Archive for the ‘Roundup’ Category

By Carrie Winans. Everyone loves an excuse for a party!  In honor of this special day in health policy history – the two year anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act — and the approaching Supreme Court (SCOTUS) battle, don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate while watching the coverage unfold. After all, the State of the Union comes once a year, and election night comes once every four (… unless you count the Republican primary), but the SCOTUS health law showdown will never happen again (we can only hope). Popular party games like “stack all 136 amicus briefs” for the Affordable Care Act will be sure to take center stage as you create the two-foot-tall mountain of paper in your living room.

Joking aside, next week will be monumental in deciding the future of health care coverage within the United States.  Here are some of the best articles surrounding these two interwoven events:

Reuters, source of the quirky fact about the amicus briefs above, provides this write-up, chock full of statistics and clever points about the Affordable Care Act litigation efforts so far.

As the Supreme Court prepares to orally debate the nation’s health care, Politico reminds us of four inconvenient truths about the health law that we may have to finally face in the coming days.

However, some of the truths are much more pleasant than those highlighted by Politico. In a Nancy Keenan opinion piece for the Huffington Post, true stories from people around America highlight the positive (yes, you read that correctly, positive!) effects of the Affordable Care Act.

Desperately wanting a FAQ page about the potential Supreme Court outcomes?  Here’s one created by Bloomberg Business week.

Like every good festivity, there are always pictures and stories to tell after the event has been said and done.  Please continue to check back on the latest from SCOTUS!

By Carries Winans. Like the calm before an approaching storm, another wonderful week has come and gone in the health care world. Despite the looming frenzy surrounding the combination of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) 2^nd birthday (this Friday, March 23^rd) and its subsequent judgment day in the Supreme Court (next Monday, March 26^th), all else has not come to a stand-still. Whether you were busy filling in your bracket (be it March Madness or SCOTUS brackets, we’re not here to judge) or putting these policies in place, it’s always nice to get caught up in the world of health care. Here are some of this week’s most interesting stories from at home and abroad.

At Home

The infamous Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) got its time in the spotlight as health care discussion continues in the House. CNN’s Election Center explains why IPAB (not to be mistaken for iPad) is receiving more attention than ever.

How would you feel about your grandma getting the bill for health care?  This Forbes opinion piece examines Congressman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) policy for flaws and hiccups.

An MSNBC video discusses two states’ “special clauses” to change women’s health care. For example, Arizona would require documentation to prove birth control is only being used for medical reasons. Tell us how you feel after watching this report.

Both Obama and Romney have made promises about women’s health care going forward. This CBS report shows how women are responding to the Republican presidential candidates and their promises.

Abroad

China’s ever-growing biopharamaceutical industry is being fast tracked in Shanghai. Business Wire talks about how hands-on training and an expansive center will further China’s ability to produce quality products.

Our neighbors in Canada are facing many of the same health woes we are.  Despite putting billions into the system, Canada remains at the status quo for health care. The Wall Street Journal reports.

Be sure to check back this Friday for a special round up on the Affordable Care Act!  It’s the second anniversary of the ACA’s birth and we want you to be well-informed on its milestones.

By Carrie Winans. With spring in the air and new beginnings all around, it is nice to see some new changes in health care as well.  Here’s what happened this week while you were dreaming of warm weather:

At Home

In Oregon, a new approach to Obama’s health care has been put in place.  The Associated Press reports that if all 50 states adopted this approach the federal budget could save $1.5 trillion in the next decade.

If you’re wondering how your leaders are debating your reproductive health, ABC news gives you the spark notes version.

Were you excited to see Digital Health Records cut costs?  The New York Times cautions against breaking out confetti just yet, they may not help that much after all.

A Texas showdown sounds like something out of an old movie.  Instead, NPR uses the term to highlight some antiquated health practices.

Desperate Housewives’ Felicity Huffman guest writes for CNN about her views on women’s health care in America, an issue that needs some desperate improvement.

