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Legislation requires hospitals to disclose prices in Wisconsin

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "The frustration of finding out what hospitals and doctors charge for common services -- from routine office visits to diagnostic tests and surgical procedures -- could soon get a lot easier in Wisconsin. The state Senate and Assembly have passed legislation that will require hospitals to disclose average prices for the 75 most common inpatient services and 75 most common outpatient services based on their contracts with commercial health plans.

6 Mar 2010

It Starts with the Heart: Community initiative launched to support not-for-profits of all sizes

Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc., www.hdlabinc.com, has launched a community initiative known as It Starts with the Heart, a company-wide commitment to support not-for-profits of all sizes in making a difference in their community.

6 Mar 2010

Republican Senators go on the offensive against reconciliation vote

Roll Call: Senate Republicans have stepped-up their message attack against President Barack Obama's latest push to pass health reform. "A key element of the Senate GOP's plan appears to be to try to scare House Democrats against voting for the health care plan, arguing that there's no guarantee that the Senate approves a reconciliation package."

6 Mar 2010

Ban, Clinton launch voluntary travel donation for global health

Former President Bill Clinton and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York on Thursday launched MASSIVEGOOD - an initiative that allows travelers to make a $2 donation "to fight deadly diseases whenever they buy a plane ticket, book a hotel room or rent a car," Bloomberg/BusinessWeek reports (Varner, 3/4).

6 Mar 2010

In White House meeting, Sebelius urges insurers to release all details on rate hikes

Insurance companies should disclose more information about how they spend money to justify their rate hikes, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told a group of insurance executives during a White House meeting Thursday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

6 Mar 2010

Hewitt Associates acquires retiree medical insurance company

Hewitt Associates, a global human resources consulting and outsourcing company, today announced it has acquired Senior Educators Ltd., a trusted, Web-based retiree medical insurance exchange that provides unbiased assistance to Medicare recipients seeking high-quality, affordable supplemental insurance products.

6 Mar 2010

Former executive criticizes Catholic Charities' gay marriage backlash

A former senior executive at Catholic Charities has spoken out against the group's decision to eliminate all health coverage for new spouses in Washington D.C. in order to avoid offering the same benefits to same-sex couples. Catholic Charities decided to change its benefits policy in response to the District's legalization of same-sex marriage, "a move designed to avoid legitimizing same-sex marriage," according to The Washington Post.

6 Mar 2010

Bunny's last days: When living will isn't enough

In this Kaiser Health News story, part of a special series on end-of-life care, reporter Susan Brink details certain circumstances related to end-of-life care and living wills.

5 Mar 2010

Senators to FDA: Lift ban on gays donating blood

The Associated Press: "The time has come to change a policy that imposes a lifetime ban on donating blood for any man who has had gay sex since 1977, 18 senators said Thursday.

5 Mar 2010

Democratic division on abortion language in health overhaul jeopardizes chances for passage

"Democratic leaders in Congress are embarking on a delicate strategy to win over abortion opponents, a gambit that could determine whether the legislation becomes law." The Washington Post reports.

5 Mar 2010

American Cancer Society stresses importance of educating patients to risk of prostate screening

The Los Angeles Times: New prostate cancer screening guidelines issued Wednesday by the American Cancer Society "emphasize that physicians should better educate men about both the risks and benefits of using the PSA test for screening. They also call for cutbacks in the use of digital rectal exams to find tumors and recommend the end of mass prostate-screening programs at health fairs and other sites."

5 Mar 2010

Canadian federal government to renew Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative

The Canadian Diabetes Association and the National Aboriginal Diabetes Association applaud the federal government for its decision to renew the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative (ADI) as presented in the budget announcement on March 4.

5 Mar 2010

Obama seeks to mollify Democrats on health overhaul plan, costs

President Barack Obama intensified his push for health care reform by lobbying small groups of Democratic lawmakers Thursday.

5 Mar 2010

Poll: On health reform, Americans trust Obama more than both parties in Congress

A new Gallup poll asked Americans whom they trusted to reform the nation's health care system.

5 Mar 2010

RWJF awards $480,000 grant to improve clinical care for low-weight babies

Researchers at UC Irvine and the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) will monitor the day-to-day health of low-birth-weight babies and their parents as part of a comprehensive initiative designed to combat chronic illnesses associated with low-weight births.

5 Mar 2010

Small health IT firms may be able to compete with GE-sized giants

Federal funding for electronic medical records will likely reshape the health IT industry, CNN reports. "There are an estimated 300 to 400 companies in the United States peddling [EMR] systems to the nation's hospitals, medical clinics and solo practitioners.

5 Mar 2010

Today's opinions and editorials

Some critics complain that the administration has slipped in its commitment to fiscal responsibility in health reform. These critics are mistaken. The president's plan represents an important step toward long-term fiscal sustainability (Peter Orszag and Nancy-Ann DeParle, 3/5).

5 Mar 2010

Advocates, opponents target about two dozen swing votes

"As President Obama pushes for a prompt up or down vote on his health initiative, lobbyists and activist groups on both sides of the issue have launched grass-roots and high-dollar advertising campaigns on the roughly two dozen members of Congress who may be the final swing votes on the controversial issue," The Los Angeles Times reports.

5 Mar 2010

Medical identity theft: Nearly 1.5 million Americans have been victims

Medical identity theft is an alarming and often undetected offense affecting today’s consumers, according to a recent survey conducted by The Ponemon Institute and sponsored by ProtectMyID.com™, Experian’s multilayered identity theft detection, protection and fraud resolution product. According to the study, nearly 1.5 million Americans have been victims of medical identity theft. For many, the notion of identity theft is both upsetting and daunting, but few individuals realize the specific severity and potential repercussions of medical identity fraud.

5 Mar 2010

McKesson named "World's Most Admired" company and as one of 100 Best Corporate Citizens

McKesson Corporation, the nation’s largest healthcare services and information technology company, today was rated the "World's Most Admired" company in its industry in an annual survey conducted by FORTUNE magazine and the Hay Group. The company was also named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility Magazine.

5 Mar 2010