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Lack of insurance coverage driving up number of patients who seek dental care in the emergency room

More Americans are turning to the emergency room for routine dental problems - a choice that often costs 10 times more than preventive care and offers far fewer treatment options than a dentist's office, according to an analysis of government data and dental research.

29 Feb 2012

State roundup: Helping hand for safety-net clinics; Conn. tries medical homes; Kansas disabled waiting for space

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, the largest private insurer in the Washington [DC] region, plans to announce Tuesday that it will give $8.5 million to a dozen safety-net clinics to help them use a coordinated primary-care approach to treat their most vulnerable patients, executives said. ... One of the recipients is the Arlington Free Clinic, which provides free health care to about 1,600 low-income, uninsured residents.

28 Feb 2012

HPV vaccine now recommended for boys: American Academy of Pediatrics

Pediatricians in the U.S. say it's now time for boys, as well as girls, to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus or HPV. The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its guidance to parents and doctors in favor of routine immunization for boys against the virus. Earlier the AAP had said it was OK to vaccinate boys against the HPV, but it only became part of the pediatricians' official schedule of recommended vaccines this month.

28 Feb 2012

Abortion legislation making noise at state capitols

A host of abortion legislation proposals in state capitols around America - ranging from requiring Colorado doctors with religious objections give patients notice to mandated insurance coverage of abortion in Washington - are making news.

28 Feb 2012

A health care history lesson

Most of us get health insurance through our jobs, a system puzzling to the rest of the industrial world, where the government levies taxes and offers health coverage to all as a basic right of modern society. But for many Americans, their way feels alien - the heavy hand of government reaching into our business as some bureaucrat tells doctors and patients what to do.

28 Feb 2012

States, governors have different thoughts on insurance exchanges, impact of health law

States are lagging in the creation of health insurance exchanges, the supermarkets where millions of consumers are supposed to buy subsidized private coverage under President Obama's health care overhaul.

28 Feb 2012

State roundup: State tobacco funds scrutinized; More allegations against Calif.'s Prime Healthcare; Ore. CCOs get green light

A U.S. Surgeon General's report due to be released March 8 will come down hard on states that have cut anti-smoking funds in tough fiscal times, said Terry Pechacek, who oversees the report as director for Science in the Office on Smoking and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report can't result in sanctions, but it has proven to move public opinion in the past to force changes by tobacco companies in how they sell cigarettes, how states fund efforts and how the federal government regulates the trade.

27 Feb 2012

Romney's Medicare plan would gradually raise eligibility age

The plan was released just days before just days before the next round of primary elections. Also in the news, more on GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's tea party appeal and position on abortion, while rival Rick Santorum offers more charges that the former Massachusetts governor is not conservative enough.

27 Feb 2012

Sebelius casts doubt on Calif. Medi-Cal changes; Other Medicaid changes around America scrutinized

Medicaid cuts in California, Washington and Texas prove controversial, while changes or proposed changes in Florida, Georgia and Minnesota get closer looks.

27 Feb 2012

First Edition: February 27, 2012

Among today's health policy headlines, a new Politico poll highlights the deep divide in public opinion that exists regarding the repeal of the health law.

27 Feb 2012

Teens driving under influence of marijuana: Study finds

The survey was conducted by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). They looked at 2,300 eleventh and twelfth graders and found more than one-third of teens who have driven after using marijuana say the drug doesn't distract them from driving. What's more, one in five teens admitted to driving high. In addition the survey found 13 percent of teens said they had got behind the wheel after drinking, while 19 percent did not consider drinking a major distraction.

26 Feb 2012

State health insurance exchanges moving in fits and starts

Vermont, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Texas and California are grappling with various aspects of implementing the health law.

24 Feb 2012

Senate contests touch on contraception, health reform issues

Media outlets report on how these issues are being debated in Senate campaigns in Massachusetts and Texas.

24 Feb 2012

Woman barred from House contraception hearing testifies at Dems' event

A woman barred by Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, R- Calif., last week from testifying at a hearing on contraception and religion starred in a House Democratic hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday, saying women are "energized" on the contraception issue.

24 Feb 2012

Research roundup: Hospital medication errors; Key Medicaid issues in 2014

Use Of Preventive Services Could Be Better Aligned With Clinical Recommendations -- This report looks at Medicare patients' use of eight specific preventive services, which have "the potential to improve health outcomes and lower health care expenditures," according to the authors. Use of cardiovascular and cervical cancer screenings "generally aligned with clinical recommendations, ... but use of other cancer screenings" did not.

24 Feb 2012

High-risk pools expand coverage for people with serious conditions, but at greater cost than predicted

The Washington Post reports that per patient costs will likely be more than double the initial projections.

24 Feb 2012

Seven states file lawsuit to block Obama administration birth control coverage rule

The states joined with Catholic groups and individuals to file the first major lawsuit challenging these regulations.

24 Feb 2012

First Edition: February 24, 2012

Today's headlines include reports detailing what becomes of the deficit -- particularly at this time of rising Medicare costs for the aging population -- under the plans being advanced by the GOP presidential candidates.

24 Feb 2012

Vt., Okla. lawmakers mull creating health insurance exchanges

Lawmakers in Vermont and Oklahoma are the latest to grapple with creating a state health insurance exchange. In Vermont, the governor is defending his proposal for an exchange for small businesses while Oklahoma lawmakers are mulling creating their own so the federal government doesn't do it for them.

24 Feb 2012

New insurance coverage option may have negative effects on veteran's health care

While the Affordable Care Act will expand health insurance coverage for low-income persons through Medicaid and state health-insurance exchanges, including much-needed care for 1.8 million uninsured veterans in the U.S., the new insurance coverage option also may have a number of unintended negative effects on health care for veterans, said Kenneth W. Kizer, director of the Institute for Population Health Improvement at UC Davis Health System.

24 Feb 2012

Health Insurance News and Research

Lack of insurance coverage driving up number of patients who seek dental care in the emergency room

State roundup: Helping hand for safety-net clinics; Conn. tries medical homes; Kansas disabled waiting for space

HPV vaccine now recommended for boys: American Academy of Pediatrics

Abortion legislation making noise at state capitols

A health care history lesson

States, governors have different thoughts on insurance exchanges, impact of health law

State roundup: State tobacco funds scrutinized; More allegations against Calif.'s Prime Healthcare; Ore. CCOs get green light

Romney's Medicare plan would gradually raise eligibility age

Sebelius casts doubt on Calif. Medi-Cal changes; Other Medicaid changes around America scrutinized

First Edition: February 27, 2012

Teens driving under influence of marijuana: Study finds

State health insurance exchanges moving in fits and starts

Senate contests touch on contraception, health reform issues

Woman barred from House contraception hearing testifies at Dems' event

Research roundup: Hospital medication errors; Key Medicaid issues in 2014

High-risk pools expand coverage for people with serious conditions, but at greater cost than predicted

Seven states file lawsuit to block Obama administration birth control coverage rule

First Edition: February 24, 2012

Vt., Okla. lawmakers mull creating health insurance exchanges

New insurance coverage option may have negative effects on veteran's health care

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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