Abroad

The euro isn’t the only thing to watch during the Greek Debt Crisis.  Reuters reports that several health care companies based in France, Germany, and the UK are trying to resolve their monetary issues with the struggling country.

While we’re busy worrying about our reproductive health, the World Health Organization is focusing on the health of women in rural areas.  The Voice of America highlights some of the struggles of the world’s poorest and least developed regions.

By Carrie Winans. Happy March! Here are some of the headlines this week in the health care world!

At home

Did you think health care reform would make things better for your children? Forbes reports on some unintended consequences that parents should be aware of.

Thinking about getting a tattoo? If you have medical problems, this could be one of your best options to alert EMS workers. The Associated Press explains why this new trend is occurring here.

Did you smile yesterday? If you are Hawaiian, it’s more likely you answered yes. Find out which Americans are dealing with depression the best and why obesity is finally tapering off, per the Washington Post.

The worst part of traveling for work? Definitely missing a day in your diet and exercise regime.  In a USAToday article, Holiday Inn parent company  IHG  has just announced a new line of cheap, on-the-go hotels that are geared toward staying healthy and fit.

On this week’s episode of “Men Planning Women’s Health Care”, the Senate plans to vote on whether or not to appeal President Obama’s contraception mandate, ABCNews reports.

Abroad

“The Times of India” reports that India will be investing 2.5% of its GDP toward health care by 2017. The goal is to achieve universal health care… sound familiar?.

In order to gain a necessary aid package, Greece is being forced to make pension and health care cuts. Bloomberg explains the projected impacts of Greece’s new policy.

By Carrie Winans. Hope your past week has been disruptive as usual!  In keeping with the spirit of Valentine’s Day, here’s hoping you love our weekly roundup as much as any piece of chocolate!  This is the week’s best of news from at home and abroad:

National

Worried about pollution in your local city?  Well if you’re a woman, you may need to worry twice as much!  Pollution has been decreasing women’s mental health via Healthcare Today. http://www.healthcare-today.co.uk/news/air-pollution-harms-womens-brains/21080/

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States.  This is disproportionately true for African-American women.  See what one initiative in Delaware is doing to raise awareness via Delaware Online:  http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20120214/HEALTH/120214057/New-health-initiative-focuses-black-teens-women-Del-?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome

The Roman Catholic Womenpriests and the US Bishops seem to be at odds about the issue of contraceptives in the Affordable Care Act.  This Letter to the Editor from Kathy Redig, Roman Catholic Womanpriest at All Are One Roman Catholic Church, shares another perspective: http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/opinion/letters/article_f13d109c-574e-11e1-b15c-001871e3ce6c.html

Feeling discouraged about US health care?  Here are some statistics from Market Watch that demonstrate physicians and specialists technological advancements in the field of medicine within the United States: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-among-leaders-in-healthcare-it-use-and-adoption-accenture-eight-country-study-reports-2012-02-15?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Thought football season was over?  In this Huffington Post opinion piece, women’s health care is described as the new “political football” of the game.  Would you call this a touchdown or a major fumble?  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/k-sujata/komen-planned-parenthood_b_1270505.html

Abroad

Indonesia.  A new clinic in Jakarta opened in hopes of improving maternal and reproductive health services across Indonesia.   This clinic hopes to help with specialized services such as in vitro fertilization via The Jakarta Globe:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/womens-health-gets-a-boost-with-new-clinic-in-jakarta/498088

World.  Wondering what the key issues with Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are?  Health Imaging explores 10 key rights and responsibilities for HER users:  http://www.healthimaging.com/index.php?option=com_articles&view=article&id=31914:cmaj-10-rights-responsibilities-for-ehr-users

Health Care News Roundup
By Carrie Winans

Happy Wednesday everyone!   A lot happened in health care this past week while you were busy working (or perhaps because you were!). Here are some of the health headlines that have caught our attention at home and abroad this week:

National Health

Wondering how the Supreme Court will rule on the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance mandate?  The Los Angeles Times gives its opinion.  http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20120207,0,1359954.column

