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Universal health coverage achieved by Mexico in less than a decade

Mexico has achieved universal health coverage in less than ten years, with more than 50 million previously uninsured Mexicans enrolling on a public medical insurance scheme since 2004.

16 Aug 2012

Obama, Romney campaigns jockey for voter support in Medicare debate

Medicare clearly is a flashpoint in the presidential contest as both sides make claims and point fingers at the other.

16 Aug 2012

Obama administration urges states to move forward on health exchanges

Administration officials will "try to encourage reluctant states" to move forward with health exchanges, even as time appears to be running out, Reuters reports. Also in the news, consumer representatives from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners offered state and federal officials suggestions about how they should write regulations to implement the health law's key consumer protections.

15 Aug 2012

On '60 Minutes,' Romney and Ryan defend Medicare plan

The GOP presumptive presidential nominee and his choice for a running mate also went on the offensive by criticizing the Obama administration for cutting Medicare spending.

14 Aug 2012

Health law critically important to women; Expanding Medicaid could spur state education cuts; Misuse of antipsychotics in dementia patients

If we can set aside the political wrangling and focus on the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, what becomes obvious is its critically important impact on women's health. The fact is while women are the primary coordinators of health care for families and comprise the majority of U.S. health-care workers, they also put their own health-care needs behind those of their children. Cost is too often the reason.

13 Aug 2012

House Republicans seek details on health law implementation spending, Medicare Advantage bonus payments

Members of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee are following the spending trail of Obama administration health programs.

12 Aug 2012

Highlights: New reports of problems at Parkland Hospital in Dallas; Mammogram rates did not rise under expanded Mass. coverage

Federal safety monitors produced a harsher critique of Parkland Memorial Hospital's reform efforts than recently portrayed by the hospital, finding ongoing dangers to patients from a botched surgery, medication errors and emergency care failures. Those problems, cited in a June compliance report obtained by The Dallas Morning News, were not disclosed in a Parkland summary released to The News two weeks ago.

12 Aug 2012

State roundup: Calif. officials near deal on workers' health costs

Hopes for a last-minute agreement to overhaul the state's $11-billion workers' compensation system are growing as the end of the 2012 legislative session approaches.

10 Aug 2012

GOP governors respond to CMS signs of flexibility regarding Medicaid expansion

CQ HealthBeat reports that some Republican state executives were not impressed with the decision by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services officials to allow states that proceed with expansion plans now to scale back their Medicaid programs later.

10 Aug 2012

As flap continues over pro-Obama PAC's ad, Romney aide praises Mass. health law

The ad, which highlights the death of a steelworker's wife after Bain closed his plant, triggered criticism from Republicans. But a Romney aide's comments about how that family would have benefited from the Massachusetts health reforms signed into law by then-Gov. Mitt Romney was not well received in conservative circles.

10 Aug 2012

Longer looks: Waking up to the need for sleep

Among the more than 11,000 dearly departed inhabitants of Southeast Portland's Multnomah Park Cemetery, friends Eric Cordingley and David Anderson have their favorites: a reputed French madam, a young Norwegian institutionalized for being gay, and Louis Napoleon Lepley -- or, as they call him, "Louis the cannibal." Intriguing as their individual stories may be, together they help tell a bigger, darker tale

10 Aug 2012

Viewpoints: Dubious ad on Romney's role in cancer death; British health plan has problems of its own

He sits at a kitchen table, nursing a cup of coffee, talking about what happened after Bain Capital closed down his steel plant in 2001. He lost his job; his family lost its health insurance. His wife felt lousy but didn't go to the doctor, to spare the family worry and expense. When she finally ended up in the hospital, the diagnosis was cancer. She had 22 days to live.

9 Aug 2012

Roundup: Seeking medical malpractice alternatives part of Mass. cost control law; Low-Income Health Program signs up 400k in Calif.

