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Insurers urge Gov. Rell to veto legislation that would expand state employee health insurance pool

Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell (R) on Monday released letters from two insurance companies that raised concerns about the cost of legislation that would allow workers at small businesses, municipalities and not-for-profit groups to join the state employee health insurance pool, the Hartford Courant reports.

21 May 2008

Eliminating Medicaid dental benefits could lead to more costly treatment for California residents, report finds

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) proposal to eliminate dental benefits for nearly three million state residents as part of a plan to address the state budget deficit would result in a loss of about $115 million in federal matching funds and lead to more costly medical treatment, according to a report released Monday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

21 May 2008

Senate to vote Thursday on war supplemental appropriations bill with Medicaid provisions

Senate Democrats on Tuesday "scaled down" their version of the war supplemental appropriations bill but retained a provision that would block for one year seven new Medicaid regulations proposed by the Bush administration, CQ Today reports.

21 May 2008

Rep. Ryan proposes plan to reduce entitlement spending, revise health care system

A "growing, bipartisan consensus" exists among lawmakers about the "greatest threat to our nation's long-term economic prosperity: the explosion of entitlement spending," which "Washington is not planning to address ... this week, or any time soon," effectively "shackling our future with unsustainable debt and taxes," Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), a member of the House Budget Committee, writes in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece.

21 May 2008

Veteran group to present proposals for advance funds for health care in department of Veterans Affairs budget

Disabled American Veterans on Wednesday at a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing plans to present a proposal under which lawmakers would approve funds for health care in the Department of Veterans Affairs budget one year in advance, The Hill reports.

21 May 2008

Michael Parkinson becomes a 'dignity' ambassador for the elderly

An initiative by the British Government to encourage more respect for older people in care has been given added impact by the recruitment of TV talk show host Sir Michael Parkinson as a "dignity ambassador".

21 May 2008

Old age is the new middle age - Health Secretary Alan Johnson says

Health Secretary Alan Johnson today called on the NHS to rise to the challenge of providing more and better preventative care for older people.

21 May 2008

Seniors face 'soaring costs' for health care, Chicago Tribune reports

The Chicago Tribune on Sunday examined how, "with soaring costs of prescription drugs, housing, gasoline and groceries, it is easy for seniors on fixed incomes to go over budget."

20 May 2008

CMS announces contract winners in first phase of Medicare durable medical equipment bidding program

CMS on Monday announced that 325 suppliers have won contracts in the first phase of a durable medical equipment competitive bidding program for Medicare scheduled to begin on July 1, CQ HealthBeat reports (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 5/19).

20 May 2008

Some specialty hospitals would benefit from amendment in supplemental war appropriations bill

Several physician-owned specialty hospitals in the states of four Senate Appropriations Committee Democrats would benefit from an amendment to a supplemental war appropriations bill (HR 2642) that would allow the facilities to continue participating in Medicare and Medicaid, CQ Today reports.

20 May 2008

Presidential candidates' health care advisers discuss role of Federal Government in providing coverage to U.S. residents

Advisers to the three major presidential candidates on Monday discussed the candidates' health care proposals and the role of government in health care during a forum hosted by Women in Government Relations, CQ HealthBeat reports.

20 May 2008

Senator Moore to discuss health care reform at ACNM 53rd Annual Meeting

Senator Richard T. Moore will speak at the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) 53rd Annual Meeting & Exhibit on Sunday, May 25, 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. As a member of the influential Joint Committee on Health Care Financing in the Massachusetts General Court, Senator Moore is constantly in the forefront of issues affecting the health of the people of Massachusetts.

20 May 2008

Public funding plan for Scotland is simply PFI-lite

UNISON has called on the Scottish government to stop inventing new ways of delivering PFI and start practical steps to abandon it.

20 May 2008

CQ's Carey looks at Bush Administration SCHIP directive, privacy protections in health IT bill, request for increased FDA funding

Mary Agnes Carey, associate editor of CQ HealthBeat, discusses testimony by Government Accountability Office officials about SCHIP expansion guidelines, compromise on a Senate health information technology bill and a request for increased funding from FDA's top official in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ."

19 May 2008

CMS to launch three-year Medicare demonstration program that bundles payments for physician, hospital services

CMS on Friday announced plans to launch a three-year Medicare pilot project in 2009 that will test a bundled-payment system in which physicians and hospitals are paid a single amount for all services associated with surgical procedures, CQ HealthBeat reports.

19 May 2008

Average 2008 employee out-of-pocket costs for family health care to increase 10.5%, according to Milliman Index

The cost of health care for the average U.S. family with employer-sponsored health coverage will increase 7.6% this year, due in part to rising prescription drug prices, according to a Milliman study released on Wednesday, Dow Jones reports.

19 May 2008

Senate leaders agree on privacy protections amendment to health care information technology bill

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Wednesday announced that sponsors of a bill (HR 1693) that would promote the use of health care information technology have agreed to include an amendment Leahy proposed to help protect patient privacy, CQ HealthBeat reports. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and ranking member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) introduced the legislation last October.

19 May 2008

Coalition proposes using Medicaid, SCHIP funds to purchase private coverage for uninsured

Officials from the Healthcare Leadership Council, a coalition of health insurers, academics, hospitals and other health care groups, proposed using Medicaid and SCHIP funds to purchase private coverage for uninsured U.S. residents, CQ HealthBeat reports.

19 May 2008

Two California health insurers agree to reinstate coverage for 1,200 people whose policies were rescinded after incurring high medical bills

California health insurers Kaiser Permanente and Health Net on Thursday agreed to reinstate coverage to about 1,200 individuals whose policies were improperly rescinded, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

19 May 2008

Michigan Judge rules against Blue Cross Blue Shield rate hikes, cites large surplus

A Michigan administrative law judge on Wednesday ruled that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan would not be justified in increasing premiums by 24% to 42% for individual health insurance plans, the Detroit Free Press reports.

19 May 2008

Healthcare News

Insurers urge Gov. Rell to veto legislation that would expand state employee health insurance pool

Eliminating Medicaid dental benefits could lead to more costly treatment for California residents, report finds

Senate to vote Thursday on war supplemental appropriations bill with Medicaid provisions

Rep. Ryan proposes plan to reduce entitlement spending, revise health care system

Veteran group to present proposals for advance funds for health care in department of Veterans Affairs budget

Michael Parkinson becomes a 'dignity' ambassador for the elderly

Old age is the new middle age - Health Secretary Alan Johnson says

Seniors face 'soaring costs' for health care, Chicago Tribune reports

CMS announces contract winners in first phase of Medicare durable medical equipment bidding program

Some specialty hospitals would benefit from amendment in supplemental war appropriations bill

Presidential candidates' health care advisers discuss role of Federal Government in providing coverage to U.S. residents

Senator Moore to discuss health care reform at ACNM 53rd Annual Meeting

Public funding plan for Scotland is simply PFI-lite

CQ's Carey looks at Bush Administration SCHIP directive, privacy protections in health IT bill, request for increased FDA funding

CMS to launch three-year Medicare demonstration program that bundles payments for physician, hospital services

Average 2008 employee out-of-pocket costs for family health care to increase 10.5%, according to Milliman Index

Senate leaders agree on privacy protections amendment to health care information technology bill

Coalition proposes using Medicaid, SCHIP funds to purchase private coverage for uninsured

Two California health insurers agree to reinstate coverage for 1,200 people whose policies were rescinded after incurring high medical bills

Michigan Judge rules against Blue Cross Blue Shield rate hikes, cites large surplus

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

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