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Racial disparities in smoking cessation treatment

A new study from the American Cancer Society finds black and Hispanic smokers are less likely than whites to receive and use smoking cessation advice and aids.

24 Apr 2008

New cancer report - facts and figures 2008

An annual report from the American Cancer Society highlights that long-term favorable trends have stalled for several factors that have been responsible for declining cancer death rates in the U.S.

22 Apr 2008

Bush Administration directive to enroll low-income children in SCHIP before expanding coverage is unenforceable because it violates Federal law, according to GAO

The Bush administration violated federal law last year when it issued a policy directive that restricts states' ability to expand their SCHIP programs, according to a Government Accountability Office legal opinion released Friday, the New York Times reports (Pear, New York Times, 4/19).

21 Apr 2008

Health care debate to produce sharp differences between parties in Presidential election

The Wall Street Journal on Saturday examined how health care will produce "some of the sharpest differences" between Democrats and Republicans in the presidential election as the candidates "respond to increasing economic anxiety about many issues."

21 Apr 2008

Health insurers experience effects of recent economic downturn despite history of resisting recession

The Wall Street Journal on Monday examined "what is shaping up to be a shaky earnings season" for health insurers in the face of the current economic recession.

21 Apr 2008

Several states consider tobacco tax increases to fund health care programs, address budget deficits

Several states have sought to increase their tobacco taxes to fund health care programs and address budget deficits, but efforts to increase tobacco taxes in some cases have prevented the passage of health care proposals, the New York Times reports.

21 Apr 2008

Maine Gov. Baldacci signs legislation that will increase taxes to fund health program

Maine Gov. John Baldacci (D) on Wednesday signed into law a bill that increases taxes and fees on beer, wine and soda manufacturers to fund the Dirigo Health program, the Blethen Maine News Service/Portland Press Herald reports.

21 Apr 2008

South Carolina House to consider bill that would eliminate requirement to inform school officials of students' HIV-positive status

The South Carolina House this week is scheduled to consider a bill (SB 970) that would eliminate a state law that requires the Department of Health and Environmental Control to notify school district superintendents and nurses if students test HIV-positive, the Columbia State reports.

21 Apr 2008

Can IT fuel the race to the $1,000 human genome?

Ever wonder if you have a genetic disposition to a certain disease, or why a medicine works for your friend, but not for you?

21 Apr 2008

Report examines how social, economic factors contribute to health disparities in Alameda County

Higher rates of illness among low-income individuals and people of color in Alameda County, Calif., can be attributed to social, economic, transportation, housing, education and other inequalities, according to a report released on Thursday by the Alameda County Public Health Department, the Oakland Tribune reports.

18 Apr 2008

Pharmaceutical Care Management Association response to New York Times article on biotech medicine costs

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) issued the following statement today regarding a story to be published in tomorrow's New York Times.

18 Apr 2008

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examines Democratic Presidential candidates' health care plans

Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.) have both proposed health care plans that would "build on the existing health care system" to make affordable coverage available to the uninsured, but they differ on whether an individual insurance mandate is necessary to expand coverage to all U.S. residents, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

18 Apr 2008

NEJM article examines U.S. physician shortage

In this week's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, national correspondent John Iglehart examines efforts by medical schools to enroll and train more physicians, as well as the lack of action by the federal government and private health insurance industry to address concerns about physician shortages in the U.S.

18 Apr 2008

The impact of health problems on seniors' finances

A new study underscores the need for seniors to maintain their health -- in order to maintain their wealth.

10 Apr 2008

Electronic health records help monitor medications and avoiding usage problems in seniors

Use of medications that are linked to increased risk of falls in the elderly can be reduced through careful review of patient files in the Electronic Health Record, new Geisinger research shows.

8 Apr 2008

Lyme disease - a tough nut to crack!

The bacteria that cause Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne illness in the United States, can linger in mouse tissues long after a full round of antibiotic treatment is completed, report researchers from the University of California, Davis.

2 Apr 2008

Majority of U.S. physicians favor national health insurance

The largest survey ever of American physicians' opinions on health-care financing has found that 59 percent of doctors support government legislation to establish national health insurance while only 32 percent oppose it.

2 Apr 2008

Childhood leukemia survivors struggle with long-term comorbidities

Survival rates of childhood cancers, especially leukemia, have improved greatly in the past three decades, but survivors of this disease still seem to face many health and lifestyle challenges as young adults.

1 Apr 2008

Americans living longer, enjoying greater health and prosperity, but important disparities remain

Average life expectancy continues to increase, and today's older Americans enjoy better health and financial security than any previous generation.

31 Mar 2008

Long-term follow-up after percutaneous pulmonary radiofrequency ablation

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) - an interventional treatment that "cooks" and kills lung cancer tumors with heat - greatly improves survival time from primary or metastatic inoperable lung tumors, according to a study released at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting.

18 Mar 2008

Health Insurance News and Research

Racial disparities in smoking cessation treatment

New cancer report - facts and figures 2008

Bush Administration directive to enroll low-income children in SCHIP before expanding coverage is unenforceable because it violates Federal law, according to GAO

Health care debate to produce sharp differences between parties in Presidential election

Health insurers experience effects of recent economic downturn despite history of resisting recession

Several states consider tobacco tax increases to fund health care programs, address budget deficits

Maine Gov. Baldacci signs legislation that will increase taxes to fund health program

South Carolina House to consider bill that would eliminate requirement to inform school officials of students' HIV-positive status

Can IT fuel the race to the $1,000 human genome?

Report examines how social, economic factors contribute to health disparities in Alameda County

Pharmaceutical Care Management Association response to New York Times article on biotech medicine costs

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examines Democratic Presidential candidates' health care plans

NEJM article examines U.S. physician shortage

The impact of health problems on seniors' finances

Electronic health records help monitor medications and avoiding usage problems in seniors

Lyme disease - a tough nut to crack!

Majority of U.S. physicians favor national health insurance

Childhood leukemia survivors struggle with long-term comorbidities

Americans living longer, enjoying greater health and prosperity, but important disparities remain

Long-term follow-up after percutaneous pulmonary radiofrequency ablation

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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