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Obama to propose $17 billion in budget cuts

President Obama on Thursday will propose a detailed fiscal year 2010 budget that reduces or eliminates 121 programs to save an additional $17 billion, the New York Times reports (Calmes, New York Times, 5/7).

7 May 2009

Senate HELP committee to hold confirmation hearing on FDA commissioner nominee

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Thursday will hold a confirmation hearing for Margaret Hamburg, President Obama's nominee for FDA commissioner, the New York Times reports.

7 May 2009

Sen. Grassley says he is confident President Obama wants bipartisan agreement on health reform

Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Wednesday said that President Obama during a lunch meeting to discuss plans to proceed with health care reform legislation indicated that he favors a bipartisan solution, the Des Moines Register reports.

7 May 2009

Kaiser Permanente gives UCLA Hispanic physician recruitment program $2 million

Kaiser Permanente is giving the University of California-Los Angeles a $2 million grant to fund a program that recruits foreign-trained doctors to practice in U.S. Hispanic neighborhoods, United Press International reports.

6 May 2009

Georgia Governor signs bill to restructure state's health services

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) on Monday signed a bill (HB 228) that will split the state's Department of Human Resources into three separate entities: the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Community Health, and a refocused Department of Human Resources, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Perdue said he is dedicated to having the new agencies fully functional by July 1.

6 May 2009

WellCare agrees to pay $80 million to settle Florida Medicaid, CHIP fraud charges

WellCare Health Plans has agreed to pay $40 million in restitution and $40 million in civil penalties to avoid criminal charges in Florida over alleged fraudulent payment practices to the state's Medicaid and Healthy Kids programs, the Wall Street Journal reports (Fuhrmans, Wall Street Journal, 5/6).

6 May 2009

Tenet Healthcare reports first quarter profit, fewer hospital admissions

Tenet Healthcare lowered some expenses in the first quarter, but the company said that admissions and the number of patients with private insurance declined, the AP/Salon reports.

6 May 2009

President Obama discusses health reform prospects with House Democrats

President Obama on Tuesday met with Democrats from the House Energy and Commerce Committee to discuss a climate change bill and health care, the Washington Times reports.

6 May 2009

AHIP President, CEO says health insurance industry would accept stronger federal regulation, stop charging women higher premiums than men

During a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Tuesday, America's Health Insurance Plans President and CEO Karen Ignagni said members would concede to greater government regulation, as the industry works to prevent the creation of a government health plan that could threaten their business, the AP/Chicago Tribune reports.

6 May 2009

Australia's harm reduction strategies serve as model for other countries, UNAIDS official says

The Australian government's efforts to curb the spread of HIV by advocating harm-reduction initiatives, such as needle-exchange programs and drug substitution therapy, for injection drug users serve as a model for other countries throughout the region, UNAIDS Asia Pacific Director Prasada Rao said recently, the AAP/Sydney Morning Herald reports.

6 May 2009

Obama proposes $63 billion global health initiative over six years

President Obama has proposed a $63 billion, six-year global health initiative as part of his fiscal year 2010budget, Reuters reports (Bohan, Reuters, 5/5).

6 May 2009

United Auto Workers planning to sell Chrysler stock obtained from bankruptcy deal to fund VEBA

United Auto Workers will sell its 55% stake in the reorganized Chrysler as soon as possible to fund a trust that will cover retirees' health care costs, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said Monday, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports.

5 May 2009

High health care costs affecting insured U.S. residents

Across the country, 64 million people younger than age 65 are part of families spending more than 10% of their pretax income on health care, according to a Families USA study, the Boston Globe reports.

5 May 2009

Obama to release budget proposal details on Thursday, including plans for 'integrity' initiatives for Medicaid, Medicare

President Obama on Thursday is scheduled to release additional details of his fiscal year 2010 budget proposal, which will include $13.7 billion over five years for "program integrity" initiatives to increase oversight and eliminate fraud and errors in federal programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, the Wall Street Journal reports.

5 May 2009

Congress not likely to pass permanent Medicare physician payment fix this year

Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Monday said that comprehensive health reform legislation likely will not include a permanent solution to the Medicare physician payment system, CQ Today reports.

5 May 2009

Sen. Schumer proposes holding public health insurance option to same standards, rules as private insurers

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Monday proposed that any public health insurance option developed as part of comprehensive health care reform legislation be subject to the same rules and standards as private insurance, the New York Times reports.

5 May 2009

CMS announces series of proposed regulations, including payment cuts

CMS last week announced a series of proposed regulations, including a proposal to reduce Medicare payments for inpatient hospital care by 0.5% in fiscal year 2010, CQ HealthBeat reports. The agency said the proposed cut primarily is the result of adjustments for excessive payments to hospitals in past years.

5 May 2009

Arizona agreement aims to extend PTSD treatment to Navajo nation

The Navajo Area Indian Health Service and the Northern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System recently signed an agreement that aims to improve access to post-traumatic stress disorder treatment for war veterans, the Farmington Daily Times reports.

5 May 2009

Utah hospitals significantly affected by Medicaid reimbursement cuts

Hospital officials in Utah say that recent cuts to Medicaid reimbursement rates were much steeper than anticipated and that they might be forced to offset costs by increasing fees on insured patients or scaling back on charity care, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Hospitals are facing a nearly 25% cut in Medicaid reimbursement beginning July 1.

5 May 2009

Chrysler deal could jeopardize retiree health benefits if restructured company does not return to profitability

United Auto Workers "appears to be enjoying relative safety in helping steer the course of the [Chrysler Group] bankruptcy," but if the company does not survive post-bankruptcy, UAW's stake in the restructured company "could be worthless," the New York Times reports.

5 May 2009

Healthcare News

Obama to propose $17 billion in budget cuts

Senate HELP committee to hold confirmation hearing on FDA commissioner nominee

Sen. Grassley says he is confident President Obama wants bipartisan agreement on health reform

Kaiser Permanente gives UCLA Hispanic physician recruitment program $2 million

Georgia Governor signs bill to restructure state's health services

WellCare agrees to pay $80 million to settle Florida Medicaid, CHIP fraud charges

Tenet Healthcare reports first quarter profit, fewer hospital admissions

President Obama discusses health reform prospects with House Democrats

AHIP President, CEO says health insurance industry would accept stronger federal regulation, stop charging women higher premiums than men

Australia's harm reduction strategies serve as model for other countries, UNAIDS official says

Obama proposes $63 billion global health initiative over six years

United Auto Workers planning to sell Chrysler stock obtained from bankruptcy deal to fund VEBA

High health care costs affecting insured U.S. residents

Obama to release budget proposal details on Thursday, including plans for 'integrity' initiatives for Medicaid, Medicare

Congress not likely to pass permanent Medicare physician payment fix this year

Sen. Schumer proposes holding public health insurance option to same standards, rules as private insurers

CMS announces series of proposed regulations, including payment cuts

Arizona agreement aims to extend PTSD treatment to Navajo nation

Utah hospitals significantly affected by Medicaid reimbursement cuts

Chrysler deal could jeopardize retiree health benefits if restructured company does not return to profitability

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