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Difficult issues will remain even if Senate Democrats pass health bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., made two major changes to the Senate's version of the health overhaul legislation - removing the proposed "public option" and restricting abortion coverage - that have helped ease tension enough to secure more votes for the bill, but left advocates with much to complain about.

22 Dec 2009

Obama praises Senate for clearing key health care hurdle

"President Barack Obama on Monday praised the Senate for clearing a key hurdle after midnight Sunday on the health care reform package, calling it a victory against 'special interests' that will reduce costs and the deficit," Roll Call reports.

22 Dec 2009

AMA backs latest Senate bill

Senate Democrats were bolstered Monday by the endorsement of the American Medical Association as they push for a final vote this week on their health overhaul legislation, Bloomberg reports. "The bill advances many of our priority issues for achieving the vision of a health system that works for patients and physicians," the AMA's president-elect, Dr. Cecil Wilson, said in endorsing the most recent version of the Senate bill, proposed over the weekend by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. (Salant and Donmoyer, 12/22).

22 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 22, 2009

The big news today follows two main themes -- the Senate's march toward Democrats' Christmas eve deadline for passing a health reform bill; and, the challenges that will be involved when the House and Senate versions of the overhaul are reconciled.

22 Dec 2009

AARP applauds Senate for moving health care reform forward

The U.S. Senate this morning voted to move forward with health care reforms that will begin to bring needed relief to millions of Americans struggling with high costs and discriminatory insurance company practices.

22 Dec 2009

Prescription medication at lower costs for Oregon state agency employees

Public employees in the state of Oregon will soon have access to a wider range of prescription medication at lower costs.

22 Dec 2009

New quantities of H1N1 vaccine available for walk-in patients; no appointments necessary

U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group, a leading operator of occupational health and urgent care centers in the nation, today announced that most of its 128 medical centers have new quantities of H1N1 vaccine available for walk-in patients – no appointments necessary.

22 Dec 2009

New Medicare Advantage PPO plan launched by Clear One Health Plans

Clear One Health Plans, Inc. introduces its new Medicare Advantage PPO plan, the first plan to include both out-of-network coverage and in-network coverage in Central Oregon, Southern California, and Arizona.

22 Dec 2009

Seniors concerned over cost and coverage in 2010 Medicare enrollment plans

The 2010 annual enrollment period for individuals with Medicare plans ends Thursday, December 31. According to customer service specialists at Health Plan One, an online insurance brokerage and Medicare information portal, while seniors have been inquiring about plans' physician networks, changes to drug formularies, and plan eliminations and introductions in their states, the top three most discussed topics surround plan cancellations, premium increases and Medicare supplement alternatives.

22 Dec 2009

Health care reform legislation will increase premiums for New Yorkers

Mark Wagar, President and CEO of Empire BlueCross BlueShield urged further improvement to the federal health care reform legislation that today does little to control the rising costs of health care and will increase premiums for too many New Yorkers and too many across the nation.

22 Dec 2009

US Family Health Plan achieves 2009 member satisfaction

One might call it “the little healthcare plan that could.” While the debate over healthcare reform rages, the US Family Health Plan, a Department of Defense-sponsored healthcare plan administered by CHRISTUS Health of Houston for about 11,000 military family members in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana, has achieved a 2009 member satisfaction rating 44.5 percent above the national average.

22 Dec 2009

GE extends Stimulus Simplicity program to include Centricity Business solution suite

As part of its ongoing efforts to facilitate healthcare providers’ adoption of healthcare information technology, GE announced today that it is extending the purchasing options associated with its Stimulus SimplicityTM program – 0% payment terms and deferred payments until 2012* – to include new purchases of its Centricity® Business solution suite.

22 Dec 2009

Amedisys recognized as top investment pick by Fortune magazine

Amedisys, Inc., one of America's leading home health nursing companies, today announced that Fortune magazine named Amedisys on its list of the 10 Best Stocks for 2010 in its issue dated December 21, 2009.

22 Dec 2009

HQP enters into agreement with Aetna to provide nurse care management services

Health Quality Partners (HQP) has entered into a three-year agreement with Aetna to provide nurse care management services to Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan members with certain chronic health conditions who receive their care at participating practices in Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania.

22 Dec 2009

U.S. Senate's vote on health care reform would end costs and discriminatory insurance company practices

This morning, the U.S. Senate voted to move forward with health care reforms that will begin to bring needed relief to millions of Americans struggling with high costs and discriminatory insurance company practices.

22 Dec 2009

AMA supports amended Senate health system reform bill

The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced its support for passage of the amended Senate health system reform bill (H.R. 3590). Passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by the Senate will bring our nation close to the finish line on health system reform.

22 Dec 2009

SBE Council: Senate health care bill continues to ignore the plight of U.S. small businesses

The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) said the latest version of the Senate health care bill continues to ignore the plight of U.S. small businesses, and instead burdens them with additional taxes and regulations that will drive business costs higher.

22 Dec 2009

New West Physicians to provide health care services for Humana members

New West Physicians, a primary care group practice in the metro Denver area serving more than 250,000 patients, will now provide health care services to individuals and families enrolled in a commercial health plan with Humana Inc., under terms of a long-term agreement announced today.

21 Dec 2009

Task force's role in reform bills draws scrutiny in the wake of mammography guidelines

The Washington Post reports that the "once-obscure federal panel that triggered a firestorm with its new mammography guidelines would get far greater authority under the health-care reform proposals pending in Congress, sparking more debate about its power and independence. Critics of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force say that the panel would become a stealth tool for government bureaucrats bent on rationing health care.

21 Dec 2009

Winners, losers examined in Senate health bill tax treatment, insurer regulations

The Associated Press reports on some winners and losers in the Senate health reform bill including cosmetic surgeons who helped defeat a proposed 5 percent tax on their services and a handful of states getting more federal aid to help them afford a proposed Medicaid expansion.

21 Dec 2009