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Medicare, deficits and the politics of 2012

Reuters offers an analysis based on a recent poll and finds that people, shaken by the difficult economy, worry about the impact of efforts to address the nation's deficit. This concept could lead to Democrats finding traction for their positions on Medicare.

6 Feb 2012

Republican win in 2012 election could spell end of international family planning programs

"If a Republican becomes president, ... say goodbye to international programs providing birth control to women in desperately poor countries such as Liberia," senior contributing writer Michelle Goldberg writes in this Daily Beast opinion piece.

4 Feb 2012

Longer looks: Enhanced scrutiny of IVF clinics; School-based health care

Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich hit upon a reproductive minefield on Sunday when he called for deeper scrutiny of in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics, where women go for high-tech help to conceive.

3 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Censoring flu research; Assailing Komen's move to cut Planned Parenthood funding

In December, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity made an unprecedented request: it asked the editors of the journals Nature and Science not to publish certain details in two papers describing experiments in which scientists created a highly transmissible form of the deadly H5N1 influenza virus. ... Such caution, though well intentioned, is misplaced.

3 Feb 2012

Fallout continues over Obama administration birth-control coverage rule

President Barack Obama's decision on this issue may offer insights into his approach to policy making. Meanwhile, kudos and criticism come from different sides of the issue.

3 Feb 2012

Pfizer recalls a million oral contraceptive pills

Pfizer has recalled 1 million packs of Lo/Ovral-28 and generic norgestrel/ethinyl estradiol birth control pills. These pills that need to be taken in the correct sequence have been mixed up in packaging and women using them could be at risk of pregnancy.

2 Feb 2012

Religious protests continue in response to Obama administration birth control rule

The White House continues to defend its new insurance coverage rule, which requires religiously affiliated nonprofit groups to provide free birth control coverage to women. Also in the news, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is considered to be on the GOP short list for vice president, introduced legislation Tuesday that would vastly expand the opt-out ability of religious or faith-based employers.

2 Feb 2012

GOP presidential hopefuls make final pitches to Florida primary voters

Among the campaign issues are the parallels between the federal health overhaul and the Massachusetts law former Gov. Mitt Romney signed and Newt Gingrich's support of the individual mandate.

1 Feb 2012

Catholic bishops, colleges resisting HHS rule on contraceptive coverage

Many Catholic colleges decline to prescribe or cover birth control, citing religious reasons. Now they are under pressure to change. This month the Obama administration, citing the medical case for birth control, made a politically charged decision that the new health care law requires insurance plans at Catholic institutions to cover birth control without co-payments for employees, and that may be extended to students. But Catholic organizations are resisting the rule, saying it would force them to violate their beliefs and finance behavior that betrays Catholic teachings.

31 Jan 2012

Viewpoints: Contraceptive controversy; Revising mental health definitions

It was good news that the Obama administration withstood pressure from Roman Catholic bishops and social conservatives to deny contraceptive coverage for millions of American women who work for religiously affiliated employers. Kathleen Sebelius, the Health and Human Services secretary, rejected broad exemptions from a new rule requiring all health plans to cover birth control, without a deductible or co-payment.

31 Jan 2012

FDA approves Genentech's Erivedge for treatment of BCC

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, today announced that Erivedge (vismodegib) capsule was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adults with a type of skin cancer, called basal cell carcinoma (BCC), that has spread to other parts of the body or that has come back after surgery or that their healthcare provider decides cannot be treated with surgery or radiation.

31 Jan 2012

Genentech receives FDA approval for Erivedge to treat basal cell carcinoma

Today, Erivedge (vismodegib) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adult patients with basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer. The drug is intended for use in patients with locally advanced basal cell cancer who are not candidates for surgery or radiation and for patients whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

31 Jan 2012

First Edition: January 30, 2012

Today's health policy headlines include a report that GOP leaders are pledging quick action on legislation to extend the payroll tax break and to prevent a scheduled cut in Medicare physician payment.

30 Jan 2012

PBS NewsHour examines family planning in the Philippines

PBS NewsHour on Monday aired the second installment in its "Food for 9 Billion" series, in which "Sam Eaton of Homelands Productions goes to the fishing village of Humay-Humay" in the Philippines and "speaks with families about their concerns that future generations won't enjoy the same access to fish as a food staple and way of life," the PBS NewsHour blog "The Rundown" reports.

25 Jan 2012

Viewpoints: Obama and liberal Catholics; Growing 'charity care'; Cutting costs on physician referrals

A Health and Human Services mandate that forces every employer to provide employees with health coverage that not only covers birth control and sterilization, but makes them free ... has drawn fire from the Catholic bishops. Less predictable - and far more interesting - has been the heat from the Catholic left, including many who have in the past given the president vital cover. In a post for the left-leaning National Catholic Reporter, Michael Sean Winter minces few words. Under the headline "J'ACCUSE," he rightly takes the president to the woodshed for the politics of the decision.

25 Jan 2012

First Edition: January 23, 2012

Today's health policy headlines include reports looking ahead to President Barak Obama's State-of-the-Union address and others examining the health law.

23 Jan 2012

Birth control pill coverage for church-affiliated institutions sparks outrage

The Obama administration announced Friday that many church-affiliated institutions will have to cover free birth control for employees. This has sparked debate and invited criticism.

23 Jan 2012

HHS gives some religious employers an extra year to comply with birth control rule

Press reports indicate that the Obama administration will not significantly change the requirement that most employers cover FDA-approved contraceptives as part of a health plan. The health law includes a requirement that most workplaces cover preventive services for free.

21 Jan 2012

Longer looks: Explaining Medicare's 'premium support'

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration convened a committee of medical experts to weigh new evidence concerning the potential dangers of drospirenone, a synthetic hormone contained in popular birth control pills including Bayer AG's Yaz and Yasmin. ... the committee concluded by a four-vote margin that the benefits of drugs with drospirenone outweigh the risks.

20 Jan 2012

Oral contraceptive pills help relieve period pain: Study

A three decade long study has proven that oral contraceptive pills may alleviate painful periods for some women. Estimates suggest more than half of women have suffered from the condition, called dysmenorrhea, at some point.

19 Jan 2012