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Obama presses health overhaul case to country

President Barack Obama is continuing his anti-insurance, pro-health reform pitch to town hall meetings and in his weekly address to the country.

16 Aug 2009

Obama criticizes media coverage, insurance companies during Montana Town Hall meeting

Reuters: "U.S. President Barack Obama, pushing for healthcare reform during a trip to conservative Montana, said on Friday the country was 'held hostage' by insurance companies that deny coverage to sick people." In what Reuters described as a "half-work, half-play trip with his family," Obama will highlight the benefits of his "$1 trillion plan to overhaul the insurance industry, expand healthcare coverage and cut costs to consumers."

16 Aug 2009

Verizon introduces new security capabilities for health care industry

As the health care industry moves from paper-based to electronic record-keeping, protecting confidential patient information becomes vastly more complex. To address this issue, Verizon is unveiling two new capabilities designed to help safeguard the growing exchange of electronic patient data between hospitals, clinics, physicians, insurers and patients.

14 Aug 2009

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow misleading viewers on who's funding the anti-Obama health care ads

The National Republican Trust PAC announced Monday a national television ad buy hammering official Washington on irresponsible spending and the trillions planned for government-run health care. NRTP accepts no corporate money and is funded solely by the donations from average Americans, mostly in the amounts of $25 to $50. During the 2008 campaign season, the Center for Responsive Politics noted that in just one month of activity, NRTP surpassed left-wing billionaire George Soros' MoveOn.org in independent expenditures.

13 Aug 2009

Obama's public pitches may be different than behind-the-scenes messages

"In pursuing his proposed overhaul of the health care system, President Obama has consistently presented himself as aloof from the legislative fray, merely offering broad principles," The New York Times reports.

13 Aug 2009

Potter: Insurers use 'scare tactics' to oppose reform, disrupt town halls

Wendell Potter, a former Cigna vice president turned industry critic, is charging that insurers are inciting opposition to health reform and that there is an indirect link between insurers and disruptive town hall protests, Roll Call reports.

13 Aug 2009

African American groups call on health insurers to dismiss restrictive practices

To protect the health of African Americans in Maryland, the Black Nurses Association of Baltimore and the Greater Baltimore Urban League have joined together to support a National Health Insurer Code of Conduct from the American Medical Association.

13 Aug 2009

CVS Caremark announces results of 2009 Health IQ study

CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) announced today the results of its 2009 Health IQ study which examined consumer attitudes and behaviors around health care and prescription usage. Among its findings, the study underscores the need for expanded health care coverage along with cost savings realized by improving health care delivery.

13 Aug 2009

AFGE's "Inside Government" radio show to focus on health care this week

The intensifying debate about health care reform in America will be addressed this week on AFGE's "Inside Government" radio show. The show will air on Friday, Aug. 14 at 10 a.m. EDT nationwide on Federal News Radio at www.federalnewsradio.com and 1500 AM in the Washington, D.C., area.

13 Aug 2009

Anger at Town Halls continues, sides trade barbs

Lawmakers home for August recess ran into still more anger at town halls over the proposed health care overhaul.

13 Aug 2009

Arcadia resources announces Q1 2009 financials

Arcadia Resources, Inc. (NYSE Amex: KAD), a leading provider of home care, medical staffing, and pharmacy services under the Arcadia HealthCare(SM) brand, today announced results for its fiscal first quarter ended June 30, 2009.

13 Aug 2009

Ad wars: Intensity picks up during August recess

The National Republican Congressional Committee is targeting a Democrat on health care reform for the first time, as ad wars — and message wars — continue between parties, Roll Call reports.

13 Aug 2009

Building a comprehensive child vision care system

Even though universal comprehensive eye exams for children prior to starting school would result in more children being diagnosed and successfully treated for vision problems and eye diseases, requirements vary widely from state to state and only three states require eye examinations for school-age children, according to a new report from the National Commission on Vision and Health.

13 Aug 2009

Under pressure from Dems, insurers point fingers at doctors' charges

A new survey sponsored by the leading insurance industry group shows that its member companies received some huge bills – many times what Medicare pays for a given procedure – from doctors in many states last year. One example: a $72,000 dollar charge for a spinal fusion in New Jersey for which Medicare pays $1,628, the New York Times reports.

12 Aug 2009

Jobless, uninsured seek health care from COBRA and free clinics

Many people are going without health care in the current economy, but COBRA and free clinics can provide relief.

12 Aug 2009

Obama takes reform message to New Hampshire, takes on 'scare tactics'

President Barack Obama Tuesday called out "wild misrepresentations" of a plan to reform the health care system in America, The Concord (N.H.) Monitor reports.

12 Aug 2009

Health care opposition exposed

"The opposition to health reform is a web of vested interests with major financial stakes in the status quo," say former Chief of Staff to the House Aging Committee/former White House Drug Policy spokesman Bob Weiner and Analyst Jordan Osserman in a column in today's South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

12 Aug 2009

Transcript: President Obama Town Hall meeting in New Hampshire

President Barack Obama continued his press for public support of health reform initiatives at what the White House called a "Health Insurance Reform Town Hall" meeting at Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

12 Aug 2009

A historical look at health refom

Several news organizations offered historical looks at health reform and explainers on specific proposals.

12 Aug 2009

Specter to oppose health reform covering illegal immigration

During a town hall meeting Tuesday on health care reform, Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) stated his opposition to legislation that would cover illegal aliens. Specter has been a long-time champion of amnesty for illegal aliens, he was the author of the 2006 amnesty bill (S. 2611) that was widely rejected by the American people.

12 Aug 2009