In case you didn’t have enough reasons to support women’s health care, this story from the President of the Spirit of Women Hospital Network will give you a new one for today, per HuffPo.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tanya-abreu/the-biggest-health-risk-o_b_1242259.html

Can you conceive the idea of a compromise on contraception?  The White House may have to with Americans so divided on the issue, CBS News reports.   http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505267_162-57373108/compromise-on-white-house-contraception-rule/

How does the Komen controversy affect African American women?  Eleanor Hinton Hoytt, CEO of Black Women’s Health Imperative, discusses the controversy and future steps.  http://newsone.com/nation/washington-watch/rolandsmartin/eleanor-hinton-hoytt-on-the-komen-controversy-black-women%E2%80%99s-health/

Ever used the expression “eyes up here”?  In the battle to better women’s health, it is unsurprising that the media chooses to focus on breasts rather than the women attached to them, asserts this CNN opinion piece.  http://articles.cnn.com/2012-02-03/opinion/opinion_christakis-breast-women_1_breast-komen-foundation-mammography-referrals?_s=PM:OPINION

Overseas

At least it’s comforting to know we’re not alone – the UK also faces a rocky future when it comes to health reform. As the Telegraph reports, the House of Lords may try to stop Prime Minister Cameron’s health reform bill before it can be put into action.  http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/maryriddell/100135835/david-camerons-health-reforms-are-an-affront-to-democracy/

The call to end female genital mutilation is louder than ever. But not all of the voices you would expect are joining in the chorus; instead, some health care providers are attempting to find ways to make the practice more “medical”, per VOA News.  http://www.voanews.com/english/news/health/Health-Rights-Groups-Demand-Anti-FGM-Laws-138782694.html

Check back each week for the latest health care news!

By Carrie Winans

The Disruptive Women in Health Care blog continually aims to encourage discussion and debate among readers about emerging issues and topics in the health care world. Historically, one of the ways that we have done that is through our weekly round-ups – that is, posts containing summaries and links to some of the big stories in health care news for the given week, with some original commentary and content sprinkled in as well. The way we see it, there is just too much happening in this burgeoning industry; it’s hard to keep up, especially when you’re busy disrupting and making headlines in the health care world yourselves. We know the weekly round-ups have been on hiatus for a while, but are happy to report that they’re finally making a comeback. Each week, we’ll be gathering some of the biggest health care news you can use from at home and abroad for posting on Wednesdays. Feel free to comment on what’s included and send us some links to articles to be considered for next week!

Has your week been too disruptive for you to keep up with the news?  Disruptive Women are on the case!  Here is this week’s round up of some of the most pressing issues here in America and around the world.

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By Hope Ditto. Whether your weapon of choice was words or rubber bullets this past week, the theme across the globe seemed to be standing up and fighting for what you believe in. From the protestors in Egypt to the lawmakers on the Hill, everyone seems to putting it all on the table, with little regard for the consequences their actions might breed. Whether you’re an Egyptian citizen protesting, a District Court judge making a ruling or an advocate fighting to increase awareness of a deadly disease, this was not the week to be bashful or couch your words. In fact, there was so much speaking up all over the board that this roundup is quite long (my apologies). If there is one thing we can say to summarize the week, it’s that the headlines speak for themselves, so let’s dive in to all the health care news you can use!

Newly minted Obama Chief of Staff William Daley was certainly speaking his mind when he talked health care on the Sunday shows this weekend. He wanted his message made loud and clear – that the Administration has no intention of “reopening last year’s vitriolic health overhaul debate.” Full details here.

I’m glad that Daley is so steadfast in his conviction not to reopen the health care debate, but take one look at this morning’s headlines and it is clear this is not likely to happen. From Florida to New York, court battles to legislative infighting, debates over various aspects of the Affordable Care Act are dominating the news (and the roundup).

Before Daley’s assertion, though, President Obama told attendees at the Health Action 2011 conference exactly how he felt while defending his health care reform efforts last week. Full text of his remarks available here and analysis here and here.

