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Bunning continues block of COBRA subsidy extension, Medicare 'doc fix'

Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., is blocking a bill that would temporarily extend unemployment benefits and federal subsidies for some health insurance benefits.

2 Mar 2010

GOP, Dems continue battle over using 'reconciliation' to move health reform forward

Democrats are defending the use of the budget reconciliation in a health care overhaul as "nothing extraordinary" while Republicans are accusing them of "trying to ram through legislation using a parliamentary trick that Republicans say was never designed for such a big bill," The Wall Street Journal reports.

2 Mar 2010

Catholic Charities in Washington, D.C., limits spouses' health insurance

The Washington Post: Employees at Catholic Charities were told Monday that the social services organization is changing its health coverage to avoid offering benefits to same-sex partners of its workers. ... Starting Tuesday, Catholic Charities will not offer benefits to spouses of new employees or to spouses of current employees who are not already enrolled in the plan. A letter describing the change in health benefits was e-mailed to employees Monday, two days before same-sex marriage will become legal in the District."

2 Mar 2010

Activists and lobbyists ramp up efforts in possible final health care push

"In the absence of clear next steps, outside groups have stepped in to beat the drum, keeping time while the leadership meets behind closed doors to write the next movement. ... Progressive advocacy groups like Health Care for America Now and Families USA are organizing supporters and protests across the country, reminding Americans and lawmakers why inaction is unacceptable."

2 Mar 2010

First Edition: March 2, 2010

Today's headlines highlight the latest on the White House's health reform strategy and a new lawsuit against California's largest for-profit health insurer.

2 Mar 2010

UPMC, Google Health, CMU and dbMotion develop novel PHR technology

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) today announced the development of personal health record (PHR) technology that may soon give patients the ability to add critical health information to the electronic health records maintained by hospitals and physicians. UPMC completed the proof-of-concept project in collaboration with Google Health, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and technology partner dbMotion.

2 Mar 2010

States continue to wrestle with Medicaid spending, budget issues; Utah legislation would criminalize illegal abortion

Cincinnati Business Courier: Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has signed a bill that will extend the state's mini-COBRA program from 12 to 15 months for small-business employees, according to a report in Columbus Business First (3/1).

2 Mar 2010

Pennsylvania to use nearly $10M in federal grant funds to improve quality of health care for children

Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced Pennsylvania will use nearly $10 million in federal grant funds to improve the quality of health care for children while reducing the cost of services through the use of pediatric electronic health records.

2 Mar 2010

Rescission is one of rare points of agreement in health care overhaul

NPR reports that rescission, "where health insurance companies cancel policies after people run up heavy bills" is one of the points of agreement among lawmakers of both parties in health care reform as evidenced by its inclusion in comments at last week's health care summit.

2 Mar 2010

Towns struggle with high health costs

In the final installment of a two-part series, The Boston Globe reports on municipal health costs and how financially strapped towns are seeking a change in state law so that they can have more flexibility in setting health costs.

2 Mar 2010

Opeds: GOP ideas, HSAs, calls for 'yes' on health bill

It turns out that, when someone is spending his own money alone for routine expenses, he is far more likely to ask the questions he would ask if purchasing any other good or service: "Is there a generic version of that drug?" (Gov. Mitch Daniels, 3/1).

2 Mar 2010

New treatment guidelines demonstrate that best care does not always cost more

Arizona Oncology is proud to be a part of the larger network that just completed a recently conducted study by US Oncology and Aetna that finds evidence-based care for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) results in an average cost savings of 35 percent over 12 months while demonstrating equivalent health outcomes.

2 Mar 2010

Thirty-six organizations urge Congress to pass health reform legislation

State, regional and national public health associations today called on Congress to send comprehensive health reform legislation to the president in the coming weeks. Thirty-six organizations representing tens of thousands of public health professionals from Alaska to Maine, Iowa to Kentucky and states in between signed on to a letter to members of Congress urging action.

1 Mar 2010

Groups preparing to fight cutbacks, ready final health overhaul push

A renewed push to pass health care reform in America has lobbyists and interest groups pushing to have their voices heard and heeded as lawmakers prepare the endgame on health reform legislation, The Washington Post reports.

1 Mar 2010

Medicare cuts to doctors payments go into effect today

Starting today, doctors face a 21 percent cut in their reimbursements from Medicare based on a federal budget law that sets physican payments based on other economic factors. In past years, Congress has routinely waived such cuts. The House passed a bill to again postpone the cuts but a similar attempt in the Senate stalled last week.

1 Mar 2010

First Edition: March 1, 2010

Today's headlines focus on Democratic vote-counting and what plans the future will hold for advancing health reform.

1 Mar 2010

Childhood obesity prevention: Prenatal and infancy period upto age 5 crucial

Efforts to prevent childhood obesity should begin far earlier than currently thought-perhaps even before birth-especially for minority children, according to a new study that tracked 1,826 women from pregnancy through their children's first five years of life.

1 Mar 2010

Ratifying global tobacco control treaty: Opportunity for U.S. to lead struggle against tobacco usage

The fifth anniversary of the international treaty to address the global tobacco epidemic presents a significant opportunity for President Obama to continue his strong leadership on tobacco control by submitting the treaty to the Senate for ratification and urging its quick approval.

1 Mar 2010

Cinergy Health expresses concern regarding unresolved partisan issues during healthcare summit

Cinergy Health, a nationwide provider of health insurance benefit programs for the consumer market, expressed its concern regarding unresolved partisan issues during the healthcare summit on Thursday, February 25th.

28 Feb 2010

Republicans press campaign against reconciliation; Mccain seek to strip Medicare out of health bill

Republicans and Democrat hit the Sunday talk shows today to debate whether a complex congressional process called 'reconciliation' should be used to consider a major overhaul of the U.S. health care system. Reconciliation is normally used for 'taxing and spending and reducing deficits,' said Sen.

28 Feb 2010