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Obama's budget includes a tempered vision of health reform

Democrats' health overhaul efforts are stalled in Congress, but President Obama's 2011 budget offers a "modest" back-up plan, the Associated Press reports. "The budget released Monday contains lots of respectable ideas to squeeze savings, expand coverage and improve quality, but no ambitious change that launches the nation on a path to health care for all."

2 Feb 2010

In New Hampshire, Obama promises not to quit on health care overhaul

President Barack Obama pledged not to give up on his health care overhaul Tuesday.

2 Feb 2010

Legislators set sights on temporary Medicare 'Doc fix,' again

Politico: "Doctors and seniors lobbying to stave off looming annual Medicare cuts have won a reprieve of sorts but are still pushing for a permanent fix. The Senate on Thursday passed so-called pay-go legislation that would require Congress to pay for much of its future spending without adding to the deficit, but it exempted $82 billion from the requirement to prevent reductions to doctors' Medicare reimbursement rates." The move could prevent five years of cuts, the longest such stretch lawmakers would have approved since 2002. "The cuts stem from a 1997 balanced budget bill" (Frates, 2/2).

2 Feb 2010

Mary Ann Liebert launches Videourology journal for urologists

Videourology- is the first and only videojournal for urologists, publishing fully peer-reviewed surgical and micro-invasive video demonstrations of the latest techniques and technologies used to optimize surgical patient care.

2 Feb 2010

Hospital mergers may rise

Business Week/Bloomberg: "Failure to pass the health-care overhaul may accelerate a push by Community Health Systems Inc., Health Management Associates Inc. and LifePoint Hospitals Inc. to acquire facilities weakened by the recession.

2 Feb 2010

Abstinence-only program shows success in reducing teen sex

"An experimental abstinence-only program without a moralistic tone can delay teens from having sex, a provocative study found," The Associated Press reports. "Billed as the first rigorous research to show long-term success with an abstinence-only approach, the study differed from traditional programs that have lost federal and state support in recent years." The classes did not focus on a message of saving sex until marriage or "disparage condom use." Instead, the classes "involved assignments to help sixth- and seventh graders see the drawbacks to sexual activity at their age."

2 Feb 2010

Current health reform efforts echo past struggles as chances are weighed

The chances for President Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress to enact health reform is being weighed by a number of analysts, who are handicapping the outcome based on past and present experiences.

2 Feb 2010

Aetna, Grove City Medical Center sign a three-year agreement

Aetna announced today that it has signed a three-year agreement with Grove City Medical Center, expanding network access for its members in Western Pennsylvania’s Mercer County.

2 Feb 2010

Pelosi: Insurance antitrust bill next week, Dems continue health reform planning

News outlets covered the mixed signals on Capitol Hill on the prospects for Democratic health legislation.

2 Feb 2010

Another COBRA subsidy extension included in Obama's budget plan

"Federal COBRA health insurance premium subsidies provided to involuntarily terminated employees would be extended again, the Obama administration proposed Monday," Business Insurance reports. "Under the latest extension—embedded in the administration's proposed federal budget for fiscal 2011—employees who are laid off from March 1, 2010, through Dec. 31, 2010, would be eligible for the 65% premium subsidy for up to 12 months.

2 Feb 2010

Gray Healthcare's new community recovery model benefits users in the least restrictive environment

Gray Healthcare has appointed former director of operations of Cambian healthcare Noel Tracey to lead its expanding Community Recovery Team, as Clinical Director.

2 Feb 2010

Kool Smiles takes initiative to support children's oral care in Massachusetts

Kool Smiles is offering free toothbrushes and educational support to day care centers affected by the recent state mandate that will require day care providers to help children brush their teeth after a meal.

2 Feb 2010

Infection rates for 25 Dallas/Fort Worth area hospitals: Consumer Reports

Hospitals in the Dallas/Fort Worth area vary dramatically in terms of how well their intensive care units (ICUs) prevent central-line bloodstream infections, a cause of death, disability, and expense in our nations' hospitals that is largely preventable. On February 2, www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org will post hospital infection rates for 25 Dallas/Fort Worth area hospitals along with other critical patient safety and satisfaction information for consumers.

2 Feb 2010

HHS appoints new members to Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today the appointment of 24 new members to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). The PACHA’s chair, Dr. Helene Gayle, was appointed in August 2009.

2 Feb 2010

Consumer Reports to post hospital infection rates for 10 Tampa/St. Petersburg area hospitals

Hospitals in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area vary dramatically in terms of how well their intensive care units (ICUs) prevent central-line bloodstream infections, a cause of death, disability, and expense in our nations' hospitals that is largely preventable.

2 Feb 2010

Atlanta Hamilton Medical Center reports zero central line infection

Hospitals in the Atlanta area vary in terms of how well their intensive care units (ICUs) prevent central-line bloodstream infections, a cause of death, disability, and expense in our nations' hospitals that is largely preventable. On February 2, www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org will post hospital infection rates for 12 Atlanta area hospitals that voluntarily reported their infection rates.

2 Feb 2010

Leapfrog Group urges hospitals to report infection rates for consumers’ benefit

For the first time, in 2009, The Leapfrog Group asked hospitals across the country on behalf of Leapfrog's purchaser members to publicly report their rates of one of the most common and deadly forms of hospital-acquired infections: central-line associated blood stream infections, or CLABSIs.

2 Feb 2010

Central-line bloodstream infections rate vary in San Francisco hospitals

Hospitals in San Francisco vary dramatically in terms of how well their intensive care units (ICUs) prevent central-line bloodstream infections, a cause of death, disability, and expense in our nations' hospitals that is largely preventable.

2 Feb 2010

No Chicago hospital reports zero central line infections

Hospitals in the Chicago area vary dramatically in terms of how well their intensive care units (ICUs) prevent central-line bloodstream infections, a cause of death, disability, and expense in our nations' hospitals that is largely preventable. On February 2, www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org will post hospital infection rates for 15 Chicago hospitals along with other critical patient safety and satisfaction information for consumers.

2 Feb 2010

Infection rates in Boston hospitals vary substantially, says Consumer Reports Health

Hospitals in the Boston area vary dramatically in terms of how well their intensive care units (ICUs) prevent central-line bloodstream infections, a cause of death, disability, and expense in our nations' hospitals that is largely preventable.

2 Feb 2010