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Increase in cancer survivors underscores need for post-treatment follow-up care

The number of cancer survivors in the United States increased to 11.7 million in 2007, according to a report the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) released today. This is a nearly 20 percent increase in cancer survivors from 2001.

11 Mar 2011

House lawmakers press Senate to take action on 1099 repeal

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has put the measure back on the Senate's calendar and hopes to move it forward after the chamber completes it work on the 2011 continuing resolution.

11 Mar 2011

House bill introduced to allow individuals to apply for health law waivers

The measure, introduced by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., would allow consumers the same exemption process being exercised by some employers and unions. Meanwhile, House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., has raised questions about waivers granted to "mini-med" plans.

11 Mar 2011

Defunding strategy takes aim at health law's mandatory spending provisions

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing yesterday to begin the process of marking up legislation to remove certain parts of health law funding.

11 Mar 2011

Experts ponder questions regarding law's 'essential benefits' package

When it comes to health insurance, deciding what is an essential benefit — and what isn't — is a political and medical minefield, with far-reaching consequences.

11 Mar 2011

Justice Dept. seeks fast consideration of health law appeal

The Justice Department is asking for quick action on its appeal of a Florida judge's decision that declared the health overhaul unconstitutional.

11 Mar 2011

State roundup: Concerns about pay for Mass. health executives, board members

Health insurers Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan said yesterday that their board members will meet later this month to discuss whether to bow to state Attorney General Martha Coakley's wishes and stop taking five-figure annual payments.

11 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Vinson's backdown, Ariz. Death Panels and The Pentagon's Achilles' heel

A federal district judge in Florida backed down, as he should have, from his effort to bully the Obama administration into halting implementation of the new health care reforms even before the issue of the law's constitutionality is resolved by higher courts.

11 Mar 2011

White House appeals Florida ruling overturning health law

The administration acted quickly in order to prevent a part of the judge's recent "clarification" that would have shut down implementation of the law for now. Meanwhile, in another health law challenge, Mass. Attorney General Martha Coakley and a number of hospital associations filed separate amicus briefs in support of the federal government.

10 Mar 2011

Feds gives Maine a break from insurance premium rules

Maine was granted leeway — the first such waiver given by the federal government — with the health law provision known as the medical-loss ratio because of concerns it would destabilize the state's insurance market.

10 Mar 2011

Medicaid and the health overhaul's goals

Media outlets report on how the health overhaul interacts with Medicaid and whether it will ultimately have a positive or negative impact on states.

9 Mar 2011

Roundup: Legislatures pressured on health cuts, malpractice laws; Mass. Blue Cross board salaries; pension costs

This week, the Assembly and Senate will debate the final package of budget reductions. Among the $6 billion in health-related cuts is the elimination of the Maddy Fund, a $55 million attempt to reimburse emergency departments for indigent care.

9 Mar 2011

The American Journal of Medicine focuses on the continuing healthcare reform debate

As the debate about healthcare in the United States rages, four insightful articles in the March 2011 issue of The American Journal of Medicine strive to add reasoned arguments and empirical research findings to the dialog.

9 Mar 2011

New study shows excess hospitalization costs for homeless people

Homeless patients cost about $2,500 more per hospital stay than the average patient, according to a new study by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital.

9 Mar 2011

Health care reform changes make colonoscopy more affordable

To encourage adults age 50 and older to get a colonoscopy, experts at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center highlight resources and health care reform changes that now make this lifesaving exam more affordable.

9 Mar 2011

Study: Mass. health law has not staunched medical bankruptcies

The 2006 Massachusetts law that required nearly everyone to buy health insurance has not significantly staunched residents' pain from medical bankruptcies, according to a new study.

9 Mar 2011

CMS' Berwick in hot seat again

The New York Times reports that even Democrats are acknowledging that the Senate will not likely be able to confirm Dr. Donald Berwick as the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. However, Modern Healthcare reports that the health care provider community remains in his corner.

9 Mar 2011

Smart technology for healthy longevity

A national policy is required for the research, demonstration, commercialisation and wide-scale deployment of smart technology for ageing-in-place to ensure: a healthy, safe, secure and fulfilling future for the increasing aged population in Australia by enabling them to remain at home longer, by easing the strain on the national healthcare system and providing cost effective solutions to meet the needs of the growing number of elderly Australians.

9 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Romney's record, calling GOP's 'bluff', abortion/birth control funding

The center of the Obama health care reform — the part that has excited the ire of conservatives — is the individual mandate that says everyone must buy health insurance. Romney now says that given the chance, "I would repeal Obamacare." Yet Romney advocated, signed and bragged about a similar requirement in the Massachusetts reform passed while he was governor.

8 Mar 2011

Roundup: Medicaid cuts coming in Pa., Kansas; Mass. insurance hikes

Come Tuesday morning, bad news will abound in the Capitol - and it will be in the billions. That is when Gov. Corbett is to unveil, at last, the closely guarded details of his first state budget to the legislature and the people of Pennsylvania.

8 Mar 2011