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Passage of Health Reconciliation measure will reduce burden on Puerto Ricans

The National Puerto Rican Coalition today urged passage by the House of the so-called Health Reconciliation measure, which contains several provisions of importance to Puerto Rico.

22 Mar 2010

CIGNA recognizes the enactment of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

CIGNA Corp. recognizes the historical significance of the enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The law will expand access to health insurance to many who currently do not have coverage.

22 Mar 2010

AARDA launches campaign on family AQ

In honor of the designation of March as National Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month by the U.S. Senate on March 4, 2010, the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) wants to help you learn your family's AQ. AQ is a play on IQ that stands for Autoimmune Quotient. It's about knowing how likely you or a loved one is to develop an autoimmune disease, based on the prevalence of these diseases and your family history. The campaign features AARDA National Spokesperson and Actress Kellie Martin, best known for her memorable roles on "E.R." and "Life Goes On."

22 Mar 2010

Gender divide over the healthcare reform bill

The historic healthcare reform bill has unearthed a strong difference between the Catholic nuns and Bishops. In short the great gender divide is at play again! While 59,000 nuns all over the country are in support of the bill, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops oppose it strongly.

22 Mar 2010

U.S. bishops urge House members to fix flaws or oppose Senate health reform bill

The U.S. bishops urged the House of Representatives to fix flaws in health care legislation or vote against its passage in a March 20 letter to House members.

22 Mar 2010

Thomson Reuters study finds 7.3% rise in employer healthcare costs for 2009

Average healthcare costs for U.S. employers increased 7.3 percent in 2009, according to study published today by Thomson Reuters. The year-over-year increase topped the 2008 rate of 6.1 percent and occurred in a year when the U.S. inflation rate was negative.

22 Mar 2010

Pro-abortion health care package: ACLJ preparing legal challenges

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), focusing on constitutional law, said today House passage of the pro-abortion health care package is “extremely disappointing” and President Obama’s Executive Order fails “to provide permanent protections for the life of the unborn.” The ACLJ says it is preparing legal challenges to the flawed health care package.

22 Mar 2010

SHEA, IDSA release new clinical practice guidelines for CDI in adults

A joint panel of experts from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology and the Infectious Diseases Society of America today released online new clinical practice guidelines for Clostridium difficile infection in adults. The guidelines, to be published in the May issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, update recommendations regarding the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and infection control and environmental management of this disease.

22 Mar 2010

AFSCME to continue healthcare reform battle to the U.S. Senate

"Tonight's historic vote marks a major milestone in the struggle to break the power of the insurance industry and provide quality, affordable health care for millions of American families. Democrats in the House, with the determined leadership of President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, demonstrated the courage that is necessary to defeat the special interests and do what is right for the American people.

22 Mar 2010

HAIs in southeast U.S. community hospitals: Infection rates for CDI surpass MRSA's

Researchers studying epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections in community hospitals in the southeast U.S. found that rates of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) surpassed infection rates for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Scientists also discovered that healthcare-associated CDI, which is a bacterium that causes diarrhea and more serious intestinal conditions such as colitis, occurs more often (21 percent) than healthcare-associated infections due to MRSA.

22 Mar 2010

Passage of comprehensive health care reform: PhRMA issues statement

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) issued the following statement today on passage of comprehensive health care reform and accompanying reconciliation legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives:

22 Mar 2010

Catholics for Choice comments on healthcare reform promises

At the outset of the debate over healthcare reform, leaders in the Democratic Party made a number of promises to the American people.

22 Mar 2010

A new chapter in the history of healthcare reform

The US house of Representatives has voted narrowly to pass a landmark reform that has been on the agenda for quite some time now. The bill passed by 219 votes to 212, with no Republican backing after strong debate. This bill will extend insurance coverage to 32 million more Americans, and marks the biggest change to the US healthcare system in decades.

22 Mar 2010

Speaker Pelosi remarks: 32 million more people to have health insurance on passage of bill

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats were joined by President Barack Obama this afternoon for a Democratic Caucus Meeting in the auditorium of the Capitol Visitor Center before tomorrow's vote on health insurance reform. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

22 Mar 2010

AHA announce support for passage of Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act

Today, the American Hospital Association announced support for the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act and the improvements that will be made through reconciliation, which together form the comprehensive health insurance reform legislation before Congress.

22 Mar 2010

Health reform crucial weekend: Democratic leaders predict victory, abortion still stumbling block

News outlets are focusing on President Barack Obama's planned meeting with all the House Democrats today as they prepare for Sunday's crucial vote on health care overhaul.

22 Mar 2010

APHA applauds historic vote on health reform

"The American Public Health Association applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for its historic vote today to reform our nation's health system.

22 Mar 2010

Pelosi urged Obama to not cut back on health care plan

The New York Times recounts the steps Democrats took to regroup on the health overhaul legislation after losing their filibuster proof majority in the Senate after Massachusetts voters elected Republican Scott Brown in January. According to the Times account, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi helped steer President Barack Obama away from a more modest approach on health care. '"We're in the majority,' Ms. Pelosi told the president. 'We'll never have a better majority in your presidency in numbers than we've got right now. We can make this work," the paper reported.

22 Mar 2010

'Dipstick' 3-in-1 test for detection of Chagas' disease, leishmaniasis and African trypanosomiasis

A new simple, inexpensive three-in-one test to diagnose a terrible trio of parasitic diseases that wreak havoc in the developing world is passing preliminary tests, scientists reported here today. Described during the 239th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society the test is for Chagas' disease, leishmaniasis, and "sleeping sickness" or African trypanosomiasis.

22 Mar 2010

In historic vote, House passes sweeping health bill

Kaiser Health News senior correspondent Mary Agnes Carey reports that, by a vote of 219-210, the House of Representatives has cleared the Senate-passed health care bill for President Barack Obama's signature. The House will now vote on a separate package of legislative changes to that bill -- known as a reconciliation package -- to send it to the Senate for debate this week.

22 Mar 2010