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National Health Partners adds third marketing firm to its internet marketing campaign

National Health Partners, Inc. (National Health) (OTCBB: NHPR), a leading provider of unique discount healthcare membership programs, announced today that it has added a third leading marketing firm to its internet marketing campaign.

20 Oct 2009

FTC Red Flags Rule compliance with message encryption

With the deadline for compliance with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Red Flags Rule looming, one Colorado Internet company is providing a simple solution -- encrypt your messages.

20 Oct 2009

First Edition: October 20, 2009

A new poll finds increased support for a public insurance plan in health reform just as Senate leaders discuss and debate in closed door meetings the various versions of this approach that might still draw enough votes to gain passage.

20 Oct 2009

Unemployed nurses are switching to RN health coach careers

Although the contagious economic epidemic is killing off nursing jobs, the thriving RN health coach sector appears to be immune. Many underpaid or unemployed nurses are transitioning into the booming health coach field with help from L.I.T.E. Therapeutics -- a leading provider of health coaches with nursing backgrounds.

20 Oct 2009

Unitedhealth announces third quarter results; reports growth in revenues and net earnings

UnitedHealth Group reported third quarter results today, including growth in revenues and net earnings and a continued strong financial position.

20 Oct 2009

Gastrointestinal Associates emphasizes the need for colon screenings

As Washington policymakers debated health care reform on weekend talk shows, 48 people who are out of work or without health insurance received free colonoscopy screenings at Gastrointestinal Associates (GIA) here.

20 Oct 2009

Uninsured American adults with diabetes or high cholesterol often go undiagnosed and undertreated: Study

new study shows uninsured American adults with chronic illnesses like diabetes or high cholesterol often go undiagnosed and undertreated, leading to an increased risk of costly, disabling and even lethal complications of their disease.

20 Oct 2009

Progressive group launches ad urging Sen. Reid to include public option in reform legislation

"The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) launched an ad urging Sen. Harry Reid to muscle through a public option as part of healthcare reform," The Hill's Blog Briefing Room reports (Zimmerman, 10/19).

20 Oct 2009

Lawmakers struggle to balance interests as sweeping health legislation negotiations proceed

Lawmakers continue to try to shape health bills as they move closer to floor votes.

20 Oct 2009

Baucus: Public insurance option 'alive' in Senate negotiations

USA Today: During a conference call with reporters today, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said the public option is "alive." Baucus, "one of a handful of senators engaged in behind-the-scenes health care negotiations, said Democratic lawmakers are continuing to debate whether to include a government-run health insurance program -- also known as the public option -- and what shape that program might take."

19 Oct 2009

White House hedging bets on public option in health bills

The Associated Press "The White House is waiting for Congress to settle on a final health care bill, even though President Barack Obama has a clear preference in favor of at least one specific — the much-debated public option, advisers said. Obama, however, will not demand that legislation include a government-run insurance plan intended to drive down costs through competition with private insurers, they said."

19 Oct 2009

Young adults struggle finding health care coverage

Young adults represent the largest group of uninsured people while they also increasingly report mental health issues in college.

19 Oct 2009

Medicaid expansion could hit struggling state budgets

"The government programs that provide health care to the poor would expand to cover nearly one in five Americans under health insurance legislation pending in Congress, putting pressure on federal and state budgets," USA Today reports.

19 Oct 2009

Health reform bills may not protect consumers from treatment denials

"Despite growing frustration with the way health insurers deny medical treatments, major healthcare bills pending in Congress would give patients little new power to challenge those sometimes life-and-death decisions," The Los Angeles Times reports.

19 Oct 2009

Insurers, other health businesses examine effect of reform bills

Health care industry CEOs are analyzing their wins and losses in the bills being considered in Congress.

19 Oct 2009

eHealth launches new website to help consumers learn about Medicare health plan options

Today, eHealth, Inc., parent company of eHealthInsurance, the leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families, and small businesses, announced the launch of a new online service to help consumers learn about, and get access to, quality Medicare health plan options.

19 Oct 2009

First Edition: October 19, 2009

Five Rivers Medical Center in Pocahontas, Ark., needs help to get a highly coveted "critical access" hospital designation - and the extra Medicare funding that comes with it. Sen. Mark Pryor, an Arkansas Democrat, intends to provide it.

19 Oct 2009

Pelosi has tough words for insurers as she pushes public plan

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is joining liberal Democrats in the House on warning insurers that health care reform could mean lower profit, more fees and new competition from government.

19 Oct 2009

Minnesota Governor proposes to let residents buy out-of-state insurance and other state headlines

News outlets report on a variety of state health stories including insurance in Minnesota, premiums and out-of-pocket costs in Massachusetts and high premiums for Blue Sheild in California.

19 Oct 2009

Insurers vs. Dems: Battle over AHIP report leads to 'grudge match'

An industry-sponsored report forecasting soaring health insurance prices as a result of reform plans ignited a fight between insurers and Democrats, and doused a fragile truce between top insurance lobbyist Karen Ignagni and White House health adviser Nancy-Ann DeParle, TIME reports. After a years-long relationship and more-than-weekly phone calls despite tensions over reform plans, the recent episode "shattered the thin trust between the Administration and the insurance lobby."

19 Oct 2009