It may not seem like big news, but if you've followed the long-running, stubborn and mostly dug-in debate over reforming medical malpractice in the U.S., you know that when doctors and lawyers issue a joint news release, something is really going on. ... Formally, it's called "Disclosure, Apology and Offer" and it's a key provision of the new state health cost law. Massachusetts doctors and lawyers have agreed to work side by side on this less hostile (and potentially cost-saving) approach to dealing with medical errors and malpractice.

9 Aug 2012

Presidential candidates use tough ads to court single women voters

The competition for these votes has led President Obama's campaign ads to highlight GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's positions on issues such Planned Parenthood funding as well as other women's health and contraception issues.

8 Aug 2012

GAO finds states need more HHS guidance on new Medicaid rules

The study of six states finds they want more help as they look to expand their programs under new rules in the health law.

7 Aug 2012

Viewpoints: Mass. at disadvantage in cutting health costs; McDonnell says Va. can point to better way

Massachusetts will be the first state to try to cap overall health care spending, both private and public, so that it will grow no faster than the state economy. The state was able to reach near-universal coverage because the vast majority of its population was already covered by some form of insurance. It also could subsidize coverage for the uninsured using a big pool of money that had been used for charity care. But when it comes to controlling health care costs, Massachusetts has no advantage, and in fact is starting behind most other states.

7 Aug 2012

Self-insurance for small businesses goes under the microscope

Politco Pro describes the growing focus on this part of the insurance marketplace as a "sleeper battle to watch." Meanwhile, Reuters reports that a growing number of people are signing up for supplemental insurance coverage.

3 Aug 2012

Research roundup: Massachusetts health reform; Role of race and insurance in kidney transplantation

Access to Care After Massachusetts' Health Care Reform: A Safety Net Hospital Patient Survey -- Policy analysts have long said that Massachusetts and its 2006 health reform law provide great insight into the federal health law and how its expansion of insurance coverage will play out.

3 Aug 2012

Ariz. delays Medicaid expansion decision, states make other health law implementation news

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer won't say until January if her state will expand Medicaid. In the meantime, advocates worry about whether health care for kids in Texas could be cut.

3 Aug 2012

Birth control coverage mandate impacts doctors, women, religious groups

Physicians say they -- rather than insurers -- will feel the burden of the rule. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress stay relatively quiet on the requirement, but tensions continue among Catholics and evangelical Protestants.

3 Aug 2012

Health Reform News and Research

Universal health coverage achieved by Mexico in less than a decade

Obama, Romney campaigns jockey for voter support in Medicare debate

Obama administration urges states to move forward on health exchanges

On '60 Minutes,' Romney and Ryan defend Medicare plan

Health law critically important to women; Expanding Medicaid could spur state education cuts; Misuse of antipsychotics in dementia patients

House Republicans seek details on health law implementation spending, Medicare Advantage bonus payments

Highlights: New reports of problems at Parkland Hospital in Dallas; Mammogram rates did not rise under expanded Mass. coverage

State roundup: Calif. officials near deal on workers' health costs

GOP governors respond to CMS signs of flexibility regarding Medicaid expansion

As flap continues over pro-Obama PAC's ad, Romney aide praises Mass. health law

Longer looks: Waking up to the need for sleep

Viewpoints: Dubious ad on Romney's role in cancer death; British health plan has problems of its own

Roundup: Seeking medical malpractice alternatives part of Mass. cost control law; Low-Income Health Program signs up 400k in Calif.

Presidential candidates use tough ads to court single women voters

GAO finds states need more HHS guidance on new Medicaid rules

Viewpoints: Mass. at disadvantage in cutting health costs; McDonnell says Va. can point to better way

Self-insurance for small businesses goes under the microscope

Research roundup: Massachusetts health reform; Role of race and insurance in kidney transplantation

Ariz. delays Medicaid expansion decision, states make other health law implementation news

Birth control coverage mandate impacts doctors, women, religious groups

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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