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First Edition: October 8, 2012

Today's headlines include reports and analysis from the campaign trail regarding both the presidential contest as well as House and Senate races.

8 Oct 2012

Patient navigation services can reduce dangerous delays in identification of breast cancer

Today researchers from The George Washington University published a study showing that breast cancer patients can reduce potentially dangerous delays in the identification of breast cancer with the assistance of patient navigation services.

8 Oct 2012

Romney's debate health care claims facing continued challenges

News outlets continue to examine statements made in the presidential debate as they look ahead to Thursday nights vice-presidential debate.

8 Oct 2012

People with lower socioeconomic status remain at higher risk of dying from colon cancer

Despite medical advances in colon cancer screening and treatment, people with a lower socioeconomic status remain at a higher risk of dying from colon cancer. A new study in The Milbank Quarterly finds that states and communities that focus on increasing the adoption of innovative health care practices along with providing greater access to public health information can reduce these deaths.

6 Oct 2012

Viewpoints: Romney's shifts back to moderate?; His misleading comments on pre-existing conditions; Debate's half-truths

Far from being a pitchfork-wielding populist who wants to raze Washington, Romney said he would work with the people he finds there. ... He bragged that in his old job as governor, he met with Democrats every week. He boasted about his bipartisan health care bill. ... he gave us a hint of a strong center-right pragmatic approach.

6 Oct 2012

Research roundup: Limited savings found from ACOs; Examining men's health racial disparities

A Simulation Shows Limited Savings From Meeting Quality Targets Under The Medicare Shared Savings Program -- The health law rewards accountable care organizations (ACOs), groups of health care providers working together to save money and increase quality. Those providers then share in the savings.

6 Oct 2012

States, federal officials confront health law public education challenges, exchange implementation

States are dealing with the ramifications of the health law's federally or state-run health insurance exchanges and the essential health benefits. Also, officials confront the challenge of educating the public on the health law's provisions.

6 Oct 2012

Debate coverage, cont.: Questions emerge about many health care facts

News outlets offer more analysis of Wednesday night's debate, including examinations of plans and proposals about Medicare and pre-existing conditions.

6 Oct 2012

Providing no cost birth control can reduce unintended pregnancies, abortion rates in women

Providing birth control to women at no cost substantially reduced unplanned pregnancies and cut abortion rates by 62 percent to 78 percent over the national rate, a new study shows.

5 Oct 2012

First Edition: October 5, 2012

Now on the blog, Phil Galewitz reports on what one expert describes as the "challenges" related to explaining the health law: "More than two and a half years after he signed the most far reaching health care legislation into law, President Barack Obama showed in his Wednesday debate with Mitt Romney that explaining the law is still no easy job."

5 Oct 2012

Have attitudes on health law shifted in N.H.?

Despite a beating two years ago for Democrats aligned with the health law, former President Bill Clinton and the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in New Hampshire rallied around the overhaul at a campaign appearance. Meanwhile, a conservative seniors group emerges to offer a competing view with that of AARP.

5 Oct 2012

Candidates clash over health law, Medicare and Medicaid proposals

Although only a portion of Wednesday night's debate was supposed to focus on health issues, the presidential candidates sparred on Medicare, Medicaid and specific provisions of the health law throughout the entire 90-minute event.

5 Oct 2012

A flood of post-debate fact checking follows points and counterpoints

News outlets examined a range of issues brought up during last night's presidential face-off, ranging from discussions of the $716 billion Medicare cut to talk of death panels and whether the health law promise of lower health insurance costs came true.

5 Oct 2012

What's new on pre-existing condition health plans, the Medicaid expansion

CQ HealthBeat offers a progress check on the health law's pre-existing condition insurance plan while the St. Louis Beacon explores the Medicaid expansion debate.

5 Oct 2012

Roundup: Mass. health plans lauded for comprehensiveness; Doctors question efforts like Calif.'s law on nurse practitioners

Health insurance plans offered in Massachusetts and analyzed by U.S. News & World Report were found to be among the most comprehensive in the country. The analysis included 67 plans from four Massachusetts insurers that are sold to individuals or families. Each earned at least four of five stars based on scope of coverage and cost to consumers. In other states, the portion of plans with the higher rankings ranged from 4 percent in Washington to 94 percent in New York.

5 Oct 2012

UPMC Health Plan recognized for call center excellence

UPMC Health Plan has once again been recognized for call center excellence under the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Call Center Certification Program.

5 Oct 2012

Five ACS members receive 2012 Surgical Humanitarian and Volunteerism Awards

Earlier this evening, five members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were named recipients of the 2012 Surgical Humanitarian and Volunteerism Award of the College and Pfizer in recognition for their selfless efforts as volunteer surgeons who provide care to medically underserved patients, domestically and abroad.

5 Oct 2012

First Edition: October 4, 2012

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz, working in collaboration with the PBS Newshour, reports: "The future of Medicaid -- the state-federal workhorse of the nation's health system that provides health coverage to the poorest and sickest Americans -- hangs in the balance on Election Day. President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney have vastly different approaches to the program."

4 Oct 2012

Parsing health and Medicare plans amid campaign promises

News outlets analyze the presidential candidates' proposals for tackling Medicare and Medicaid costs, as well as how these differing ideas are playing among voters.

4 Oct 2012

States ask, answer questions on health law implementation

Even as some states didn't meet the target set by the Department of Health and Human Services for submitting their "benchmark" plans regarding the health law's essential health benefits, others offered specifics about what would be covered and what plans would be their choice.

4 Oct 2012