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Michigan business owners asked to air their concerns about national health care reforms

Owners of small- to mid-sized businesses across Michigan need to stay informed and to speak out against potential higher taxes and other costs associated with national health care reform, according to the Michigan Business and Professional Association (MBPA) and the Michigan Food and Beverage Association (MFBA) in response to President Obama's speech on healthcare reform.

11 Sep 2009

H.R. 3200 health care reforms will benefit illegal aliens

"The reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally," President Obama said in a carefully worded statement to a Joint Session of Congress and the American public last night. The problem, notes the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), is that the health care reforms proposed in H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Care Act of 2009, clearly would benefit illegal aliens.

11 Sep 2009

The Joint Commission to launch Center for Transforming Healthcare

Teaming up with top hospitals and health systems across the country to use new methods to find the causes of and put a stop to dangerous and potentially deadly breakdowns in patient care, The Joint Commission is launching the Center for Transforming Healthcare.

11 Sep 2009

Long-term care insurance bill finds support from industry leader

Today Jonas Roeser, a long-term care industry leader, declared his support for H.R. 1891, a House bill to make long-term care insurance more affordable through a 50% tax deduction. Roeser is Senior Vice President of Marketing and Operations for LTC Financial Partners LLC (LTCFP) -- http://www.ltcfp.com -- one of the nation's largest and most experienced long-term care insurance agencies.

11 Sep 2009

ECFC against Congress proposal for caps on flexible spending account contributions

Amidst the sound and fury of concern over various aspects of President Obama's health care reform proposal, observers too often lose sight of the core fundamental principles on which the President is correct, according to the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation.

11 Sep 2009

Follow President Obama's leadership: HCLA urges Congress

The Health Coalition on Liability and Access today commended President Obama for acknowledging the need to reform our nation's broken medical liability system, and calls on Congress to follow the President's leadership by including reform in pending health care legislation.

11 Sep 2009

Obama's speech leaves room for Snowe's compromise to put off public option

Kaiser Health News reports that President Obama's joint address to Congress last night appeared to leave room for compromise on a key issue: "By signaling his flexibility last night on a government-run insurance plan, President Barack Obama gave new impetus to a fallback 'trigger' approach that some believe could be essential to passing health care legislation this year" (Pianin and Carey, 9/10).

11 Sep 2009

Health care reform briefings on September 19

On September 19 a number of organizations are joining in briefings on health care reform that would really allow health care to become more affordable and more responsive to the individual rights and choices of Americans. This will provide a stark contrast to the many contradictory and expensive proposals that are now under consideration in Congress.

11 Sep 2009

APHA calls for comprehensive health care reform affordable to all Americans

"According to new Census Bureau data released today, there are now more than 46 million Americans who do not have health coverage. And alarmingly, things are only getting worse.

11 Sep 2009

Proposal calls for Medicare coverage of HIV screening

A new government proposal calls for Medicare beneficiaries to receive coverage for Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection screening.

11 Sep 2009

PhRMA concurs with Obama's health care reform

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) President & CEO Billy Tauzin issued the following statement after President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress on health care reform:

11 Sep 2009

A market 'fundamentally changed': How health proposals could affect Americans who buy their own insurance

Kaiser Health News, in a collaboration with The Washington Post, reports on how the insurance market may change. "Who will benefit - and who won't - if Congress overhauls America's health-care system?

11 Sep 2009

Increasing coverage without raising the costs not possible: Gary Bauer

Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer on the eve of President Obama's health care address said Tuesday that he would be listening for specifics from the President about "compromises and concessions he is willing to make to show that his promises of bipartisan policy development were real."

11 Sep 2009

Overshadowed Republican reply asks for compromise, new beginning

The official Republican response to President Barack Obama's speech, delivered by Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La., was overshadowed by Rep. Joe Wilson's "You lie," remark Newsweek reports.

11 Sep 2009

Study examines how biotech firm partnerships with developing nations can help increase innovation, revenue

By forging partnerships with developing countries, biotechnology companies from developed countries may be able to stay afloat during the current economic crisis and bolster innovation, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Nature Biotechnology, Livemint.com reports.

11 Sep 2009

NCOA supports Obama for improving Medicare’s delivery system

NCOA applauds President Obama's call for universal health care. Older Americans with Medicare know first-hand the benefits of universal coverage -- and they should be in the forefront of efforts to secure the same rights for their children and grandchildren.

11 Sep 2009

Tort reform back on table in health care debate

"Sparked by complaints at town hall meetings last month about the impact of medical malpractice suits on healthcare costs, a battle is brewing between business advocates and lawyers over whether to limit damages in lawsuits against physicians and other medical professionals as part of a healthcare overhaul," CongressDaily reports.

11 Sep 2009

ACLJ: Abortion funding issue cannot be resolved without a specific exemption

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), focusing on constitutional law, said today despite President Obama’s insistence that “no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions” – the fact is that such a proclamation does not guarantee that abortion won’t become a mandatory health care “benefit” under health care reform.

11 Sep 2009

Gastroenterologists applaud President's call for screening tests coverage

Gastrointestinal specialists from the American College of Gastroenterology applaud President Obama's call to cover preventive screening tests, such as breast cancer exams and colonoscopy. In his health care speech to a joint session of Congress last night, the President argued that "there's no reason we shouldn't be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer before they get worse. That makes sense."

11 Sep 2009

New uninsured number: Up to 46.3 million in mid-2008

The Associated Press: "The Census Bureau reports that the number of people lacking health insurance rose to 46.3 million in 2008. That's up from 45.7 million in 2007, due to a continuing erosion of employer-provided insurance. Still, the level remained just below the peak of 47 million who were uninsured in 2006, because of the growth of government insurance programs such as Medicaid for the poor" (Yen, 9/10).

11 Sep 2009