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Study compares annual healthcare costs of diabetic and non-diabetic individuals

Risk factors for metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and elevated blood lipid levels, can increase a person's healthcare costs nearly 1.6-fold, or about $2,000 per year. For each additional risk factor those costs rise an average of 24%, according to an illuminating article in a recent issue of Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

18 Sep 2009

In Massachusetts, fears about public health vaccination proposal

The Boston Globe reports on the dramatic and fearful response to a "seemingly prosaic piece" of pending Massachusetts state legislation "that aims to better define - and, in some respects, restrict - the emergency powers of the state's public health officials."

18 Sep 2009

Medical interpreters to help limited English proficient patients

Now, the University of Missouri Institute of Public Policy, Center for Health Policy and Missouri Telehealth Network are partnering with the Language Access Metro Project (LAMP) and the Missouri Primary Care Association to provide medical interpreters to non-English-speaking patients who otherwise might not have access to live interpreters.

18 Sep 2009

Many industry groups favor Baucus plan

Media reports find a generally positive response from industry to the health overhaul bill released Wednesday by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.

18 Sep 2009

Republican wish list has stark differences and surprising similarities to Democratic proposals

The Republican leadership lacks a flagship health reform plan, but a variety of ideas and proposals have emerged from rank-and-file members that outline the party's reform principles, Kaiser Health News reports.

18 Sep 2009

Summa Health System responds to healthcare reform

As the health insurance reform debate continues in Washington, D.C. and around the country, Summa Health System provides the following response to the latest developments in the debate and the potential impact on Summa. As a system, Summa continues to inform the debate by sharing its perspective on various policy changes and urges adoption of policies that would impact its patients' health in a positive way, including efforts to expand affordable health insurance to those without coverage.

18 Sep 2009

Parents' insurance status affects their children's health care--even when the children are insured

Insured children are less likely to have necessary health-care services if their parents are uninsured, according to a study published in the September/October issue of Annals of Family Medicine.

18 Sep 2009

Debate focuses on cost for coverage mandates

The Democratic reform proposals in Congress mandate that people have health insurance and provide for different levels of government subsidies, which causes debate on how much people should pay for their health care. NPR reports on the bill released Wednesday by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus: "The latest bill, however, provides less generous subsidies, which could make it harder for middle-class families to afford the mandatory insurance."

18 Sep 2009

Health reform yet to address the critical issue of how federal rules will impact health care delivery systems

According to a new report from State Coverage Initiatives, federal policymakers crafting health reform have yet to address the critical issue of how new or modified federal rules will impact health care delivery systems, insurance regulation, and safety net programs administered by the states.

18 Sep 2009

Young adults need quality and affordable health coverage

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new report, Young Americans and Health Insurance Reform: Giving Young Americans the Security and Stability They Need. The report highlights the vulnerability young adults face in the current health care system and the urgent need for health insurance reform.

18 Sep 2009

FDA advises consumers not to use stolen respiratory medications

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today advised consumers not to use certain respiratory medications purchased after Sept. 8, 2009 and manufactured by Dey L.P., a subsidiary of Mylan Inc., because the medications might have been part of a shipment being transported on a tractor-trailer stolen in Tampa, Fla., on Sept. 8, 2009.

18 Sep 2009

Government-run health care and increased taxes top list of concerns

On the heels of the new $856 billion health care bill proposed yesterday by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, doubt over health care reform passing this year still looms across the American public.

18 Sep 2009

Also in global health news: HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh; river blindness in Tanzania; potential immune system booster; compounds might fight TB

BDNews24.com reports on a new $13 million U.S.-government initiative aimed at "providing HIV-prevention services to two million at-risk people in Bangladesh including injecting drug users, male, female and transgender sex workers and their clients, and HIV-positive people through a network of 50 health centres." USAID will partner with Family Health International (FHI) to implement the program (9/17).

18 Sep 2009

Intermittent preventive treatment could prevent a third of infant malaria cases, study finds

Research into intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in infants (IPTi) found that one-third of malaria cases in African babies can be prevented by giving them regular doses of malaria drugs even if they have not contracted the disease, according to a Lancet study, published on Thursday, Reuters reports. The study found that IPTi "helped children build better immunity to the disease and reduced the risk of the parasite becoming drug-resistant," but "these benefits decrease if treatment is given continuously as a prophylaxis," Reuters writes.

18 Sep 2009

WHO in talks with developed countries about sharing H1N1 vaccine with developing nations

The recent news that a single dose of H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine can protect adults against the virus has sparked conversations between the WHO and developed countries about sharing their vaccine stockpiles with developing countries, Bloomberg reports.

From Baxter International Inc. 18 Sep 2009

Food aid hits 20-year low as number of 'critically hungry' people increases, WFP says

Global food aid is at a 20-year low even though the number of "critically hungry people" is expected to reach the highest level ever, the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday, Reuters reports (9/16).

18 Sep 2009

Baucus plan gives a nod to GOP ideas

KHN reports that "[t]he Senate Finance Committee bill unveiled Wednesday by chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., contains several provisions that were inspired by Republicans, including testing new ways to handle medical malpractice cases, creating avenues for consumers to cross state lines to buy insurance and immediately launching a high-risk pool that would cover people with pre-existing medical conditions" (Pianin and Appleby, 9/17).

18 Sep 2009

Merge Healthcare launches FusionWeb application software

Continuing its technology leadership in image-enabling the healthcare enterprise, Merge Healthcare, today announced the release of FusionWeb™, a revolutionary zero-client software platform that enables secure

18 Sep 2009

Employers to reexamine health benefit strategies in response to passage of health care reform legislation

With health care reform efforts ramping up after the summer break, many of the nation’s employers are focusing on the action in Congress and plan to adjust their benefit strategies based on how final legislation affects their costs, according to a survey of 433 HR and benefit executives from midsize and large organizations conducted by professional services firm Towers Perrin.

18 Sep 2009

Obama to student audience: Health reform is 'defining struggle of this generation'

"Calling health insurance reform a 'defining struggle of this generation,' President Barack Obama told thousands of college students Thursday that Congress must resist scare tactics and false accusations to do a makeover."

18 Sep 2009

Health Care News and Research

Study compares annual healthcare costs of diabetic and non-diabetic individuals

In Massachusetts, fears about public health vaccination proposal

Medical interpreters to help limited English proficient patients

Many industry groups favor Baucus plan

Republican wish list has stark differences and surprising similarities to Democratic proposals

Summa Health System responds to healthcare reform

Parents' insurance status affects their children's health care--even when the children are insured

Debate focuses on cost for coverage mandates

Health reform yet to address the critical issue of how federal rules will impact health care delivery systems

Young adults need quality and affordable health coverage

FDA advises consumers not to use stolen respiratory medications

Government-run health care and increased taxes top list of concerns

Also in global health news: HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh; river blindness in Tanzania; potential immune system booster; compounds might fight TB

Intermittent preventive treatment could prevent a third of infant malaria cases, study finds

WHO in talks with developed countries about sharing H1N1 vaccine with developing nations

Food aid hits 20-year low as number of 'critically hungry' people increases, WFP says

Baucus plan gives a nod to GOP ideas

Merge Healthcare launches FusionWeb application software

Employers to reexamine health benefit strategies in response to passage of health care reform legislation

Obama to student audience: Health reform is 'defining struggle of this generation'

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