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Physician Gainsharing programs reduce hospital spending

Giving physicians cash payments for reduced hospital spending can help control costs without sacrificing quality or access to care, researchers report in a study released today in the May/June 2008 issue of the journal Health Affairs. The issue is a thematic volume on health reform supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

13 May 2008

Facing the Presidential candidates; pollsters say sweeping health reform unlikely in new administration and congress

Despite the prominent role that health care reform is playing in the 2008 presidential election, leading Republican and Democratic pollsters agree that deep partisan divides among voters -- combined with a worsening economy -- may permit only incremental, rather than sweeping, changes to the health care system. The perspectives of political pollsters William McInturff and Celinda Lake are featured in a far-reaching thematic issue on health reform in the May/June 2008 issue of the journal Health Affairs.

13 May 2008

New York Times examines health care access of undocumented immigrants

The New York Times on Saturday examined access to health care for undocumented immigrant farm workers in the U.S., who often do not have health coverage.

13 May 2008

AP/Miami Herald looks at Democratic Presidential candidates' proposed health plans

The AP/Miami Herald on Sunday looked at the health plans proposed by Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.). While likely Republican nominee Sen. John McCain said the Democratic plans would "move closer to a nationalized health system," AP/Herald describes that characterization as "a stretch."

13 May 2008

Washington Post examines lack of health care for undocumented immigrants in detention centers

The Washington Post as part of a four-day series, titled "Careless Detention," is examining how some immigrants to the U.S. do not receive needed health care while in immigration detention centers.

13 May 2008

Business Week examines college-recommended health insurance plans for students

Business Week recently looked at the health insurance market for college students. Some health plans schools recommend for students "turn out to be scanty at best and inferior to comparably priced alternatives" and can "leave families exposed to crippling medical bills they thought they'd protected against," Business Week reports.

13 May 2008

Former Surgeon General Carmona outlines preventive methods for chronic diseases in opinion piece

"The issue of health care reform in the United States is extraordinarily complex," but the "good news is that we can take steps now to improve the health and well-being of our people by addressing our nation's single greatest threat to public health and our health care system: chronic disease," former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona writes in a Philadelphia Inquirer opinion piece.

13 May 2008

CQ's Carey looks at new Medicare marketing guidelines, health care provisions added to supplemental war spending bill, House panel approval of health care bills

Mary Agnes Carey, associate editor of CQ HealthBeat, examines proposed marketing guidelines for private Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare and Medicaid provisions that Republicans want removed from a supplemental war spending bill, and a House panel's approval of several health care-related measures in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ."

13 May 2008

Veteran disability payments to increase as number of veterans decreases

The U.S. will spend an estimated $59 billion or more annually in 2033 to compensate disabled veterans, compared with $29 billion annually currently, according to internal Department of Veterans Affairs documents obtained by the Associated Press, the AP/Kansas City Star reports.

13 May 2008

End-stage dementia patients deserve the same access to palliative care as people with cancer

There is an urgent need to improve end-of-life care for older people in the final stages of dementia, according to an international review published in the May issue of Journal of Clinical Nursing.

12 May 2008

Implementation of nurse-to-patient ratios laws in California is successful, says American Society of Registered Nurses

In a national online survey conducted by the American Society of Registered Nurses (ASRN.org), 56% of the 761 Registered Nurses surveyed on March 26 that worked under nurse-to-patient ratios said that due to the implementation of the ratios, they had more time for breaks. In a separate survey, 69% said they had more time for personal care of their patients.

11 May 2008

New Hampshire House passes bill to create plan to lower insurance premiums for small businesses

The New Hampshire House on Wednesday voted 259-93 to approve a bill (SB 540) that aims to lower health costs for employees of small businesses, the Manchester Union Leader reports.

11 May 2008

New Hampshire House passes bill to create plan to lower insurance premiums for small businesses

The New Hampshire House on Wednesday voted 259-93 to approve a bill (SB 540) that aims to lower health costs for employees of small businesses, the Manchester Union Leader reports.

