HealthCareForAmericaNow

NEWS

Spending Rise for Health Care and Prescription Drugs Slows - New York Times

National health spending grew in 2007 at the lowest rate in nine years, mainly because prescription drug spending increased at the slowest pace since 1963, the government reported Monday.

Health care spending slowed in 2007, government report finds - McClatchy Newspapers

U.S. health care spending in 2007 grew at its lowest rate in nine years, due mainly to a slowdown in prescription drug spending and lower administrative costs for the Medicare program, according to a new government report released Monday.

More Americans getting multiple chronic illnesses - Reuters

More Americans are burdened by chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure, often having more than three at a time, and this has helped fuel a big rise in out-of-pocket medical expenses, a study released on Tuesday showed.

Health put on hold in sickly economy - Washington Times

A tough economy has created a health hazard of its own. Strapped for cash, thousands of Americans are skipping medication doses, shunning doctor visits and forgoing diagnostic tests to save money.

OPINION

Health Care Reform: Good for Patients, Good for Workers, Good for Women - AlterNet

Health care reform would give us the opportunity to create jobs that pay us back tenfold.

NEWS

Doctor shortage imperils Obama's health care reform - San Francisco Chronicle

There are plenty of surgeons and other medical specialists in America - more than enough, perhaps. And specialized institutionalized care of high quality is available for people who are seriously ill. But primary care - the continuing personal supervision of a family's overall health, with emphasis on prevention and early treatment of illness - is sadly lacking for the urban poor, for most rural residents and for millions of middle-class people, too.

U.S. Spends More on Health Outpatient Services Driving Increase in Costs - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The United States spends $643 billion a year more on health care than other developed countries, but the bulk of the additional spending comes from a surprising source: outpatient care.

Is Texas Looking Out for You? Health-Care Outsourcing is Rolling on, but Many Patients Suffer From Silent Treatment - Dallas Morning News

Evercare of Texas was supposed to coordinate medical and long-term care for more than 80,000 elderly, blind or disabled North Texans. "We help make it easier to get the care you deserve," the company promises on its Web site.

OPINION

Is the Economic Stimulus Package About to Change the Politics of Health Care Reform? - Change.org

It’s just 25 words in the front-page article in The New York Times on Obama’s economic stimulus package. It’s easy to overlook. Heck, I overlooked it the first time. But they talk about extending Medicaid coverage as part of the stimulus. If this turns out to be true, it has huge implications for the likely success of a comprehensive health care reform package passing in 2009.

NEWS

Business leaders hope Obama can cut health costs - San Jose Business Journal

Health care reform is on everyone’s lips, from President-elect Barack Obama to the country’s business leaders and their employees.

Recession is Squeezing Life Out of Many Money-Strapped Hospitals - Los Angeles Times

Gainesville's first community hospital has been on life support ever since Shands HealthCare system in northern Florida bought it a dozen years ago.

NEWS

Transition hosts health care meetings - Politico

President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team is starting to collect political intelligence it could use to sway lawmakers and special interest groups in the upcoming health care reform debate.

Health execs, advocates brainstorm reform ideas for Obama - Business First Columbus

A group with seemingly competing interests – hospital executives, government health officials, private physicians, an insurance salesman, a consumer advocate – found plenty of common ground Tuesday when discussing health-care reform ideas to send to President-elect Barack Obama.

High medical costs, low pricing hurts managed care - Associated Press

Managed care stocks were hammered in 2008, as higher-than-expected medical costs burned up health insurers' profits and skittish investors wrung their hands over the companies' potential exposure to failed investment banks.

Sellers of Discount Healthcare Cards Face More Regulation - Fort Worth Star-Telegram

With the nation's highest rate of uninsured residents, Texas has been a top market for sellers of discount healthcare cards, which claim to offer lower prices for doctors and other services in exchange for an annual fee.

Health Plan Influx Awaited: Unemployment is Expected to Spur Use of the State's High-Risk Insurance Program - The News & Observer

With unemployment rising, more people with high-risk health problems are expected to turn to state-subsidized insurance that takes effect Thursday.

NEWS

Obama health choice hears tales of health care woe - Chicago Tribune

President-elect Barack Obama's choice to overhaul the nation's health care system told a town hall meeting that the task is not impossible if all sides work together.

