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Consumer Watchdog calls for preserving state authority, ban on annual benefit limits and effective rate regulation

Consumer Watchdog condemned the removal of the Medicare buy-in provision for those over 55 and the public option from the U.S. Senate health reform bill. But the group said that the Senate must still make three essential fixes to the greatly weakened bill to prevent ceding the entire health care system to the insurance industry.

16 Dec 2009

Patient advocate to discuss provisions in current health bills

Patient advocate Betsy McCaughey, Ph.D., will be cautioning the Republican Women Members of Congress that, "it doesn't matter whether there's a public option.

15 Dec 2009

Seven tips to quit smoking

Many people will make New Year's resolutions to quit smoking this year. With a still uncertain economy, quitting smoking is good both for your health and your wallet. Having a solid smoking cessation plan can greatly improve a person's chance for success.

15 Dec 2009

Discrepancy in dance confidence between men and women due to genetic make-up

Men may shuffle on to the dance floor this Christmas, but once there, they will be impressed by their moves, according to research carried out by the 'Doctor of Dance' at the University of Hertfordshire.

15 Dec 2009

Teens, contraception and unplanned pregnancy

Nearly all unmarried young adults ages 18-29 believe pregnancy is something that should be planned (94% of men and 86% of women) and say that it is important to avoid pregnancy in their lives right now (86% of men and 88% of women), according to new research released by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

15 Dec 2009

Supplements boost immune system and offer protection against seasonal flu

Accompanied by a chorus of coughs and sniffles, the winter season has arrived. "Protecting your health during this year's winter season should be a top priority for people," said Tom Tolworthy, CEO and Chief Health Enthusiast for The Vitamin Shoppe. "Many of our customers are being proactive in boosting their immune systems this time of year."

15 Dec 2009

Florida doctor performs new, effective treatment for sinusitis

Local physician William Laskowski, MD has become the first doctor in Florida to perform an effective new treatment for sinusitis called FinESS® Sinus Treatment in an office setting. FinESS® (Entellus Medical, Maple Grove, MN) is a balloon sinuplasty option that is less-invasive than traditional sinus surgery and breaks the cycle of chronic or recurrent sinusitis with immediate relief and lasting results.

15 Dec 2009

Health hazards of BPA: Call for FDA to make its announcement before Christmas

Environmental health advocates hope that U.S. FDA will make its promised announcement about health hazards of bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic sex hormone linked to cancer, behavioral changes, reproductive harm and other illnesses, in time for Christmas.

15 Dec 2009

Majority of women take natural menopause remedies for safe and effective solutions

When a woman starts going through menopause, her entire life can change without warning. Menopause symptoms can cause undesirable reactions in the body that runs the gamut from hot flashes and weight gain to mood swings, sleeplessness and irritability.

15 Dec 2009

Senate holdouts threatening '09 health care reform bill passage

The Washington Post: "The next 48 hours will be critical to the fate of health-care reform in the Senate, as Democratic leaders struggle to settle disputes that stand in the way of holding a final vote this year on the massive package reports on the distance among senators that has to be bridged before a bill can pass."

15 Dec 2009

New program to help maintain bone health in men with prostate cancer on ADT announced

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced a new program encouraging health professionals to help maintain the bone health of prostate cancer patients who are on long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).

15 Dec 2009

Demystifying Psychiatry: A resource for patients and families

Psychiatric disorders are underdiagnosed, poorly treated and highly stigmatized, according to psychiatrists Charles F. Zorumski, M.D., and Eugene H. Rubin, M.D., Ph.D. So these Washington University physicians have written a book to address those problems.

15 Dec 2009

Primary care shortage affecting communities as hospitals struggle to keep up

CNN reports that five years ago "roughly half the doctors leaving medical school entered the work force as primary-care physicians; just 20 percent of current medical students are planning to work in primary care."

15 Dec 2009

UT Southwestern Medical Center performs minimally invasive procedures for sinuses and chronic rhinosinusitis

Only about one in 2,000 people in the United States get a sinus tumor, but Johnnie Wilcox was one of the unfortunate few.

15 Dec 2009

Study shows elderly blacks more likely to skip medication compared to white counterparts

Older adults experience a number of medication-related problems, including under treatment, suboptimal drugs, suboptimal dosing, and non-adherence, which can have negative effects on their quality of life. Now new research, from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that blacks have more medication-related problems than whites, and non-adherence to medical regimens is a particular issue for this group.

15 Dec 2009

NAMS recommends women to discuss osteoporosis with their OB/GYNs

According to a new survey distributed by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), while 98 percent of women who participated consider bone strength to be an important health concern, nearly half (45 percent) of these women reported that osteoporosis was not addressed during their last routine OB/GYN visit, and more than a quarter (26.4 percent) of women surveyed have never discussed osteoporosis with their OB/GYN.

14 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 14, 2009

Today's headlines reflect the mounting pressure in the Senate regarding the pending health overhaul bill -- especially as the clock ticks closer to the Christmas holiday.

14 Dec 2009

Michigan Legislature passes new legislation for smoke-free workplaces

The Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) today applauded the wisdom of the Michigan legislature to enact legislation to make workplaces in our state smoke-free.

14 Dec 2009

Maine-based EMHS recognized for creating system-wide culture of safety

A poor economy in a rural area might seem like overwhelming obstacles to creating a sophisticated culture of safety in a health care system that serves the largest aging population in the country, but leaders at Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) beat those odds in 2009.

14 Dec 2009

Iowa researchers discover new inherited retinal disease

University of Iowa researchers have found the existence of a new, rare inherited retinal disease. Now the search is on to find the genetic cause, which investigators hope will increase understanding of more common retinal diseases.

14 Dec 2009