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Sec. of State Clinton meets with House Budget Committee chair as budget debate continues

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met Thursday with Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the new House Budget Committee chair, "to set out her objections to the House Republicans' deficit-cutting plans," the Financial Times reports. Obama administration officials and congressional Democrats argue that Republican's proposed budget cuts "will reduce U.S. influence throughout the world ... and cost lives in Africa and beyond," the newspaper writes in a story outlining the different perspectives over how far budget cuts should go.

11 Feb 2011

CMS chief testifies at Ways and Means Committee, stays cool despite grilling

The tense, heated hearing was the first opportunity for the House to question Berwick since July, when he was recess-appointed to his post as head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Haberkorn and Coughlin, 2/10).

11 Feb 2011

New York Medicaid: Task force considers reform ideas, auditors investigate overbilling

News outlets report on developments regarding the New York state Medicaid program.

11 Feb 2011

GOP eyes planned parenthood in efforts to slash federal budget

Planned Parenthood received $16.9 million in 2009 Title X funding, which by law must be spent on health care services such as contraceptives, pelvic exams and safer-sex counseling. It cannot be spent on abortions.

11 Feb 2011

Voices from the right offer views on health law repeal, political strategies

News organizations examine how recent court rulings and other matters of constitutional law are transforming the "tea party" movement into a force "attempting to shape national party." Meanwhile, strategies abound in how best to advance the repeal effort, and Mitt Romney tries to differentiate Massachusetts' health law from the federal overhaul.

11 Feb 2011

State roundup: Fla. preps for Medicaid overhaul; Funding cut fears in Mass., Texas; Calif. exchange board's challenges

Both President Barack Obama and House Republicans are moving to rein in federal spending by reducing aid to states and cities, which would deepen their fiscal woes just as economic-stimulus funds from Washington are drying up. ...

11 Feb 2011

High risk insurance pools: Enrollment is up but still short of projections

The Department of Health and Human Services announced a 50 percent jump in enrollment in the health law's pre-existing condition plans during the last three months. Even with this recent jump, the total enrollment is nowhere near the administration's initial projections.

11 Feb 2011

CBO: Health law could result in 800,000 fewer workers

The statistics first surfaced in projections made last summer, but were brought back to the debate Thursday during a House Budget Committee hearing.

11 Feb 2011

White House, GOP governors spar over health care exchanges

On Thursday, the White House was in the midst of pushing back against the Republican claims that they did not have enough flexibility to implement this key part of the health law.

11 Feb 2011

Research roundup: Access to care in Mass.; Mental health spending; Gender and medical debt: How much do Americans know about health law?

Health Affairs: Lack Of Access Due To Costs Remains A Problem For Some In Massachusetts Despite The State's Health Reforms - Based on an analysis of state data, the authors found that the percentage of people without insurance fell "to twelve-year lows in Massachusetts, from 11.5 percent (SE 0.91) in 1996 to 3.5 percent (SE 0.33) in 2008.

11 Feb 2011

Catholic Health Partners implements Phytel's Proactive Patient Outreach solution

Phytel today announced that Catholic Health Partners (CHP) has successfully implemented Phytel's Proactive Patient Outreach solution in its Knoxville, TN; Youngstown, OH; and Paducah, KY facilities. In 2011, Phytel technology will be implemented in these CHP regions in Ohio: Toledo, Cincinnati, Lorain and Lima.

11 Feb 2011

Surgical procedure to repair spina bifida while still in the uterus may help the baby walk after birth

More than two thousand physicians, some of the top obstetric/gynecologists in the world who specialize in maternal-fetal medicine, especially high risk pregnancies, gathered today for their annual meeting in San Francisco to begin four days of intensive research presentations. Presentations each year at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's (SMFM) annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting -, represent major findings in reducing high-risk pregnancies and complications.

11 Feb 2011

AHRQ: $25.3 billion spent for kidney disease treatment every year

Overall, an average of 3.7 million adults in the United States were treated for kidney disease each year between 2003 and 2007, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Kidney disease can lead to renal failure and may be caused by diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.

11 Feb 2011

Ex-wife caregivers face unique experiences

The aging population, 65 years and older, includes nearly 3.8 million divorced men and women, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Illnesses and end-of-life issues can be particularly difficult for singles without spouses or designated caregivers. A new study from the University of Missouri provides insight into the experiences of exes who care for their former spouses, offering support, assistance with daily tasks and management of health needs.

11 Feb 2011

BIDPO implements Ingenix technology to measure clinical, operational performance

Beth Israel Deaconess Physician Organization (BIDPO) has contracted with Ingenix to help its doctors measure clinical performance to reduce variations in care - capabilities essential to BIDPO's plans to operate successfully under anticipated state and national payment reform changes.

11 Feb 2011

First Edition: February 11, 2011

Today's health policy headlines highlight various aspects of the policies and politics involved in the health law mix.

11 Feb 2011

Med-Mal bill hits 'speed bump' during House Judiciary Committee consideration

The bill triggered concerns from committee Republicans over issues related to states' rights. Still, the measure is likely to clear the panel next week.

11 Feb 2011

Pyrethroid insecticides linked to delayed mental development in children

When the EPA phased out the widespread residential use of chlorpyrifos and other organophosphorus (OP) insecticides in 2000-2001 because of risks to child neurodevelopment, these compounds were largely replaced with pyrethroid insecticides. But the safety of these replacement insecticides remained unclear, as they had never been evaluated for long-term neurotoxic effects after low-level exposure.

11 Feb 2011

Longer looks: KHN's best health policy picks from thought-provoking publications

When U.S. District Court judge Roger Vinson struck down President Obama's health care program as unconstitutional, the White House declared the decision an "outlier." It was anything but that. The ruling on January 31 was in harmony with limits the Supreme Court has imposed on the use of the Constitution's commerce clause to justify far-reaching legislation by Congress.

11 Feb 2011

House Republicans release partial list of proposed cuts to Obama's FY11 budget request

House Republicans on Wednesday released a list of 70 proposed budget cuts to be debated next week as Congress must vote to "fund the government past March, when the current temporary budget expires," USA Today's "On Politics" blog reports (Camia, 2/9).

11 Feb 2011

Healthcare News

Sec. of State Clinton meets with House Budget Committee chair as budget debate continues

CMS chief testifies at Ways and Means Committee, stays cool despite grilling

New York Medicaid: Task force considers reform ideas, auditors investigate overbilling

GOP eyes planned parenthood in efforts to slash federal budget

Voices from the right offer views on health law repeal, political strategies

State roundup: Fla. preps for Medicaid overhaul; Funding cut fears in Mass., Texas; Calif. exchange board's challenges

High risk insurance pools: Enrollment is up but still short of projections

CBO: Health law could result in 800,000 fewer workers

White House, GOP governors spar over health care exchanges

Research roundup: Access to care in Mass.; Mental health spending; Gender and medical debt: How much do Americans know about health law?

Catholic Health Partners implements Phytel's Proactive Patient Outreach solution

Surgical procedure to repair spina bifida while still in the uterus may help the baby walk after birth

AHRQ: $25.3 billion spent for kidney disease treatment every year

Ex-wife caregivers face unique experiences

BIDPO implements Ingenix technology to measure clinical, operational performance

First Edition: February 11, 2011

Med-Mal bill hits 'speed bump' during House Judiciary Committee consideration

Pyrethroid insecticides linked to delayed mental development in children

Longer looks: KHN's best health policy picks from thought-provoking publications

House Republicans release partial list of proposed cuts to Obama's FY11 budget request

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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

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