Bredesen outlines health insurance plans
Nashville Business Journal - Gov. Phil Bredesen’s plan to team with businesses to offer health care coverage to the uninsured is projected to cover 100,000 people and cost $67 million in its third year. The plan, CoverTN, was scheduled for unveiling Monday night. It would

City approves Jasper Street TIF district, more property annexed
Paris Beacon-News - Paris has a new TIF (Tax Increment Finance District), and considerable more acreage, following action Thursday afternoon at a special meeting of the Paris City Council. The new Jasper Street (TIF) Redevelopment Project Area was unanimously approved

Tennessee Governor Proposes Insurance Plan To Cover Up To 185,000
Medical News Today - Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) on Monday announced a multifaceted health insurance plan called Cover Tennessee that could provide coverage to as many as 185,000 residents over the next three years at an estimated cost of $190 million, the

Construction Unions Want Hospitals to Take Lead on Health Insurance
NHPR - Bright and early in the morning, about a dozen men line a busy entrance to Concord Hospital. They unfurl a large banner that reads Shame on Concord Hospital and hand flyers to curious drivers who pull over. These union workers are upset that the

The day in Tallahassee, Friday, March 31, 2006
WINK TV - Legislation that would put additional limits on local government spending and taxing powers received approval Friday from the House Finance & Tax Committee. The panel voted 6-2 to introduce a proposed state constitutional amendment that would let the

Landon: Don’t Seek Restoration
Westport Now - Westport Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon is recommending the Board of Education not seek restoration of the $1 million cut from its proposed 2006-07 budget, according to a memo released today. The board will discuss Landon s recommendation

Thursday, March 30, 2006
Statesman Journal - See this editorial at Statesman Journal.com for links to Web sites about Medicare, Social Security and the National Council on the Aging. MEDICARE: (800) 633-4227. EXTRA HELP FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE: A Web site of the National Council on the Aging

Employers can end drug coverage
Bergen Record - Q. My wife and I have drug coverage through my former employer. With the start of the Medicare drug benefit, can my former employer eliminate drug coverage for us? Are there any federal laws preventing this from happening? Today, about one in three

Community Calendar
Sentinel & Enterprise - St. Leo School PTO annual pancake breakfast : 8 to 11 a.m., in the school’s auditorium, 120 Main St. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, Irish Soda bread, pastries, juice and coffee will be served. The Irish American Step Dancers will perform

Read what bloggers are saying about this Newsweek article
MSNBC - Our March 20 cover story on Richard Jadick, the doctor who saved the lives of 30 U.S. soldiers in one battle, along with the interviews of some of those who are recovering, elicited many heartfelt letters. The parent of a soldier said, “My son joined

Medicare Change Puts Better Eyesight in Focus
WBAY Green Bay - A change in Medicare coverage now means seniors can improve their vision. Joe Stodola, 75, of Green Bay, say thanks to his new multi-focal lens implants, his vision is nearly perfect up-close and far away. “You’re prayerful, really, because it’s a

House budgeters drop Bush’s Medicare cuts
Beaufort Gazette - WASHINGTON (AP) - Bowing to election-year realities, a key House panel Wednesday dropped President Bush’s proposed cuts to hospitals and other Medicare providers but preserved his plan to trim spending by most Cabinet agencies. The $2.8 trillion plan

Report Cites Health Plan Errors And Denials As Top Consumer Complaints
All American Patriots - New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer today released a report outlining the top consumer complaints concerning health care in New York State. The single most frequently reported complaint involved errors by health plans in processing or paying

Enrollment in New Prescription Program up 13 percent in Alabama
WSFA - BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — More than 302,000 Alabamians with Medicare have signed up for some form of the new prescription drug benefit. According to government figures, that’s a 13 percent increase in the last month. The enrollments include more than 137

Bus will help Wichitans find prescription help
Wichita Eagle - The Help Is Here Express, a bus sponsored by the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, will be in Wichita on Wednesday. It will be in the northwest corner of the parking lot of the Chang Family Medicine and Specialty Clinics, at 707 N. Emporia

In 2003, Approximately 159 Million Nonelderly U.S. Residents Received
Genetic Engineering News - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c32099) has announced the addition of Employers Role in the U.S. Health Care System: Part 1-The Nonelderly Population to their offering. U.S. employers have many incentives to ensure

Congress Hears Complaints About Medicare Drug Program
ABC News - Feb. 8, 2006 The troubled Medicare prescription drug benefit has been law for almost three years and in effect for a little more than a month, and already two congressional oversight committees have had hearings to vent their constituents

Web Links from CBS 46 News
CBS 46 - Occasionally, we mention web sites for products, services or information during our news programs. Many of those links are listed here for your convenience. 3/21/06 - CBS 46 News at 11pm: It’s the biggest school re-districting project in Cobb County

Medicare Q&A Column Addresses Whether Employers Can Eliminate Drug
Medical News Today - Kaiser Medicare Q&A Column , Kaiser Family Foundation / Knight Ridder Tribune News : This week’s column, prepared by the Kaiser Family Foundation and distributed by Knight Ridder Tribune , answers a question about whether employers who provide