New Model of Care Is Needed, Experts Say - New York Times

American medicine is already in a crisis mode when it comes to geriatric care, and the problem will only become worse unless new approaches are found, experts say.

Health Plan Restraints Might Keep Patients From Choosing Quality Care - EMaxHealth

Public reports on the quality of care delivered by health plans might motivate patients to choose better providers — if they are not constrained by issues of cost and accessibility to doctors, according to a review of recent studies.

Obama's Health Care Team Pumps Message - Washington Post

Dolly Sweet, 77, has battled cancer more than once. She's a fighter. But when her doctor recently prescribed a medication that cost $35,000 a year, she felt she had no choice.

NEWS

Fewer doctors entering primary-care field as need grows - McClatchy Newspapers

Many classmates of Dr. Chip Roser ended their medical training ready to practice a specialty. They morphed into neurologists, cardiologists, pathologists, dermatologists or other "-gists." Despite advice to the contrary, Roser chose the path of family medicine, with potentially lower pay and longer hours. And he doesn't regret it.

Citizens group answers Obama's call on health care - San Jose Mercury News

It was Democracy 101 — nine citizen-soldiers responding to a battle call for government reform, gathered around lattes and quiche in a downtown San Jose cafe, brainstorming ways to help President-elect Barack Obama ride to the rescue of an expensive, bloated and inequitable health care system.

Group discusses U.S. health care - Norwalk News

About 44 area residents met Sunday at the Wilton library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, to discuss the Gordian knot that is the nation's health-care system. The discussions will form the basis for a report to be sent to President-elect Barack Obama's Presidential Transitional Health Care Policy team. The team, to be headed by the nominee for the cabinet position of Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle, asked Wilton resident Marianne Howatson to organize the event.

Health Care Reform - The Baltimore Sun

In 1993, Hillary Clinton, then the first lady, led an effort to reform the America's health care system that failed, in part because the public was excluded from secret planning sessions. Now, former Sen. Tom Daschle, who is shaping health policy proposals for President-elect Barack Obama, is hoping to do better. He is urging Americans to join in house parties this month to help develop ideas for new national policies to reduce health costs, boost the quality of care and get everyone coverage.

NYTimes: When a dozen consumers gathered over the weekend to discuss health care at the behest of President-elect Barack Obama, they quickly agreed on one point: they despise health insurance companies.

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NEWS

Obama Transition Team Hopes To Complete Stimulus Bill Draft By Dec. 25; Democrats Say Health Care Funding Could Account For One-Fifth Of Package – Medical News Today

The transition team for President-elect Barack Obama seeks to complete a two-year economic stimulus "blueprint" by Dec. 25 to allow Democratic congressional staff members to draft legislation by the new year, the New York Times reports (Calmes, New York Times, 12/19).

Mass.health plan has national appeal – Boston Globe

Lisa Wangsness, December 19, 2008 WASHINGTON - Key players in the debate over how to provide healthcare coverage for the nation's 47 million uninsured say they view Massachusetts' landmark 2006 law as an important model for what Washington could do and how to get it done.

Advocates Weigh In on FDA Leader – Wall Street Journal

Health groups, some backed by the drug industry, have joined the heated lobbying battle in Washington over the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, sending a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Tom Daschle urging him to pick a person familiar with the industry.

Budget Office Sees Hurdles in Financing Health Plans - NYTimes

The Congressional Budget Office said Thursday that many of the health care proposals championed by President-elect Barack Obama and other Democrats would carry a high price tag and would generate only modest savings.

Matthew Herper On Health Care - Forbes

Drug companies, health insurers and hospitals have all been talking about changing the way they do business. Now they actually have to or else.

Rebecca Ruiz On Health Care - Forbes

There's a large corner of Capitol Hill that's obsessed with pushing health care reform through Congress in 2009.

How Healthcare Fares During A Recession - NPR

It's hard enough being a doctor, let alone running your own practice. As patients face ever tightening budgets, some people skip important screenings and tests over insurance worries.

ABC News’ Teddy Davis Reports: Advocates of a government alternative to private health insurance fired the first shot of the new battle to reform the nation’s health-care system on Wednesday.

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