Medical Legislation News and Research

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Prices on medications most commonly used by older people rose 4.3% in first half of 2006

Manufacturer prices for the brand-name drugs most commonly used by individuals ages 50 and older increased by an average of 6.3% during the 12-month period ending in June, according to an AARP survey released on Tuesday, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.

22 Sep 2006

Lawmakers push AMA to support linking Medicare payments, quality measures

House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Chair Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.) on Wednesday met with physician groups to discuss legislation that would stop a 5.1% reduction in Medicare physician reimbursements that is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2007, CQ Today reports.

22 Sep 2006

Many Australian physicians not applying for permission to import Mifepristone

Many Australian physicians are not applying for permission to supply mifepristone to women in the country and instead are prescribing women a combination of methotrexate -- a drug licensed to treat cancer patients -- and misoprostol to induce a medical abortion.

20 Sep 2006

Pennsylvania Senate candidate Casey says Democratic Party becoming more open to those opposing abortion rights

Pennsylvania State Treasurer Bob Casey (D), a candidate for the U.S. Senate who opposes abortion rights, on Friday said he has been "encouraged to see Democrats in this new century becoming more open to people who are pro-life," the AP/Phillyburbs.com reports (Hefling, AP/Phillyburbs.com, 9/15).

20 Sep 2006

HIV/AIDS advocates say India's law criminalizing homosexuality hinders HIV prevention

International human rights groups and gay rights advocates in India on Saturday in an open letter called on the government to repeal its law criminalizing homosexuality, saying the law is affecting the fight against HIV/AIDS, the New York Times reports.

20 Sep 2006

160 HIV-positive delegates at XVI International AIDS conference make refugee claims in Canada

About 160 HIV-positive people who entered Canada from other countries to attend the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto last month have made refugee claims to stay in the country, Toronto's Globe and Mail reports.

20 Sep 2006

Ugandan lawmakers draft bill seeking death penalty for HIV-positive people who perform sexual acts with minors

Ugandan lawmakers are drafting a bill that if passed would seek the death penalty for HIV-positive people who perform sexual acts with minors with or without consent, South Africa's Mail and Guardian reports.

20 Sep 2006

Federal law allows consumers to qualify for Medicaid, retain assets

Under a new federal law, residents of about 20 states in 2007 will be able to purchase simplified, long-term care coverage, and if that coverage runs out, they could qualify for Medicaid, even if they have assets totaling more than $2,000, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

20 Sep 2006

Senate majority leader Frist hopes to hold vote on revised 'Association Health Plan Bill' this month

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) this month hopes to hold a floor vote on a revised version of a bill (S 1995) that would allow small businesses and trade associations to form association health plans across state lines, according to a Frist spokesperson, CongressDaily reports.

20 Sep 2006

More states allow older children to remain on parents' health plans

A "growing number of states" have extended the time children can remain on their parents' health insurance plans out of concern "that a healthy -- and profitable -- segment of the population is dropping out of the insurance pool," the New York Times reports.

20 Sep 2006

House panel passes bill to require electronic health records for FEHBP members

The House Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce and Agency Organization on Wednesday passed a bill (HR 4859) that would authorize the Office of Personnel Management to require health insurers to establish two forms of electronic health records for the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, CongressDaily reports.

18 Sep 2006

House Democrats introduce bill that aims to reduce unintended pregnancies, abortions

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), who opposes abortion rights, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), who supports abortion rights, and other House Democrats last Thursday at a press conference announced the introduction of legislation (HR 6067) that aims to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions, Copley/Canton Repository reports.

18 Sep 2006

Michigan Bills introduced that would require girls to receive HPV vaccine before sixth grade

Michigan Sen. Beverly Hammerstrom (R) last Tuesday introduced two bills (SB 1416, SB 1417) that would require girls in the state entering the sixth grade in the 2007-2008 school year and beyond to have received Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil, the Detroit News reports.

18 Sep 2006

Oregon Prescription Drug Program would expand coverage to all uninsured residents

An initiative that will appear on the November ballot in Oregon would expand a state prescription drug program to cover all residents without drug coverage, the Oregonian reports.

18 Sep 2006

Chilean Appeals Court suspends Government plan to distribute emergency contraception at no cost to girls

The Santiago, Chile, Appeals Court last Wednesday in a split decision issued a temporary injunction on the government's plan to distribute emergency contraceptive pills in public clinics to girls ages 14 and older at no cost and without parental consent until lawsuits challenging the plan are resolved, Reuters AlertNet reports.

18 Sep 2006

Doctors decline Rep. Thomas' offer to increase Medicare reimbursements in exchange for quality program participation

The American Medical Association and other doctors' groups last Thursday rejected an offer from House Ways and Means Committee Chair Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) to block a scheduled reduction in Medicare physician reimbursements in exchange for participation in a quality of care program, CQ HealthBeat reports.

18 Sep 2006

Women in Government back cervical cancer vaccine for sixth graders

Girls in Michigan as young as eleven years could be the first required to be vaccinated against cervical cancer under proposed mandatory legislation.

18 Sep 2006

Chile to distribute Plan B emergency contraceptive at no cost to girls over age 14

Chilean Health Minister Maria Soledad Barria earlier this month announced that the government will distribute Barr Laboratories' emergency contraceptive Plan B -- which can prevent pregnancy if taken up to 72 hours after sexual intercourse -- in public clinics to girls ages 14 and older at no cost and without parental consent, the Christian Science Monitor reports.

14 Sep 2006

Primary election results for races involving women's health issues

Nine states and the District of Columbia on Tuesday held primary elections, and some of the races involved women's health issues.

14 Sep 2006

Congressional action on Medicare physician reimbursements unlikely before election

William Hoagland, the top budget aide to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), on Tuesday told health insurance industry officials that Congress likely will address a scheduled 5.1% reduction in Medicare physician reimbursements this year but not until after the midterm election, CQ HealthBeat reports.

14 Sep 2006

Medical Legislation News and Research

Prices on medications most commonly used by older people rose 4.3% in first half of 2006

Lawmakers push AMA to support linking Medicare payments, quality measures

Many Australian physicians not applying for permission to import Mifepristone

Pennsylvania Senate candidate Casey says Democratic Party becoming more open to those opposing abortion rights

HIV/AIDS advocates say India's law criminalizing homosexuality hinders HIV prevention

160 HIV-positive delegates at XVI International AIDS conference make refugee claims in Canada

Ugandan lawmakers draft bill seeking death penalty for HIV-positive people who perform sexual acts with minors

Federal law allows consumers to qualify for Medicaid, retain assets

Senate majority leader Frist hopes to hold vote on revised 'Association Health Plan Bill' this month

More states allow older children to remain on parents' health plans

House panel passes bill to require electronic health records for FEHBP members

House Democrats introduce bill that aims to reduce unintended pregnancies, abortions

Michigan Bills introduced that would require girls to receive HPV vaccine before sixth grade

Oregon Prescription Drug Program would expand coverage to all uninsured residents

Chilean Appeals Court suspends Government plan to distribute emergency contraception at no cost to girls

Doctors decline Rep. Thomas' offer to increase Medicare reimbursements in exchange for quality program participation

Women in Government back cervical cancer vaccine for sixth graders

Chile to distribute Plan B emergency contraceptive at no cost to girls over age 14

Primary election results for races involving women's health issues

Congressional action on Medicare physician reimbursements unlikely before election

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