Health Care For America Now

NEWS

Senate Likely to Pass Bill on Kids' Health Insurance - Washington Post

The Senate is expected to approve a bill today that provides health insurance to about 11 million low-income children, paving the way for President Obama to claim an early legislative victory and collect a quick down payment on his campaign pledge to guarantee care to every American child.

Skyrocketing Health-Care Costs Could Double Premiums for Many Americans - Washington Post

Unless health-care reform becomes a reality, most Americans can expect to pay health insurance premiums that will double by 2016, a new report claims.

Local politicians, members of Health Care for America Now fight for reform - Allentown Express Times

Lehigh Valley political leaders and members of Health Care for America Now are joining forces Thursday morning in the fight for healthcare reform. Lehigh County Executive Don Cunnningham, Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan and Easton Mayor Sal Panto will be in attendance to call for reform as promised by President Barack Obama.

Bill Aims To Subsidize Health Care For Laid-Off - NPR

There are few new ideas when it comes to ways to help those without health insurance gain coverage. But there is one included in the economic stimulus bill now working its way through Congress: providing subsidies to help those recently laid off afford to continue their job-based health
insurance.

Stimulus Bill Calls For Computerizing Health Care - NPR

The economic stimulus package scheduled to hit the House floor Wednesday includes $20 billion for health information technology. The plan's overarching goal is to create jobs — and health experts say the IT provision would do that by boosting the number of physicians who use computers in their practice. Right now, only 17 percent do.

Early kidney disease often missed in blacks - MSNBC
One reason that blacks have high rates of kidney failure is that earlier, treatable stages of kidney disease are not being recognized in this population, according to findings from the Jackson Heart Study reported in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases for February.

Two Senate Committees Approve Portions of Economic Stimulus Package With Funds for Health Care - Kaiser News Network

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved the $365 billion portion of an $825 billion economic stimulus package over which the committee has jurisdiction that includes funds for health care, CongressDaily reports (Sanchez, CongressDaily, 1/27).

Medicare Widens Drugs It Accepts for Cancer - NYTimes

Medicare, with little public debate, has expanded its coverage of drugs for cancer treatments not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

OPINION

Shortage! Shortage! Shortage??? - Healthcare Economist

In the news, you often hear that there are shortages of nurses and physicians.  We need more nurses and physicians, right?  According to an editorial by Laurence Baker in Health Services Review, we should be a little skeptical of calls for more and more healthcare providers.  If supplier-induced demand is a problem, more providers will only increase the amount of medical care provided.

Medicare covers more cancer drugs, did they cave in to the pharmaceutical lobby? - KevinMD.com

These medications are among the most expensive, and especially in cases of end-stage treatment, there may not be a lot of evidence supporting their use.