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Physical activity policies: an interview with Dr Nick Cavill

Our bodies were designed to be active. The human body is not meant to spend long periods of time sitting but that’s what our modern lives have led us to do. The result has been the increase in obesity seen across the world, and up to 20 other conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

22 Jan 2013

As Obama takes oath again, health law's fate rest with others

Obamacare is going into effect next year for real - but what happens with President Barack Obama's signature achievement in his second term is largely out of his hands. The biggest piece of the law - the expansion of coverage to as many as 30 million uninsured Americans - will begin in 2014. Obama may not say a word about that in his inaugural address.

21 Jan 2013

Federal gov't. awards health exchange grants to some states

The federal health department announced $1.5 billion in new grants Thursday for states to continue building their insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. California, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Vermont received funding - either one-or multi-year awards based on their progress in creating the marketplaces.

20 Jan 2013

State highlights: Trying to save care for poor with Medicaid budget deals

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley asked legislators in her third State of the State address Wednesday to overhaul how public schools are funded, improve crumbling roads, and make prisons a safer place for those who guard the most violent offenders. She pledged to work to improve residents' health, especially in rural areas, without expanding Medicaid. For example, she said, next year the state's Medicaid agency will begin fully reimbursing rural hospitals for uncompensated care.

19 Jan 2013

Calif. officials push campaigns informing public of health law's new provisions

Officials in California seek to inform the public of what the health care law does for insurance coverage and health care with a series of public campaigns.

19 Jan 2013

Viewpoints: Krugman cautions against locking in benefit cuts that may not be necessary; Lift the freeze on CDC's gun research

Well, its probable (although not certain) that, within two or three decades, the Social Security trust fund will be exhausted, leaving the system unable to pay the full benefits specified by current law. So the plan is to avoid cuts in future benefits by committing right now to ... cuts in future benefits. Huh? O.K., you can argue that the adjustment to an aging population would be smoother if we commit to a glide path of benefit cuts now. On the other hand, by moving too soon we might lock in benefit cuts that turn out not to have been necessary.

19 Jan 2013

New rule sets 2013 as the time for small business to count staff size for health law

Health law implementation headlines include reports about how new regulatory guidance might impact small businesses. Also, prominent physicians call for the government to release regulations for the part of the law forcing drug and medical device makers to disclose financial ties to doctors.

18 Jan 2013

Efforts to correct false beliefs about health care reform may backfire

Efforts to correct false beliefs about health care reform may backfire, depending on individuals' political views and level of knowledge, suggests a study in the February issue of Medical Care.

18 Jan 2013

Analyzing how well the individual mandate may work

Politico looks at the practical task ahead for the health law's individual mandate.

16 Jan 2013

Ariz. governor backs Medicaid expansion under health law

Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican critic of the law, surprised many when she announced in her State of the State speech that she would support expansion of the federal-state program for low-income residents.

16 Jan 2013

States continue efforts to advance health exchanges

States look for creative ways to publicize the online marketplaces where people can shop for and purchase coverage beginning next fall. Meanwhile, Minnesota legislators introduce a measure to set up such a market, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott releases new, much smaller estimates of the cost of expanding that state's Medicaid program.

11 Jan 2013

State roundup: Mo. lawmakers look to cap malpractice awards

A selection of health policy stories from California, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Texas, Illinois and North Carolina.

8 Jan 2013

New Congress brings changes in leadership, expertise

Politico offers insights regarding the leadership style and health law attitudes of Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., who will chair the House Labor, HHS appropriations subcommittee. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reports that two physicians were sworn in yesterday -- doubling the number of doctors in the Democratic caucus.

7 Jan 2013

Viewpoints: McConnell says spending cuts are coming; Plea to Kan. governor to rethink insurance exchange

Predictably, the President is already claiming that his tax hike on the "rich" isn't enough. I have news for him: the moment that he and virtually every elected Democrat in Washington signed off on the terms of the current arrangement, it was the last word on taxes.

