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As rainy season begins, U.N. special envoy Clinton asks for more shelter, latrines for Haitian earthquake survivors

During a phone call on Monday, Bill Clinton, the U.N. special envoy for Haiti, asked U.N. officials to provide more tents, latrines and hurricane-proof shelter to improve housing and sanitation for Haitian earthquake survivors living in temporary camps, the Associated Press writes.

3 Mar 2010

State roundup: Mass. hospital controversy, Iowa and Utah consider coverage expansions

The state appealed to the federal government yesterday to help Massachusetts hospitals that care for disproportionately high numbers of lower-income patients who receive state-sponsored health insurance. Governor Deval Patrick is asking the Obama administration for $216 million for Cambridge Health Alliance, the state's only public acute-care hospital, and another $115 million for six private hospitals with high Medicaid patient populations

3 Mar 2010

Health care costs for retiring Americans average $260,000 and can exceed $500,000

Health care costs for retiring Americans, including nursing home care, average $260,000 and can exceed $500,000, according to new research conducted by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College and underwritten by Prudential Financial.

3 Mar 2010

Sen. Nelson signals support for health overhaul bill; Hoyer offers alternative way to move legislation forward

Speaking at a conference hosted by the Federation of American Hospitals Tuesday, Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., who withheld his support for a healthcare overhaul bill until just before the Senate passed it in December, "strongly hinted that he is prepared to back the final push to finish the job this spring," The Hill reports. "'Doing nothing on healthcare reform might seem like a reasonable option to some, but in my opinion it's not. Our nation's healthcare crisis will only get worse the longer we delay,' Nelson said.

3 Mar 2010

Nancy Pelosi holds press availability on health insurance reform in the Capitol

Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a press availability this afternoon on health insurance reform in the Capitol.

3 Mar 2010

HIV, NCDs impact achievement of MDGs, study says

Unequal progress in achieving U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for tuberculosis and child mortality in low-income countries is related to the countries' burdens of HIV and non-communicable diseases (NCD), according to a study published Tuesday in the journal PLoS Medicine, Reuters reports (Kelland, 3/2).

3 Mar 2010

Major tech firms join ranks of health IT squad

"The race to streamline online access to medical records turned into a stampede this week as leading high-tech vendors trumpeted new initiatives at the Health Information and Management Systems Society" (HIMSS) trade show in Atlanta," InternetNews.com/Datamation reports, adding that Dell, Google, IBM, Microsoft and others are touting "new and pending deals designed to help consumers, doctors and hospital move to more easily accessible, but also secure, medical histories and information online" (Needle, 3/1).

3 Mar 2010

Increasing health costs hurt coverage of medical workers, too

Even members of the health industry are feeling the pain of increasing health costs as they insure their employees, according to the Detroit News. "To combat rising costs, major health organizations are trimming medical benefits, tacking on surcharges for smoking and passing more out-of-pocket costs onto workers. Nurses, technicians and hospital workers are paying higher copayments and deductibles. … For many health providers, these cost-containing moves come out of necessity. They, too, have seen business taper off as a result of the recession, with many of their own patients losing coverage because of job losses."

3 Mar 2010

Concentra expands customer base and reach with the acquisition of Health Now

Effective March 1, Concentra, a national provider of urgent care services, has expanded its customer base and reach with the acquisition of the assets of Cherry Hill Health Care Associates, P.A. in Pennsauken, N.J.

3 Mar 2010

GOP Senators worry about backlash from COBRA extension filibuster

Los Angeles Times' D.C. Now: "Sen. Jim Bunning, the Republican from Kentucky whom Democrats love to blame for preventing passage of an extension of unemployment benefits, again blocked the Senate from taking up the measure on Tuesday." He says he supports the legislation's goals but will oppose it "until it is fully funded without increasing the federal deficit. In a one-person filibuster [that started last Thursday], Bunning has blocked the bill that, in addition to extending benefits, would also ... prevent a big cut in Medicare payments to doctors" (Muskal, 3/2).

3 Mar 2010

Bunning continues block of COBRA subsidy extension, Medicare 'doc fix'

Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., is blocking a bill that would temporarily extend unemployment benefits and federal subsidies for some health insurance benefits.

2 Mar 2010

Doctors issue warnings about reduced access as Congressional inaction cuts Medicare pay

A political deadlock in the Senate has triggered a 21 percent Medicare pay reduction to doctors who say they may have to limit care for older Americans unless the reduction is reversed.

2 Mar 2010

GOP, Dems continue battle over using 'reconciliation' to move health reform forward

Democrats are defending the use of the budget reconciliation in a health care overhaul as "nothing extraordinary" while Republicans are accusing them of "trying to ram through legislation using a parliamentary trick that Republicans say was never designed for such a big bill," The Wall Street Journal reports.

2 Mar 2010

Catholic Charities in Washington, D.C., limits spouses' health insurance

The Washington Post: Employees at Catholic Charities were told Monday that the social services organization is changing its health coverage to avoid offering benefits to same-sex partners of its workers. ... Starting Tuesday, Catholic Charities will not offer benefits to spouses of new employees or to spouses of current employees who are not already enrolled in the plan. A letter describing the change in health benefits was e-mailed to employees Monday, two days before same-sex marriage will become legal in the District."

2 Mar 2010

Cleveland HeartLab completes $3.0M fundraising round

Cleveland HeartLab LLC (CHL) today announced that it has completed a $3.0-million fundraising round. The company’s new shareholders include local business leaders, and Glengary LLC, Second Generation Ltd. and Zapis Capital Group LLC.

2 Mar 2010

Researchers face variety of barriers to addressing obesity in children

The US is facing many challenges in controlling the childhood obesity epidemic. Despite recent efforts and some progress, one third of US children are still overweight or obese. Yet research has shown that the road to obesity begins early in life, and it is more common and difficult to address for low-income children.

2 Mar 2010

Concerns about unnecessary scans and radiation risk prompt reviews by doctors

Business Week reports on a study that finds 1 in 4 MRI and CT scans are inappropriately recommended by doctors. The study appears in the March issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. The researchers analyzed 459 scans at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

2 Mar 2010

N.H. lawmakers consider rate-setting commission for hospitals

A proposed cost-control commission would attempt to spread hospital costs more evenly across New Hampshire's population and protect the uninsured from high charges, but the state's hospitals are unhappy about the plan, The Concord Monitor reports. "The 4,700-word bill would create a three-person commission, appointed by the governor, to set rates for procedures in every New Hampshire hospital.

2 Mar 2010

Activists and lobbyists ramp up efforts in possible final health care push

"In the absence of clear next steps, outside groups have stepped in to beat the drum, keeping time while the leadership meets behind closed doors to write the next movement. ... Progressive advocacy groups like Health Care for America Now and Families USA are organizing supporters and protests across the country, reminding Americans and lawmakers why inaction is unacceptable."

2 Mar 2010

Seeking undecided Dems, Obama's latest health proposal will focus on cost

The New York Times: "President Obama this week will begin a climactic push to rally restive Congressional Democrats to pass major health care legislation by hammering the argument that the costs of failure will be higher insurance premiums and lost coverage for individuals and businesses. ... he will contrast Democrats' proposals for expanding coverage and for regulating insurance company practices with what he sees as the shortcomings of the Republicans' incremental plans."

2 Mar 2010