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Explainers and fact checks on health reform bills

Several news organizations published explainers on health reform.

1 Sep 2009

CT and PET scans carry a very real risk of radiation exposure

Thomas Dehn, M.D., FACR, executive vice president and chief medical officer of National Imaging Associates, a Magellan Health Services (Nasdaq: MGLN) company, today issued the following statement about the New England Journal of Medicine study published on Aug. 27 regarding patient exposure to ionizing radiation in imaging procedures.

1 Sep 2009

Senior citizens in Nevada to be affected by the recent House bill

A new American Health Care Association analysis of the pending House health reform bill, combined with the impact of a recently-enacted Medicare regulation cutting Medicare-funded nursing home care by $12 billion over 10 years, finds seniors in Nevada requiring nursing and rehabilitative care will face total funding cuts of $186 million over that same time period. Nationally, the study finds, seniors' Medicare cuts will total $44 billion over 10 years, prompting Nevada’s long term care community to warn that seniors' care needs are endangered by the House bill, as are the jobs of almost 200 caregivers in Nevada alone.

31 Aug 2009

Rite Aid pharmacies to offer regular seasonal flu shots throughout the flu season

Many Rite Aid pharmacists have already been giving regular seasonal flu shots following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advice that anyone who wishes to reduce the risk of getting the regular seasonal flu get a flu shot as soon as they are available.

31 Aug 2009

Walgreens to provide flue shots faster and easier this season

Walgreens (NYSE:WAG)(NASDAQ:WAG) is making it faster and easier to get a flu shot this season. The nation’s largest drugstore chain today announced it will begin offering seasonal flu shots on Sept. 1 at more than 7,000 points of care nationwide, including nearly all of its stores in 50 states and almost 350 in-store Take Care Clinics.

31 Aug 2009

Health Net urges Americans to have their blood cholesterol measured

Tomorrow, September 1, marks the start of National Cholesterol Education Month. In support of this educational effort, Health Net, Inc., (NYSE: HNT) is encouraging those who haven't yet done so, to have their blood cholesterol measured and, if it's high, to embark on a cholesterol-lowering program.

31 Aug 2009

Mark Farrah Associates partners with Strenuus to launch Medicare Benefits Analyzer

Mark Farrah Associates (MFA) announces the addition of Medicare Benefits Analyzer to its online product portfolio. “We are very pleased to be partnering with Strenuus to launch this new product.

31 Aug 2009

First Edition: August 31, 2009

Today's headlines hint that summer's almost over, but the heat will still be on for health reform.

31 Aug 2009

Emotions still running high in health care reform debate

In the first, NPR notes: Conservative political activists associated with the so-called 'Tea Party' protests have started a cross-country bus convoy dubbed the Tea Party Express. They plan to stop in 33 cities. Tea Party Express organizer Mark Williams, also a conservative talk show host, said there is a lot of dissatisfaction in the country right now focused on issues from health care reform to the national debt.

30 Aug 2009

Leading experts in health and health care reform to take part in symposium

With the nation facing a $9 trillion deficit over the next 10 years, according to government estimates, the future of health care reform depends upon a neglected but critical leg of the equation: cost. Some of the nation’s leading experts in health and health care reform will provide insights into this issue when they converge in Nashville Saturday for a nonpartisan public discussion.

29 Aug 2009

Rebuilder Medical Technologies is in concluding stages of finalizing a national contract to provide billing services for all physicians

ReBuilder Medical Technologies, Inc. (Pink Sheets: RBRM) a provider of electronic treatments for the pain resulting from peripheral neuropathy and Peripheral Artery Disease today announced that it is in the final stages of negotiating a national contract to provide all physicians with billing services for Medicare claims for the ReBuilder.

29 Aug 2009

AARP members urge Congressman Schock to tackle health care reform

While Congressman Schock may be taking a break from Washington, AARP is making sure he doesn't get a break from the need to fix the broken health care system.

29 Aug 2009

Vision document to guide CHA's support to health reform

The Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) has long been committed to a goal of health coverage for all people in the United States. CHA has not, however, endorsed any of the bills currently under consideration.

29 Aug 2009

Congressman Roy Blunt should stop blocking health care reform, say Missouri families

Service Employees International Union members and their families, members of the community and concerned citizens gathered in front of Congressman Roy Blunt's office to demand why he continues to put politics before Missouri families.

29 Aug 2009

White paper highlights the need for more number of physician hospitals

Today, the Senior Center for Health and Security (SCHS) announced the publication of an important new white paper which fully explores the critical nature of high-quality physician hospitals for seniors, their promise for the nation, and their competitors' latest effort to drive them completely out of existence.

29 Aug 2009

Study reveals that the pending health reforms bill will affect senior citizens in Wyoming

A new American Health Care Association analysis of the pending House health reform bill, combined with the impact of a recently-enacted Medicare regulation cutting Medicare-funded nursing home care by $12 billion over ten years, finds seniors in Wyoming requiring nursing and rehabilitative care will face total funding cuts of nearly $60 million over that same time period. Nationally, the study finds, seniors’ Medicare cuts will total $44 billion over ten years, prompting Wyoming’s long term care community to warn that seniors’ care needs are endangered by the House bill, as are the jobs of caregivers and nursing home staff in Wyoming.

29 Aug 2009

Insurance workers: We're not 'villains'

Politicians have targeted the insurance industry in their pitch to overhaul health care. House speaker Nancy Pelosi went as far as calling insurers "villains" and "immoral." "I'm certainly not villainous or immoral in any way, shape or form," Max Shireman, a project manager for the insurer Humana, told The New York Times. Various insurance company employees had different interpretations and explanations for their demonization.

29 Aug 2009

Lawmakers, though still elbowing, agree on some health care reforms

Lost in the debate over key issues is the fact that lawmakers working on health care reform agree on major parts of reform, The Los Angeles Times reports.

28 Aug 2009

Research round-up: Highlights from recent releases

American Health Care Association (AHCA): State-by-State Medicare Cuts to Nursing Homes -- "A new [AHCA] analysis of the pending House health reform bill [HR 3200], combined with the impact of a recently-enacted Medicare regulation cutting Medicare-funded nursing home care by $12 billion over ten years, finds seniors in fifteen states requiring nursing and rehabilitative care will face total funding cuts in excess of $1 billion over that same time period," according to an AHCA description of the study. "The assessment was based on the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score of both HR 3200 and the recent CMS funding rule, along with Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) utilization data." A breakdown of each of the 15 states facing ten-year billion dollar cuts to Medicare-funded nursing homes is available online (8/20).

28 Aug 2009