And if that’s not enough Obama-care news for you, a special Health on the Hill this week, analyzing his State of the Union health care remarks, and what they mean for the Administration, Congress and, of course, for 2012.

Speaking of the State of the Union, I hope one of your drinking game words  wasn’t “innovation” because I think everyone can agree it came up a lot Tuesday night. But the Administration’s newfound love of all things innovate-able won’t be limited only to job creation and the technology sector. According to the National Journal Health Blog, 2011 will see the emergence of a “core part” of the health care law – focusing on innovation. [If you recall, this very blog did an entire series on innovation and health care – before Obama made innovation the “it” topic of 2011. Read our series here.]

So we all know how most stakeholders (be they politicians, insurance executives, doctors or anyone else in between affected professionally by health care reform) feel about the Affordable Care Act, but what do the majority of American citizens think these days? Check out the latest polling via Kaiser Health News here.

Keep an eye on Pensacola, Florida today – where U.S. District Court Judge Roger Vinson is “expected to rule on the health care lawsuit brought by governors and attorneys general from 26 U.S. states, almost all of whom are Republicans” (per Reuters). Not only does this have the potential to be the second unfavorable ruling on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, but considering that the plantiffs in this particular case represent more than half the U.S. states, it has more prominence and significance than the some two dozen lawsuits filed in federal courts since the legislation’s passing in March 2010. Another point of note — “Since a full legislative repeal seems like a non-starter in the current Congress, legal experts all agree the real battle over reform is destined for the Supreme Court.” We expect Vinson to take his stand before COB today. (more…)

By Hope Ditto. Well hello again and my apologies for the recent hibernation! Between our Innovation series, the holidays and everything else that has been going on, the weekly roundups took a not-quite-so-brief hiatus. Though I was sorry to leave you without your one-stop dose of all the health care news you can use, I do hope you had the opportunity to check out what ran in its place, especially our December series on Innovation (if you missed it, you can check out the series here).

Enough of the housekeeping, now to get down to business. Not even the deepest hibernation in the most remote cave – or even the most recent bout of ice and snow — could keep me from hearing the news – the GOP is going to try and repeal health care reform (or what they refer to as Obamacare). And with health care the number one issue in the news right now I thought, what could be better than a special Health Care News Roundup: Repeal Edition?

In fact, all week I, along with our esteemed Disruptive Women, will be posting news, information and especially reactions and analysis to what’s going on on the Hill – though no one knows quite yet just what that will turn out to be. Whatever this week brings with the Repeal Act and subsequently proposed bills, rest assured that we will have all the health care news you can use (and then some!).

The day has finally arrived, just a week or so later than expected. Delayed by, of course, the tragedy in Tuscon, but also by sleet and snow and ice, bureaucracy and decorum and all those other factors that prevent much if anything from ever getting done in Washington, the day we have all been waiting for is finally upon us. Only the start of the day was delayed until 2 pm (thanks DC ice storm). What day, you ask? Why, the day that the House will begin hearings on “Repealing The Job-Killing Health Care Law Act” (and if you, like me, are thinking that that is the dumbest name for a bill ever in the history of our republic, you will probably also, like me, get a kick out of this article ).

Hearings have been underway for a little while now, though the final vote is not expected until sometime late tomorrow, per CSPAN. And if you just can’t get enough of the repeal hearings, you can watch them and/or read a liveblog here.

Certainly if you have enough time to watch CSPAN, you have enough time for a little extra reading, and if that’s the case I would strongly recommend this piece from Kaiser Health News, explaining one of the most common health care mystery terms, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).

Now, this repeal business may seem at face value to be bad (read: very, very, very) bad news for the Democrats, but not everyone on the Left is looking at the glass as half empty. Per Politico, some Dems – HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius chief among them – see the beginning of the repeal hearings as a good thing (no, you didn’t read that wrong, I did type a good, g-o-o-d good thing). As Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) explained, “‘We welcome, in a certain sense, their attempt to repeal it because it gives us a second chance to make a first impression.’” Whether this is true, we shall see… (more…)

By Hope Ditto. It is especially appropriate that fall is finally upon us this week, seeing as how it appears the health insurance industry is “fall-ing” apart before our very eyes. Another week of politically charged health care debate, with rhetoric abounding multi-colored leaves. Put down that rake, take off your coat and settle down for a minute – we have all the health care news you can use.

