Health Care News and Research

RSS

Imaginary plans are an insult to the American people: Americans for Tax Reform

Last week, President Obama spoke at length about what he called "my plan" before a joint session of Congress. Since that time, he has talked about "my plan" quite a bit over the last several days. By our count he has mentioned the "plan":

18 Sep 2009

Treatment costs for diabetes care are higher in Texas than other states

The Texas Business Group on Health (TBGH), a non-profit business association, today released its annual report on the prevalence, cost and quality of care for Texans with Type 2 diabetes.

18 Sep 2009

TFAH supports ARRA Prevention and Wellness Fund

Trust for America's Health (TFAH) applauds today's announcement of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's (ARRA) Prevention and Wellness Fund by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

18 Sep 2009

Top official calls for quicker, improved response to military mental health needs

The Associated Press: "Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, expressed frustration Wednesday with the pace of government work to heal the mental wounds of war. ... 'Shame on us if we don't figure it out this time around to make sure that doesn't happen,' Mullen said at a defense forum on the nonphysical injuries of war in Alexandria, Va., just outside of Washington.

18 Sep 2009

White House says Baucus' 'building block' is not the end of the debate

President Barack Obama's spokesman, Robert Gibbs, called the health care reform plan released Wednesday by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus "an important building block" that "gets us closer to comprehensive health care reform" Roll Call reports.

18 Sep 2009

With Baucus Bill no longer a mystery, party leaders contemplate strategy

Now that the long-awaited Baucus health overhaul is out, Democratic leaders are pondering how they will collect the votes and support necessary to move a bill through Congress.

18 Sep 2009

UHC's Clinical Documentation Audit Profile assists hospitals with RAC reviews

University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) has announced the development of the Clinical Documentation Audit Profile, designed to assist hospitals with Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) reviews.

18 Sep 2009

New vaccine may prove effective against urinary tract infections

University of Michigan scientists have made an important step toward what could become the first effective vaccine to prevent urinary tract infections, if the robust immunity achieved in mice can be reproduced in humans.

18 Sep 2009

Proposal renews calls for tax on sugary beverages

A proposal to tax sugary drinks as a way to improve the nation's health had been considered dead. But it was given new life Wednesday by a group of experts who published their idea to tax soft drinks at a rate of 1 cent per ounce.

18 Sep 2009

HHS Secretary announces a funding opportunity for communities and tribes

Creating ways for healthful lifestyle habits to be the natural first choice for Americans is the goal of a $650 million initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be used to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, decrease obesity, and decrease smoking in U.S. communities.

18 Sep 2009

Some governors worry about proposals to expand Medicaid as part of reform effort

The provisions in health care reform legislation have caused concern among some governors who fear it could increase financial burdens on their states.

18 Sep 2009

World Bank says additional 89M in 'extreme poverty' by 2010, asks for increased aid

An additional 89 million people are expected to be pushed to levels of "extreme poverty" by the end of 2010, according to a new World Bank report that urges developed nations to increase aid to developing countries, Bloomberg reports.

18 Sep 2009

Chairman Baucus' effort on health care reform applauded

"We are pleased that Chairman Baucus' bill is a meaningful step forward toward health insurance coverage for all Americans. We look forward to working with the chairman and senators to ensure the very best enrollment strategy for connecting to coverage all those who need it.

18 Sep 2009

U.S. healthcare system fraught with racial inequalities

Racial inequalities in health care access and quality added more than $50 billion a year in direct U.S. health care costs over a four-year period according to a study released today by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a Washington-based think tank.

18 Sep 2009

UAB study to examine the effects of the Internet and social networking on the elderly

The UAB Department of Sociology and Social Work will use a five-year, $1.9 million National Institute on Aging (NIA) grant to study the ability of computer use and social media networking to enhance the quality of life of elderly adults through online social connections and easier access to health information.

18 Sep 2009

Health care leaders urge Congress to act on meaningful health reforms

More than 400 of the nation's most respected health care leaders today issued a joint Open Letter to Congress declaring that the health care system is in crisis and is unsustainable and calling on Congress to act now on meaningful reforms. They state that Congress has a moral and ethical obligation to improve healthcare for all our citizens now.

18 Sep 2009

NCPA and AADE collaborate to provide DSME/T program for community pharmacies

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) today announced a partnership that will expand counseling options for patients while offering community pharmacies a path to be compensated by Medicare and other insurers for diabetes management.

18 Sep 2009

Strategies for reducing tobacco use and health care costs in the U.S.

The Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which includes support for strategies to reduce tobacco use, is a smart investment in the nation's health that will save lives, prevent disease and help reduce health care costs.

18 Sep 2009

Savings from tort reform less than advocates claim

While President Obama appealed to conventional wisdom - malpractice claims drive up costs by encouraging "defensive medicine" - when he supported tort reform recently, BusinessWeek reports that "The evidence suggests a much smaller effect.

18 Sep 2009

Leahy bill pushes antitrust laws

CQ Politics reports on new legislation to subject insurers to antitrust laws: "The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday introduced legislation to repeal health and medical malpractice insurers' exemption from federal antitrust laws.

18 Sep 2009