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Fourteen health insurers spend $15.5 million in the first half of 2009

Fourteen major health insurers and their industry association flexed their political muscle to the tune of $2.5 million per month - an increase of 25 percent over previous years - in the first half of 2009 to influence the health care reform debate, according to a report released today by the nonpartisan group Public Campaign Action Fund.

17 Sep 2009

NCPA happy with Baucus' proposals for community pharmacies

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) commended Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) for including several critical provisions to help community pharmacies better serve patients in the “America’s Healthy Future Act” proposed today.

17 Sep 2009

Will undocumented immigrants be covered under 'health care' or 'health coverage'?

Contending that President Barack Obama and U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson were both right and both wrong in their much noted confrontation during the President's address to Congress on Wednesday, the Foundation for Health Coverage Education (FHCE), www.coverageforall.org, points out that the issue is with the definition of health coverage versus health care for undocumented immigrants in HR3200, the House's version of healthcare reform legislation.

17 Sep 2009

Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights opposes cuts to Medicare

The doctor-led Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights (Coalition) urged caution to legislators and the public as they consider Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus’s healthcare reform proposal, America's Healthy Future Act of 2009, which was released today.

17 Sep 2009

Speaker Pelosi comments on Senator Baucus' proposals in health insurance reform

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on the proposal released by Senator Max Baucus, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee:

17 Sep 2009

Washington officials explain the health care reform to Northeast Ohio businesses

Government officials, Lobbyists and other Health Care advocates from Washington D.C. will land in Cleveland to explain to Northeast Ohio's businesses and employers the status of and potential implications from Health Care reform.

17 Sep 2009

The Baucus health care plan covers elective abortions

Today U.S. Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) introduced a detailed summary of his "America's Health Future Act of 2009" that will be marked-up in the Senate Financial Services Committee next week.

17 Sep 2009

The Baucus health overhaul measure receives a 'luke-warm' greeting, but termed by the White House to be a 'building block' to reform

The Wall Street Journal: "Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus formally unveiled a 10-year, $856 billion bill that would extend health insurance to tens of millions of Americans but that found lukewarm support among other key senators, indicating changes to the measure are in store."

17 Sep 2009

State News Round-up: States trim budgets, experiment with reform ideas

News outlets report on a variety of state health stories including the Connector in Massachusetts, mental health care in Texas, hospital payments in Vermont, increased health insurance coverage in California and Republican efforts with employer insurance in Florida.

17 Sep 2009

Speaker Pelosi remarks on benefits for children in health insurance reform

Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks at an event for the Children's Health Fund this afternoon on the West Front Lawn of the Capitol to raise awareness for the more than 21 million children who will benefit from health insurance reform.

17 Sep 2009

Health plans will continue working with members of Congress to enact bipartisan legislation: AHIP

"Senator Max Baucus has led an unprecedented and rigorous bipartisan process to enact health care reform this year and challenged all stakeholders to contribute to this process. The introduction of legislation in the Finance Committee is a very important step in the health care reform process.

17 Sep 2009

Survey: Average cost of employer health plan up 5%

The average cost of an employer-provided family plan is now $13,375, up 5 percent from 2008, according to a new report by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research & Educational Trust.

17 Sep 2009

Fully-insured members of Capital BlueCross to receive coverage for administration fee for H1N1 Flu vaccine

Capital BlueCross announced today that it will cover an administration fee for the H1N1 Flu vaccine for fully-insured members and those with individual coverage during the upcoming 2009-2010 flu season. Self-funded groups may opt to have their coverage customized to include this benefit.

17 Sep 2009

Insurers say seniors in Medicare Advantage spend less time in hospital

Insurers say seniors in Medicare Advantage spend less time in the hospital. CQ HealthBeat reports: "A new study issued Tuesday by the health insurance industry touts the benefits offered by Medicare Advantage, just as Congress contemplates slashing bonus payments to the managed-care program to help pay for the health care overhaul."

17 Sep 2009

Americans for Tax Reform assesses the Baucus healthcare plan

Employer Mandate Tax. $400 per employee if health coverage is not offered. Note: this is a huge incentive to drop coverage, as $400 is much less than the average plan cost of $11,000 for families or $5000 for singles (Source: AHIP)

17 Sep 2009

Poll finds concerns about health care reform's effect on the economy

A new poll finds President Barack Obama's job-approval rating and favorability remain high - 56 and 61 percent, respectively - despite deep divides over his health care proposal and handling of the economy, Bloomberg reports.

17 Sep 2009

How-to guides: Help an elderly parent, find your own insurance

News organizations offer advice on how to care for an elderly parent without going broke and how to find health insurance before becoming eligible for Medicare.

17 Sep 2009

Health reform plan will affect middle-class families adversely: Consumer Watchdog

The new health reform plan released today by U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) will charge middle-class families nearly 20% of their annual income for health coverage, while letting insurance companies charge what they please for policies, said Consumer Watchdog.

17 Sep 2009

Some Dems push back on Obama's proposed ban on illegal immigrants buying insurance

The Los Angeles Times reports: "Trying to quell a conservative uproar over his healthcare agenda, President Obama has proposed barring illegal immigrants from a possible government-arranged health insurance marketplace -- even if the immigrants pay with their own money.

17 Sep 2009

Agiliance announces a new application for privacy management

Agiliance, Inc., the leader in integrated Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC), today announced the Agiliance Privacy Manager to the current suite of GRC applications.

17 Sep 2009