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Kaiser Health News/Philadelphia Inquirer examines proposal that would allow people ages 55 to 64 to buy into Medicare

Kaiser Health News/Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday examined a plan being touted by Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) that would allow people ages 55 to 64 to buy into Medicare. The plan would target people who purchase insurance on the individual market or have no insurance because of unemployment.

5 May 2009

New Jersey free HIV clinic to close, Federal funding at risk

New Jersey's Bergen County Department of Health Services plans to close the county's Counseling Center in Hackensack, which has operated for 20 years and is the only clinic in the county that provides no-cost HIV testing, NorthJersey.com reports.

5 May 2009

Private Medicare Advantage to receive $11.4 billion more in 2009

Private Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will be paid $11.4 billion more in 2009 than what the same beneficiaries would have cost in the traditional Medicare fee-for-service program, according to a new report released today by The Commonwealth Fund.

4 May 2009

Sen. Baucus proposes Medicare changes he says could drive 'transformation of the health care delivery system'

The Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday during a six-hour meeting discussed proposed changes to the Medicare system from committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the New York Times reports (Pear, New York Times, 4/30).

30 Apr 2009

Increased mortality linked to frequent nightime urination

Patients suffering from nocturia, the need to urinate at least twice during the night, may have a significantly increased risk for mortality.

26 Apr 2009

Certain ecologic factors increase bladder cancer risks

Persons drinking well water (as opposed to public supply) may be at an increased risk of bladder cancer, according to new research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

26 Apr 2009

Many people skipping health care in the past year

As economic conditions remain poor, a majority of the public continues to say that they or a member of their household have delayed or skipped health care in the past year, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation's April health tracking poll.

23 Apr 2009

Double-lung transplants work better than single for long-term survival

Having both lungs replaced instead of just one is the single most important feature determining who lives longest after having a lung transplant, more than doubling an organ recipient's chances of extending their life by over a decade, a study by a team of transplant surgeons at Johns Hopkins shows.

22 Apr 2009

Screening to help prevent stroke in kids increases, but limited access a problem

The number of children with a certain blood disorder undergoing an ultrasound to help prevent stroke is up significantly in the past 10 years since the publication of a major study showing its benefits.

13 Apr 2009

Many skin cancer patients do not receive sentinel lymph node biopsy

Although clinical practice guidelines recommend sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy for many patients with clinically node-negative melanoma, a new analysis from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has found approximately half of patients do not receive recommended evaluation of their lymph nodes and that the type of health insurance a patient has, the type of hospital delivering treatment, and the hospital's geographic region are all associated with provider compliance with those guidelines.

9 Apr 2009

Major health care overhaul in China

Chinese officials have unveiled a health-care plan which promises to deliver to all its 1.3 billion citizens, fair and affordable health services by the year 2020.

8 Apr 2009

CMS announces $35.8 million for state health insurance assistance programs

CMS on Friday announced that State Health Insurance Assistance Programs will receive $35.8 million to provide health insurance information to Medicare beneficiaries, CQ HealthBeat reports.

6 Apr 2009

More consumers purchase vitamins, supplements amid economic recession

Sales of vitamins and nutritional supplements have surged in recent months as consumers look to avoid costly physician visits amid the ongoing economic recession, the New York Times reports.

6 Apr 2009

Minorities more likely than others in California to be uninsured, families USA Survey finds

Minorities in California are more likely than others to be uninsured in the last two years, according to a Families USA survey released last week, the Los Angeles Times reports.

6 Apr 2009

Ohio forum addresses racial health disparities among children

More than 200 people met Thursday for a forum sponsored by Children's Defense Fund-Ohio to discuss ways to address racial health disparities among children in the state, the Columbus Dispatch reports.

6 Apr 2009

Having synchronous cancers means better survival outcome

New research published in this month's edition of Obstetrics & Gynecology (Vol. 113, Issue 4), by a team of investigators from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) shows better survival outcomes for women who have cancer of the ovaries and endometrial lining of the uterus at the same time (synchronous) than those who only have one tumor in the ovaries.

6 Apr 2009

Senate unlikely to vote on Gov. Sebelius' nomination as HHS Secretary until later this month

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D), President Obama's choice for HHS secretary, "sailed through" a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Thursday, but the Senate likely will not take up the nomination until later this month because of objections for an immediate vote by several Republican members, the New York Times reports (Pear, New York Times, 4/3).

5 Apr 2009

Congressional progressive caucus issues letter stating majority of members will only support health reform that includes public plan option

A majority of members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus will not support any health reform legislation that does not include a public plan option, according to a letter sent on Thursday by CPC co-chairs Reps. Lynn Woosley (D-Calif.) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) to Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, Roll Call reports (Bendery, Roll Call, 4/2).

5 Apr 2009

About 500,000 Californians have lost health insurance during recession

About 500,000 working-age Californians have lost their health insurance since the economic recession began in November 2007, according to a report the University of California-Berkeley's Center for Labor Research and Education released Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

5 Apr 2009

Boston Scientific announces Japanese launch of Taxus Liberte drug-eluting stent system

Boston Scientific Corporation has announced the launch of its TAXUS Liberte Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System in Japan.

2 Apr 2009

Health Insurance News and Research

Kaiser Health News/Philadelphia Inquirer examines proposal that would allow people ages 55 to 64 to buy into Medicare

New Jersey free HIV clinic to close, Federal funding at risk

Private Medicare Advantage to receive $11.4 billion more in 2009

Sen. Baucus proposes Medicare changes he says could drive 'transformation of the health care delivery system'

Increased mortality linked to frequent nightime urination

Certain ecologic factors increase bladder cancer risks

Many people skipping health care in the past year

Double-lung transplants work better than single for long-term survival

Screening to help prevent stroke in kids increases, but limited access a problem

Many skin cancer patients do not receive sentinel lymph node biopsy

Major health care overhaul in China

CMS announces $35.8 million for state health insurance assistance programs

More consumers purchase vitamins, supplements amid economic recession

Minorities more likely than others in California to be uninsured, families USA Survey finds

Ohio forum addresses racial health disparities among children

Having synchronous cancers means better survival outcome

Senate unlikely to vote on Gov. Sebelius' nomination as HHS Secretary until later this month

Congressional progressive caucus issues letter stating majority of members will only support health reform that includes public plan option

About 500,000 Californians have lost health insurance during recession

Boston Scientific announces Japanese launch of Taxus Liberte drug-eluting stent system

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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