Daily Report

Dems Divided As Congressional Health Overhaul Efforts Stall

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:25:00 GMT

Senators working feverishly to pass health reform ahead of Congress' August recess raised doubts Wednesday on whether they will be able to pass reform on schedule, The Boston Globe reports.

Healthcare Reform Gets Boost From Hospital Groups

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:19:48 GMT

"In the face of mounting Republican opposition to its healthcare agenda, the Obama administration received a boost Wednesday, winning a preliminary agreement with leading hospital groups to cut federal payments to the industry over the next decade," The Los Angeles Times reports.

Small Business Owners Deliver Mixed Messages To Capitol Hill

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:29:00 GMT

As more specific legislative language emerges on health care, "small business organizations are encouraging members to make their views known through e-mails, letters, phone calls and personal visits" to members of Congress, but "the message is a decidedly mixed one," Kaiser Health News reports.

Health Care Overhaul Ignores Illegal Immigrants

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:05:27 GMT

"As Congress wrangles with overhauling the health care system, there is one population not being discussed. No proposal for a national health plan would cover the nation's estimated 11 million illegal immigrants," NPR reports.

Legislation Includes Provisions For Healthy Lifestyle Infrastructure

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:29:00 GMT

Sweeping healthcare legislation in Congress includes money for walking paths, streetlights, jungle gyms, and even farmers' markets. While supporters cite their importance for preventative health, critics see the billions of dollars for such provisions in the Senate and House versions as pure pork.

Administration Officials Take Health Reform Reins In Obama's Absence

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:24:00 GMT

White House staff and administration officials are trying to maintain their visibility on health care reform this week with public events and meetings as Obama travels, Roll Call reports.

Payment Reform: A Trend In White House Thinking

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:20:00 GMT

White House health reformers have pressed over the last month for payment reforms that would reward doctors and hospitals for spending less and delivering higher quality, rather than simply providing a higher volume of services.

Obama Nominates Human Genome Veteran To Lead NIH

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:44:19 GMT

Dr. Francis S. Collins, the Yale-educated, guitar-strumming physician and geneticist who lead the Human Genome Project was nominated Wednesday to head the National Institutes of Health.

Medicare Analysis Finds Too Many Needless Deaths At Hospitals

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:36 GMT

New Medicare analysis reveals a double failure at hospitals with too many people dying needlessly and the prevalence of a revolving door in health care. The analysis by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) comes as the White House and Congress seeks ways to reward patient care over quantity of care in health care reform.

Washington State Insurers Impose Double Digit Rate Hikes, Again

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:24:27 GMT

"In what is becoming an annual ordeal for policyholders, Regence BlueShield is raising premiums for 135,000 individual health-plan members in Washington [state] by an average 17 percent on Aug. 1," the Seattle Times reports.

Convent Focuses On Different Approach To End-Of-Life Care

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:14 GMT

A new focus in end-of-life care emphasizes social and spiritual elements over aggressive medical intervention.

Nursing Shortage Leads To More Students, New Training Programs

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:45:00 GMT

"Long second shrift to other medical training, nursing education has taken on new relevance as the country faces a drastic shortage of nurses and a thin job market overall," The Dallas Morning News reports.

States Undergo A Variety Of Health Care Policy Developments

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:00:50 GMT

Recent state-level action includes the vetoe of two health insurance bills in Connecticut.

A Selection Of Recent Studies And Surveys

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:48:01 GMT

Recent research includes studies regarding racial disparities in breast cancer mortality; Medicare Part D's impact on drug and medical spending; and health department efforts to communicate swine flu risk.

Today's Selection Of Opinions And Editorials

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:52:06 GMT

Today's selection of opinions and editorials.