Too Much Spent On Enrollment In Medicare Private Drug Plans For Too
Medical News Today - Below is a comment from Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, regarding the new enrollment figures from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 16 million Americans with Medicare still have no drug coverage — if the

Bus will help Wichitans find prescription help
Wichita Eagle - The Help Is Here Express, a bus sponsored by the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, will be in Wichita on Wednesday. It will be in the northwest corner of the parking lot of the Chang Family Medicine and Specialty Clinics, at 707 N. Emporia

More Than 27 Million People Now in Medicare Drug Plan
HealthScout - More than 27 million Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in the new prescription drug plan, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said. Beneficiaries are signing up at the rate of 380,000 per week and more than 1.9 million signed up

Employers can end drug coverage
North Jersey Herald & News - Q. My wife and I have drug coverage through my former employer. With the start of the Medicare drug benefit, can my former employer eliminate drug coverage for us? Are there any federal laws preventing this from happening? Today, about one in three

Retiree drug coverage optional for employer
Lexington Herald-Leader - Question: My wife and I have drug coverage through my former employer. With the start of the Medicare drug benefit, can my former employer eliminate drug coverage for us? Are there federal laws preventing this from happening? — Tom Answer: Today

Medicare’s neediest get a little break
Philadelphia Inquirer - More than 100,000 of Pennsylvania’s poorest and sickest residents, whose insurance was changed by the massive new Medicare drug plan, can continue to see their chosen doctors for three more months under a tentative agreement confirmed yesterday

Medicare, Part 2: Does drug program gamble with health?
Athens Daily Review - When members of Congress passed the Medicare prescription drug program, it s unlikely they had gambling on their minds. Yet, as far as some nursing home professionals see it, the program could be gambling with people s health. Under Medicare Part

Aging Agency Prepares for Older American Act Reauthorization
Senior Journal - Proposing technical changes and new ‘Choices for Independence’ March 19, 2006 Representatives from the Administration on Aging will be meeting today at the 2006 Joint Conference of the National Council on Aging and the American Society of Aging

Miss. receiving $520M to cover Medicaid, other health costs
Biloxi Sun Herald - JACKSON, Miss. - Mississippi is receiving $520 million in federal money to cover expenses for Medicaid and other health care programs after Hurricane Katrina, U.S. Sen. Trent Lott said Friday. The federal program for states battered by last year’s

Utah Health Care in Crisis Coming up short
Deseret News - When his wife developed what appeared to be arthritis, with pain so severe she could barely move, longtime Arthritis Foundation volunteer Gene Overfelt found he couldn’t get her in to see a specialist for more than two months. Using his connections

Who Is Killing New Orleans?
Nation - Afew blocks from the badly flooded and still-closed campus of Dillard University, a wind-bent street sign announces the intersection of Humanity and New Orleans. In the nighttime distance, the downtown skyscrapers on Poydras and Canal Streets are

Forum probes fix for school funding
Canton Repository - NORTH CANTON - Messy. Unsustainable. Moving target. Those are just some of the words local educators and politicians used to describe the state s school-funding system Monday night. More than 100 area residents gathered at Walsh University for the

The passing of the scope: McCormack retires after 36 years in optometric career 
Benton Courier - Mar 27 6:25 AM
Dr. Dean McCormack has a new title: retiree. After more than 36 years in the practice of optometry, McCormack retired Dec. 31. Noting that when his father, a United Methodist minister, died, he received a note saying that John McCormack had gone to where he worked all his life to get - heaven.Save to My Web

Medical Expert Exposes The Real Reason Millions Of Americans Rely On Daily Prescription Medication 
[Press Release] PR Web - Mar 23 12:19 AM
Millions of people on prescription medication may have fallen victim to the conventional beliefs of healthcare. Now, in her latest book, Dr. Mary Zesiewicz reveals why a more collaborative model of healthcare may be the only way to improve your quality of life. [PRWEB Mar 23, 2006] Trackback URI: http://www.prweb.com/zingpr.php/U3VtbS1Db3VwLUluc2UtVGhpci1IYWxmLVplcm8=Save to My Web

Waiting for sirens is waiting too late 
Daily Telegram - Mar 26 10:08 AM
On the first day I visited Adrian, I saw a bit of the damage spring winds can inflict.Save to My Web

(AFX UK Focus) 2006-03-27 15:35 GMT: Highlights of rising and falling U.S. stocks - UPDATE 1 
Interactive Investor - Mar 27 6:55 AM
Abbott Labs was upgraded at Prudential Equity Group to neutral from underweight. Alcan was upgraded at Citigroup to buy from hold.Save to My Web

Critics say Medicare plan costly, wasteful 
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Mar 25 4:18 AM
WASHINGTON–A political group said this week that the new Medicare prescription drug program will cost Alaskans $1 billion more than necessary during the next 10 years because the program doesn’t let the government negotiate cheaper drug prices.Save to My Web

Indictments 
Bowling Green Daily News - Mar 27 9:04 AM
Tracie Lynn Gammon, 23, 355 Coleman Lane, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, second-degree persistent felony offender, $10,000 cash bond.Save to My Web

