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U.S. Patent Office upholds StemCells’ patents

StemCells, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has upheld the validity of the remaining two neural stem cell patents which were subjected to reexamination proceedings commenced by Neuralstem, Inc.

17 May 2009

Senate Finance Committee holds second closed-door meeting on health care reform; details of House Energy and Commerce Committee overhaul plan leaked

The Senate Finance Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday both worked on health care proposals aimed at overhauling the U.S. health care system, CQ Today reports.

15 May 2009

Lambda Legal files suit against assisted-living facility for allegedly discriminating against HIV-positive resident

Lambda Legal, a group that represents HIV-positive people, on Tuesday filed a law suit against the Fox Ridge assisted-living facility in North Little Rock, Ark., for allegedly evicting a resident because he is HIV-positive, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports.

15 May 2009

Senate Finance Committee to discuss public plan options; House Energy and Commerce Committee discusses state, regional plans

The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday will meet to discuss the inclusion of a public insurance plan in its health care reform legislation, the Des Moines Register reports (Beaumont, Des Moines Register, 5/14). Supporters of the public plan say it would allow middle-income workers a choice between their employer coverage and coverage offered by the government. The insurance industry and Republican lawmakers oppose such a plan.

14 May 2009

Health Subcommittee considers bill to eliminate pre-emption for medical devices

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee on Tuesday heard testimony on the Medical Device Safety Act of 2009 (HR 1346), which would allow consumers to sue medical device manufacturers in state courts, CQ HealthBeat reports.

14 May 2009

Senate Finance Committee weighs proposal to tax employer health benefits, other plans to pay for health reform

The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday heard arguments for taxing employer-sponsored health care benefits as a means for funding a comprehensive health care overhaul, the Wall Street Journal reports.

13 May 2009

House Democrats say they will introduce reform legislation August recess; Obama Administration to look into wellness programs

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, (D-Calif.) and other House Democrats met with President Barack Obama on Wednesday, promising a health reform bill by the end of July, the AP/Examiner reports.

13 May 2009

Medicare hospital fund will be insolvent by 2017, two years earlier than expected, trustees say

The trust fund that Medicare uses to pay for beneficiaries' hospital care will be insolvent by 2017, as the program since last year has been paying out more than it collects in taxes and interest, in part due to the worsening economy, according to a Medicare Payment Advisory Commission report issued Tuesday, the Washington Times reports.

13 May 2009

Gov. O'Malley signs two bills that set new rules for no-cost, low-cost hospital care, financial information

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) signed two bills on Thursday that institute new rules to determine eligibility for no-cost or reduced-price care at state hospitals and mandate that staff provide financial assistance information to all patients, the Baltimore Sun reports.

12 May 2009

Few dentists in Wisconsin accept patients enrolled in BadgerCare Plus

Few dentists in Wisconsin are accepting patients insured by BadgerCare Plus, and children in particular are affected, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

12 May 2009

Blue Dog Coalition criticizes house health care leaders for developing legislation in secret

Members of the fiscally conservative, Democratic Blue Dog Coalition on Monday sent a letter to the chairs of three House committees who have been tasked with drafting health care legislation, saying they are "increasingly troubled" by the exclusivity of the process, the New York Times reports.

12 May 2009

Health industry groups pledge to reduce spending; some health advocates express skepticism about plan

As President Obama on Monday met with health care industry groups regarding their pledge to reduce $2 trillion in expected health care spending increases over the next 10 years, many health care advocates expressed skepticism about the promise, the Hartford Courant reports (Levick, Hartford Courant, 5/12).

12 May 2009

New York Legislature should approve legislation requiring health workers to offer HIV testing, editorial says

The New York state Legislature "should make it mandatory for health care workers to offer [HIV] testing" as proposed in a New York state bill (A 7757), a Long Island Newsday editorial says (Long Island Newsday, 5/11).

