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Viewpoints: Adding a middle man to Medicare; Circumcision wars; Who is an extremist on abortion?

Bear in mind that health expenses will still have to be mainly paid for by some kind of insurance; that's in the nature of medical care, with its high but unpredictable cost. So what we're doing here is replacing government insurance with a program that gives people money to buy private insurance - that is, adding an extra layer of middlemen.

29 Aug 2012

State roundup: Ohio sets plan for people on both Medicaid and Medicare; Minn. asks feds for money-saving Medicaid changes

Ohio is one step closer to implementing changes aimed at better coordinating medical care for some of the state's sickest and most expensive patients. Gov. John Kasich's administration wants to streamline the way health care is delivered to Ohioans enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare. The state submitted a plan this spring to the federal government to better coordinate care for almost 114,000 so-called "dual-eligible" individuals living in seven urban regions.

28 Aug 2012

First Edition: August 28, 2012

Today's headlines include reports about new polling insights regarding the presidential campaign and Medicare, as well as what might become of the House of Representatives.

28 Aug 2012

Obama, Romney trade more Medicare barbs

President Barack Obama went on the Medicare attack, using his weekly address to challenge Republican charges that he cut Medicare. Obama also launched a new ad saying that the Romney-Ryan ticket would end Medicare as it exists today. But the Romney campaign has Medicare messages of its own.

28 Aug 2012

Poll: Economy trumps Medicare, women's health issues

As delegates to the Republican National Convention gather in Tampa, a new poll finds GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama neck-and-neck. Romney will use the week to introduce himself to American voters, but news outlets warn against expecting much substantive policy to emerge from the speeches.

28 Aug 2012

States consider names, logistics for health insurance exchanges

California officials ponder how to brand the new marketplaces to create consumer buzz, while Connecticut officials move ahead with plans to launch next year.

28 Aug 2012

Rural and urban areas equally likely to receive endovascular aneurysm repair care

A new study published in the September issue of Journal of Vascular Surgery reveals that rural and urban patients have equivalent access to endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) care from vascular surgeons, increased referral to high-volume hospitals and improved outcomes after repair.

28 Aug 2012

Romney points to Mass. law to defend positions on women's health issues

On the eve of the Republican convention, GOP presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney embraced the health law he signed while governor of Massachusetts as evidence that he would protect women's access to health care.

28 Aug 2012

Views on Medicare: Rep. Kathy Hochul's campaign; Ryan's vision; Wyden's role

Kathy Hochul is a young, first-term Democratic congresswoman fighting for her political life in a solidly Republican district outside Buffalo, N.Y. Unlike most of that liberal state, this is Romney country; a poll last week showed the GOP candidate ahead of President Obama in her district by a whopping 12 points.

28 Aug 2012

Official predicts consequences for Ala. Medicaid if voters don't OK emergency funds

The Associated Press reports that the official running Alabama's Medicaid program finances says if voters there don't approve funding the program with more than $437 million from the state's trust fund, the resulting large cuts could jeopardize medical care for the poor.

28 Aug 2012

Postoperative complications lead to hospital readmissions among general surgery patients

Postoperative complications are the most significant independent risk factor leading to 30-day hospital readmissions among general surgery patients, according to a new exploratory study published in the September issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

28 Aug 2012

Being physically fit also increases the chances of aging healthily

Being physically fit during your 30s, 40s, and 50s not only helps extend lifespan, but it also increases the chances of aging healthily, free from chronic illness, investigators at UT Southwestern Medical Center and The Cooper Institute have found.

28 Aug 2012

IASIS Healthcare, Aurora announce collaboration

Aurora Health Care and IASIS Healthcare today announced a wide ranging partnership which includes the formation of a development joint venture, Aurora IASIS Health Partners, to pursue healthcare acquisitions, new construction, management of facilities and development of clinical services with an initial focus on new and existing markets in Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

28 Aug 2012

Matrix Medical Network announces acquisition of Ascender

Matrix Medical Network, a national leader in prospective medical assessment services, announced today that it has acquired Ascender, a leading provider of integrated, advanced information technology to healthcare clients, in an all-cash transaction.

28 Aug 2012

Virtua achieves significant clinical milestone in the adoption of electronic health records

Today, Siemens Healthcare has announced that Virtua, a multi-hospital healthcare system, has achieved a significant clinical milestone in the adoption of electronic health records.

27 Aug 2012

CardioDx completes two-tranche equity financing

CardioDx, Inc., a pioneer in the field of cardiovascular genomic diagnostics, today announced the completion of a $58 million two-tranche equity financing.

27 Aug 2012

First Edition: August 27, 2012

Today's headlines include reports about this week's GOP convention, the politics of Medicare and abortion, and the latest health policy news from the states.

27 Aug 2012

Obama, Romney exchange barbs on Medicare, abortion

The former Massachusetts governor, responding to charges of a GOP "war on women," says his state health overhaul provided health care for "all women and men." The president, meanwhile, fights back against charges that he is taking money out of Medicare by asserting he wants to strengthen and preverve the program. Both campaigns also debut new ads on Medicare.

27 Aug 2012

Medicare, health policies stay in spotlight at top of the ticket

The Washington Post compares how Medicare fares under the health law versus under the Ryan plan, while NBC questions whether the GOP effort to hammer President Obama for reducing Medicare spending to pay for the health overhaul will work -- especially since GOP budget proposals make the same cuts.

27 Aug 2012

Calif. insurer agrees to pay record settlement over excess Medicaid payments

A health plan in California has agreed to pay a record $320 million settlement over allegations it was overpaid by the state's Medicaid program. Also in the news, a California hospital chain will pay $16.5 million to settle with the California Medicaid program and Medicare after a patient "kickback" investigation.

27 Aug 2012