospital of Michigan has established new agreements with Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital and Hurley Medical Center in Flint to expand pediatric surgical expertise at these hospitals. As part of these agreements, pediatric surgeons from the Children's Hospital of Michigan are now performing outpatient surgical procedures and operations at these two health care facilities. In addition, the DMC has established a new Children's Hospital of Michigan Specialty Center at 5635 West Maple Road in West Bloomfield to house pediatric surgery services for patients.

15 Mar 2010