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Studies find U.S. children face health quality issues

U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News reports: "Uninsured children in the United States are three times more likely to die from trauma injuries than children with private insurance, according to a new study.

5 Nov 2009

Insurers' pricing practices targeted by Senate health committee

Senate health committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, asked four of the nations largest health insurers - Aetna, Humana, Wellpoint and UnitedHealth - to explain their pricing policies after small-business owners testified Tuesday that insurance premiums were crushing their businesses, the Des Moines Register reports.

4 Nov 2009

Key moderates influence the shape of health overhaul bills

The Washington Post: "Moderates have raised numerous concerns about aspects of the bill, including the public insurance option that liberals persuaded Reid to add last week. Although (Senate Majority Leader Harry) Reid included an 'opt out' provision for states that don't want to participate, many moderate Democrats prefer a "trigger" mechanism, proposed by their lone Republican ally, Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (Maine)." Resolving differences could take weeks some say (Murray and Montgomery, 11/4).

4 Nov 2009

Small business group lobbies for reform while trade groups see cuts in business

Small business owners lobby Congress while trade associations and a seniors' group worry about what lawmaker's efforts to overhaul the nation's health care system could mean for them.

4 Nov 2009

Abortion not the only sticky issue in health care debate - news outlets examine others

News coverage focuses on some of the sticky issues in health reform, including immigrants' coverage, long term care for the disabled, CHIP and insurance discounts for healthy habits.

4 Nov 2009

Conflicts of interest examined between doctors and medical industry, AARP and reform

Health care reform bills include provisions to examine the financial relationships between doctors and the medical industry while some are questioning the AARP's role in reform.

4 Nov 2009

Oberthur Technologies and Groupe Sephira collaborate to deliver electronic billing solution for French healthcare industry

Oberthur Technologies, the world's second largest provider of Smart Card based solutions, and Groupe Sephira, leading supplier of electronic claims for the French Healthcare Committee, jointly announce their attendance at the Salon CARTES et Identification which will take place in Paris, November 17-19, 2009.

4 Nov 2009

NPAF releases "Must Have Provisions Under Health Reform" analysis

The National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF) -- a national, non-profit organization dedicated to the mission of creating avenues of improved patient access to health care through public policy reform at the state and federal levels -- today released "Must Have Provisions Under Health Reform," an independent analysis of proposed insurance market reforms and their role in improving the current health care system.

4 Nov 2009

Little difference in capital requirements found between co-ops and public plan, says nonpartisan experts

A group of nonpartisan experts said that the necessary start-up capital for either health insurance co-operatives or a public plan option may be substantial and could vary greatly.

4 Nov 2009

Aetna provides free electronic roster billing to pharmacies and other providers for H1N1 flu vaccine claims

Aetna is providing free electronic roster billing for pharmacies and other non-traditional providers to use when submitting claims for the administration of the H1N1 flu vaccine.

4 Nov 2009

Reid works to convince moderate Dems to vote for Senate health bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is in the "awkward position of looking for votes on a major health care reform bill that doesn't quite exist," Roll Call reports.

4 Nov 2009

GOP health reform bill takes shape as draft circulates on Capitol Hill

The Associated Press: "After months spent criticizing Democrats' health overhaul plans, House Republicans have produced a draft proposal of their own. It's much shorter and focuses on bringing down costs rather than extending coverage to nearly all Americans."

4 Nov 2009

New health privacy regulations spark debate

Information Week reports that the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a rule to "beef up penalties for violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act (HIPAA)." But the rule has generated complaints from a bipartisan group of congressmen, who argue it leaves loopholes and doesn't properly determine when privacy has been breached.

4 Nov 2009

The uninsured, putting off care, facing debt

ProPublica profiles Anne Johnson, a 41-year-old single mother in California "whose family has been uninsured since she lost her job as a secretary in February," and explores how health reform could affect her. Johnson "needs her aortic valve replaced, but without insurance she can't afford the surgery. She is supposed to get checkups every six months, but that is also too expensive - so she has put them off."

4 Nov 2009

Insurers pressed about use of premium money for non-medical expenses

An analysis released in a letter by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., suggests that the amount of money insurance companies spend to cover medical expenses could be less than the companies claim.

3 Nov 2009

Press conference to discuss how health insurance reform will benefit small businesses

Democratic Senators Tom Harkin and Mary Landrieu and Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson joined Mike Draper, a small business owner from Des Moines, Iowa; Gwendolyn Barnes, a small business owner from Shreveport, Louisiana; Dr. Ken Brantley, a small business owner from Richmond, Virginia; and other small business owners from across the country at a press conference this morning to discuss how health insurance reform will benefit small businesses.

3 Nov 2009

Health Analytics Solution Center launched by IBM

IBM today announced the launch of its Health Analytics Solution Center, part of a network of global centers addressing the growing demand for advanced analytics needed to help hospitals and medical staff improve decision-making and provide higher quality care.

3 Nov 2009

Democrats still face roadblocks to health reform: Abortion, immigration

Though House leaders say they'd like a health reform bill vote by Friday, some Democrats are threatening to block its passage over the issue of abortion.

3 Nov 2009

Louisiana struggles with Medicaid shortfall; Texas governor criticizes reform

Newspapers report on health issues at the state level, including Louisiana's struggles with a Medicaid shortfall and the Texas governor's criticism of congressional health care reform efforts.

3 Nov 2009

CBO: House health bill would lower some middle class premiums, raise costs for others

House Democrats say their health overhaul proposal will lead to health insurance premium savings for many consumers, though estimates of the overall measure's cost, as well as the taxes and fees required to pay for it, is a source of criticism and concern.

3 Nov 2009