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Also in Global Health News: U.S. aid to Somalia; Nigerian health workers strike; male circumcision in Swaziland; PEPFAR in Uganda

The U.S. State and Treasury departments together with USAID have reached an agreement that will allow several aid agencies in Somalia to receive humanitarian grants upon meeting several conditions, "unlock[ing] millions of dollars in relief resources that had been on hold due to US anti-terrorism rules," IRIN reports.

7 Oct 2009

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger supporting health reform efforts

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday announced his support for President Obama's push for health care reforms.

7 Oct 2009

Baucus says bill score could come Wednesday

Roll Call reports that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said today that he could receive on Wednesday the final Congressional Budget Office cost estimate of the latest version of his panel's health reform bill.

7 Oct 2009

Visionet Systems acquires eDocSynergy

Visionet Systems - a provider of technology solutions, strategic consulting services, and knowledge process outsourcing - has acquired eDocSynergy, LLC, a privately-held provider of healthcare technology.

6 Oct 2009

Examining the recent winners and losers in the health reform debate

"Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drugmaker, and hospital companies including Community Health Systems Inc. are benefiting from agreements with President Barack Obama that will limit any threat to their profits."

6 Oct 2009

Balancing costs, quality a difficult task both in Congress and practice

Democratic lawmakers hope to keep costs for health coverage down while, at the same time, improving benefits packages, a pair of sometimes-conflicting goals that boils down to an effort to get more for less, the New York Times reports.

6 Oct 2009

States face rising Medicaid rolls under health reform

As part of the ongoing "Are You Covered?" series done in conjunction with Kaiser Health News, NPR profiles a 94-year-old Medicaid recipient in Colorado, who lives in a nursing home largely paid for by her Medicaid coverage. Gracie Scarrow and her daughter, Lela Petersen, both "say they are very satisfied with the program."

6 Oct 2009

Health insurance exchanges examined as part of reform proposals

Health insurance exchanges are part of every health care overhaul proposal now in Congress as Utah becomes just the second state to try its own exchange on for size.

6 Oct 2009

Health reform may open employment opportunities

Health reform could open new opportunities for workers and employers, according to U.S. News and World Report. "If healthcare reform makes insurance much more affordable to individuals and businesses, it could result in a greater variety of career options for workers. For one thing, it would reduce barriers to entrepreneurship.

6 Oct 2009

U.S. lags behind industrialized countries on preventable deaths

The United States lags behind other wealthy countries on "preventable deaths," those caused by illnesses and injuries that should not kill at an early age, and it has been falling further behind over the past decade.

6 Oct 2009

Administration considers extending COBRA premiums

The Obama administration announced Monday that it is considering extending a federal law that subsidizes COBRA health insurance premiums for laid-off workers.

6 Oct 2009

Merge Healthcare adds three Biotronics3D applications to its eFilm eCommerce channel

Merge Healthcare, a leading health IT solutions provider, today announced the addition of three Biotronics3D applications to its eFilm eCommerce channel: Diagnostic 3D, Vessel Review and Colon Review. Each module brings fast access to an array of advanced visualization tools that assist in non-invasive viewing and diagnosing of medical conditions.

6 Oct 2009

Supreme Court asks Obama's opinion on San Francisco’s health care law

"The U.S. Supreme Court delayed action Monday on employer fees in San Francisco's groundbreaking health care program and instead sought advice from the Obama administration, even as the president struggles to overhaul health coverage nationwide," The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

6 Oct 2009

California officials question cost-effectiveness of immigrant screening rules

Los Angeles County officials are questioning the "cost-effectiveness of rules aimed at screening those trying to get public health services," The Los Angeles Times reports. The county began implementing tougher federal standards in 2008, receiving "nearly $28 million in state and federal funds to cover the cost of the program and posted 81 people in 27 social service department offices to check documents."

6 Oct 2009

Healthcare workforce management staffing solution provider updates website

Stay Staffed Technologies announced today their newly updated website includes new client resources such as case studies, product reviews, and healthcare IT resource links and more. The suite of workforce management software heightens the efficiency and staff productivity of hospitals while reducing operational expenses associated with costly third-party vendors, health care staffing overtime, and burdensome manual systems.

6 Oct 2009

First Edition: October 6, 2009

Kathy Young, the veteran benefits administrator for a large plumbing supply company headquartered in Madison, Wis., is well versed in the often fiendish complexities of medical bills (Kaiser Health News and The Washington Post).

6 Oct 2009

Researchers find increase in the number of procedures performed for dermatologic health care

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and the Laser and Skin Cancer Center of Indiana, (Carmel, Indiana), found that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of procedures performed and patient demand for dermatologic health care since 2000. The findings, which were recently reported in Dermatologic Surgery, parallels the growth in the age of individuals between the ages of 40 to 55, who make up the "Baby Boomer" generation.

6 Oct 2009

Comprehensive Medicare coverage from Priority Health

Priority Health announced today it is expanding both its Medicare Advantage service area and the Medicare Advantage products it will offer effective Jan. 1, 2010. Residents in 31 Michigan counties will be able to choose Priority Health Medicare Advantage coverage in 2010, up from 23 counties in 2009.

6 Oct 2009

Drug database provider First DataBank to join the Health 2.0 Accelerator consortium

First DataBank, a leading provider of integrated drug databases for the healthcare industry, today announced that it will join PharmaSURVEYOR and a growing list of "Health 2.0 companies" as participants in the Health 2.0 Accelerator, a consortium focused on promoting integration of technology and the consumer experience to advance consumer-centric health care.

6 Oct 2009

Ventilation mask leakage may contaminate hospital setting

New research shows that certain noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) masks may leak exhaled air up to a distance of 1 m from patients receiving treatments.

6 Oct 2009