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Centrist Democrats are cool to Reid's plan for public option

With his announcement regarding support for the public option, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's plans to move health legislation to the Senate floor face big challenges.

28 Oct 2009

Inventa Technologies secures capacity planning and visualization service contract

ANTs software inc., a leader in database migration solutions, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Inventa Technologies, Inc. has secured a contract with one of the nations leading health insurance providers to execute a capacity planning and visualization service project.

28 Oct 2009

Customers in all 353 of Florida Winn-Dixie and Save-Rite locations to receive Health Cards

Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. (WINN) today announced that it has partnered with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida (BCBSF) to offer its customers Health Cards in all 353 of its Florida Winn-Dixie and Save-Rite locations.

28 Oct 2009

Wellpoint announces third quarter 2009 financial results; net income is 1.53 per share

WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP) today announced that third quarter 2009 net income was $730.2 million, or $1.53 per share, including net investment gains of $21.5 million pre-tax, or $0.03 per share, and an impairment charge totaling $205.5 million pre-tax, or $0.28 per share, for certain intangible assets.

28 Oct 2009

Third-quarter fiscal 2009 results announced by Life Quotes

Life Quotes, Inc., the only place on earth where you can get auto, life, health, home and business insurance quotes from over 100 leading companies and have the freedom to buy from the company of your choice, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009.

28 Oct 2009

First Edition: October 28, 2009

The news of the day again seems to focus on Senate Democrat's public option as well as the politics, strong-arming and vote-counting that it has caused.

28 Oct 2009

Critical illness insurance, an additional layer of financial protection

As breast cancer awareness month winds to a close and pink ribbons symbolizing the brave fight against this disease take their place on survivors' dressers, the fight continues. Putting the spotlight on this devastating disease has made people think about their own mortality and what would happen if they were diagnosed with a critical illness, says Frank N. Darras, America's top Long Term Disability Lawyer.

28 Oct 2009

HealthEdge launches Benefit Predictor enterprise-class software platform

HealthEdge, provider of the only modern, enterprise-class software platform for healthcare payors, today announced the availability of Benefit Predictor, a revolutionary new capability that is now a standard part of its HealthRules Payor application. This new functionality provides HealthEdge clients with a significant competitive advantage related to both transparency and customer service, as it enables them to quickly and easily answer the most complex benefit questions from their members and providers.

28 Oct 2009

Tips for affording expensive medication

You've lost your prescription insurance benefits because of unemployment; you don't have the extra money you once did for the co-pay; you have an expensive medication that isn't covered. Unfortunately, this is the current situation for many Americans. Carriann Richey, director of outreach and assistant professor of pharmacy practice for Butler University's College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, says while affording medications in today's economy may be more difficult than ever before, there are options out there that can help.

28 Oct 2009

Internet-based diet and exercise program shows promise in lowering healthcare costs

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) have shown that an employer-sponsored, internet-based diet and exercise program shows promise as a low-cost benefit to lower healthcare costs for those at higher risk for above-average costs and healthcare utilization such as cardiac, hyperlipidemia, hypertension or diabetes patients.

28 Oct 2009

Lieberman, other lawmakers express opposition to Reid's public plan

Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., says he'll filibuster Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's health care reform bill. Politico reports: "Lieberman, who caucuses with Democrats and is positioning himself as a fiscal hawk on the issue, said he opposes any health care bill that includes a government-run insurance program — even if it includes a provision allowing states to opt out of the program, as Reid has said the Senate bill will."

28 Oct 2009

House Republicans take aim at AARP

The Wall Street Journal: "Republicans in Congress are taking aim at AARP's financial ties to the health-insurance industry just as the advocacy group is taking a more prominent role supporting an overhaul of the nation's health-care system."

28 Oct 2009

The stakes are high for the top Medicare job

Reuters reports that health care overhaul currently being considered in Congress "elevates the job of running the government's $700-billion Medicare agency to new heights and all but guarantees a political battle over filling the post."

28 Oct 2009

House Democrats continue courting, counting votes for 'robust' public option

The New York Times reports that Speaker Nancy Pelosi is scheduled to discuss the public option and health costs with other Democratic leaders. "Ms. Pelosi has been working hard to build support for the most liberal version of a government-run insurance plan, the so-called robust public option, which would generally tie payments to doctors, hospitals and other health care providers to Medicare rates. But so far Ms. Pelosi has been coming up short."

27 Oct 2009

Senators draw lines around a handful of swing voters

Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both Maine Republicans, have been in the spotlight this year because of their ability to cross party lines with political impunity, Politico reports. Collins took the lead in negotiating a stimulus bill in February that drew three GOP votes, including Snowe's. Snowe is now at the center of the health reform debate.

27 Oct 2009

Young people speak out regarding efforts to overhaul the health care system

"As the health care debate winds its way through Congress, everyone can agree on at least this much: Bringing more young adults into the health care system would balance out the costs for everyone else because the young use the least amount of care," The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

27 Oct 2009

AARP dual role in health reform: Advocate and insurance business

The Washington Post reports on questions raised about AARP's dual role in health reform. It profits from sales of health insurance policies to seniors and is strongly supporting reform legislation. "The nation's preeminent seniors group, AARP, has put the weight of its 40 million members behind health-care reform, saying many of the proposals will lower costs and increase the quality of care for older Americans," according to the Post.

27 Oct 2009

Acumedspa Holdings implements AcuClaims for 100 % of insurance verification and billing services

Acumedspa Holdings, Inc., which owns and operates multiple Medical Spa locations throughout South Florida has agreed to begin using AcuClaims for 100 % of insurance verification and billing services.

27 Oct 2009

Economic Adviser Romer goes to bat for 'Cadillac tax,' ways to control costs

ABC News reports that Christina D. Romer, chair of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, "went to bat on Monday for a tax on high-priced insurance plans, the so-called 'Cadillac tax,' calling it 'probably the number one item that health economists across the ideological spectrum believe is likely to stem the explosion of health-care costs.'"

27 Oct 2009

AFL-CIO to push even harder for health reform, may bend on 'Cadillac tax'

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is "willing to consider a tax on high-value health insurance plans — something labor has vehemently opposed — if middle-class workers aren't hurt, The Associated Press reports. The flexibility is notable because "[l]abor leaders worry that workers would be affected even though lawmakers aimed the proposed tax at insurance plans offering the richest benefits" (Werner, 10/26).

27 Oct 2009