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A million young adults step into health insurance cover

Almost 1 million young adults have signed on to new health insurance policies, government statistics released Wednesday show. Government officials credit the new federal health care law for making that possible. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the number of Americans ages 19 to 25 without insurance fell to 9.1 million in the first three months of 2011 from 10 million in 2010.

22 Sep 2011

U.N. meeting on NCDs concludes with pledges to fight chronic diseases

World leaders on Tuesday "pledged to take wide-ranging action to prevent millions of deaths from cancer, diabetes, and heart and lung disease by tackling the key causes -- smoking, excessive drinking, lack of exercise and unhealthy diets dominated by fast food," but the "declaration approved at the first-ever General Assembly meeting on chronic diseases which ended Tuesday left unanswered the question of coordinating an international response to what the leaders called 'a challenge of epidemic proportions,'" the Associated Press/CBS News reports.

22 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 22, 2011

In today's headlines, reports that young adults are making gains in health coverage rates.

22 Sep 2011

Polio spreads from Pakistan to China; WHO warns of further spread

"Polio has broken out in China for the first time since 1999 after being imported from Pakistan, and there is a high risk of the crippling virus spreading further during the annual Haj pilgrimage, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday," Reuters reports (9/20).

22 Sep 2011

Tips to fall-proof living environments for older adults

In observance of Falls Prevention Awareness Day Sept. 23, UnitedHealthcare is urging people to know the risks associated with falling and is encouraging older Americans to take simple yet essential steps to reduce fall injuries.

22 Sep 2011

President, party leaders offer 'super committee' conflicting advice

The GOP leaders say new taxes should be unacceptable. The president says any cuts to Medicare without also increasing revenue would trigger a veto. And the House Majority Leader advises the panel to "think small."

22 Sep 2011

Mass. hospitals oppose state penalties for preventable readmissions

Also in state news, a California news outlet reports on the difficult challenge hospitals face trying to recover overdue bill in a tough economy and another looks at efforts by a handful of hospitals to partner with churches to help reduce health care costs.

22 Sep 2011

HealthWell Foundation introduces new lupus fund

The HealthWell Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing financial assistance to insured patients facing a variety of chronic and life-altering illnesses, announces the launch of a new fund supporting treatment for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), the most common form of lupus.

22 Sep 2011

Critics complain about changes in mental health coverage in Iowa, Ariz.

Under Iowa's new Medicaid rule, psychiatric patients can fill only 15 days' worth of medications at a time. In Arizona, state officials say the mental health system has weathered deep cuts, but advocates see harm from the move.

22 Sep 2011

Caregivers under financial and emotional strain

Family members or friends caring for aging or disabled individuals in California are under both financial and emotional strain and are likely to face even greater burdens, given recent cuts in state support for programs and services that support in-home care, write the authors of a new policy brief by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

22 Sep 2011

New Poll: 9 out of 10 Ontarians would support an investment in lung health

According to a new Leger Marketing poll conducted for the Ontario Lung Association, 9 out of 10 of Ontarians would support the Ontario government investing in lung health today if it would save future healthcare spending.

22 Sep 2011

Jefferson experts review most commonly used CAM practices for mood disorders

Mood disorders are among the most prevalent mental health issues today. While medication is available, more and more people are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including herbal remedies, acupuncture, and meditation to help manage their mood disorders.

22 Sep 2011

Adolescents in higher density school networks more likely to initiate alcohol use

Most parents recognize that the influence of peers on their children's behavior is an undeniable fact. But, just how far do these influences reach? A study published in the September/October issue of Academic Pediatrics reports that adolescents are more likely to start drinking alcoholic beverages when they have large social networks of friends.

22 Sep 2011

State-federal tensions surround plans for health exchanges

At a meeting this week, state regulators offered their objections to the Obama administration's plans. One focus was the partnership model which would utilize joint state-federal operation of some exchanges. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, GOP lawmakers step-up their criticism of the state's efforts.

22 Sep 2011

Children's Medical Center employees, volunteers and vendors to get free flu shots

For the first time, Children's Medical Center will require all employees, contractors, volunteers and vendors to get influenza vaccinations this fall to protect the health and safety of the hospital's patients.

22 Sep 2011

Looking at the bigger picture of corruption in India's health sector

Milan Vaishnav, a post-doctoral research fellow at the Center for Global Development (CGD) and a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at Columbia University in New York who also serves as an adjunct professor at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute (GPPI) at Georgetown University, examines the issue of health sector corruption in India's Uttar Pradesh (UP) state, and in the country at large, in a post in the CGD's "Global Health Policy" blog.

22 Sep 2011

Vaccinating infants against rotavirus decreases health care use and treatment costs

Vaccinating infants against rotavirus has resulted in dramatic decreases in health care use and treatment costs for diarrhea-related illness in U.S. infants and young children, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study is published in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

22 Sep 2011

WHO mandated to lead global response against NCDs but funding lacking

In this post in the Center for Global Development's "Global Health Policy" blog, Amanda Glassman, director of global health policy and a research fellow at the center, writes that the "main outcome" of the U.N. High-level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) is an assignment for the WHO "to lead the global response to NCDs, develop a monitoring and evaluation framework, provide technical assistance and track progress towards global targets."

22 Sep 2011

Health officials in Africa address NCDs in addition to HIV/AIDS epidemic

PlusNews examines how health officials are addressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa, where "countries grappling with HIV prevalence are now faced with rising epidemics of chronic diseases."

22 Sep 2011

UNFPA working to ensure health of future generations in Dadaab refugee camps

The health care system in the refugee camps in Dadaab, Kenya, which were established "long ago," are "currently challenged and stretched by the recent influx of refugees," UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimihen writes in this BMJ Group Blogs entry, noting that efforts are underway "to strengthen the existing system with supplies and human resources at clinic and outreach levels" to increase access.

22 Sep 2011