11 May 2008

Georgia Gov. Perdue signs bill establishing tax exemptions for employer-provided high-deductible policies

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) on Wednesday signed into law two measures intended to make high-deductible health insurance plans more affordable and accessible, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

11 May 2008

UNISON welcomes assurances over NHS reform

UNISON has welcomed the government's assurances over future NHS reform as a helpful blueprint for handling change.

9 May 2008

Senate version of supplemental war appropriations bill would delay Medicaid regulations, increase FDA funds

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday plans to mark up a supplemental war appropriations bill that will include language to block for one year seven new Medicaid regulations proposed by the Bush administration, as well as additional funds for FDA, CQ Today reports (Higa, CQ Today, 5/7).

8 May 2008

Senate Finance Committee discusses offsets for estimated $15M to $18M cost of Medicare payment delay; Bush administration requests June 16 deadline

Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Wednesday said a Medicare package that would delay for 18 months a 10.6% cut to physician fees would cost between $15 billion and $18 billion over five years, prompting committee members to begin discussions on how to offset those costs, CQ Today reports (Wayne/Armstrong, CQ Today, 5/7).

8 May 2008

House Energy and Commerce Committee approves bill to reauthorize community health centers program

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday by voice vote approved a bill (HR 1343) that would reauthorize the federal community health centers program through fiscal year 2012, CQ Today reports (Mattingly [1], CQ Today, 5/7).

8 May 2008

Illinois Gov. Blagojevich to stop enrolling people in expanded FamilyCare program

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) will follow a judge's orders to stop enrolling uninsured residents in his expanded version of FamilyCare, a state program that subsidizes health care for families, the AP/Chicago Tribune reports (AP/Chicago Tribune, 5/6).

8 May 2008

ACP says Medicare cuts will hurt physicians in small practices - asks Congress to pass legislation to avert pending pay cut

Noting that many physicians across the country who lead small practices are at a business breaking point, David M. Dale, MD, FACP, president of the American College of Physicians (ACP) testified today before the House Small Business Committee. Dr. Dale emphasized that practices are medicine's small businesses, where much of their revenue is tied directly to Medicare's flawed reimbursement rates and formulas.

8 May 2008

Healthcare News

Physician Gainsharing programs reduce hospital spending

Facing the Presidential candidates; pollsters say sweeping health reform unlikely in new administration and congress

New York Times examines health care access of undocumented immigrants

AP/Miami Herald looks at Democratic Presidential candidates' proposed health plans

Washington Post examines lack of health care for undocumented immigrants in detention centers

Business Week examines college-recommended health insurance plans for students

Former Surgeon General Carmona outlines preventive methods for chronic diseases in opinion piece

CQ's Carey looks at new Medicare marketing guidelines, health care provisions added to supplemental war spending bill, House panel approval of health care bills

Veteran disability payments to increase as number of veterans decreases

End-stage dementia patients deserve the same access to palliative care as people with cancer

Implementation of nurse-to-patient ratios laws in California is successful, says American Society of Registered Nurses

New Hampshire House passes bill to create plan to lower insurance premiums for small businesses

New Hampshire House passes bill to create plan to lower insurance premiums for small businesses

Georgia Gov. Perdue signs bill establishing tax exemptions for employer-provided high-deductible policies

UNISON welcomes assurances over NHS reform

Senate version of supplemental war appropriations bill would delay Medicaid regulations, increase FDA funds

Senate Finance Committee discusses offsets for estimated $15M to $18M cost of Medicare payment delay; Bush administration requests June 16 deadline

House Energy and Commerce Committee approves bill to reauthorize community health centers program

Illinois Gov. Blagojevich to stop enrolling people in expanded FamilyCare program

ACP says Medicare cuts will hurt physicians in small practices - asks Congress to pass legislation to avert pending pay cut

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