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Effective prevention therapy, early critical care and rehabilitation needed to overcome cost burden of stroke

The consequences of stroke, reported to be the third leading cause of death in the U.S., can extend beyond the physical to impose devastating financial burdens on families and society in general. According to the American Heart Association, the total direct and indirect costs of stroke in 2008 have been estimated at $65.5 billion.

23 Jul 2010

Shop displays of tobacco encourages smoking

Young people believe 'behind the counter' shop displays of cigarettes encourage smoking and are considered "cool, fun and attractive" according to new research published in Health Promotion Practice.The results come as regulations to remove these shop displays are in danger of being scrapped by the Coalition Government. The 2009 Health Act aims to remove cigarette vending machines in 2011 and put tobacco out of sight in all shops by the end of 2013.

23 Jul 2010

Sec. of State Clinton participates in ASEAN forum; ASEAN health ministers meet

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived in Vietnam on Thursday to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional forum and to mark the 15th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Vietnam, VOV News reports. According to the news service, this is Clinton's first visit to the country since she became secretary of state. During her trip, she will have meetings with Deputy Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem (7/22).

23 Jul 2010

Pfizer announces unrestricted access to patient assessment aids for mental disorders

As part of its commitment to improving the quality of patient care, Pfizer today announced that it will make available assessment scales used by physicians and others in the healthcare community to support the evaluation and diagnosis of patients suffering from certain mental disorders.

23 Jul 2010

Low-calorie sweeteners reduce caloric intake, weight

A new study published in the August 2010 journal, Appetite, further demonstrates that people who consume low-calorie sweeteners are able to significantly reduce their caloric intake and do not overeat.In fact, study participants who received the sugar substitutes instead of sugar consumed significantly fewer calories and there was no difference in hunger levels despite having fewer calories overall.

23 Jul 2010

Waiting times for abortions in New Zealand need to be reduced

Women in New Zealand wait an average of 25 days to get a termination of pregnancy, from the date of their first visit to the doctor. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Reproductive Health studied the timeliness of services provided at nine New Zealand clinics, finding that efforts need to be made by clinics and referring doctors to reduce the waiting times.

23 Jul 2010

Med school students make different decisions when they consider health costs

The public radio program Marketplace has a piece today about how "medical students learn the cost of care, outside the classroom" of Jefferson University in Philadelphia. The students run a free clinic for homeless patients, and they "decide which drugs to stock and what lab tests they'll pay for."

23 Jul 2010

Most small businesses will get tax credits under overhaul, according to report

News reports follow Families USA's continuing rollout of state-by-state studies on the number of small businesses that will be eligible for tax credits to help cover health costs under the new overhaul law, a vast majority according to the studies.

23 Jul 2010

States, senior groups, pressure Congress to continue extra Medicaid funding

CQ HealthBeat: "Despite doubts that Congress will pass legislation before the August recess to maintain higher levels of Medicaid funding, senior groups say they'll keep putting pressure on lawmakers to act this month. … In recent days AARP circulated a letter to each member of Congress calling on them to immediately pass legislation that would extend the higher levels of Medicaid funding afforded to states as part of the economic stimulus law.

23 Jul 2010

Report: Nonprofit insurers collected billions in surplus while hiking premiums

An analysis by Consumers Union has found that non-profit Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans collected billions of dollars in surplus over the past decade while raising premiums for customers.

23 Jul 2010

Unapproved cyanide antidote kits seized from Keystone Pharmaceuticals

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Marshals today seized $39,000 worth of products labeled as cyanide antidote kits from Keystone Pharmaceuticals in Laguna Hills, California. The seizure warrant was issued by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

23 Jul 2010

New rules guarantee patients' right to appeal insurance claim denials

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz and Michelle Andrews, working in collaboration with The Washington Post, report on new rules being issued today by the Obama administration.

23 Jul 2010

BDSRA designates Nationwide Children's Hospital as Batten Disease Center of Excellence

Nationwide Children's Hospital has been selected as a Center of Excellence by the Batten Disease Support and Research Association (BDSRA), the largest research and support organization in North America for families that have children with Batten disease. BDSRA chose Nationwide Children's because of its clinical and research history with the disease and its ability to provide comprehensive care for these unique children.

23 Jul 2010

Many House Democrats trying to revive 'public option' with new bill

More than 120 Democrats in the House are pushing a new bill to reintroduce a discarded idea from the health overhaul debate last year: the "public option," Los Angeles Times/Tribune reports. "The idea of creating a major government health insurance program was roundly rejected last year, but the 128 House Democrats pushing to reconsider the idea are now advancing the argument that it would help hold down federal spending.

23 Jul 2010

No COBRA subsidy in Senate-passed unemployment benefits bill

"U.S. workers who lost their jobs as of June 1 won't be eligible for a 65 percent federal subsidy to help pay for health insurance under an unemployment bill the Senate approved yesterday," Bloomberg reports. That provision and other assistance programs were stripped from the jobless bill because of concerns about how to pay for them.

23 Jul 2010

More homeowners modify houses to "age in place"

The Seattle Times/The Orlando Sentinel: "The new catch phrase among homeowners is 'aging in place.' Instead of selling their homes and moving into retirement villages or assisted-living quarters, a growing number of older Americans are modifying their homes to make them more user-friendly as they age. The concept has caught on so successfully, it even has its own National Aging in Place Week, which falls on Oct. 11-16 this year."

23 Jul 2010

Michigan challenge to health law begins

The Detroit News: On Wednesday, "[a] federal judge heard arguments [in the] lawsuit that is being watched nationwide for its challenge of congressional authority to reform health care in a way that would penalize citizens who fail to obtain their own health insurance." The attorney for one plaintiff, The Thomas More Law Center, a group espousing religious principles, said, "There is no precedent for this power grab" (Guthrie, 7/22).

23 Jul 2010

New findings on "successful aging"

What, exactly, does "successful aging" mean? For more than a half century, researchers and gerontologists have argued whether successful aging is better defined subjectively or objectively (physical disease-related disability or mental decline). Answering this question is more than an academic exercise. As the first members of the famed "baby boom generation" reach age 65, understanding what it means to remain healthy and independent in later life could have an enormous impact on health care delivery and medical policy.

23 Jul 2010

Funding for new medical ventures improving

The Dallas Morning News reports on the funding climate for health care technology startups.

23 Jul 2010

2010 Life Beyond Cancer Retreat invites applications

The Life Beyond Cancer Foundation is calling for applications from cancer survivors, oncology nurses, social workers, oncologists, and primary care physicians who help diagnose cancer to attend the 2010 Life Beyond Cancer Retreat. The 11th annual retreat, held Nov. 18 – 21 at Lakeway Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas, helps women rekindle their spirits, relax their minds and bodies, and rejuvenate their souls.

23 Jul 2010