You’ve heard it before, and you’ll hear it again. Y2K, 2012, the alleged Zombie Apocalypse that keeps popping up on my Facebook newsfeed. The end of life and the world as we know it is here – at least it is if you work in the insurance industry. As Politico reported yesterday, “State insurance commissioners approved rules shaping how insurance companies will have to account for their medical spending beginning next year.” This final step comes as a means of paving the way for one of the biggest components of health care reform to be implemented – the provision that requires insurance companies to “spend 80 to 85 cents of every dollar they collect in premiums on medical care or items that improve quality.” Everyone agrees that the passing of these rules marked a bad day for the insurance industry. The Wall Street Journal’s Health Blog  called it a loss for insurance brokers nationwide.

We saw two weeks ago the first midsize insurance provider (Principal Financial – for full story, see here) discontinue its health care coverage in anticipation of this law’s implementation. Two weeks ago, when the story broke, many said it was only the beginning of the descent, a foreshadowing of what was to come. Whether this is true remains to be seen. But no one will deny that the passing of the rules was a significant step towards it.

There is still one ray of hope – the final recommendations must go before and be approved by HHS. As WSJ reported, “Terry Headley, president of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, said in a statement his group is hopeful regulators and HHS ‘will side with consumers by recognizing that agents need to be compensated for the vital assistance they provide consumers in managing day-to-day health-care issues.’”

Also this week, some Democrats, running for office, hoping and expecting to get reelected by their constituents, have been… wait for it… voicing their SUPPORT for health care reform?! It’s true! A select group of Democrats found a new way to talk about health care, according to this week’s Health on the Hill roundtable – watch the video here.

It’s even more surprising that the Dems are coming home to the party on health care reform considering these poll numbers, courtesy of Politico, showing another dip for support of health reform. (more…)

By Hope Ditto. You didn’t think we’d go a Friday without a Roundup, did you?! It’s a little late today, but of course we still have all the health care news you can use!

We start with sick children again this week, but on a good note, for a change. HHS announced this week that about $100 million of the Affordable Care Act will be allocated towards building or renovating school-based health centers. As the Modern Healthcare article  explains, “the centers enable children with chronic illnesses to attend school, and they also help improve overall health and wellness for all children through health screenings, health promotion and disease-prevention activities.”

We’re taking a hiatus from the political hubbub this week (well… mostly taking a break), but if you want your fix of health care and the Midterms, take a look at this week’s Health on the Hill roundtable as they discuss how Democrats are approaching “the health care issue” on the campaign trail, reactions of employers to new laws and more. You can also take a look at Kaiser Health’s roundup of how health reform is impacting selected state races here.

The Fiscal Times tackled the issue of health care on the campaign trail this week (last election story, I promise). To read their analysis, click here.

How do you communicate with your doctor? Chances are, not by email, according to a report from the Center for Studying Health System Change. As Modern Healthcare  reports, “Despite indications that e-mail access to physicians increases patient satisfaction, only 6.7% of office-based physicians routinely use e-mail to communicate with their patients.” What’s more – only about a third of respondents indicated that their doctors’ offices were equipped to handle electronic communication! Though privacy issues are cited as a major factor in this statistic, doctors also indicated a concern about the potential for an increase in their workload should they begin communicating with patients via email. As virtually all other aspects of our lives go “2.0”, it will certainly be interesting to see how the medical field reacts.

Good news for Obama on the health reform front. Per the Wall Street Journal Health Blog, “A federal judge yesterday refused to grant a request for a preliminary injunction against the health-care overhaul law, saying Congress’s imposition of the individual mandate isn’t unconstitutional.” In his amicus brief, Judge George Steeh explained that, he “found that the individual mandate, the provision that requires everyone to have health coverage, was essential to the act’s larger goal of regulating ‘the interstate business of health insurance.’”

