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Weekend reading: Volunteers in the battle with heart disease; Psychiatry without medication; Owning your genes

Psychiatrists who take time with their patients are not the norm. It's not because others don't care. Rather the system rewards efficiency, not empathy.

17 May 2013

Acting CMS chief Marilyn Tavenner becomes agency's first confirmed head in 7 years

In a 91-to-7 vote, the Senate approved President Barack Obama's pick to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Tavenner, who has been the agency's acting administrator, was endorsed by Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va.

17 May 2013

Viewpoints: When a doctor should keep quiet; 2 views of hospital pricing; Stem cell 'snake oil'

In medical school, we were taught not to withhold information from our patients or to be "paternal" in making decisions for them. We internalized the idea that fully informed patients are better equipped to make treatment decisions.

17 May 2013

Roundup: N.D. abortion clinic sues to stop new law; Health care savings close budget hole in Conn.; Calif. counties struggle to expand mental health care

The running battle over the regulation of abortions entered a North Dakota courtroom on Wednesday, as the state's sole abortion clinic sued to block a new law that it says could force it to shut down. The law, requiring doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, was promoted by anti-abortion legislators, who argued that it would mean better care for women who suffer medical emergencies (Eckholm, 5/15).

17 May 2013

HHS to pay $1 billion for ideas to drive down health costs

The availability of a second round of grants -- funded by the health law -- was announced to support approaches to reduce costs and improve care. The initial round, announced last year, funded 107 organizations.

17 May 2013

People diagnosed with cancer are more likely to declare bankruptcy

People diagnosed with cancer are more than two-and-a-half times more likely to declare bankruptcy than those without cancer, according to a new study from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Researchers also found that younger cancer patients had two- to five-fold higher bankruptcy rates compared to older patients, and that overall bankruptcy filings increased as time passed following diagnosis.

17 May 2013

Doctors can play role in easing financial worries of cancer patients

Most cancer patients would like to talk about the cost of their care with their doctors, but often don't because they fear the discussion could compromise the quality of their treatment, researchers at Duke Cancer Institute report.

17 May 2013

Appeals court to hear Liberty University health law challenge

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., will hear arguments on Thursday related to the lawsuit brought by the Christian university.

17 May 2013

First Edition: May 16, 2013

Today's headlines detail the Senate confirmation of Acting Chief Marilyn Tavenner to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

16 May 2013

Roundup: Democratic opponents arise over Calif. governor's health care budget cuts; Veto of medical charity tax break scrutinized in Ga.

But Brown vowed to continue to resist pressure from fellow Democrats and interest groups to restore some money to adult dental care and to doctors who treat the poor. … Sacramento will oversee the expansion this year of Medi-Cal, California's health care program for the poor, to more than 1 million Californians who do not have health insurance now.

16 May 2013

Viewpoints: Controversy taints IRS efforts on health law; Another chance to 'gut' the overhaul in the courts; Salt wrongly accused

Even as the politicized tax enforcement scandal expands, the Internal Revenue Service continues to expand its political powers thanks to the Affordable Care Act. A larger government always creates more openings for abuse, as Americans will learn when the IRS starts auditing their health care in addition to their 1040 next year (5/14).

16 May 2013

California health exchange awards $37 million to educate residents about health law

The grants will go to 48 organizations to help the state explain benefits, show consumers how to access insurance and encourage small businesses to participate.

16 May 2013

Angelina Jolie's choice underscores screening and treatment costs

News outlets report on the cost of and questions surrounding Angelina Jolie's decision to have genetic testing and then to undergo a double mastectomy as preventive surgery.

16 May 2013

'Navigators' to play pivotal role helping consumers sign up for health insurance

Roll Call reports that many of the people who sign up for insurance through the exchange might face language barriers or may never have had coverage before. Also, CQ HealthBeat reports that web-based insurance brokers want "a place at the table."

15 May 2013

First Edition: May 15, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about how the latest Congressional Budget Office projections could further stall efforts to reach a grand bargain that includes changes to Medicare and other entitlement programs.

15 May 2013

Roundup: Ore. Health Co-Ops to compete with big insurers; Texas lawmakers find money for mental health, women's care

Armed with hefty federal loans, two startup health insurers are jumping into a crowded and confusing Oregon market just as the biggest changes to U.S. health care in generations roll out this fall.

15 May 2013

Probe of Medicare advantage leak finds wide speculation on deal

More people than previously thought predicted a major change in U.S. health-care policy that led to a federal insider-trading probe, according to new documents assembled by congressional investigators.

15 May 2013

New report analyzes economic viability of practicing midlevel dental providers in US

A new report assessing the economic viability of services provided by practicing midlevel dental providers in the U.S. shows that they are expanding preventive dental care to people who need it most: children and those who can't afford care.

15 May 2013

Health law could require some American Indians to buy insurance or pay penalties

The Associated Press reports that the overhaul's definition of "American Indian" only includes those tribes that are recognized by the federal government, though more than 100 tribes are recognized by state governments but not that U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. Other outlets report on insurance rates under the ACA, doctor-owned hospitals and the much lamented "doc fix" in Congress.

15 May 2013

GOP probe Sebelius' fundraising for health law outreach

Congressional Republicans want to know whom she contacted and what other HHS officials are involved, while Sen. Lamar Alexander said he would ask the Government Accountability Office to investigate. A Sebelius spokesman said her actions were legal, and that she had not solicited pharmaceutical and insurance companies regulated by the agency.

15 May 2013

Health Insurance News and Research

Weekend reading: Volunteers in the battle with heart disease; Psychiatry without medication; Owning your genes

Acting CMS chief Marilyn Tavenner becomes agency's first confirmed head in 7 years

Viewpoints: When a doctor should keep quiet; 2 views of hospital pricing; Stem cell 'snake oil'

Roundup: N.D. abortion clinic sues to stop new law; Health care savings close budget hole in Conn.; Calif. counties struggle to expand mental health care

HHS to pay $1 billion for ideas to drive down health costs

People diagnosed with cancer are more likely to declare bankruptcy

Doctors can play role in easing financial worries of cancer patients

Appeals court to hear Liberty University health law challenge

First Edition: May 16, 2013

Roundup: Democratic opponents arise over Calif. governor's health care budget cuts; Veto of medical charity tax break scrutinized in Ga.

Viewpoints: Controversy taints IRS efforts on health law; Another chance to 'gut' the overhaul in the courts; Salt wrongly accused

California health exchange awards $37 million to educate residents about health law

Angelina Jolie's choice underscores screening and treatment costs

'Navigators' to play pivotal role helping consumers sign up for health insurance

First Edition: May 15, 2013

Roundup: Ore. Health Co-Ops to compete with big insurers; Texas lawmakers find money for mental health, women's care

Probe of Medicare advantage leak finds wide speculation on deal

New report analyzes economic viability of practicing midlevel dental providers in US

Health law could require some American Indians to buy insurance or pay penalties

GOP probe Sebelius' fundraising for health law outreach

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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