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Viewpoints: Sebelius, Orszag on Medicare costs; has the Minnesota GOP lost its way?

The right way is to strengthen it, closing coverage gaps while also bringing down costs by improving care and reducing waste and fraud. Medicare's trustees estimate that the new health care law has already added eight years to the life of the Medicare trust fund by doing just that. The president's fiscal framework would put the program on even more solid ground in the future.

26 May 2011

MAXIMUS offers eHealth Literacy Services for state and community programs

MAXIMUS, Inc., a leading provider of government services worldwide, announced today that it is now offering eHealth Literacy Services to help state and community programs meet the communication and engagement challenges facing consumers and providers using the new health information technology infrastructure.

25 May 2011

First Edition: May 25, 2011

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports: "Most Americans oppose the House Republicans' plan to overhaul and slash funding of Medicaid, the state-federal program that covers 56 million low-income people, according to a poll being released today".

25 May 2011

Federal officials review Indiana's Planned Parenthood law

Federal officials said Monday they're taking a hard look at a new Indiana law that withholds some public funding for Planned Parenthood of Indiana, a development that could cost the state some of its Medicaid funding.

25 May 2011

Pawlenty, Gingrich offer views on Medicare, entitlement programs

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty formally announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination with a pledge to reinvent programs like Medicare in order to tackle the nation's fiscal difficulties. And another GOP candidate — Newt Gingrich — continued his efforts to explain his remarks about the Medicare overhaul plan advanced by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis.

25 May 2011

GOP leaders ask governors for ideas on Medicaid savings, improvements

A top House and Senate Republican wrote to the nation's governors Monday to ask for suggestions on how to find savings in and improve Medicaid. The letter from House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton of Michigan and Senate Finance ranking member Orrin G. Hatch of Utah said the quality of medical care provided by Medicaid, the federal-state health program for the poor, is not as good as that provided to Medicare or privately insured patients.

25 May 2011

Medical-income argument by critics of 'Obamacare' is feeble, says Queen's University professor

U.S. doctors might find that their incomes start to rise - not decline - when Barack Obama's healthcare reforms are put in place says a Queen's University School of Medicine professor.

25 May 2011

With NY special election down to the wire, Republicans 'brace for blowback'

This week, an off-year special election in Buffalo and a purely symbolic vote in the Senate might tell Republicans all they need to know about the mercurial politics of Medicare reform.

25 May 2011

Senate GOP faces tricky vote on House-passed budget

Democratic leaders are terming this week's Senate vote on the House-passed Ryan budget, including its proposal to revamp Medicare, a "defining issue." Meanwhile, some Republican senators have announced that they won't back the plan.

25 May 2011

GP groups call for reinvestment into successful mental health program

United General Practice Australia – the coalition of the peak groups representing Australia’s general practitioners – has issued a strong united statement calling on the government to expand the Better Access program to meet the demand for mental healthcare in the community rather than reducing Medicare patient rebates for vital mental health services.

25 May 2011

Debt limit talks move to topic of finding savings in Medicare, Medicaid

In related news, projections released last week by Medicare's chief actuary concluded that spending on physician and hospital services will be significantly higher than expected if Congress reverses scheduled reductions in Medicare payments.

25 May 2011

MIT, ADI partner to research and develop technologies for next-generation patient monitoring devices

Analog Devices, Inc., a global leader in high-performance semiconductors for signal-processing applications and long-time supplier to the medical equipment industry, today announced a collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to research and develop technologies for next-generation patient monitoring devices.

25 May 2011

Viewpoints: Pawlenty weighs in; entitlement reform dominating GOP politics

"ObamaCare" is unconstitutional, and it is already driving up health costs — not reducing them. ... Government money isn't "free." ... And the cuts we must make cannot just be in other people's favorite programs. ... This week I'm going to Florida to tell both young people and seniors that our entitlement programs are on an unsustainable path and have to be changed.

25 May 2011

First Edition: May 24, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about the Senate's upcoming vote on the House-passed GOP budget, the run-up to today's special congressional election in New York and details on the Medicare positions being taken by Republican presidential hopefuls.

24 May 2011

Lawmakers jockey for position in Medicare debate

Political and policy-oriented Medicare skirmishes continue on Capitol Hill as members hear from their constituents on the question of the program's future, and some lawmakers say it's time for "an adult conversation." Also, the Senate is likely to vote this week on the House-passed GOP budget.

24 May 2011

New legislation helps fulfill promise of Medicare for seniors in Alaska: AMA

New legislation introduced today by Senator Lisa Murkowski, the Medicare Patient Empowerment Act (S. 1042), will provide Medicare patients with greater choice, allowing them to see the physicians they want and need to see.

24 May 2011

RACGP urges government to engage with profession regarding GP mental health funding cuts

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) continues to receive feedback from amongst its over 20,000 members regarding the implications of the government’s budget cuts for critical mental health support delivered by GPs. The College urges the government to engage with the profession regarding the cuts to GP mental health assessments, planning and referrals.

24 May 2011