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The White House full court press on health care

Reuters: President Obama is holding "two meetings with Democratic legislators at the White House on Thursday as he pushes for a vote this month on his healthcare overall plan." The first, which was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. EST, "is expected to include 11 left-leaning members and leaders of minority groups in the House of Representatives, a White House spokesman said." The second meeting "is with leaders of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of centrist Democrats. Seven U.S. representatives are expected to attend that meeting" (Zengerle, 3/4).

5 Mar 2010

Free CRC screening programs for uninsured

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death among men and women nationwide, yet only half of people who need CRC screening receive it. The American Gastroenterological Association Institute is working to educate patients about the importance of screening and to encourage everyone age 50 and older to get screened for CRC.

5 Mar 2010

Some small businesses see burden in 'Cadillac' tax

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jenny Gold, in collaboration with NPR, writes about this proposed tax. It could make it more difficult for small businesses to purchase health coverage.

5 Mar 2010

Sebelius takes on health insurers

The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones: When health insurance executives meet with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at the White House Thursday to discuss premiums, they will "face a regulator who is well-versed in the complexities of the industry." Sebelius, whose resume includes a stretch as a state insurance commissioner, "is taking aim at rising premium rates as she joins President Barack Obama's push for an overhaul of the nation's health-coverage laws.

5 Mar 2010

Abortion language in health care bills continues to rankle both sides

"Pro-life advocates say the Democrats' health care bill would send millions of dollars to community health care centers without restrictions to keep the money from being used to fund abortions, potentially expanding access to the procedure." The National Right to Life Group "calls the Senate bill, which could come up for a vote in the House, 'the most pro-abortion piece of legislation to come before the House of Representatives.'"

5 Mar 2010

Obama pushes reconciliation, action on health care overhaul

In his White House speech Wednesday afternoon, President Barack Obama outlined his updated health overhaul plan and endorsed a legislative maneuver meant to move the congressional efforts on health care reform forward.

4 Mar 2010

Heartburn drug Kapidex to be marketed under new name Dexilant

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a name change for the heartburn drug Kapidex (dexlansoprazole) to avoid confusion with two other medications – Casodex and Kadian. Effective in late April 2010, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc. will market Kapidex under the new name Dexilant.

4 Mar 2010

Political heat tests the President's calm composure

The Washington Post: For a president "who so famously rejects drama," recent times have marked "one of the wildest policitcal stretches in recent memory." President Obama has said during yesterday's White House speech that, at stake in this legislative struggle is the nation's ability not only to solve health care problems, but "our ability to solve any problem."

4 Mar 2010

New Jersey hospital offers luxury with health, wellness

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on Virtua Health system's newly opened Health and Wellness Center in New Jersey, and calls it "the new face of luxury." The center was a $31 million investment by the non-profit group and it is expected to do well. "While many New Jersey hospitals grapple with barely-there operating margins and a national slowdown in construction, Virtua is growing.

4 Mar 2010

AMA enters health IT partnerships

The American Medical Association has made deals with computer retailer Dell, and Ingenix, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, to "help physicians adopt and implement electronic health records", the Chicago Tribune reports.

4 Mar 2010

Federal court rejects California Medicaid cuts

The San Francisco Chronicle: "A federal appeals court barred California on Wednesday from lowering Medi-Cal payments to doctors and hospitals by 5 percent and from cutting in-home care workers' wages by nearly 20 percent, saying the state's budget crisis doesn't justify violating federal laws that protect the poor and disabled.

4 Mar 2010

Washington State cracks down on prescription fraud with new paper and ink

The Seattle Post Intelligencer/Everett Herald: "Patients who get written prescriptions will see changes this summer aimed at curbing fraud. Come July 1, prescriptions will be printed on tamper-resistant paper with Mission Impossible-like ink that changes color when rubbed with a finger.

4 Mar 2010

Democrats now see a homestretch for health overhaul plan

President Barack Obama will take to the road next week for a push in America's heartland on health care reform.

4 Mar 2010

Accurate, life-saving diagnostic tools needed for screening and prevention of prostate cancer, says AdMeTech

AdMeTech President and CEO Dr. Faina Shtern told the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that a major national commitment is needed to create accurate, life-saving diagnostic tools for prostate cancer and end what she called "the prostate cancer crisis."

4 Mar 2010

Sesame Workshop and AmeriChoice to develop bilingual education outreach program

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, and AmeriChoice, the UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company that provides health benefits for state and public programs, are partnering to develop a bilingual education outreach program aimed at helping low-income families make food choices that are affordable, nutritional and set the foundation for lifelong healthy habits.

4 Mar 2010

Anesthesiologists and health care responders' experience during Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan

The 2008 earthquake in the Sichuan province of China was among the deadliest in history, killing an estimated 69,000 individuals and leaving millions displaced. Anesthesiologists are critically important medical responders to such disasters, as they have the skills required to resuscitate and stabilize patients while their injuries are surgically treated.

4 Mar 2010

First Edition: March 4, 2010

Today's headlines offer more detail about President Obama's health reform speech, his call for quick congressional action and reconciliation.

4 Mar 2010

Best Doctors Canada President available to discuss retesting of pathology reports Opinion

Canada's health experts are among the very best in the world, but Canadians may be surprised to learn that when it comes to reading their pathology reports, it is imperative that they seek a second opinion.

4 Mar 2010

MetLife data indicates middle boomers should be treated as separate demographic groups

For decades, American Baby Boomers have been characterized as a bloc of people who think and act as one monolithic generation. However, recent data from the MetLife Mature Market Institute®, show that Young, Middle and Older Boomers grew up during disparate “eras” and are now at different stages in their lives. They should, perhaps, be treated as separate demographic groups.

4 Mar 2010

Long-term sustainability of Medicare and Medicaid: Successful innovation needed

Despite the loss of the Democrats' supermajority necessary to pass comprehensive national healthcare reform, new federal legislation is needed to promote greater efficiency in the medical delivery system.

4 Mar 2010