Last week, we discussed recently announced state-level Medicare cuts – the combined result of more people needing Medicare (thanks recession/skyrocketing unemployment) and the increase in people eligible/the amount that they are eligible to receive (by 2014, per health care reform laws) – which have now stripped many states of their tax revenue. As Politico explains this week, all of this, combined with the political turmoil of election season and the preparations to begin the first expansion steps in November (as health reform legislation requires) has the potential to cause a lot of turnover in state houses across the country.

And if you are more of a visual learner, here  is a graph of Medicare cuts, courtesy of Washington Post’s Ezra Klein.

Who ever thought morning sickness could be a good thing? According to Reuters, women who experience morning sickness tend to have healthier pregnancies and are less likely to miscarry. As for a medical explanation why this may be the case, Dr. Ronna Chan, one of the study’s authors, explains, “‘Some postulate nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is a mechanism to help improve the quality of a pregnant woman’s diet or a way to reduce or eliminate potentially harmful substances from the mother in order to protect the fetus.’” As for a medical explanation for pickles-and-ice-cream cravings, the jury is still out…   

Finally, just like Columbus discovered America 518 years ago, I too made a discovery of an equal or possibly greater caliber – the Kaiser Health News Political Cartoon Archives! Here are two of my recent favorites to start your three-day weekend: 1 and 2.

 Until next week, enjoy your pleasant health care news, unseasonably warm weather and three day weekend (hopefully you have one)!

By Hope Ditto. It’s been a pretty dreary week all around — gray skies, ominous clouds, rain and a week’s worth of health care policy woes.

Sick children are the subject of this week’s most prominent Administration v. Insurance Industry fight. As Politico reported earlier this week, several agencies have announced their intention to stop selling “child-only” policies, because “the overhaul requires them to accept all applicants, even if they apply for coverage at the last minute before treatment. Insurers say the provision, which went into effect Sept. 23, allows patients to game the system.”

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius fired back quickly, claiming that the insurers were acting in bad faith. She offered the temporary solution of allowing agencies to raise premiums based on health condition – that is, until this practice becomes illegal in 2014. There has also been discussion of returning to the limited “open enrollment period” model, assuming that participating agencies promise to offer child-only policies. And so the battle wages on…

Some insurance agencies aren’t stopping at nixing child-only policies, though; they’re getting out of the health insurance industry altogether! As Reed Abelson of the New York Times reported yesterday, Principal Financial Group, which currently provides health insurance to almost a million people, plans to stop selling health policies, period. As the article explains, Principal Financial – whose primary venture is asset management – did not feel justified in making the investment to remain a competitive provider.

Though UnitedHealth group did agree to renew all Principal policies as they expire, per the Wall Street Journal, Principal’s announcement has broader implications beyond those for its customers.

As several health care writers speculated, per Kaiser Health News, we can expect to see this trend continue through the fall. According to industry insider Robert Laszewski (per this NYT article), one of the stipulation that came into effect last week requires agencies to spend 80 cents of every dollar collected in premiums on customer welfare, and “smaller players like Principal will not be able to compete because they do not have the resources and economies of scale.” He is worried that “the ensuing concentration is likely to lead to higher prices because large players will no longer face the competition from the smaller plans” leading him to quip: “It’s just the UnitedHealthcare full employment act.”

And when it rains, it pours; this week, states had to make significant cuts to Medicaid in the wake of surging enrollment. As Kaiser Health News reports, enrollment in the state-federal program rose by 8.5 percent and state spending on Medicaid jumped an average of 8.8 percent. This has effectively stripped states of tax revenue and left them with little choice but to cut corners. See a list of state-by-state cuts here.

Rain, rain go away! No luck with that for the White House (and not just because of Tropical Storm Nicole). See this Health on the Hill clip analyzing the latest health care-related polling data (hint: NOT good news for Mr. President). A Kaiser Health News analysis of their six month tracking poll showed similar findings. With the midterms only a month away, it doesn’t seem like the rain is clearing anytime soon over Pennsylvania Ave.

