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Today’s Opinions And Editorials
Kaiser Health News presents a selection of Monday’s opinions and editorials from around the country.
Commissions To Examine Paring Costs From Medicaid, Medicare
Medicaid payments are coming under review by a new commission, while a second group may look at overall spending under Medicaid and other programs.
State News: New York Governor Wants Regulation On Rx Gifts To Doctors And Other State News
The Associated Press/CNBC reports that New York Gov. David Paterson is “proposing new, tougher prohibitions on pharmaceutical companies, restricting them from dispensing gifts and misleading production information to doctors while promoting the use of specific drugs.”
Researching Treatments Shows Paths To Health Savings
An orthopedic surgeon in Sacramento became suspicious of a new therapy that helps tendons heal by injecting platelet-rich plasma into joints.
Doctors React To Recent Health Overhaul Developments
Some doctors are already living in a post-health-reform world because of their own initiatives, including efforts to control costs and improve the quality of care.
UnitedHealthcare And NY Hospitals Face Off Over Curbing Health Costs
“A front in the national health care battle has opened in New York City, where a major hospital chain and one of the nation’s largest insurance companies are locked in a struggle over control of treatment and costs that could have broad ramifications for millions of people with private health insurance,” The New York Times reports.
Lawmakers Sound Off On Health Bill: Pascrell, McCain, Durbin, Hatch And Murphy
Some of the key Congressional lawmakers sound off on the state of health care legislation.
State Of The Union Address: Obama To Squeeze In Health Reform Around Jobs, Economy Issues
The prime time speech will come at a politically critical time for President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats.
Regrouping Democrats Consider Next Steps On Health Overhaul
Democrats are trying to regain health reform momentum during the week of the president’s State of the Union address.
Veterans With PTSD Could Receive More Benefits
Military agrees to expedite study of whether thousands of veterans were improperly denied benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Florida, California, Kansas Eyeing Cuts in Medicaid Funding
States continue to struggle with Medicaid and other budget issues.
White House Mulling Limits On Scope Of Proposed Health Reforms
The White House expressed its hope Sunday that several key provisions of the comprehensive health overhaul
Insurance Companies Increased Lobbying By 24 Percent In 2009
Individual companies and the trade association spent millions more for lobbying efforts last year.
Doctors Delay Talking About End-Of-Life Care
A study published this month finds doctors delay talking about end-of-life care until patients until treatments have been exhausted. That can keep patients from making informed decisions about their care.
Doctors Accepting Medicare Patients Decline In Rural Arizona
The number of doctors accepting Medicare patients declines in rural Arizona while Mississippi looks to Iran for low-cost, rural health solutions.
First Edition: January 25, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including early reports on how President Obama might address health issues in his upcoming State of the Union address.
GOP Lawmakers Cheer Anti-Abortion Activists’ Role In Derailing Health Bill
News outlets report on abortion opponents’ role in derailing a health care overhaul.
Democrats Float Ideas On Future Of Health Reform
News outlets are reporting that Democrats are spending the weekend mulling what to do about health care legislation.
Updated: Poll Finds Health Care Was Most Important Issue For Mass. Voters
Post-election survey found voters were dissatisfied with the direction of the country.
Obama: Not Going To Walk Away From Health Reform
Senate Democrats, meanwhile, are in the midst of a reform “re-evaluation.”