12 May 2009

American Civil Liberties Union challenges breast cancer gene patents

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Public Patent Foundation at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (PUBPAT) filed a lawsuit today charging that patents on two human genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer stifle research that could lead to cures and limit women's options regarding their medical care.

12 May 2009

West Virginia Gov. Manchin vetoes Medicaid mental health reimbursement hike

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D) on Thursday vetoed a $1.5 million bill to increase Medicaid reimbursements for mental health care services over three years, but said that the state will direct $12.7 million in state and federal money to community-based mental health services and reduce overcrowding in psychiatric hospitals, the Charleston Gazette reports.

12 May 2009

HHS will release guidance on 'meaningful use' of health IT this summer, Blumenthal says

HHS soon will issue guidance and specifications on the definition of "meaningful use" of health information technology, National Coordinator for Health IT David Blumenthal said on Friday, CongressDaily reports (Noyes, CongressDaily, 5/8). "Meaningful use is very much on our mind," he said, adding, "We hope to provide a direction and some specifications in the late spring, early summer" (Goldstein, "Health Blog," Wall Street Journal, 5/8).

12 May 2009

Lawmakers considering changing tax rules to allow employers to encourage wellness, prevention among workers

A plan being developed by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) would give tax credits to employers offering wellness programs, such as periodic screenings for health problems and counseling, to encourage workers to adopt healthier lifestyles, the New York Times reports.

12 May 2009

Health industry members vow to reduce spending by $2 trillion over next 10 years; savings could help finance reform

Leading health care industry groups on Monday are expected to pledge to President Obama that they will attempt to reduce $2 trillion in expected health care spending increases over the next 10 years, Obama administration officials said on Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reports (Adamy, Wall Street Journal, 5/11).

12 May 2009

South Carolina health coverage, cigarette tax bill stalls in state Senate

Legislation that would use an increase in the South Carolina cigarette tax to create a new health coverage program for low-income state residents has stalled in the state Senate Finance Committee, the AP/Myrtle Beach Sun News reports.

7 May 2009

Senate HELP committee to hold confirmation hearing on FDA commissioner nominee

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Thursday will hold a confirmation hearing for Margaret Hamburg, President Obama's nominee for FDA commissioner, the New York Times reports.

7 May 2009

Medical Legislation News and Research

U.S. Patent Office upholds StemCells’ patents

Senate Finance Committee holds second closed-door meeting on health care reform; details of House Energy and Commerce Committee overhaul plan leaked

Lambda Legal files suit against assisted-living facility for allegedly discriminating against HIV-positive resident

Senate Finance Committee to discuss public plan options; House Energy and Commerce Committee discusses state, regional plans

Health Subcommittee considers bill to eliminate pre-emption for medical devices

Senate Finance Committee weighs proposal to tax employer health benefits, other plans to pay for health reform

House Democrats say they will introduce reform legislation August recess; Obama Administration to look into wellness programs

Medicare hospital fund will be insolvent by 2017, two years earlier than expected, trustees say

Gov. O'Malley signs two bills that set new rules for no-cost, low-cost hospital care, financial information

Few dentists in Wisconsin accept patients enrolled in BadgerCare Plus

Blue Dog Coalition criticizes house health care leaders for developing legislation in secret

Health industry groups pledge to reduce spending; some health advocates express skepticism about plan

New York Legislature should approve legislation requiring health workers to offer HIV testing, editorial says

American Civil Liberties Union challenges breast cancer gene patents

West Virginia Gov. Manchin vetoes Medicaid mental health reimbursement hike

HHS will release guidance on 'meaningful use' of health IT this summer, Blumenthal says

Lawmakers considering changing tax rules to allow employers to encourage wellness, prevention among workers

Health industry members vow to reduce spending by $2 trillion over next 10 years; savings could help finance reform

South Carolina health coverage, cigarette tax bill stalls in state Senate

Senate HELP committee to hold confirmation hearing on FDA commissioner nominee

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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