In other news, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced the appointment of 15 new members to its newly formed National Health Care Workforce Commission.

HHS also announced a new appointment this week, Dr. Richard Gilfillan will step in as the acting director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. Gilfillan comes to HHS following a stint as CEO of the Geisinger Health Plan, which lawmakers often point to as a “model” health system. Officials hope he will draw on this experience to help Medicare and Medicaid become “model” programs as well.  

One ray of sunshine to end this cloudy week – per Washington Post Health : “For the first time in more than a decade, the federal government is funding sex education programs that aren’t based solely on abstinence.”

That’s all for today! I see the sun is coming up as I post this, so here’s hoping for a sunny weekend – in weather and health care reform news! Until next week, stay dry!

By Hope Ditto. A big Friday in health care news – we have pledges, reforms and analysis – oh my! (This week’s Roundup was also posted here.)

First, some major provisions of the health care bill go into effect today – though exactly how many seems to be up for debate (I credit the crystal clear, completely straightforward, not even remotely ambiguous language of the bill for that.) Democratic House Caucus chairman John Larson outlines the 10 new reforms and how they will impact health care policy here. Meanwhile, Kaiser’s Health on the Hill blog explains the eight new laws (and their subsequent seven caveats) here. Interpret away.

And for answers to all your questions about health care reform – including the latest 10 provisions, check out this Q&A with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Also worth a read, National Journal’s Meghan McCarthy offers a more thoughtful look at health care reform – six months later.

The Republicans unveiled their Pledge to America (full text) yesterday, a 21 page document outlining their revised vision for the country and especially for health care reform. All the details of their intentions and vision here and Jonathan Allen’s analysis of it here.

We know things haven’t been going so well for Obama, especially on the health care front, but how bad are they really? Well, if this Politico headline is any indication, pretty darn bad. One of the headlines in their health care section: Barack Obama seeks divine intervention on health care reform. Read the story here.

Not everyone is quite as pessimistic though. According to Kaiser Health News writer Jenny Gold, Democrats’ best bet at selling health care reform is going back to the basics. As Democratic pollster Peter Hart told Gold, Democrats need to start saying, “’Here’s what the bill’s about. Here’s why it makes a difference. Here’s why it’s good for you and it’s good for America.’” Read more analysis here.

Post reporter/blogger Ezra Klein offered his own analysis on the situation and advice to Obama this week – his was a bit more straightforward than Hart’s. Klein’s take on the ever-complex and highly complicated situation: cut Medicare first. The second most straight-forward advice Obama has ever gotten on HCR, after “REPEAL.” Well, it’s something at least.

Going outside of the Beltway, an interesting story in the Wall Street Journal blog about how many lives mammograms actually save. Hint: not as many as you think! Great news to break on the day that a law goes into effect mandating insurance companies cover mammograms. Maybe Politico wasn’t so off on the divine intervention jibe.

Another interesting blog entry, this one from Washington Post’s The Checkup – do abortions cause depression? Not in teens says a new study, contrary to previous research on the subject.

And, shifting focus to another politically charged health debate – genetically modified salmon. Are they safe for human consumption? Will allowing them into our food source jeopardize our ecosystems? Will these genetically superior salmon be capable of actually swimming upstream? Read the Washington Post analysis here.

On another note, Disruptive Women in Health Care turns two this month; a big thank you to all our bloggers and readers for making these past two years truly disruptive!

By Hope Ditto. It’s Friday and you know what that means – a brand new roundup of health care news you can use!

The big news this week – census data is out and the percentage of people with health insurance is down for the first time in over two decades. More on the report and its findings from the Wall Street Journal Health Blog.

Ding-ding! And we’re back in the ring for another round of fight-that-doesn’t-end on the Hill. With election season officially upon us, both sides are jumping at the chance to offer their solution to the health care issue.