4 Jan 2013

Roundup: Ill. to scrutinize Medicaid eligibility; 20% of Fla. nursing homes on 'watch' list; Conn.'s 'inadequate' mental health care system

Fort Pierce resident Cathi Odom recently learned that her mother's nursing home is one of 140 on the state's "Watch List." Families for Better Care, a citizen advocacy organization, found that one in five facilities in Florida are on that list for not meeting state standards, or for not making corrections quickly enough. Twelve of the homes have been on the watch list for more than 100 days. Brian Lee, executive director for Families for Better Care, says that is unacceptable.

4 Jan 2013

Contraception coverage mandate could drive health law back to Supreme Court

A number of challenges to the birth control coverage requirement are making their way through the lower courts. Meanwhile, a U.S. district judge issued a ruling that the property mangement firm owned by the founder of Domino's Pizza will not have to immediately comply with this health law provision.

3 Jan 2013

Roundup: Medicaid waiver challenges in Texas; Detailing Sandy's impact on NYC's mental care

By 2012's end, health care providers across Texas will have submitted proposals to state leaders to transform the way they care for the poor and uninsured. They have been spurred by a Medicaid waiver Texas officials sought and received in 2011 from the federal government, one that ties financing to cooperation, cost efficiency and better patient outcomes.

2 Jan 2013

Feds OK health insurance exchange plans for three more states; Other 'Obamacare' implementation news

The Obama administration gave conditional approvals to Delaware, Minnesota and Rhode Island, saying they will be ready to open new insurance markets in 2014, as required under the health care law. Meanwhile, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper indicates he's likely to push for Medicaid expansion.

21 Dec 2012

Research Roundup: Health law's under-26 coverage 'significantly increased' access to care; Thousands of surgical 'never events' occur each year

The health law allows young adults to remain under their parents' health insurance plans until age 26, raising questions about the law's overall impact on access to care. Researchers used data from two nationally representative surveys to compare young adults who've gained access to dependent coverage to a control group of individuals (ages 26-34) unaffected by the new policy.

21 Dec 2012

Viewpoints: Could expanding mental health services curb gun violence?; Opinions on other aspects of health law

President Obama said he would use whatever powers his office holds to address this violence. ... Currently, nearly half of all gun sales in the U.S. are conducted without a background check. Criminals, the mentally ill, minors and domestic abusers are all prohibited from purchasing guns, but they all can do so as easily as attending a gun show or going online.

20 Dec 2012

Health Reform News and Research

Physical activity policies: an interview with Dr Nick Cavill

As Obama takes oath again, health law's fate rest with others

Federal gov't. awards health exchange grants to some states

State highlights: Trying to save care for poor with Medicaid budget deals

Calif. officials push campaigns informing public of health law's new provisions

Viewpoints: Krugman cautions against locking in benefit cuts that may not be necessary; Lift the freeze on CDC's gun research

New rule sets 2013 as the time for small business to count staff size for health law

Efforts to correct false beliefs about health care reform may backfire

Analyzing how well the individual mandate may work

Ariz. governor backs Medicaid expansion under health law

States continue efforts to advance health exchanges

State roundup: Mo. lawmakers look to cap malpractice awards

New Congress brings changes in leadership, expertise

Viewpoints: McConnell says spending cuts are coming; Plea to Kan. governor to rethink insurance exchange

Roundup: Ill. to scrutinize Medicaid eligibility; 20% of Fla. nursing homes on 'watch' list; Conn.'s 'inadequate' mental health care system

Contraception coverage mandate could drive health law back to Supreme Court

Roundup: Medicaid waiver challenges in Texas; Detailing Sandy's impact on NYC's mental care

Feds OK health insurance exchange plans for three more states; Other 'Obamacare' implementation news

Research Roundup: Health law's under-26 coverage 'significantly increased' access to care; Thousands of surgical 'never events' occur each year

Viewpoints: Could expanding mental health services curb gun violence?; Opinions on other aspects of health law

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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