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HHS denies MLR waiver requests from two more states

The Department of Health and Human Services denied requests from Kansas and Oklahoma to allow them to adjust the health law's medical-loss ratio provisions. That brings to eight the number of states who will not receive such exemptions.

6 Jan 2012

IRIN examines risk of waterborne diseases in Zimbabwe

IRIN examines how a lack of sanitation facilities and access to clean water, as well as the onset of the rainy season, are increasing the risk of waterborne diseases in rural areas of Zimbabwe.

6 Jan 2012

Poll reveals electorate's desire to strengthen education system in Arizona

Seven out of 10 Arizona voters support the continuation of the existing one-cent sales tax to fund public education.

6 Jan 2012

NFIB seeks to add two plaintiffs to the health law SCOTUS case

The National Federation of Independent Business asked the Supreme Court to add two additional plaintiffs to its health law challenge after the initial plaintiff in the case filed for bankruptcy.

6 Jan 2012

Major health insurers prosper with expanding roles in Medicare, Medicaid

Meanwhile, a California study shows health care costs in that state are rising, while benefits are shrinking. Another study finds that coverage gaps can be disruptive to preventive care.

6 Jan 2012

Study shows how Epstein-Barr virus triggers MS

A new study from researchers at Queen Mary, University of London shows how a particular virus tricks the immune system into triggering inflammation and nerve cell damage in the brain, which is known to cause MS.

6 Jan 2012

Bringing health solutions to women, children

In this Huffington Post "Impact" blog post, Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, writes that she will be visiting Bangladesh to "learn even more about two of the biggest killers of children -- pneumonia and diarrhea," and says "Bangladesh has made incredible progress in recent years, reducing the number of childhood deaths by 65 percent since 1990."

6 Jan 2012

Study to determine user experience for several popular functions of My HealtheVet

Although personal health records are now securely accessible online to a large and growing number of individuals, little research has been conducted on opinions about their ease of use.

6 Jan 2012

U.S. cancer death rates drop, new report says

In a new report from the American Cancer Society, researchers indicate that cancer death rates in the United States fell 1.8 percent in men and 1.6 percent in women each year between 2004 and 2008, but those gains weren't as pronounced in young adults.

6 Jan 2012

Study brings to light physiological, cognitive differences of political left and right

From cable TV news pundits to red-meat speeches in Iowa and New Hampshire, our nation's deep political stereotypes are on full display: Conservatives paint self-indulgent liberals as insufferably absent on urgent national issues, while liberals say fear-mongering conservatives are fixated on exaggerated dangers to the country.

6 Jan 2012

Aid agencies express concern over child malnutrition in Nepal, AFP reports

In Nepal, "a child malnutrition epidemic described by humanitarian organizations as a 'silent emergency' is claiming the lives of thousands of infants each year," Agence France-Presse reports.

6 Jan 2012

Study: Younger the age at migration, higher the risk of psychotic disorders

Recent research has found striking links between psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and certain types of international immigration. Now for the first time, a major study has found that immigrating in early childhood appears to carry the highest risk.

6 Jan 2012

The 'doc fix' is high on Congressional to-do list

As Congress returns to work, it will face a full plate of difficult items -- including efforts to address the Medicare physician payment formula. Meanwhile, some observers are worried President Obama's recess appointment of Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will lead to trouble for the confirmation of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner.

6 Jan 2012

India looks to design science policy to address poverty, development challenges

Speaking this week at "the 99th Indian Science Congress, the country's largest annual gathering of scientists," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "said the occasion demanded looking anew at the role of science in a country 'grappling with the challenges of poverty and development'" and "emphasized that 'the overriding objective of a comprehensive and well-considered policy for science, technology and innovation should be to support the national objective of faster, sustainable and inclusive development,'" SciDev.Net reports.

6 Jan 2012

Political cartoon: 'Signs Of The Times'

Kaiser Health News provides a fresh take on health policy humor with "Signs Of The Times?" by Signe Wilklinson.

6 Jan 2012

Viewpoints: Protecting home health workers; Minn. plans cuts in health safety net

President Obama is proposing an adjustment to laws governing working conditions for approximately 2 million workers whose job is helping elderly and disabled people with such basic tasks as eating, caring for their wounds and doing physical therapy. Under the Obama proposal, these workers would have to be paid at least a minimum wage and overtime, bringing them under the aegis of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Some Republicans are opposed to the measure, complaining that it will be expensive and may hurt the people it is intended to help.

6 Jan 2012

Clearside Biomedical receives $4M venture capital investment

Technology developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University for delivering drugs and other therapeutics to specific locations in the eye provides the foundation for a startup company that has received a $4 million venture capital investment.

6 Jan 2012

CSIS's Morrison discusses 'end of aids'

SmartGlobalHealth.org features the latest episode of "Small Screen Sessions," in which J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Center for Strategic & International Studies' Global Health Policy Center, discusses the policy changes that enabled the International AIDS Conference to return to the U.S. in 2012 after a 22-year hiatus, and the beginning of the "end of aids."

6 Jan 2012

US News & World Report recognizes Weight Watchers as best diet program

At Weight Watchers, we're proud that US News & World Report and the 22 independent experts who participated in the second annual Best Diets rankings have recognized us as the #1 program again for "Best Weight-Loss Diet" and "Best Commercial Diet Plan". We are also thrilled to have earned the top ranking in the new "Easiest Diet to Follow" category.

6 Jan 2012