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House passes bill to repeal antitrust exemption for health insurers

he House passed legislation Wednesday (406-19) to strip health insurers of their federal antitrust exemption.

26 Feb 2010

Resverlogix commences enrollment in RVX-208 Phase 2 clinical trial for atherosclerosis in ACS patients

Resverlogix Corp. announced today that it has officially activated the first site for the ASSURE 1 trial and commenced enrollment of patients for dosing of RVX-208. ASSURE 1 is the second Resverlogix Phase 2 clinical trial, led by Cleveland Clinic. This trial will examine RVX-208, Resverlogix's oral small molecule therapy for the treatment of atherosclerosis, in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This preparatory acute coronary syndrome study will ensure that 50 percent of the enrolled patients receive the IVUS (intravascular ultrasound) assessment.

26 Feb 2010

Connecticut has especially high insurance hikes, disability advocates worry about Medicaid cuts in Tennessee

The Hartford Courant: "With average rate hikes at 13 percent or more this year for most plans, Connecticut health insurance premiums appear to be rising faster than the nation's. A typical family plan in Connecticut sold through an employer costs about $14,500 -- an estimate based on the Kaiser Family Foundation's report on 2009 prices and this year's rates of growth.

25 Feb 2010

Bipartisanship unlikely after health summit; Party unity Obama's next best bet

Democratic and Republican lawmakers each have an opportunity to make bipartisan concessions during Thursday's summit - like warming to malpractice reform or publicly conceding Democratic plans would ultimately lower the deficit, respectively - but political pressure will likely push both sides towards their partisan ranks, Politico reports.

25 Feb 2010

Poll: Health bills remain unpopular, but individual provisions get high marks

CNN: "Although the overall health care reform bills passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate are unpopular, many of the provisions in the existing bills are extremely popular, even among Republicans, according to a new national poll. A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Wednesday also indicates that only a quarter of the public want Congress to stop all work on health care, with nearly three quarters saying lawmakers should pass some kind of reform.

25 Feb 2010

APHA: Congressional leaders have to move forward on health reform focusing prevention and wellness

As President Obama and congressional leaders meet today for a health reform summit, the American Public Health Association urges them to move forward on comprehensive, affordable health reform with a focus on prevention and wellness.

25 Feb 2010

Beyond Blair House: Discussion of public option, 'Cadillac tax' continue

As lawmakers and President Obama discuss health care at the Blair House summit, news reports ply two policy issues in the latest overhaul proposal, the public option and the "Cadillac tax."

25 Feb 2010

Reid upset after Republicans block COBRA benefits extension request

Roll Call: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized Republicans Wednesday after the GOP denied "a unanimous consent request to pass an extension of unemployment insurance and COBRA health care benefits, a move he warned would leave 'out-of-work Americans vulnerable to losing this valuable safety net'" (Brady, 2/24).

25 Feb 2010

WellPoint executive defends premium increases at congressional hearing

In a congressional hearing Wednesday, an insurance company executive justified proposed premium increases and warned "that pending legislation" could make the problem of high medical costs worse. "The executive, Angela F. Braly, president of WellPoint, made the comments in testimony prepared for a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee," The New York Times reports.

25 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 25, 2010

Today's news is all about today's White House health summit -- with highlights of how WellPoint got grilled about proposed premium rate increases during a congressional hearing and how the House voted to repeal insurers' antitrust exemption.

25 Feb 2010

Healthcare industries pay millions to summit invitees, says CREW’s study

On the eve of President Obama’s health care reform summit, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released data showing that since 2005, health care special interests have invested at least $28 million in the campaigns of House and Senate leaders, chairs and ranking members of committees with primary jurisdiction over health care legislation. Additionally, President Obama received over $18.6 million during his presidential campaign.

25 Feb 2010

Translational Regenerative Medicine Forum in Winston-Salem

A spray-on skin product and an injectable cell therapy for heart attack patients are among 17 regenerative medicine technologies that will be showcased during the Translational Regenerative Medicine Forum, set for April 6-8 in Winston-Salem.

