First Edition: November 15, 2010

Nov 15 2010

According to today's headlines, Republicans are spoiling for a health care fight and doctors are bracing from scheduled Medicare cuts.  

Pawlenty Seeks To Stop Health Law As He Eyes Presidency
Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver writes: "If there was any doubt that protesting on the new health law was good politics for Republican candidates, it evaporated with the midterm election results. So, it's no surprise that Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a likely GOP contender for the White House in 2012, publicly opposed the law again this week, this time with a preliminary filing supporting a challenge to the overhaul in a Florida court" (Kaiser Health News).

Republicans Are Spoiling For A Healthcare Fight
With their eyes on the 2012 election, Republicans are preparing to maximize conflict with Democrats over healthcare in the new Congress and minimize potential compromises, according to GOP strategists, lawmakers and lobbyists (Los Angeles Times).

Employers Ready To Raise The Stakes For Health Incentives
Your employer wants you to stop smoking and lose some weight. And the boss is willing to sweeten the pot if you succeed (Los Angeles Times).

Doctors Brace For Possible Big Medicare Cuts
Breast cancer surgeon Kathryn Wagner has posted a warning in her waiting room about a different sort of risk to patients' health: She'll stop taking new Medicare cases if Congress allows looming cuts in doctors' pay to go through (The Associated Press/Washington Post).

Mayor Seeking 9/11 Health Aid
How do you say you're sorry for calling someone illiterate—and then ask them for $7.4 billion? That will be Mayor Michael Bloomberg's assignment as he tries to help get a health bill through the U.S. Senate for sick Ground Zero workers and others in Lower Manhattan exposed to toxic dust from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks (The Wall Street Journal).

Senior Boom Begins Amid Economic Bust
Today …[the first wave of baby boomers] are six weeks from turning 65. On Dec. 1, a month before reaching their milestone, they become eligible for Medicare (USA Today).

Mobile Phones Become Tools Of Health Promotion
When District-based Voxiva released a free text message service in February sending prenatal health advice to expectant mothers, the technology firm hoped it would be a successful example of mobile health in the United States (The Washington Post).