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States officials wrestle with Medicaid expansion decisions, state reforms

Many are exploring whether expanding Medicaid eligibility under the health law would lead to savings or increased costs.

17 Oct 2012

Viewpoints: Two views of Romney/Ryan victory impact on abortion; Unmarried women gain electoral clout

It is no secret that Mitt Romney and his running-mate, Representative Paul Ryan, are opponents of abortion rights. ... They would depart slightly from the extremist Republican Party platform by allowing narrow exceptions for rape, incest or the life of the woman. Beyond that, they would move to take away a fundamental right that American women have had for nearly 40 years.

17 Oct 2012

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announces winners of 2012 Community Health Leaders Award

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is proud to announce today the recipients of its 2012 Community Health Leaders Award, honoring 10 individuals who have surmounted significant challenges to help improve health and health care in their communities.

17 Oct 2012

State roundup: Many states, cities cut retiree health benefit budgets; Feds to decide Georgia's benchmark benefits plan

As cash-strapped U.S. cities and states struggle to address gaping budget holes, a long-honored benefit for public-sector workers has come into the cross-hairs of budget cutters: retiree health insurance. A growing number of states and cities are eliminating or reducing health coverage for retirees, a benefit that has long fallen by the wayside for most private-sector workers.

16 Oct 2012

First Edition: October 16, 2012

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about a study regarding the possible impact of premium support on Medicare premiums.

16 Oct 2012

Higher health care premiums could wipe out social security increases; Medicare enrollment begins

Social Security recipients shouldn't expect a big increase in monthly benefits come January. Preliminary figures show the annual benefit boost will be between 1% and 2%, which would be among the lowest since automatic adjustments were adopted in 1975.

16 Oct 2012

Roundup: Health care construction boom in Texas; Some Ga. schools, state authorities weigh leaving employee health plan

The Dallas-Fort Worth area is in the midst of an unprecedented health care building boom. You can see the most visible evidence in the Dallas medical district. There, several blocks apart, construction cranes signal more than $2 billion worth of new hospitals - the $1.27 billion replacement for Parkland Memorial Hospital and an $800 million replacement hospital at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

16 Oct 2012

Views on presidential race: NYT's Kristof recounts sick friend's need for health reform; Biden's Bizarre response on 'death panels'

My wife and I attended my 30-year college reunion a couple of weekends ago, but the partying was bittersweet. My freshman roommate, Scott Androes, was in a Seattle hospital bed, a victim in part of a broken health care system. Strip away the sound and fury of campaign ads and rival spinmeisters, and what's at stake in this presidential election is, in part, lives like Scott's. ... Scott now, at age 52, is suffering from Stage 4 prostate cancer, in part because he didn't have health insurance.

16 Oct 2012

More Medicare Advantage Plans get top ratings

Privately-run health insurance companies that contract with Medicare are scoring higher in a government-backed quality rating system designed to guide seniors to better medical care choices and service, the Obama administration announced Friday. The so-called "Medicare Advantage Plans" are performing better with more of them hitting four- and five-star ratings on the five-star scale, said U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

15 Oct 2012

Study evaluates international data on kidney transplantation

Kidney transplants performed in Europe are considerably more successful in the long run than those performed in the United States.

15 Oct 2012

In VP debate, Biden and Ryan clash on health issues

In this face-off, the two candidates outlined very different sets of policies and perspectives on issues ranging from their respective Medicare plans to the uninsured and abortion.

15 Oct 2012

Capitol Hill fights over health law, EHR doc payments continue

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill sound off on the Obama administration's "meaningful use" payments to doctors as the fight over parts of the health law -- its oversight and D.C's insurance exchange -- continue.

15 Oct 2012

Romney's clues on pre-existing conditions, lack of health coverage

During a meeting with the Columbus Dispatch, GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney offered a comment about people who lack insurance which is being characterized by some news outlets as "controversial." Romney plans to repeal the health law but says uninsured people could still visit an emergency room and that people with preexisting conditions could keep their insurance. On this point, however, he has yet to provide specifics, news outlets report.

15 Oct 2012

Viewpoints: Debate provided 'meaty' political conversation; Looking for Obama's plan on Medicare

Thursday night's vice-presidential debate was one of the best and meatiest political conversations in many years, showing that real differences on public policy can be discussed with fervor, anger, laughter and real substance. In contrast to the dismal meeting last week between President Obama and Mitt Romney, this debate gave voters a chance to evaluate the positions of the two tickets, in part because Representative Paul Ryan's nonanswers were accurate reflections of his campaign.

15 Oct 2012

Research roundup: Addressing disparities in cancer diagnosis time, Medicare open season awareness

Researchers tested the effectiveness of using patient navigation programs with women who have abnormal breast or cervical cancer screenings. These programs aim to facilitate treatment by such things as arranging financial support, transportation to appointments, child care or interpreter services.

13 Oct 2012

Roundup: N.J.'s Medicaid decision; Women short on care if Texas dumps Planned Parenthood; La. hospitals seek care gap agreement

WNYC's Fred Mogul, working in partnership with Kaiser Health News and NPR, writes: "As a way to reduce the number of uninsured, states are being encouraged to set more generous income limits for Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act. If states comply, they can get 100 percent federal funding in the first three years, declining to 90 percent funding over time. Typically, states and the federal government share the burden at a ratio that's closer to 50-50."

13 Oct 2012

Health Insurance News and Research

States officials wrestle with Medicaid expansion decisions, state reforms

Viewpoints: Two views of Romney/Ryan victory impact on abortion; Unmarried women gain electoral clout

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announces winners of 2012 Community Health Leaders Award

State roundup: Many states, cities cut retiree health benefit budgets; Feds to decide Georgia's benchmark benefits plan

First Edition: October 16, 2012

Higher health care premiums could wipe out social security increases; Medicare enrollment begins

Roundup: Health care construction boom in Texas; Some Ga. schools, state authorities weigh leaving employee health plan

Views on presidential race: NYT's Kristof recounts sick friend's need for health reform; Biden's Bizarre response on 'death panels'

More Medicare Advantage Plans get top ratings

Study evaluates international data on kidney transplantation

In VP debate, Biden and Ryan clash on health issues

Capitol Hill fights over health law, EHR doc payments continue

Romney's clues on pre-existing conditions, lack of health coverage

Viewpoints: Debate provided 'meaty' political conversation; Looking for Obama's plan on Medicare

Research roundup: Addressing disparities in cancer diagnosis time, Medicare open season awareness

Roundup: N.J.'s Medicaid decision; Women short on care if Texas dumps Planned Parenthood; La. hospitals seek care gap agreement

Financial Times features special report on NTDs

State roundup: Minn. says health exchange will cost $40 million

States, companies and officials worry over health law implementation

Premature babies from low-income families more likely to develop brain hemorrhages

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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