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House Democrats continue courting, counting votes for 'robust' public option

The New York Times reports that Speaker Nancy Pelosi is scheduled to discuss the public option and health costs with other Democratic leaders. "Ms. Pelosi has been working hard to build support for the most liberal version of a government-run insurance plan, the so-called robust public option, which would generally tie payments to doctors, hospitals and other health care providers to Medicare rates. But so far Ms. Pelosi has been coming up short."

27 Oct 2009

Gateses to appeal for ongoing U.S. funding of global health

Bill and Melinda Gates are expected to ask Washington officials on Tuesday to "continue funding global health initiatives despite the recession and to commit to nearly halve the number of child deaths worldwide by 2025," the Washington Post reports.

27 Oct 2009

Consumer health informatics applications help patients to better manage their health care

Electronic tools and technology applications for consumers can help improve health care processes, such as adherence to medication and clinical outcomes like smoking cessation, according to a report by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

27 Oct 2009

More people rely on alternative medicine

As consumers look to save money in a tough economy, many turn to alternative health care options. CBS 4 reports: "Health care costs are soaring. Thousands of people are without jobs and without the benefits afforded them. Now, those people are turning to preventative or alternative measures. ... The National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) shows 38 percent of adults and 12 percent of kids are now using alternative therapies to treat pain. In fact, Americans are now reportedly spending $34 billion a year on alternative therapies" (Demos, 10/26).

27 Oct 2009

Senators draw lines around a handful of swing voters

Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both Maine Republicans, have been in the spotlight this year because of their ability to cross party lines with political impunity, Politico reports. Collins took the lead in negotiating a stimulus bill in February that drew three GOP votes, including Snowe's. Snowe is now at the center of the health reform debate.

27 Oct 2009

Six innovations that could prove critical to reforming health care system

The Wall Street Journal offers a collection of stories that looks at changes in health care that could yield big responses: "Health-care innovations come in many shapes and sizes ... [including] the kind that can help reach the goal that continues to elude our policy makers: getting good care to the greatest number of people in the most cost-effective way."

27 Oct 2009

Bending the 'cost curve': Lawmakers, White House consider a bipartisan route

Kaiser Health News staff writer Eric Pianin reports on the idea of a bipartisan idea to establish a commission to control future federal program spending.

27 Oct 2009

Young people speak out regarding efforts to overhaul the health care system

"As the health care debate winds its way through Congress, everyone can agree on at least this much: Bringing more young adults into the health care system would balance out the costs for everyone else because the young use the least amount of care," The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

27 Oct 2009

AARP dual role in health reform: Advocate and insurance business

The Washington Post reports on questions raised about AARP's dual role in health reform. It profits from sales of health insurance policies to seniors and is strongly supporting reform legislation. "The nation's preeminent seniors group, AARP, has put the weight of its 40 million members behind health-care reform, saying many of the proposals will lower costs and increase the quality of care for older Americans," according to the Post.

27 Oct 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

Health Reform Will Increase Medicaid Costs The Philadelphia Inquirer The financial stakes are high for the states, nearly all of which are struggling just to discharge their current Medicaid commitments (Laura Katz Olson, 10/27).

27 Oct 2009

State watch: Uninsured kids in Dallas, Louisianna Medicaid rates cut, Massachusetts feeling squeezed

Today's state round-up includes coverage of uninsured children in Dallas, the Massachusetts state budget and a Medicaid rate cut in Louisiana.

27 Oct 2009

NIH awards The Tufts CTSI and Tufts University four supplemental grants

The Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and Tufts University today announced they are the recipients of four supplemental grant awards from the National Institutes of Health. These new awards, totaling approximately $1.73 million, are supplements to the original Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) grant, UL1 RR025752 that Tufts University received in 2008 from the National Center for Research Resources.

27 Oct 2009

Lawmakers press Obama to 'speak out' for health bills

Liberal legislators feel that their leaders have done their job, and now it's time for President Obama to step up to the plate, Politico reports.

27 Oct 2009

Quebec City to host Conference of the Canadian Association of Wound Care

Quebec City this week hosts of one of Canada's largest health care conferences, as over 1,000 delegates meet at the annual Conference of the Canadian Association of Wound Care (CAWC).

27 Oct 2009

Acumedspa Holdings implements AcuClaims for 100 % of insurance verification and billing services

Acumedspa Holdings, Inc., which owns and operates multiple Medical Spa locations throughout South Florida has agreed to begin using AcuClaims for 100 % of insurance verification and billing services.

27 Oct 2009

Economic Adviser Romer goes to bat for 'Cadillac tax,' ways to control costs

ABC News reports that Christina D. Romer, chair of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, "went to bat on Monday for a tax on high-priced insurance plans, the so-called 'Cadillac tax,' calling it 'probably the number one item that health economists across the ideological spectrum believe is likely to stem the explosion of health-care costs.'"

27 Oct 2009

AFL-CIO to push even harder for health reform, may bend on 'Cadillac tax'

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka is "willing to consider a tax on high-value health insurance plans — something labor has vehemently opposed — if middle-class workers aren't hurt, The Associated Press reports. The flexibility is notable because "[l]abor leaders worry that workers would be affected even though lawmakers aimed the proposed tax at insurance plans offering the richest benefits" (Werner, 10/26).

27 Oct 2009

OHA takes step to promote public sector transparency

Today, the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) has taken a major step to promote public sector transparency and accountability by proposing that the Government of Ontario extend the province's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) to the hospital sector. The OHA represents Ontario's 155 public hospitals.

27 Oct 2009

Climate change and public health: only fives states have published public health response plans, says study

Trust for America's Health (TFAH) released a new report today that finds only five states have published a strategic climate change plan that includes a public health response. This includes planning for health challenges and emergencies expected to develop from natural disasters, pollution, and infectious diseases as temperatures and sea levels rise.

27 Oct 2009

Kansas to introduce constitutional amendment to protect individual rights to purchase health insurance

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the nation's largest individual membership association of state legislators, congratulates Kansas Representatives Peggy Mast and Brenda Landwehr and Kansas Senator Mary Pilcher Cook for announcing their intent to introduce a constitutional amendment to protect the right of individuals to make their own health care choices. Kansas now becomes the 19th state where legislators have introduced, or will introduce, legislation modeled after ALEC's Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act.

27 Oct 2009