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Novartis CEO upbeat in the midst of market challenges

One of the worst flu seasons in decades is finally showing signs of abating. But health care companies and individuals are still absorbing higher costs as the president's health care legislation begins to take effect. The fees and taxes related to Obamacare take effect this year, while the rest will be implemented in the coming two years.

20 Feb 2013

In various states, groups battle over expanding Medicaid

Lawmakers and stakeholders continue to wrestle with the pros and cons of the health law's Medicaid expansion, as well as with the budget issues related to the state-federal insurance program for low-income people.

20 Feb 2013

J Cell Mol Med, Microbial Biotechnology join Wiley Open Access publishing program

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., announced today that Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Microbial Biotechnology have joined the Wiley Open Access publishing program. All articles in these two journals are now open access and free to view, download and share.

20 Feb 2013

Ark., N.Y. head in opposite directions on abortion regulation

Arkansas and New York are states headed in opposite directions on new abortion regulation: Arkansas's Senate passes a bill banning the procedure after 20 weeks while New York's governor works on legislation guaranteeing access to late-term abortions.

20 Feb 2013

Bipartisan measure introduced to undo health law's insurance tax

In other Capitol Hill news, some GOP lawmakers are upset with a physician group that encourages pediatricians to ask about gun ownership during kids' check-ups.

20 Feb 2013

How Feed the Future initiative is working to end extreme poverty

"In his State of the Union address [last] week, President Obama laid out a challenge for our generation to eradicate the scourge of extreme poverty," Lona Stoll, acting deputy coordinator for development for Feed the Future, and Jonathan Shrier, acting special representative for global food security for Feed the Future, write in the initiative's blog.

20 Feb 2013

Federal government to run insurance marketplaces in half the states

Kaiser Health News staff writers Phil Galewitz and Alvin Tran report: It's official. The Obama administration will be running new health insurance marketplaces in half the states - including the major population centers of Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania.

20 Feb 2013

European Congress on Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis to be held in Rome, Italy

The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and ESCEO have announced that a record number of abstracts (850+) have been submitted to the European Congress on Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis (ESCEO13-IOF) and the 3rd IOF-ESCEO Pre-Clinical Symposium.

20 Feb 2013

Study reveals rare look into success of substance abuse treatment programs for African-Americans

New research out of the University of Cincinnati reveals a relatively rare look into the success of substance abuse treatment programs for African-Americans. Researchers report that self-motivation could be an important consideration into deciding on the most effective treatment strategy.

20 Feb 2013

Physicians do not talk to patients about psychosocial impact and long-term risks of ICDs

New research at Saint Louis University shows physicians do not talk to patients about the psychosocial impact and long-term risks of implanting cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to treat irregular heart rhythms, leaving them misinformed about how the device may affect quality of life.

20 Feb 2013

Medicare trims, scaled-back tax breaks debated as part of budget fix

The Washington Post reports that President Barack Obama favors replacing the automatic cuts slated to take effect on March 1 with a combination of budget moves, including spending cuts in Medicare and Medicaid.

20 Feb 2013

Scientists create new strain of polio to protect vaccine factory workers

"Scientists have created new strains of polio intended to protect workers in factories that make polio vaccine," the New York Times reports.

20 Feb 2013

ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company launches new ad campaign

Insurance is all about a 'Promise'. A promise that needs to be fulfilled during the hour of need. This is a unique category where the value of the product is realised not at the time of purchase but sometime in future when an unfortunate event/accident occurs for which the insurance cover was purchased. It is this 'moment of truth' that separates one insurance company from the other in terms of whether or not a claim is settled and the speed of settlement thus adequately compensating the insured for the loss.

20 Feb 2013

Estimating budget sequestration's impact on global health, foreign aid

Writing in the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition's (USGLC) blog, Molly Lester, government relations associate at the USGLC, highlights a report released last week by the House Appropriations Committee Democrats that outlines the potential impact of budget sequestration on different agencies and issues.

20 Feb 2013

WHO, World Bank meeting on universal health coverage begins in Geneva

A two-day WHO and World Bank ministerial-level meeting on universal health coverage (UHC) began in Geneva on Monday, bringing "together ministers of finance and health from 27 countries with other high-level stakeholders" to discuss "exploring ways that countries are progressing towards universal health coverage, sharing innovative solutions and identifying actions the global community can take to support efforts," the Global Dispatch reports.

20 Feb 2013

Reports warn premium spikes, dropped workers could result from health law

The New York Times reports that some companies could avoid requirements in the health law by insuring their own employees -- a move that might drive up costs for workers of other companies. Other outlets look at concerns that young, healthy people buying policies in new online markets could see a jump in insurance costs.

20 Feb 2013

Gates Foundation blog series examines contraception options for women, girls

Writing in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's "Impatient Optimists" blog, Gary Darmstadt, head of the family health division at the foundation, and Monica Kerrigan, a family planning expert, introduce the blog's new series, "What's Your Method?," which "offers a window into many of the contraceptive options for women and girls around the world."

20 Feb 2013

Tobacco-free snuff, nicotine lozenges help smokers to quit

Smokeless tobacco users who said they didn't want to quit changed their minds or significantly cut back when given nicotine lozenges or tobacco-free snuff in a Mayo Clinic study.

20 Feb 2013

State roundup: Calif. opens prison psychiatric ward, hopes to shed fed oversight

Virginia is among the last states to begin dismantling its large institutions for the developmentally disabled, a decision that was made as part of a year-old settlement agreement with the Justice Department, which argued in a lawsuit that Virginia was discriminating against training center residents by keeping them institutionalized.

20 Feb 2013