But first, in case you’re confused by just what health care reform is and isn’t in effect, a “Consumer’s Guide to the Health Law, Six Months In,” by Kaiser Health News.

The White House is planning a full-scale PR strike to promote both the original bill and their additional proposals that will be coming up for a vote in the next few weeks, according to Politico. Loyalist Democrats launched the Health Information Center this week, a multi-million dollar effort to promote all of this and supplement White House efforts with more down-in-the-dirt, War Room style tactics. Gritty reports from the trenches to follow, no doubt.

Meanwhile the GOP is planning a slightly simpler approach – as House Minority Leader John Boehner told an editorial board earlier this week. Knowing that a repeal of the original bill is unlikely, Boehner plans instead to just cut off all funding required to implement it. “They’ll get not one dime from us. Not a dime,” he promised. And the war wages on…

Ezra Klein of the Washington Post reports that across the board, health care reform is polling poorly as did the Wall Street Journal blog, citing one report that more Americans would vote for a candidate that supported repealing the health care reform act than wouldn’t.

With all this in mind, it doesn’t come as much surprise that Democratic congressional candidates are wary – to say the least – of jumping on the Obamacare bandwagon. In fact, according to a report out today, they’re actually spending more money on ads opposing health care reform than ads promoting it. Per Politico, “Since the beginning of Congress’s August recess, Democratic candidates have poured $930,000 into ads deriding the health overhaul but just $300,000 in pro-reform spots, according to Evan Tracey at Kantar Media,”  And, according to The Hill, one Democratic candidate has even gone so far as to sign the GOP repeal pledge.

Only one thing about health care reform and the midterm election is clear at this point – it’s going to be a long six weeks.

On a different but equally politically charged topic, a CDC report out this week indicates that almost one-third of all sex education courses for teens discuss birth control – different methods, how they are used, etc. As a Washington Post blog entry on the report explains, lessons about saying no and STDs were much more common.

Ever felt bad coughing, sneezing or otherwise exposing your doctor to your germs while in for a visit? Think again. As USA Today reported, more than half of doctors and nurses they surveyed would and do come to work when they themselves are sick. Talk about a germy situation!

And, just in time for fall, new tips on how to track the flu, per the WSJ Health blog.

Finally, in the age of Big Business, Big Government and Big Brother, a piece on the plight of the community hospital and its fight to remain independent.

That’s all for this week; check back every Friday for your weekly roundup of health care news you can use.

By Hope Ditto. That’s right – your weekly blog roundups have returned after a lovely summer vacation. Check in every Friday for your weekly dose of health care news you can use.

The top headline this week is President Obama jumping into the ring for round 1000 (at least) of the fight to reform health care. Bloodless so far, Obama said he was “cautiously optimistic” after meeting with Senate Democrats on Tuesday this latest bill would pass without the drama of another all-out, gloves off floor fight. As he told the Post: It’s clear that we are on the precipice of an achievement that’s eluded Congresses and presidents for generations, an achievement that will touch the lives of nearly every American. There are still some differences that have to be worked on. This was not a roll call. This was a broad-based discussion about how we move forward.

Meanwhile, Health on the Hill  sought out to debunk rumors about this latest legislative push. Watch their myth-buster roundtable here for a final answer on the legality of taxing health care benefits and much, much more!

Coming at the same time as Obama’s latest push is this report that government spending on health care will go UP, not DOWN like Obama insisted that it would back in March. Though experts forecast that the increase will be modest, the political fallout is expected to be intense. According to AP reporter Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, “for critics, the numbers show that the law didn’t solve the cost problem, although Obama repeatedly said he wanted to bend the spending curve down.” Read the full article here.

And, according to this piece from the Fiscal Times, it isn’t just the federal government feeling the cost effects of health care reform. State governments – many of which are already in dire shape thanks to that pesky recession – are collapsing under a mountain of Medicare bills, an unfortunate consequence of soaring unemployment. And some analysts say the only solution is for the federal government to shoulder a larger portion of the financial burden. (more…)