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Lobbying to 'tweak' health reform bills heats up

"In Washington, there are two ways to wage legislative war: fight to kill and fight to tweak," the Washington Post reports. "With a growing sense that Democrats may have the votes to pass health-care reform, many participants are now attempting to shape the components of landmark legislation rather than to defeat it.

26 Oct 2009

In the House, Democrats opposed to abortion threaten reform bill

Some House Democrats opposed to abortion are threatening to thwart health care reform legislation if it does not clearly steer away from funding abortions. Congress Daily reports: "With Republicans likely to try to use the emotional issue to draw support and money for 2010 contests, Democrats tried to make the bill 'abortion neutral' -- maintaining existing federal policy without further restricting abortion rights.

26 Oct 2009

Moderates spotlighted in health debate, stir tension with liberal colleagues

Roll Call reports that the two longtime Connecticut Senators, Democrat Chris Dodd and Independent Joe Lieberman, are at "near-opposite ends of a health care debate that amounts to Congress' biggest undertaking in a generation." The relationship between to the two lawmakers was strained in 2008, when Dodd ran for president, but Lieberman supported Republican John McCain. In 2006, Lieberman left the Democratic Party after losing a primary race and Dodd endorsed his challenger.

26 Oct 2009

Integrated care's drawback: It could lead to health monopolies

President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders have repeatedly praised integrated health care for its ability to improve safety and quality while reducing costs, citing examples such as the Mayo Clinic. But health economists worry that such consolidation may actually increase costs and could lead to monopolies.

26 Oct 2009

Health IT opportunities abound, some studies question value

"The rest of the world has embraced e-mail, online forms and iPhone apps, but health care still communicates in the centuries-old technology of paper," McClatchy/Tribune News reports. Now, technology companies are recognizing a business opportunity in that shortcoming. Moving to electronic medical records can be expensive - Kaiser Permanente spent $4 billion switching from paper to digital - meaning money in the bank for well-poised vendors.

26 Oct 2009

Axolotl launches Elysium Image Exchange

Axolotl Corp., the nationwide leader in health information exchange (HIE) solutions and services, today announced the immediate availability of Elysium Image Exchange, a state-of-the-art technology integrated with Axolotl’s Elysium® Exchange suite of products. Powered by Axolotl’s partner eHealth Global Technologies, Inc. (eHGT), Elysium Image Exchange enables the electronic sharing of diagnostic quality medical images between health care providers participating in an HIE.

26 Oct 2009

Winners of the EDCTP Award For Outstanding African Scientist

The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) has given its Awards for Outstanding African Scientist to Dr Alexis Nzila and Dr Dominique Pepper.

26 Oct 2009

First Edition: October 26, 2009

Several Democratic senators voiced optimism on Sunday that Congress would pass a health care bill containing at least the germ of a government-run insurance program. Their expectations were grudgingly seconded by Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate in 2008 (The New York Times).

26 Oct 2009

AMERIGROUP issues new guidance for third quarter 2009

AMERIGROUP Corporation announced today that it expects to report earnings for the third quarter of 2009 in the range of $0.42 to $0.44 per diluted share. The new guidance for the third quarter primarily reflects elevated medical costs associated with the onset of a severe flu season due to the H1N1 virus.

26 Oct 2009

Future physician workforce may be younger but fewer in number than previously projected

Compared with a source of data often used regarding physician workforce supply and projected changes, data from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests that the future physician workforce may be younger but fewer in number than previously projected, according to a study in the October 21 issue of JAMA.

26 Oct 2009

NAMI joins other disease advocacy organizations in support of NIH and NIMH

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is joining advocates from across the nation in asking President Obama to make medical research for improving health care a priority and support robust funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

26 Oct 2009

Enrollment in medical schools continues to expand to meet nation's need for more doctors

Enrollment in both new and existing U.S. medical schools continues to expand to meet the nation's need for more doctors, according to data released today by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges).

26 Oct 2009

Democratic infighting on abortion and health reform will peak this week

Examiner: "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) intends to bring the legislation to the floor early this week, but Pro-life Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) and a posse of conservative Democrats might just throw a wrench in Pelosi's plans.

26 Oct 2009

Moderates will determine fate of public option in health bills

It's Sunday, and not surprisingly, the talk is about the public option - especially on what provisions some senators may be willing to accept in a final health bill.

26 Oct 2009

Pelosi pressing, cajoling Democrats to include public option in final health bill

News outlets covering Capitol Hill report that, with pressure from Democratic leaders, the public option now appears more likely to be in final health care reform legislation.

26 Oct 2009

House Dems: Health reform bill would close Medicare "doughnut hole"

CQ Politics: "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made another bid to solidify support for Democrats' ambitious health care plans Friday, pledging to move aggressively to close the "doughnut hole" in Medicare drug coverage.

26 Oct 2009

DaVita to demonstrate clinical outcomes, patient care and nutrition through 43 abstracts

DaVita Inc., a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), in conjunction with DaVita Clinical Research®, today announced that company representatives will deliver 43 abstracts—40 posters and three oral presentations—at this year’s American Society of Nephrology’s (ASN) Renal Week to be held in San Diego, Calif., from Oct. 27 – Nov. 1, 2009.

24 Oct 2009

Proposed Baylor Medical Terrell to be the largest regional medical facility in Kaufman County

Economic development is alive and well in Terrell, as witnessed by the recent applications by five developer-partners for Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funds, centered on the proposed Baylor Medical Terrell at the corner of Spur 557 (Highway 80) and Interstate 20 in Terrell.

24 Oct 2009

Report on health insurance reform to support women with breast cancer

As Americans mark breast cancer awareness month, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius today released a new report, Health Insurance Reform and Breast Cancer: Making the Health Care System Work for Women.

24 Oct 2009

New report analyzes similarities, differences, potential impacts and costs of current health reform bills

A new Commonwealth Fund report analyzes the similarities, differences, potential impacts, and costs of current bills passed by the five committees of jurisdiction in the United States Congress: Finance Committee and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committees in the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives' Ways and Means, Education and Labor, and Energy and Commerce committees.

24 Oct 2009