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States: Texas GOP rift in primary; L.A. nursing homes scrutiny; Calif. health costs protest

A selection of health policy stories from Texas, California, Arizona, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Virginia and Georgia.

6 Mar 2014

Tips to ease daylight saving time transition

Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9, bringing more sunshine in the evenings at the price of an hour of sleep. Vanderbilt Sleep Disorders Center specialist Kelly Brown, M.D., says a little extra planning can alleviate that groggy feeling that often accompanies the time change.

6 Mar 2014

Important facts about colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the U.S., with about 143,000 new patients diagnosed last year. But thanks to increased awareness about screenings, the death rate from colorectal cancer has been dropping for more than 20 years.

6 Mar 2014

UCLA experts offer tips to help protect colon health

With colorectal cancer the second leading cause of cancer death, it's a great time to take a look at the health of your colon.

6 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: Obama's budget punts on entitlements; Medicaid debate rankles states

There is a lesson in this unexpected juxtaposition nevertheless: No nation can safely base its tax and spending plans on inflexible commitments. Political life, both domestic and international, is too unpredictable. Yet U.S. government spending is mostly on autopilot. The government is scheduled to lay out $3.8 trillion this fiscal year - 70 percent of which will go to mandatory-spending programs, chiefly Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and interest on the federal debt. Mr. Obama's plan for fiscal 2015 does not change this; it would increase overall spending slightly, paying for it with selected tax increases, while shifting money among priorities here and there. But these tweaks would take place within the same 30 percent of discretionary spending that the current budget contains (3/4).

6 Mar 2014

White House to announce 2nd renewal for old health plans

Americans who kept health plans that didn't comply with the health law's coverage requirements will be able to renew those policies again, sources tell media outlets. The Obama administration is expected to announce the extension today.

6 Mar 2014

New innovative program prepares students with autism for life after high school

An innovative program from UNC's Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) and 6 partner universities is preparing students with autism for life after high school.

6 Mar 2014

President Obama's budget: Medicare means testing and lower drug costs

The budget proposal includes a provision to make wealthier seniors in Medicare pay more as well and another to try to drive down the cost of prescription drugs. A rival Republican plan is also expected to propose cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

6 Mar 2014

Azoi announces launch of innovative mobile health monitoring device

Azoi, a technology company dedicated to helping people improve their lives, today announced Wello – an innovative health monitoring device embedded within a mobile phone case. With just a few powerful sensors, Wello fits onto a smartphone and measures a number of key vitals including blood pressure, electrocardiography (ECG), heart rate, blood oxygen, temperature, lung functions and more – with a high level of accuracy. Fast and easy-to-use, Wello empowers people to track key data, improve awareness of their body's state, and make more informed lifestyle choices.

6 Mar 2014

New report reveals recurrent humanitarian crises in Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern provinces

Democratic Republic of Congo is in the grip of an emergency. For two decades, persistent conflict in its eastern provinces and instability in other regions and a dysfunctional health system have led to recurrent humanitarian crises and outbreaks of disease.

6 Mar 2014

CBO projects lower health law cost; Oregon lawmakers seek marketplace probe

The cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office takes into account lower-than-projected enrollment this year. Meanwhile, Oregon's Democratic senators ask the Government Accountability Office to examine federal funding of that state's website a day after House Republicans make a similar request.

6 Mar 2014

Prehospital stroke alerts can shorten time to emergency treatment

Prehospital stroke alerts by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel can shorten the time to effective treatment with "clot-busting" drugs for patients with stroke, according to a report in the March issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

6 Mar 2014

Arkansas House votes to fund Medicaid expansion private option

The measure, which extended for one year this "private" approach to expanding health insurance coverage to low-income state residents, failed in four previous votes. Its opponents say the debate is not over -- they are just "hitting the pause button."

6 Mar 2014

NICE guidance influences medical policy towards diabetes prevention nationwide

A team of academics from the University of Leicester has been instrumental in shaping National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance that will influence medical policy towards diabetes prevention nationwide.

6 Mar 2014

Poll: Public is split on candidates who backed Obamacare

But support has significantly increased for lawmakers who voted for the law, according to the Washington Post/ABC News poll. Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a potential GOP presidential candidate, tells a constituent worried about Obamacare to "elect a new president," and former White House adviser Ezekiel Emanuel writes in a new book that many of the early problems with the law were "self-inflicted."

6 Mar 2014

Research shows how patient experiences can be used to improve healthcare

A research project led by Oxford University is showing how patient experiences can be used to improve healthcare - not through targets and surveys, but by getting doctors, nurses and patients talking together about care on the ward.

6 Mar 2014

Washington Hospital recognized as 'Baby-Friendly Hospital'

Washington Hospital has earned the distinction as a "Baby-Friendly Hospital" from the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a global program launched by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund. The designation recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and mother/baby bonding. Fewer than 175 hospitals in the U.S. are "Baby-Friendly."

6 Mar 2014

Obama's budget eyes provider cuts to save money

The president's proposal would save $402 billion from Medicare and Medicaid over 10 years, mostly from lower reimbursements to health care providers and drugmakers.

5 Mar 2014

APA to recognize employers with Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award

The American Psychological Association will recognize seven employers for their efforts to promote employee well-being and organizational performance at its ninth annual Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, March 8.

5 Mar 2014