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Health coverage issues around the country

News from around the country includes a lawsuit over Medicaid in Alaska, a health care mandate in California and the future of a multimillion-dollar contract for uninsured children in Mississippi.

24 Aug 2009

Estimating the number of uninsured

NPR reports that 46 million represents "roughly 15 percent of the U.S. population," and the number comes from 2007 Census Bureau estimates. "Although the number of uninsured has grown slowly in the past several years, it's speeding up, mainly because employment has declined drastically since the Census report. And most of us get our insurance through our jobs."

23 Aug 2009

Doctors' strange economic role

Doctors play an unusual role in the economy. "When asked what profession, economically speaking, the doctor resembles most, many economists say auto mechanic — because of… the information problem," NPR reports.

23 Aug 2009

Daschle advising Obama, health industry on reform

The Washington Post: "Former Senate majority leader Thomas A. Daschle's visit to the Oval Office on Friday, at the invitation of President Obama, was more than just a meeting between two loyal friends and political allies. It also served as a reminder of what might have been."

23 Aug 2009

Dems in conflict on health reform options, Mccain defends GOP 'end of life' claims

The Associated Press: "Some lawmakers have suggested that a separate bill with changes that are supported by Republicans and Democrats would be one route toward progress on the health care overhaul. But a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, says he doesn't see how lawmakers could get two health care bills through Congress and coordinate them well." Conrad spoke on CBS' "Face The Nation" (8/23).

23 Aug 2009

House Liberals: Bill must include public option

"With the battle over health care reform heating up over the issue of a public insurance option, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that the House must pass an overhaul that includes a public option," the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The comments came at a San Francisco news conference.

23 Aug 2009

HHS Secretary to address National Association of Community Health Centers

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will deliver remarks at the National Association of Community Health Centers' 2009 Community Health Institute and Expo in Chicago.

23 Aug 2009

Avalon members to benefit from contract signed between Avalon Healthcare and Physicians Regional Healthcare System

Avalon Healthcare, Florida’s fast growing statewide individual and group health insurance plan, has signed a provider agreement with the Collier County based Physicians Regional Healthcare System, announced Charles T. O’Neill Avalon’s Chief Executive Officer.

21 Aug 2009

National Health Partners issues guidance for third-quarter 2009

National Health Partners, Inc. (OTCBB: NHPR), a leading provider of unique discount healthcare membership programs, announced that it expects to generate positive cash flows from operating activities of almost $100,000 during August, representing the first time in the company’s history that it has achieved positive cash flows from operating activities for a full month.

21 Aug 2009

MedAssurant announces certification of event rate outcomes for HIP Medicare Advantage patients

MedAssurant, Inc., a leading provider of data-driven healthcare solutions, announced today that the Disease Management Purchasing Consortium (DMPC) has certified the event rate outcomes for HIP Health Plan of New York (HIP) Medicare Advantage patients.

21 Aug 2009

State round-up: Colorado's medicaid woes, Utah's Health Exchange, and more

Thursday's state news includes concerns over Medicaid reimbursement cuts in Colorado, the opening of the Utah Health Exchange amidst skyrocketing premiums and the high number of uninsured in Texas.

21 Aug 2009

Commissioner Joel Ario reminds parents to review insurance coverage needs before colleges reopen

As college classes are set to begin, Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Joel Ario today reminded parents to consider their family's changing insurance needs.

21 Aug 2009

Exhaled nitric oxide needs to be measured in asthma patients

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, the largest health care insurer in the Mid-Atlantic region of the USA, has adopted a policy stating that measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is considered medically necessary in the management of asthma patients.

21 Aug 2009

Study reveals that taxing job-based health benefits to affect low-income families more

As the debate over health care reform continues to unfold in town hall meetings and on Capitol Hill, a new study by two Harvard researchers has found that taxing job-based health benefits would heavily penalize insured, working families.

21 Aug 2009

Obama appeals to doubters: Health care plan a 'moral obligation'

Politico reports on the various paths the White House could take regarding strategy for passage of a health care reform bill. "No matter which way they go, the White House and congressional Democrats face long odds, and no guarantee of a bill at the end of the process.

20 Aug 2009

Obama stands by public plan in Conservative radio interview

"President Barack Obama is standing his position that a public option for health insurance coverage should be considered as part of legislation to overhaul the health care system," The Associated Press reports.

20 Aug 2009

Medicaid gap means young homeless go without

Homeless young people without Medicaid coverage often navigate a maze of emergency rooms and clinics to get care they need as advocates try to get them covered under health care reform, The Denver Post reports.

20 Aug 2009

Cambodia's maternal mortality; drugs in Uganda; cholera risk in Zimbabwe; HIV laws in Niger

A lack of outreach by public health officials and rural villagers' preference for traditional midwives have hindered efforts to reduce maternal morality in Cambodia, government officials said recently at regional conference, the Phnom Penh Post reports.

20 Aug 2009

Premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance projected to double in 10 years

Nationally, family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance increased 119 percent between 1999 and 2008, and could increase another 94 percent to an average $23,842 per family by 2020 if cost growth continues on its current course, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report.

20 Aug 2009

Senators to test bipartisan water on co-op plan

Key Senate negotiators - a group of three Republicans and three Democrats on the Finance Committee - will test the traction of a plan to create private health insurance cooperatives instead of a government-run insurance plan during a conference call today, The Los Angeles Times reports.

20 Aug 2009