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Viewpoints: Gambling on entitlement cuts; 'culture war' over family planning; insurance premium 'gouge' in Calif.

The House Republicans are rolling the political dice. They've pledged that in their budget for next year they will offer detailed proposals for curbing spending on "entitlements" — Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. When Democrats heard this, their world suddenly brightened. One congressional aide dismissed the Republicans as "suckers".

4 Mar 2011

GOP focus remains tight on reforming Medicare, entitlement programs

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has made clear his determination to address this issue — The Wall Street Journal is reporting that he has even assured President Barack Obama that he will give him "cover" if he makes a proposal to cut entitlement spending.

4 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 4, 2011

In today's headlines, a Florida federal judge stays his own order regarding the health law, clearing the way for it's implementation -- for now -- but also making clear that the appeals process should move forward at an expedited rate.

4 Mar 2011

Longer looks: Best health policy picks from thought-provoking publications

Every Thursday, KHN's Jessica Marcy compiles this selection of interesting perspectives, from a variety of publications, on health care in America.

4 Mar 2011

Bipartisan Senate bills would open Medicare physician payment data to public

Two senators, a Republican and a Democrat, are pushing legislation to overturn a 1979 court injunction that bars the public from seeing what individual physicians earn from Medicare.

4 Mar 2011

Premier creates new tool to help hospitals and health systems assess VBP impact

The Premier healthcare alliance has created a new tool to help hospitals and health systems assess the potential impact of value-based purchasing.

4 Mar 2011

Talecris granted EU orphan drug designation for Plasmin (human) to treat acute peripheral arterial occlusion

Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc. (TLCR) announced today that it has been granted orphan drug designation by the European Commission for the development of Plasmin (human) to treat acute peripheral arterial occlusion (aPAO). Talecris is currently investigating Plasmin in a phase II clinical trial designed to assess its ability to treat aPAO, a condition in which arterial blood flow to the extremities, usually the legs, is blocked by a clot.

4 Mar 2011

Two-week budget measure signed into law

President Barack Obama invited congressional leaders to meet with Vice President Joe Biden in hopes of taking on longer-term fiscal issues such as Medicare spending. Meanwhile, a new poll demonstrates that taking on such entitlement programs is challenging, because public opinion does not necessarily endorse deep cuts in this area.

4 Mar 2011

U.S. Representatives, Gene Green introduce bipartisan bill to ensure Medicare reimbursement

U.S. Representatives Ed Whitfield and Gene Green today introduced H.R. 905.

4 Mar 2011

Health care fraud a hot topic on Capitol Hill

Hearings in the House and Senate Wednesday examined public and private efforts to address health care fraud. And the Government Accountability Office issued a new report on fraudulent or improper billing to Medicare.

3 Mar 2011

Mater improves communication with external healthcare providers

A pilot of new web-based software designed to improve communication between Mater Health Services and external providers is being rolled out across Brisbane.

3 Mar 2011

Block grant plan among Medicaid alternatives eyed by GOP

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is among those who advocate this concept, but the Obama administration's Medicaid chief "shot down" the approach.

3 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 3, 2011

Today's headlines highlight the difficulties lawmakers will face in finding a compromise on long-term budget issues, such as Medicare and Medicaid spending.

3 Mar 2011

NHCAA's Seven Guiding Principles for Policymakers to combat health care fraud

As the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means and House Energy and Commerce Committees and the U.S. Senate Finance Committee all hold hearings today on combating health care fraud, waste, and abuse, an analysis that examines the "Seven Guiding Principles for Policymakers" to fighting health care fraud invites new questions about legislative efforts to reduce accountability and oversight of independent drugstores, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association said today.

3 Mar 2011

SAMHSA survey: 65% of substance abuse treatment facilities accept private health insurance

A new nationwide survey of substance abuse treatment facilities reveals that in 2008 nearly two thirds accepted some private health insurance payment.

3 Mar 2011

Health law's coverage expansions tally $118 billion in state costs, Republicans say

House and Senate Republicans issued a report Tuesday in advance of a Capitol Hill hearing charging that the health law's expansion of Medicaid will come with a cost to states that is far more than congressional auditors estimated.

3 Mar 2011

1099 repeal measure's pay-for mechanism triggers democratic concern

With a House vote scheduled for Thursday, the White House is on record opposing the "offset" used to pay for the repeal of this reporting provision included in the health law, but it also stopped short of threatening a veto. This part of the bill also may cause it to lose bipartisan support in the lower chamber.

3 Mar 2011

WARFARIN study to explore impact of genetic testing on individualized dosing

Iverson Genetic Diagnostics, Inc. announced today that the WARFARIN Study was initiated in major hospital systems nationwide to assess the utility of genetic testing to determine a personalized warfarin dose for individual patients to reduce their risk of serious bleeding or clotting events.

2 Mar 2011

State news: Ariz. may cut fewer from Medicaid; Pa. adultbasic closes

In a meeting with the Obama administration Monday, Gov. Jan Brewer proposed some Medicaid changes that she hopes will allow Arizona to drop fewer people than previously proposed from the state's Medicaid rolls. Brewer's office already has received permission to cut coverage for 250,000 members, mostly childless adults, as the state tries to close an ongoing budget shortfall.

2 Mar 2011

New national public awareness campaign for colon cancer prevention and screening

Almost 40 percent of Americans at risk for colon cancer are not getting screened. StopColonCancerNow.com, a national public awareness campaign for colon cancer prevention and screening, is working to improve that statistic by urging anyone 50 and older to get screened during National Colon Cancer Awareness Month in March.

2 Mar 2011