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NAMI: Uniformity of insurance coverage for mental illness and addictive disorders

NAMI agrees with President Obama that the time for action on health care reform is now. It is time for both Democrats and Republicans to come together and deliver on what, for too many years, have only been promises.

11 Sep 2009

Michigan business owners asked to air their concerns about national health care reforms

Owners of small- to mid-sized businesses across Michigan need to stay informed and to speak out against potential higher taxes and other costs associated with national health care reform, according to the Michigan Business and Professional Association (MBPA) and the Michigan Food and Beverage Association (MFBA) in response to President Obama's speech on healthcare reform.

11 Sep 2009

H.R. 3200 health care reforms will benefit illegal aliens

"The reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally," President Obama said in a carefully worded statement to a Joint Session of Congress and the American public last night. The problem, notes the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), is that the health care reforms proposed in H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Care Act of 2009, clearly would benefit illegal aliens.

11 Sep 2009

Health care reform briefings on September 19

On September 19 a number of organizations are joining in briefings on health care reform that would really allow health care to become more affordable and more responsive to the individual rights and choices of Americans. This will provide a stark contrast to the many contradictory and expensive proposals that are now under consideration in Congress.

11 Sep 2009

APHA calls for comprehensive health care reform affordable to all Americans

"According to new Census Bureau data released today, there are now more than 46 million Americans who do not have health coverage. And alarmingly, things are only getting worse.

11 Sep 2009

46.3 million Americans uninsured reveals statistics

Physicians see firsthand the negative effects of living without health coverage. Many times uninsured patients delay getting care, often until it's too late. Our nation's 46.3 million uninsured patients live sicker and die younger. As Congress gets back to work, the plight of the growing number of uninsured should be front and center in the health reform debate.

11 Sep 2009

BCBSA supports Obama on maintaining health insurance reforms for affordable coverage

Scott P. Serota, president and chief executive officer of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), released the following statement regarding President Obama's address to the joint session of Congress:

11 Sep 2009

New uninsured number: Up to 46.3 million in mid-2008

The Associated Press: "The Census Bureau reports that the number of people lacking health insurance rose to 46.3 million in 2008. That's up from 45.7 million in 2007, due to a continuing erosion of employer-provided insurance. Still, the level remained just below the peak of 47 million who were uninsured in 2006, because of the growth of government insurance programs such as Medicaid for the poor" (Yen, 9/10).

11 Sep 2009

Routine screening is useful for identifying pregnant women with gestational diabetes

Pregnant women who develop marked increased blood sugar levels during pregnancy can reduce the risk of certain birth complications if they receive treatment. This is a prerequisite for offering all pregnant women routine screening for gestational diabetes.

11 Sep 2009

Obama: 'Time for bickering is over' on health care reform

"Obama said the changes he has in mind would cost about $900 billion over [a] decade, 'less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans' passed during the Bush administration."

11 Sep 2009

Better use of quality-of-care ratings can lead to greater consumer control

A hospital pneumonia survival rate of 93 percent may sound good, but knowing that it's actually merely "fair" can help people pick a better hospital, according to new research. A "good" survival rate would be from 95 percent to 98 percent, medical experts say.

11 Sep 2009

Democrats and Republicans take action, offer more reactions the day after President Obama's speech

Republicans are continuing to react to President Obama's Wednesday night speech while Democrats are counting votes and meeting with key groups within the caucus.

11 Sep 2009

Depression and substance dependency may be more common among people

The prevalence of anxiety, depression and substance dependency may be twice as high as the mental health community has been led to believe.

10 Sep 2009

Fact checks on Obama's health care speech

Several news organizations offered fact checks of President Obama's health care speech to Congress and the nation.

10 Sep 2009

Some insurers still back Obama after speech

"President Obama had few nice things to say about insurance companies in his speech on health care last night, but leaders of two of this region's largest private insurers -- Independence Blue Cross and Aetna Inc. -- gave him generally high marks anyway," the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. He did draw one line in the sand that insurers hoped for: a mandate for all Americans to have health insurance.

10 Sep 2009

Number of uninsured may jump to 50 million

"The number of people in the U.S. lacking health insurance may have grown as much as 9 percent to 50 million people last year, adding fuel to President Barack Obama's push for overhauling the system," Bloomberg reports. "The likely increase was driven by a jump in U.S. unemployment, said Ana Gupte, a Sanford Bernstein & Co. Inc. analyst in New York who follows UnitedHealth Group Inc. and WellPoint Inc., the top two U.S. health insurers.

10 Sep 2009

Speaker Pelosi comments on President Obama's health reform address

"Tonight, President Obama made a forceful case to the Congress and the country for long-overdue health insurance reform. We are closer than ever before in history to real progress on this issue that touches the lives of every American and impacts our economy: ensuring stability and security for Americans with health insurance, and affordable coverage for those currently without.

10 Sep 2009

First edition: September 10, 2009

In response to President Obama's joint address to Congress last night, the headlines are chock full of news, analysis, fact-checkers and inventories of cheers and jeers.

10 Sep 2009

NHSA and Together Rx Access collaborate to improve prescription access

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) and Together Rx Access announced today a collaboration to launch the Together Rx Access(R) FOR HEAD START Card to help eligible uninsured individuals and families associated with Head Start access immediate and meaningful savings on prescription medicines and products right at their neighborhood pharmacies.

10 Sep 2009

Medical liability reforms will hold down defensive medicine costs

President Obama, in his address to a joint session of Congress tonight, stated that “defensive medicine” does contribute to unnecessary costs in healthcare and will now explore options for medical liability reform. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) applaud the President’s inclusion of this key element as lawmakers move forward with an overall healthcare reform plan.

10 Sep 2009