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Newspapers across the country cover state health issues

Newspapers across the country report on health issues at the state level. Stories include the loss of health insurance for working parents in Arizona, a rise in the number of uninsured seeking help at nonprofit clinics in Kansas, the expansion of a program for children's insurance in Alabama, a decline in the number of uninsured in New York City, fears about a financial blow for health providers in Louisiana and union activism for the uninsured in Florida.

9 Sep 2009

Obama hopes to reconquer high-stakes health debate

President Obama is hoping to give a boost to congressional Democrats who are reconvening after a recess beleaguered by harsh criticism, plummeting public opinion, and divisions within the majority party.

9 Sep 2009

Democrats are tightening the belt for health reform

KHN reports: "Over the weekend, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., proposed a health care overhaul "framework" for committee consideration that would cost under $900 billion over the next decade, according to a source close to the negotiations.

9 Sep 2009

Adverse impact of drinking during pregnancy highlighted by health department

In recognition of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Week, the Pennsylvania Department of Health today reminded women about the serious implications of drinking while pregnant.

9 Sep 2009

NGOs call for increased international support for women's health

Hundreds of non-governmental organizations from around the world gathered for a three-day conference in Berlin last week, where they emphasized the need for broader international support for improving women's health worldwide - "15 years after the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, where a similar group set goals to improve the sexual health and rights for women, particularly in the developing world," the Associated Press reports.

9 Sep 2009

Baucus plan details released; Grassley says Bipartisan bill 'up in the air'

According to CQ Politics, Chairman Max Baucus' is circulated a proposal to the Finance Committee Gang Of Six over the weekend that would "establish a system of consumer-owned insurance cooperatives in lieu of a ... 'public plan' and would expand Medicaid to millions more Americans."

9 Sep 2009

Butzel Long expands national health care practice in New York

Alan Lambert, M.D., an attorney with a diverse practice representing healthcare providers and institutions, has joined Butzel Long and is Of Counsel in the firm’s Health Care practice. He is based in New York.

9 Sep 2009

New website launched by Vita Advisors for the health care industry

Vita Advisors LLC is pleased to announce the introduction of its website: http://vitaadvisors.com. The VITA website home page features three areas of content designed to provide its business constituents in the health care industry with a quick and valuable daily resource for current issues relevant to their business.

9 Sep 2009

Philadelphia MCAN project as model for managing childhood asthma and reducing H1N1 risk

Nearly a dozen 7th graders with asthma were welcomed along with other classmates back to school today by a special guest who had a message for them about staying healthy - Kathleen Sebelius, 21st Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

9 Sep 2009

Union members push hard for health care reform

The Worchester [Massachusetts] Telegram reports: "Two members of the state's congressional delegation appealed to local union members this morning to unite behind President Barack Obama's efforts to reform health care. They said if health care reform does not happen now, it could be years before it comes up for discussion again."

9 Sep 2009

House Democrats split on health reform options

Conservatives are still leery of supporting a government-funded, or public, insurance option. Freshman lawmakers from suburban districts remain fearful of increasing taxes for their wealthy constituents to pay for the new measure and await alternatives from moderate Senate Democrats.

9 Sep 2009

Health care reform without curbing medical costs will make Americans suffer: Concord Coalition Leaders

Concord Coalition Co-Chairs Warren B. Rudman and Bob Kerrey today called on President Obama to push for concrete measures, including a federal health care budget, to curb runaway medical costs.

9 Sep 2009

Individuals with upper-GI symptoms visit general practitioners often

Patients with upper gastrointestinal (GI) complaints visit their general practitioner (GP) more often than patients with other conditions. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Family Practice found that people with dyspepsia, heartburn, epigastric discomfort and other upper-abdominal complaints had almost twice as many GP contacts, which were ultimately associated with problems in all organ systems.

9 Sep 2009

CHW urges Congress and Obama Administration to successfully conclude health care reform

Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) President/CEO Lloyd H. Dean unveiled a multi-faceted campaign today aimed at pushing health care reform in Washington to a successful conclusion. CHW’s “September for Reform” will bring the resources of one of America’s largest hospital systems to bear on the national health care reform debate with a focus on urging members of Congress and the Obama Administration to accomplish reform this fall.

8 Sep 2009

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield utilize latest media tools to interact with its members

Not just for teens anymore - social networking and media tools such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are being used by adults to interact with their friends, families and to gain information.

8 Sep 2009

Number of uninsured to increase as unemployment figures rise

The American Academy of Actuaries Senior Health Fellow Cori Uccello is expecting there to be an increase in the number of people without health insurance when the U.S. Census Bureau reports the latest figures on Thursday. According to last year's Census Bureau estimates, nearly 46 million people were uninsured in America.

8 Sep 2009

PPJ Enterprise purchases medical billing service

PPJ Enterprise (PPJ) (PINKSHEETS: PPJE), a leader in proprietary automated healthcare multi-specialty provider reimbursement cycle technology and EHR development/information management digital system software for health care providers. PPJ is generating momentum for their strong comeback. The Company's short term strategic goal is to invest into a business that can sustain its everyday operational costs. So PPJ is developing alliances and making acquisitions/mergers in the medical billing service industry to eventually regain their position in the market.

8 Sep 2009

USA Today's 24-hour emergency room visit

A team of USA Today reporters spent a full, 24-hour day in the emergency room at University of Virginia Medical Center in late August. "The key elements of today's debate on health care converge in the ER, from the cutting-edge quality of the U.S. system to the millions of uninsured people who show up for care," according to the report. A key reform goal is covering an estimated 46 million uninsured Americans. But the task is expensive, and in many cases, born by ERs under the current system.

8 Sep 2009

Shalala, Cleveland Clinic's Cosgrove weigh in on current health debate

Two health care industry players have views about to handle the current overhaul debate.

8 Sep 2009

Republicans' changed stance on Medicare has historical roots

The GOP's change of stance on Medicare raises questions about its motives, The Associated Press reports in a separate story: "Weren't Republicans against Medicare before they were for it? It's a question vexing Democrats in the fierce battle over President Barack Obama's push for a health care overhaul as the head of the Republican Party has portrayed the GOP as the lone bulwark preventing deep cuts to the popular, government-run health plan for older people."

8 Sep 2009