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Study finds uninsured trauma patients much more likely to die in ER

"Uninsured patients with traumatic injuries, such as car crashes, falls and gunshot wounds, were almost twice as likely to die in the hospital as similarly injured patients with health insurance, according to a troubling new study," The Associated Press reports. "The findings by Harvard University researchers surprised doctors and health experts who have believed emergency room care was equitable."

17 Nov 2009

State health plans in Washington, Kansas face challenges

Officials in Washington state and Kansas are working to get residents out of or into their state-run insurance programs.

17 Nov 2009

As Senate debate approaches, partisans step up political high jinks

Volleys of rhetoric, attack advertisements and procedural parries are echoing through Congress's health care debate. Here's a look at some of the latest political jabs.

17 Nov 2009

Liberals push Reid to stand by public option in health bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is trying to hold together members of his caucus to vote for a government-run public option for health insurance that would allow states to opt-out of the plan — a plan that is getting an icy reception, even among Democrats, Bloomberg reports. Reid's "version … probably won't require employers to cover workers and will be funded through a tax on high-end insurance plans, which would put him at odds with House Democrats.

17 Nov 2009

AIDS advocates ask White House to send money south

WLBT: "The White House Office of National AIDS Policy chose Jackson [Mississipppi] to host an HIV/AIDS town hall meeting Monday night. The community discussion allowed Mississippians to give feedback that will be included in a national strategy to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. ... Many asked for sex and STD education in the schools, more doctors and transportation funding in rural areas and health insurance" (Anderson, 11/17).

17 Nov 2009

Illinois AARP members support health care reform plan

A new poll of Illinois AARP members released today finds strong support across party and ideological lines for elements of health care reform included in the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which recently passed the House of Representatives.

17 Nov 2009

Global financial crisis has major long-term health implications for Australia

One in four Australian adults has taken an action that puts their health at risk as a result of the global financial crisis (GFC), according to a new MBF Healthwatch poll.

17 Nov 2009

Benenden selects Databarracks for online backup service

Benenden Hospital was founded in 1907 and became the centre for hospital treatment for members of Trade Unions and Friendly Societies and subsequently large numbers of public sector employees who joined what is now the Benenden Healthcare Society. The Society has over 900,000 member and nominee subscribers.

16 Nov 2009

First Edition: October 16, 2009

News reports continue to focus on the landmines that exist within health reform proposals.

16 Nov 2009

HealthPartners' health plans ranked top in Minnesota

HealthPartners is among the top 25 best private health plans in the nation and the top ranked plan in Minnesota according to U.S. News & World Report/NCQA “America's Best Health Insurance Plans 2009-10.” The report measures how well health plans perform on 50 measures of health care and member satisfaction. Two hundred thirty nine health plans from across the nation are included in the report. The top 50 health plans, including HealthPartners, are listed in the Nov. 16, 2009 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.

16 Nov 2009

CCH issues a special Briefing on employer and Medicaid-related provisions

CCH has issued a special Briefing on the employer and Medicare- and Medicaid-related provisions in the House version of health care reform, detailing provisions of the legislation approved on November 7.

16 Nov 2009

Health reform: Senate prepares for CBO estimate; GOP on attack

News outlets covering the health reform debate noted that Republicans are continuing their arguments against Democratic legislation and outlined what might happen in the coming week in the Senate.

16 Nov 2009

Democrats finding little common ground on abortion language in health legislation

Reaction to the amendment restricting abortion in the House health reform bill, passed more than a week ago, continued to reverberate through news outlets today.

16 Nov 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

Unless you find more realistic ways of paying for the promises included in the bill, you are simply setting up the public for more frustration -- and yourselves for a political backlash (David Broder, 11/13).

13 Nov 2009

Rural thoughts on improving the health care system; plus other state news

Kaiser Health News examines rural health care in Kentucky and finds that models for community health care that operate there could benefit the nation's health care system despite. The article notes that Hazard, Ky., was labeled as one of the worst health care regions in America by the 2008 American Human Development Report, but "there are enduring models in places like Hazard that could prove instructive to rebuilding healthy communities across the nation, both rural and urban."

13 Nov 2009

Health reform: Senate facing controversies on coverage numbers, abortion language

The Wall Street Journal: "When the Senate unveils its health-care bill, all eyes will be on the price tag. But an equally significant number may be how many people get health insurance under the legislation."

13 Nov 2009

Health policy research round up - Medicare and Massachusetts

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: The Secrets of Massachusetts' Success - "By the summer of 2008, less than two years after Massachusetts' health reform law became effective, only 2.6 percent of state residents were uninsured—the lowest proportion ever recorded for any state." This study by the RWJF-funded State Health Access Reform Evaluation (SHARE) initiative "explains how national reforms can use similar methods to avoid the pitfalls that have plagued other coverage expansions."

13 Nov 2009

Business and insurers' groups back health reform, but not all legislation

A group of CEOs, the Business Roundtable and America's Health Insurance Plans, the insurance industry group, separately expressed qualified support for health overhaul efforts Thursday.

13 Nov 2009

Membership for leading health insurers decline for the first six months of 2009

The nation’s leading health insurers saw an aggregate decline of 836,000 members for the first six months of 2009. Declining commercial enrollment was offset primarily by gains in products offered to seniors and growth in Medicaid business. Administrative Services Only (ASO) enrollment experienced its first quarterly decline since June 2007.

13 Nov 2009

Zynex signs lease to rent a 75,000-square-foot building

Zynex, Inc., a provider of pain management systems and electrotherapy products for medical patients with functional disability, announces it has signed a lease to rent a 75,000-square-foot building in Lone Tree (Littleton), Colorado. Zynex currently leases 16,553 square feet in Littleton, Colorado and the new building will house its headquarters, office, plant and warehouse.

13 Nov 2009