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U.S. expands HIV/AIDS programs in Caribbean

Representatives from the U.S. and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Tuesday signed an agreement to expand PEPFAR programs to 12 other Caribbean nations during a gathering in Georgetown, Guyana, Agence France-Presse reports (5/11).

13 May 2010

Family medical costs surge to new high

Families' health care costs continued to rise last year, Modern Healthcare reports. "Total healthcare costs for a typical family of four increased $1,303 or 7.8% over the past year, according to the Milliman Medical Index, the highest total dollar increase in the history of the actuarial firm's annual study.

13 May 2010

CBO raises cost estimate for health law, sparking political reaction

The Associated Press: "President Barack Obama's new health care law could potentially add at least $115 billion more to government health care spending over the next 10 years, congressional budget referees said Tuesday," to beyond $1 trillion. "The Congressional Budget Office said the added spending includes $10 billion to $20 billion in administrative costs to federal agencies carrying out the law, as well as $34 billion for community health centers and $39 billion for Indian health care" (Alonso-Zaldivar, 5/11).

13 May 2010

With campaign season taking off, White House offers Democrats help on selling health law

White House officials prepared a plan Tuesday to help Democrats sell the health reform law during the midterm election season that will focus on early deliverables to win over a skeptical public.

13 May 2010

Small businesses look for wellness grants in health reform law

Provisions in the new health reform law offer aid and cash to small businesses that encourage employees to be fitter and healthier, but the plans aren't without their own controversy, CNN Money reports.

13 May 2010

Prescription drug instructions often lost in translation

Chicago Tribune: "Pharmacies that print prescription labels translated into Spanish often issue inaccurate or confusing instructions that could be potentially hazardous to a patient's health, according to a report in the May issue of Pediatrics journal."

13 May 2010

Michelle Obama releases plan to 'reverse childhood obesity'

USA Today: "First lady Michelle Obama unveiled a plan today to 'reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity' and called for help from governments, schools and businesses as well as the families themselves. ... Obama and her aides released a task force report titled Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation. The goal, she said, is to 'ensure that our children can have the healthy lives and the bright futures that they deserve'" (Jackson, 5/11)

13 May 2010

Today's OpEds: Mass. health reform and small business; Mccain's ideas not in Obama plan; Wellpoint's impact on law

The Commonwealth's 2006 health care reform was supposed to help address rising health insurance costs for small businesses. It hasn't — and small businesses are paying the price (Jim Stergios and Amy Lischko, 5/12).

13 May 2010

FDA urges doctors to police drug ads

A new Federal Drug Administration program will urge doctors to blow the whistle on misleading drug advertisements.

13 May 2010

Challenges to health reform face long campaign in many states

Thirty-three states are trying to block the mandate on individual American citizens to purchase health insurance, "as a growing roster of mostly Republican officials have mounted legal and legislative challenges" to this requirement. "This Friday, seven more states will formally join a lawsuit originally filed by Florida and 12 other states in late March.

13 May 2010

Disabled vets strain overburdened VA system

NPR: "The Department of Veterans Affairs is struggling to cope with tens of thousands of veterans filing for disability benefits. Because there are applicants from two current wars — plus a new wave from the first Gulf War and Vietnam — thousands are now stuck in the clogged pipeline." Although there are differing estimates of how many, "everyone agrees that way too many vets are waiting way too long to get benefits.

13 May 2010

Nurses give evidence of the horrifying day in Dr. Jayant Patel’s surgery

The trial of Dr. Jayant Patel continues. In recent evidence at the court one of the operating theatre nurses revealed under oath to the Brisbane Supreme Court how staff had tried to deter former Bundaberg-based surgeon Jayant Patel from transferring an unstable patient from the theatre to ICU, where he died. There was earlier evidence that the man was bleeding uncontrollably and also allegations that Patel urged junior doctors not to tell anyone what happened.

12 May 2010

HIV caseload increasing among primary care providers

Primary care providers (PCPs) are increasingly caring for and treating people living with HIV, according to the HealthHIV State of HIV Primary Care survey released today.

12 May 2010

Budget spending on community sport a winner

Sports Medicine Australia Chief Executive Officer, Nello Marino says we hope this will provide community sport with the opportunity it needs to improve its capacity in a number of important areas including injury prevention and management.

12 May 2010

More for mental health and first nurse led clinic

Tuesday’s budget saw the Australian government allocate $7.4 billion for health. Many critics have brought to notice that only $200 million has gone towards mental health. The Rudd government has denied such accusations.

12 May 2010

Medical fraud: 'Unless you're very, very aggressive, you're going to lose a lot of money'

Kaiser Health News staff writer Andrew Villegas reports that "every year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services loses an estimated $65 billion to criminals who defraud the health care system, according to Lou Saccoccio, executive director of the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association.

12 May 2010

Blog Watch: The question of 'real benefits'

Kaiser Health News listens to the chatter in the blogsophere regarding recent events. "During his weekend address, President Barack Obama said that health reform is already delivering "real benefits" to the American people.

12 May 2010

Washington Post event: Health reform and its implications

In this Kaiser Health News video, Washington Post staff writers, David Hilzenrath, Amy Goldstein, Ceci Connolly, Alec MacGillis and David Brown, also contributors to the Post's new book, Landmark: The Inside Story Of America's New Health Care Law And What It Means For Us All, discuss the new health care law and its implications.

12 May 2010

Brandeis University surveys assess how recent legislation affects consumer access to behavioral health services

Brandeis University is launching two surveys of the nation's private health plans to assess how recent legislation affects quality of and consumer access to behavioral health services. Both the federal parity law and national health reform are likely to affect behavioral health care

12 May 2010

Sweeping and prescriptive path to green nation's operating rooms

A sweeping and prescriptive path to green the nation's operating rooms was announced today by Practice Greenhealth, the nation's leading membership and networking organization for institutions in healthcare that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices.

12 May 2010