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San Francisco Chronicle examines health insurance claim denials

The San Francisco Chronicle on Monday examined how "[e]ach year, thousands of Californians find themselves at odds with their health insurers over whether they, as patients, should get the treatment their doctors prescribed."

24 Jun 2008

Kaiser Daily Health Policy report feature highlights recent blog posts

While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics.

17 Jun 2008

Insurers often improperly reimburse physicians, adding $200 billion annually to U.S. health care costs, AMA report finds

Insurers' failure to properly process and reimburse physicians costs the U.S. $200 billion annually, according to a report released on Monday by the American Medical Association, the Los Angeles Times reports.

17 Jun 2008

Connecticut Governor vetoes health care bill that would have expanded State employee health insurance plan

Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell (R) on Friday vetoed legislation that would have allowed municipalities and small businesses to join the state's health insurance plan, the Hartford Courant reports.

17 Jun 2008

Lower incomes and lower education levels tied to higher death rates after heart attack

Researchers have long suspected that socioeconomic factors like education level and income also might affect survival rates following heart attack.

17 Jun 2008

Massachusetts health insurance law of 2006 working, but challenges lie ahead, NYT editorial states

The "real test" of the 2006 Massachusetts health insurance law will come this year when higher penalties are levied on those who remain uninsured and the state determines "whether coverage can really be made mandatory without sparking political resistance," the New York Times writes in an editorial.

17 Jun 2008

Newspapers highlight health care, economic proposals of Presidential candidates Obama, McCain

In broader pieces on the economy and taxes, two newspapers recently addressed parts of the health care proposals of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) and presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.).

17 Jun 2008

Gingrich outlines proposal to address health care costs

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) on Wednesday in Omaha, Neb., outlined a proposal to help reduce health care costs that includes a health insurance mandate for U.S. residents with annual incomes more than $75,000, the AP/Lincoln Journal Star reports.

17 Jun 2008

Expansion of health insurance could help reduce health care disparities, lawmakers, experts say

Proposals to expand health insurance to all U.S. residents could help reduce, but would not eliminate, health care disparities, lawmakers and health care experts said on Tuesday at a House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing, CQ HealthBeat reports.

17 Jun 2008

HIPAA Privacy Rule is having a negative impact on the advance of biomedical research

The privacy rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is having a negative impact on the advance of biomedical research and the search for treatments that benefit society, says a newly-released report by the Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC).

16 Jun 2008

Women, Latinos face higher brain aneurysm risk

A type of stroke that can strike at any age, and kills one-third of its victims, appears to be more common in women and Mexican-Americans than in non-Hispanic white men, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Stroke Program.

15 Jun 2008

Obama, McCain discuss health care proposals

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) on Tuesday discussed their "sharply different approaches" to health care, the economy and other issues, the Washington Post reports (Bacon, Washington Post, 6/11). Obama promoted his health care proposal on Tuesday during a visit to St. Louis Children's Hospital (Jackson, USA Today, 6/11).

11 Jun 2008

Massachusetts insurers to expand health plans with physician ranking system despite lawsuit

Two of Massachusetts' largest health insurers are expanding or launching health plans that feature physician ranking systems despite opposition to those systems by the Massachusetts Medical Society, the Boston Globe reports. Under such ranking systems, patients who seek care from a top-rated, or top-tiered, physician have lower copayments.

11 Jun 2008

House bill would allow small businesses to form statewide, nationwide pools for purchasing insurance

A bipartisan coalition of House members on Tuesday introduced a bill (HR 6210) that would allow small businesses to form statewide or nationwide pools to purchase insurance and provide them with tax credits to lower the cost of coverage, CongressDaily reports.

11 Jun 2008

Obama launches economic tour, promotes health care proposal

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) on Monday began a two-week economic tour in Raleigh, N.C., where he discussed his proposals to address the economy, health care and other issues, the AP/Philadelphia Daily News reports (Babington, AP/Philadelphia Daily News, 6/10).

11 Jun 2008

CMS announces $15 million funding increase for Medicare counseling programs

CMS officials on Friday announced that the agency this year will increase funding by $15 million to a total of $50 million to organizations that advise Medicare beneficiaries on prescription drug and health plan choices, CQ HealthBeat reports.

11 Jun 2008

Panel discusses expanding health coverage to uninsured via 'early Medicare' program

At a panel discussion on Friday, lawmakers and health experts considered a Commonwealth Fund proposal that would provide health insurance to 44 million of the 48 million uninsured U.S. residents, CQ HealthBeat reports (Wyckoff, CQ HealthBeat, 6/6).

10 Jun 2008

Decision by Democratic Presidential Candidate Clinton to suspend campaign decreases prospects for individual health insurance mandate, Wall Street Journal reports

The recent decision by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) to suspend her campaign "will deal a blow to supporters of a key element in the tussle over universal health coverage: the idea that all Americans be required to buy or have health insurance," the Wall Street Journal reports.

10 Jun 2008

New Jersey lawmakers advance bill that would require income verification of all state-funded health insurance program applicants

A New Jersey Assembly committee on Thursday approved a bill that would require state authorities to conduct income verification checks on individuals applying for state-funded health insurance coverage, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports.

10 Jun 2008

Massachusetts employers, insurers lobby against higher employer fees for uninsured workers, support cost control efforts

Massachusetts businesses and most of the state's health insurers on Wednesday announced the formation of the Coalition for Affordable Health Coverage, a lobbying group that will work to control rising health care costs in the state and prevent cost-shifting to employers, the Boston Globe reports.

8 Jun 2008

Health Insurance News and Research

San Francisco Chronicle examines health insurance claim denials

Kaiser Daily Health Policy report feature highlights recent blog posts

Insurers often improperly reimburse physicians, adding $200 billion annually to U.S. health care costs, AMA report finds

Connecticut Governor vetoes health care bill that would have expanded State employee health insurance plan

Lower incomes and lower education levels tied to higher death rates after heart attack

Massachusetts health insurance law of 2006 working, but challenges lie ahead, NYT editorial states

Newspapers highlight health care, economic proposals of Presidential candidates Obama, McCain

Gingrich outlines proposal to address health care costs

Expansion of health insurance could help reduce health care disparities, lawmakers, experts say

HIPAA Privacy Rule is having a negative impact on the advance of biomedical research

Women, Latinos face higher brain aneurysm risk

Obama, McCain discuss health care proposals

Massachusetts insurers to expand health plans with physician ranking system despite lawsuit

House bill would allow small businesses to form statewide, nationwide pools for purchasing insurance

Obama launches economic tour, promotes health care proposal

CMS announces $15 million funding increase for Medicare counseling programs

Panel discusses expanding health coverage to uninsured via 'early Medicare' program

Decision by Democratic Presidential Candidate Clinton to suspend campaign decreases prospects for individual health insurance mandate, Wall Street Journal reports

New Jersey lawmakers advance bill that would require income verification of all state-funded health insurance program applicants

Massachusetts employers, insurers lobby against higher employer fees for uninsured workers, support cost control efforts

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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