Birth Control News and Research

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Viewpoints: Health reform 'tax' vs. 'penalty'; super committee forecast; boomer tsunami

In a foolhardy indulgence of partisan ideology, Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas is returning a $31.5 million federal grant that would have made his state a leader in technology development for the new federal health care law. … He joins other Republican governors willing to sell their constituents short in grandstanding against the health care law from statehouse pulpits.

16 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: Brownback's 'snub'; The 'risks' of Medicaid cuts; Congressional alums on debt talks

The governor's inability to stand up to pressure from his own party will slow progress. The rejected grant was also helping to fund information technology intended to make the state's Medicaid eligibility process more efficient and cost effective. Now that project also may be jeopardized (8/11).

12 Aug 2011

NPR examines how religious beliefs influence family planning in Pakistan

NPR's "All Things Considered" on Wednesday examined how Islam influences health and family planning decisions in Pakistan, one of Asia's fastest-growing populations.

12 Aug 2011

State roundup: Debt deal and states; Ariz. judge appoves Medicaid plan

Many expensive programs are exempt from the trigger cuts, including most that are considered "mandatory," which means that some of the largest joint state-federal programs aren't vulnerable. Those include Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (welfare) and the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program.

12 Aug 2011

Women worst hit by smoking

A study published in the British medical journal `The Lancet' on Thursday revealed that the risk of developing coronary heart disease is 25% higher for women smokers compared with men.

12 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: WSJ on 'super committee'; NEJM perspectives on medical devices

At bottom, the recent deal was meant to defer the bedrock choices that need another election or two to resolve while making incremental progress. So the current exercise is about rooting out $1.5 trillion in "savings," which will mean a hodgepodge of changes at the margin, not a rewrite of either entitlements or taxes. If bigger change were possible, Speaker John Boehner and President Obama would have agreed to it.

12 Aug 2011

Herbal remedies fail to provide safety information on labels

According to a new study many herbal remedies are not free from side effects as commonly believed. Herbal medicines may not contain all the information that consumers need to use them safely said the study.

11 Aug 2011

Republicans stay quiet on new health law rules related to birth control coverage

Republicans who swept to power last year vowing to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law have been nearly silent about new rules that will force health insurance companies to cover birth control and other women's health services without co-pays.

10 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: DeLauro on discretionary spending 'value'; S&P downgrade's entitlement effects; docs and guns

The deficit reduction plan signed by President Barack Obama last week focused sharply on the narrow slice of the budget labeled as "non-defense discretionary spending."

10 Aug 2011

Health law tests include controlling premium costs, religious groups' objections to covering birth control

Meanwhile, Texas and Michigan are seeking waivers from the law's medical-loss ratio rule and the Department of Health and Human Services posts information about patients' appeals rights.

9 Aug 2011

First Edition: August 8, 2011

Kaiser Health News staff writer Marilyn Werber Serafini reports: "GOP presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty has scorned the health plans engineered by President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, even linking them with the term Obamneycare. Instead, the former Minnesota governor is brandishing a health plan his state passed in 2008 as a model for the nation".

8 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: Birth control decision fallout; docs on Medi-Cal reimbursement; cutting out middlemen insurers

The most important financial matter for members of Congress when they return from their vacation is to figure out what is essential and what should be reduced or eliminated. … Medicare and Medicaid are absolutely justified for all of us at all ages.

6 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: Geithner, Bowles, Simpson, Ryan, Vladeck, Wilensky on health spending and the deficit

The agreement sets up a powerful mechanism for agreement on tax reforms to strengthen growth, and entitlement reforms to strengthen programs such as Medicare. A congressional committee with fast-track authority will have a Nov. 23 deadline to recommend a balanced package of long-term reforms to produce $1.5 trillion in additional deficit reduction.

4 Aug 2011

Federal judge temporarily bars Kansas from cutting funds to Planned Parenthood

For the second time in a month, a federal judge has temporarily halted a law aimed at abortion clinics. U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten issued a preliminary injunction Monday that blocks Kansas from stripping federal family-planning funds from Planned Parenthood. He ordered the state to start distributing the money to the agency.

3 Aug 2011

New HHS rule requires insurance coverage for contraception, other preventive services for women

The regulations, which were issued Monday by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, implement what is likely to be one of the most wide-reaching and popular provisions of the health law.

3 Aug 2011

First Edition: August 2, 2011

Today's headlines reveal how some specific elements of the debt-ceiling deal might impact Medicare providers.

2 Aug 2011

HHS announces new guidelines for women's preventive services

The rule includes everything from distribution of birth control pills to administration of breast exams. Ultimately, women will no longer pay out of pocket for preventive services. However, Politico reports that the Department of Health and Human Services may include a "conscience clause" in the regulation.

2 Aug 2011

FDA warns U.S. consumers not to use Evital emergency birth control medicine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning U.S. consumers not to use the emergency birth control medicine labeled as Evital.

2 Aug 2011

More opinions: Berwick, Deparle, Rep. Pitts and others on health costs; public health transparency guidelines

Unfortunately, there are too many examples that show how our system can fail to meet patients' needs. These problems are not a reflection on the many doctors, nurses and other professionals who work tirelessly to deliver the highest quality care they can.

2 Aug 2011

New birth control guidelines in U.S.

Planned parenting groups are cheering while some religious organizations are unhappy with the move that would require health insurance companies to provide women free birth control, in keeping with new Obama administration guidelines. The Department of Health and Human Services call it “historic” and also say that insurance companies must provide women with other preventive services free of charge.

1 Aug 2011

Birth Control News and Research

Viewpoints: Health reform 'tax' vs. 'penalty'; super committee forecast; boomer tsunami

Viewpoints: Brownback's 'snub'; The 'risks' of Medicaid cuts; Congressional alums on debt talks

NPR examines how religious beliefs influence family planning in Pakistan

State roundup: Debt deal and states; Ariz. judge appoves Medicaid plan

Women worst hit by smoking

Viewpoints: WSJ on 'super committee'; NEJM perspectives on medical devices

Herbal remedies fail to provide safety information on labels

Republicans stay quiet on new health law rules related to birth control coverage

Viewpoints: DeLauro on discretionary spending 'value'; S&P downgrade's entitlement effects; docs and guns

Health law tests include controlling premium costs, religious groups' objections to covering birth control

First Edition: August 8, 2011

Viewpoints: Birth control decision fallout; docs on Medi-Cal reimbursement; cutting out middlemen insurers

Viewpoints: Geithner, Bowles, Simpson, Ryan, Vladeck, Wilensky on health spending and the deficit

Federal judge temporarily bars Kansas from cutting funds to Planned Parenthood

New HHS rule requires insurance coverage for contraception, other preventive services for women

First Edition: August 2, 2011

HHS announces new guidelines for women's preventive services

FDA warns U.S. consumers not to use Evital emergency birth control medicine

More opinions: Berwick, Deparle, Rep. Pitts and others on health costs; public health transparency guidelines

New birth control guidelines in U.S.

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