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Hoyer: House could be in session until late December

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) today said "he is prepared to extend the House healthcare schedule into late December in order to pass healthcare reform," The Hill reports. "Two weeks ago, Hoyer said that the House could work as late as Nov. 24 in order to pass healthcare reform. Now he says that the House could be in session as late as Dec. 22 to vote on a final bill should it emerge from conference" (Fabian, 11/11)

11 Nov 2009

CHF commends the passage of health reform bill; disapproves move to eliminate CHIP

Children's Health Fund (CHF), a national organization that advocates for and provides clinical care to disadvantaged and medically underserved children, today issued a Report Card that graded the child health provisions in the Congressional Health Reform bill that was passed in the House of Representatives on November 7.

11 Nov 2009

Young adults don't welcome health insurance mandate

Young people who don't view health insurance as a priority are wary of health-overhaul legislation now in Congress that would require them to buy it or face a penalty. For instance, "Poor and bludgeoned by debt accrued over four years of college - but otherwise healthy - medical insurance just isn't in the cards for aspiring-artist Joanna Zobjeck," the Oshkosh (Wis.) Northwestern reports.

11 Nov 2009

Adamis Labs secures orders from three major wholesale distributers in U.S.

Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (OTCBB: ADMP), announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Adamis Labs has now secured distribution contracts and initial stocking orders from the three major wholesalers of prescription drugs in the U.S.

11 Nov 2009

Health overhaul proposals test limits of Democrats' unity

Politico reports that votes on a health care bill are subjecting some Democrats to fierce attacks - from other Democrats. "For some of 39 House Democrats who opposed the bill, there are protests outside their offices and promises of retribution.

11 Nov 2009

Health insurance industry profits examined

The characterization of the health insurance industry as high-profit is "a little mystifying" and "rather silly" given that their profit margins are thin compared to other industries, according to analysts interviewed by ABC News.

11 Nov 2009

Lack of health insurance leads to death of 2,266 U.S. military veterans in 2008

A research team at Harvard Medical School estimates 2,266 U.S. military veterans under the age of 65 died last year because they lacked health insurance and thus had reduced access to care. That figure is more than 14 times the number of deaths (155) suffered by U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2008, and more than twice as many as have died (911 as of Oct. 31) since the war began in 2001.

11 Nov 2009

Medicare Advantage plans are largely unpopular in rural states

Kansas Health Institute examines Medicare Advantage plans, which are less popular in rural areas, in a series of reports.

11 Nov 2009

House health bill votes stir political action, ads

The Washington Post reports that "the House's passage Saturday of a sweeping health-care bill has pushed the advertising battle over reform into a new phase, as competing groups have taken to the airwaves to thank or punish Democrats for their votes."

10 Nov 2009

White House firm on health reform timeline, sends mixed abortion messages

Roll Call: "Even as Senate Democrats continue to grope for a way forward on health care, the White House asserted Monday that its Dec. 31 deadline for final passage of the legislation is solid. 'When we say the end of the year, we've got a pretty firm end-of-the-year deadline,' White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said."

10 Nov 2009

SBA provision, antitrust exemption and FTC involvement need to be addressed in Senate, says PIA

Inclusion of a provision in the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) allowing insurance agents to sell health policies offered by health insurance exchanges is positive, but other issues remain to be addressed in the Senate, according to the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA).

10 Nov 2009

Consortium of researchers produce a special issue that examines healthcare disparities affecting minorities

The Latino population is the nation's largest minority group at an estimated 47 million in 2008 and is predicted to make up 30% of the US population by 2050. At the same time, chronic diseases among Latinos are on the rise and require long-range strategies to prevent and clinically manage. Understanding the healthcare of this fastest growing population is critical to the healthcare debate and reform initiatives.

10 Nov 2009

NATC sponsored national quit smoking program to launch second phase of campaign

With the latest research estimating that nearly six million people worldwide will lose their lives to tobacco next year, an innovative approach is critical to helping the 43 million Americans who smoke to finally quit. This month, which is observed as Lung Cancer Awareness Month, the national quit smoking program, EX(R) will debut the second phase of advertising and promotions designed to help smokers "re-learn" life without cigarettes.

10 Nov 2009

ikaSystems' enterprise-wide systems help lower administrative costs for health plan members

The United States moved a step closer to major healthcare reform this weekend as the House of Representatives voted 220 to 215 to approve a plan that will, among other goals, extend coverage to an estimated 36 million people without insurance, create a government health insurance option and prohibit such contentious insurance company practices as denying coverage for those with pre-existing conditions and rescinding coverage without clear and convincing evidence of fraud.

10 Nov 2009

Speaker Pelosi praises H.R. 3962 that will improve Medicaid access to HIV/AIDS-affected people

"Effective drug treatments have improved both health and quality of life for thousands of Americans living with HIV/AIDS. However, many uninsured, low-income HIV-positive individuals still do not have access to these life-saving medications because they generally do not meet Medicaid requirements until becoming disabled by full-blown AIDS.

10 Nov 2009

Members of Congress who voted "no" on health care reform legislation received $2.3 million more in donations

Members of Congress who noted "no" on health care reform legislation late Saturday night have received $2.3 million more in campaign donations from health insurance interests than those who voted in favor of the legislation to overhaul of the nation's health care system, according to analysis released by a coalition of campaign reform groups.

10 Nov 2009

House-passed abortion restrictions could stir up Senate's health reform debate

The Washington Post: "The abortion issue had been rumbling within the House Democratic caucus for weeks, but Saturday's votes revealed the depths of the fault lines. The amendment passed with the support of 64 Democrats, roughly a quarter of the party caucus." And with an eye on the Senate and eventual conference committee negotiations, abortion-rights supporters are now pledging to strip the amendment out of the underlying health bill.

10 Nov 2009