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Today's opinions and editorials

The language in our amendment is completely consistent with the Hyde Amendment, which in the 33 years since its passage has done nothing to inhibit private health insurers from offering abortion coverage. There is no reason to believe that a continuation of this policy would suddenly create undue hardship for the insurance industry — or for those who wish to use their private insurance to pay for an abortion (Rep. Bart Stupak, 12/8).

9 Dec 2009

New York cuts drug reimbursements, states trim tobacco prevention funding

The Associated Press: "States cut funding for state tobacco prevention programs more than 15 percent this year, pushing it further than ever below federally recommended levels, according to a report that a coalition of public health groups is releasing Wednesday.

9 Dec 2009

'Hidden nuggets' on work breaks and calorie counts added to health reform legislation

USA Today reports that the health care bills moving through Congress have dozens of "lesser-known provisions" that include ideas that failed to gain traction in the past but are benefiting by hitching their proposal to health care reform.

9 Dec 2009

House staffers mull strategies to speed health bill passage

CongressDaily: "Congressional Democrats are laying groundwork that would allow the House to pass the Senate's healthcare overhaul bill without a conference, a move that would avoid additional Senate filibusters and possibly send a bill to President Obama before the end of the year."

9 Dec 2009

Senate rejects abortion amendment, sparking new fight

The Hill: "The Senate voted against strengthening restrictions for federal funding of abortion Tuesday evening, a development that could imperil Democrats' efforts to pass an underlying healthcare reform bill. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who offered the amendment, had indicated that he could support a Republican filibuster of the healthcare reform bill if the abortion language were not added to it."

9 Dec 2009

Despite recession, some states boosting insurance coverage

"Despite the economic downturn that's busting state budgets from Sacramento to Tallahassee, 26 states this year made it easier for low-income children, parents or pregnant women to get health coverage, according to a report released Tuesday by the Kaiser Family Foundation," Kaiser Health News and The Miami Herald report (KHN is a program of the foundation).

9 Dec 2009

Drug makers attract scrutiny over cost and ads, but may benefit from overhaul

Drug makers came under scrutiny after the AARP published research recently showing their wholesale prices had increased by an average of 9.3 percent during the past year, offsetting the value of rebates the industry promised as part of a health care overhaul to help seniors pay for drugs.

9 Dec 2009

Study finds one third of American adults serves as a caregiver

"A new study says almost one out of three adults in the U.S. currently serves as a caregiver," NPR reports. "The time and energy they put into caregiving becomes like an unpaid job. On average, they spend about 19 hours a week providing care, doing everything from bathing and dressing an elderly parent or loved one to balancing a checkbook or doing household chores."

9 Dec 2009

Aetna understated profits, overhead, lawmakers say

Insurers' profits are a lightning rod for reform advocates. Aetna's earnings have now attracted reprimand from Senate Democrats who say the major insurance company overstated it spending on patient care in regulatory filings, minimizing profits and overhead, The Wall Street Journal reports.

9 Dec 2009

White House announces $600 million for community health centers, medical records

The White House announced Wednesday it would spend $600 million to build and enhance community health centers and medical records.

9 Dec 2009

Medicare to pay for HIV testing

Reuters: "Americans enrolled in the U.S. government-run Medicare health insurance program will now be covered for tests that screen for HIV, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the program for the elderly and disabled, said on Tuesday.

9 Dec 2009

UnitedHealthcare improves access to health care with DocGPS App of Apple’s iPhone

UnitedHealthcare is helping improve access to health care by putting its vast network of doctors, clinics, hospitals and other health care services on a new app just introduced on Apple’s iPhone.

9 Dec 2009

BCBSNC to implement Callidus Software's Monaco Suite

Callidus Software Inc., the leader in Sales Performance Management (SPM), today announced that Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC), has selected the Callidus Monaco Suite to manage sales performance and incentive compensation programs. Under the enterprise class SaaS agreement, signed in the third quarter of 2009, BCBSNC will use the Callidus Monaco Suite for its 4,000 brokers.

9 Dec 2009

Joint Commission awards Primary Stroke Certification for TMCA

The Medical Center of Aurora (TMCA) is proud to announce its designation as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission (TJC) effective October 1, 2009. The Disease Specific Certification has been awarded to only seven other hospitals in the state of Colorado.

9 Dec 2009

Syclo develops a mobile field service solution in alignment with SAP CRM

Today, Syclo, a market leader in mobile enterprise platforms and applications, announced the availability of a second mobile product resulting from its co-innovation relationship with SAP AG. The new product, SMART Service Manager, was recently selected by a major medical system supplier to hospitals worldwide, to connect their 400 field service technicians to the SAP® Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM) application.

9 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 9, 2009

Today's coverage details last night's tentative agreement struck by Senate Democratic negotiators in an effort to clear the public option impasse, and a vote on an abortion amendment.

9 Dec 2009

Home health care workers’ compensation cases discharged prior to 'order-end date'

Thirty percent of the home health care workers’ compensation cases managed by Total Medical Solutions (TMS) were discharged prior to the “order-end date,” the last date the physician had anticipated that services would be required.

9 Dec 2009

HIPAA Privacy and HIPAA Security Accreditations for MedRisk

MedRisk, Inc. announced today that it has been awarded the HIPAA Privacy and HIPAA Security Accreditations from URAC, a Washington, DC-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry.

9 Dec 2009

PSQIA: Ramifications for healthcare organizations

Quantros, a leading software and services provider for the healthcare industry, has published a whitepaper addressing the ramifications for healthcare organizations of The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIA), the legislation that authorized the creation of Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs).

9 Dec 2009

Save Flexible Spending Plans praises Sen. Charles E. Schumer for filing FSA protection amendment

Save Flexible Spending Plans, a national grassroots organization dedicated to protecting flexible spending accounts (FSAs), praised Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) for filing an amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that would help protect the future use and value of FSAs.

9 Dec 2009