25 Feb 2010

Obama’s version of healthcare reform will not reduce Medicare fraud, says IPI expert

Although Republicans will meet with President Obama tomorrow for a health care summit -- supposedly to negotiate a bipartisan agreement for health care reform -- Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) health care expert Dr. Merrill Matthews says the president's plan does nothing to appease the other side of the aisle

25 Feb 2010

Nancy Pelosi speaks in support of Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act

Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor today in support of H.R. 4626, the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, which passed by a overwhelming bipartisan vote of 406 to 19. Below are the Speaker's remarks.

25 Feb 2010

Slow economy forces U.S. employers to take aggressive measures to control rising health care costs

The continuing sluggish economy is forcing a growing number of large U.S. employers to take more aggressive measures to control rising health care costs and motivate workers to take charge of improving their own health, according to a survey conducted by Towers Watson, a global professional services company, and the National Business Group on Health, a non-profit association of large U.S. employers.

25 Feb 2010

Former Connecticut governor urges Senator to amend economic recovery legislation

At a special briefing for Congressional staff today, former Connecticut lieutenant governor Kevin Sullivan testified for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on the need for federal action to address the growing mental health crisis in states.

25 Feb 2010

Health insurance premium discussion: HHS Secretary invites insurance company CEOs

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today invited insurance company chief executive officers to a March 3 meeting at HHS to discuss their companies’ insurance premiums. The CEOs of UnitedHealth Group Inc., WellPoint Inc., Aetna Inc., Health Care Service Corporation and CIGNA HealthCare Inc. along with leaders from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners have been invited.

25 Feb 2010

State legislators decry their exclusion from health reform summit

State sponsors of the nationwide effort to block a government requirement to purchase health insurance today sent a letter to President Obama decrying their exclusion from tomorrow's bipartisan health reform summit.

25 Feb 2010

HealthGrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2010 identified

The HealthGrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2010 were identified in a report issued today by the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. The analysis, which examined objective patient outcomes over three years at all 5,000 of the nation’s nonfederal hospitals, found that the 50 Best Hospitals had mortality rates that were, on average, 27% lower than other hospitals.

25 Feb 2010

BCBSF to be IPG's designated implantable device management vendor for extensive provider network

Implantable Provider Group is pleased to announce a significant agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. to be its designated implantable device management vendor for its extensive provider network. IPG will handle device coordination, billing, replacement, tracking, and other services for BCBSF’s statewide ambulatory surgery center (ASC) network.

25 Feb 2010

Health Care News and Research

House passes bill to repeal antitrust exemption for health insurers

Resverlogix commences enrollment in RVX-208 Phase 2 clinical trial for atherosclerosis in ACS patients

Connecticut has especially high insurance hikes, disability advocates worry about Medicaid cuts in Tennessee

Bipartisanship unlikely after health summit; Party unity Obama's next best bet

Poll: Health bills remain unpopular, but individual provisions get high marks

APHA: Congressional leaders have to move forward on health reform focusing prevention and wellness

Beyond Blair House: Discussion of public option, 'Cadillac tax' continue

Reid upset after Republicans block COBRA benefits extension request

WellPoint executive defends premium increases at congressional hearing

First Edition: February 25, 2010

Healthcare industries pay millions to summit invitees, says CREW’s study

Translational Regenerative Medicine Forum in Winston-Salem

Obama’s version of healthcare reform will not reduce Medicare fraud, says IPI expert

Nancy Pelosi speaks in support of Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act

Slow economy forces U.S. employers to take aggressive measures to control rising health care costs

Former Connecticut governor urges Senator to amend economic recovery legislation

Health insurance premium discussion: HHS Secretary invites insurance company CEOs

State legislators decry their exclusion from health reform summit

HealthGrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2010 identified

BCBSF to be IPG's designated implantable device management vendor for extensive provider network

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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