Wis. Bill Requires Insurers to Cover Cancer Clinical Trials 
Insurance Journal - Mar 26 10:14 PM
Doyle signs bill requiring insurance coverage of clinical trials Received by Newsfinder from AP Mar 24, 2006 16:56 Eastern Time ——————————————————————Save to My Web

Give drug plan flexibility
Nashville Tennessean - Policy-makers in Washington may finally be getting the message from seniors about what needs to be done with the new Medicare drug plan. The Senate demonstrated as much last week when it voted to authorize the government to extend the sign-up period

Assistance with Medicare drug plans is s
News-Review - Two months have gone by since the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage Program went into effect and seniors still have plenty of questions. Government and health officials are being bombarded with phone calls and office visits. Seniors who’ve

Farmers Invited to Medicare Prescription Drug Meeting
Wisconsin Ag Connection - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is bringing education and information regarding Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans to Marshfield. CMS representatives will present information regarding the new prescription drug benefit during a

Feds Say 1.9M More Sign for Drug Benefit
First Coast News - WASHINGTON (AP) — About 1.9 million elderly and disabled people signed up for the new Medicare drug benefit over the past month, meaning 7.2 million have taken steps to enroll since the program began Jan. 1. The number should keep rising, the

Seniors struggle to get drug plans to pay
Belleville News-Democrat - WASHINGTON - Some patients and doctors are facing a new problem with the fledgling Medicare prescription drug benefit: Medications they once received without question from other plans are being denied by the private insurers running the Medicare plan

Laura Seitz, Deseret Morning News
Deseret News - America’s “obesity epidemic” is more a case of moral panic than actual crisis, according to Paul J. Campos the result of an arbitrary dividing line that doesn’t categorize people by what’s healthy for them but rather relies on formula. Gov. Jon

A lightning rod for ‘revolving doors’
MSNBC - If there is a lightning rod for critics of the revolving door between Congress and the private sector, it is Billy Tauzin, who served in the House of Representatives for a dozen terms as a Republican from Louisiana. As chairman of the House Committee

Medicare officials tout drug plan growth
Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly 2 million more people have signed up for Medicare prescription drug benefits, U.S. officials said on Thursday as they worked to enroll more elderly and disabled Americans before an upcoming deadline. About 7.2 million

Respond to this story
Leader-Herald - Imagine thousands of people in the United States getting sick from a deadly strain of bird flu. How would local people react? What would they do? People have differing opinions about a bird flu crisis which government officials said could come to the

Sheriff seeks funding to staff new jail
Pueblo Chieftain - As construction of the new dorm-style county jail annex nears completion, Sheriff Dan Corsentino visited Pueblo County commissioners on Thursday with a funding request for four more deputies to staff the building. In all, the new dorm will require 34

WBBM At Issue
WBBM - State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka discusses her Republican campaign for Governor. Topics include the negative tone of the campaign against her, the need for a “reality check” for Governor Blagojevich’s budget, and a proposed assault weapons ban

Moving UK ahead toward Top 20
Louisville Courier-Journal - When the University of Kentucky unveiled its Top 20 Business Plan in December, we knew we were charting an ambitious and challenging course for the future of this institution and for the state we serve. And we knew we needed to create a sense of

Jefferson school budget set for vote
Morris County Daily Record - JEFFERSON — A few school workers would be cut, but several teachers would be added if residents approve the proposed $46.2 million school budget that will go before voters on April 18. School business administrator Dora Mylchreest said the new

A matter of basic priorities
Bismarck Tribune - This letter is written to clarify some questions regarding the early retirement requests in the Mandan School District. Although the Mandan School Board did deny early retirement benefits to 19 employees, this denial did not mean that the

Illinois health care plan for kids is ‘long overdue’
Evansville Courier-Press - In July, Illinois will become the first state in the nation to offer health insurance to every child within its borders. For years, states have been trying to get more children covered by expanding Medicaid, under different program names, to poor

Achievements 
River Valley Business Report - Mar 25 9:27 PM
Deborah A. Lee, a sales and service agent with the AAA Travel & Insurance branch office in Onalaska, Wis., has completed a five-day Center of Excellence Sales Training program, an instructor-led, performance-based training course offered by the Auto Club Group.Save to My Web

BSD Medical Applies for FDA Approval of the BSD-2000 Cancer Treatment System 
RedNova - Mar 24 8:14 AM
BSD Medical Corp. (AMEX: BSM) today announced that the company has sent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a PreMarket Approval Application (PMAA) for the company’s BSD-2000 cancer treatment system.Save to My Web

Study touts longtime low cholesterol 
Pioneer Press - Mar 26 1:30 AM
DALLAS A lifetime of low cholesterol levels is good insurance against heart disease, a new study from Dallas researchers and their colleagues suggests. The study based on people whose genetic makeup gave them naturally low levels of the “bad” blood cholesterol LDL since childhood should encourage people to monitor their cholesterol levels early in life, scientists say.Save to My Web

Governor, Topinka spar over All Kids health plan 
Belleville News-Democrat - Mar 25 1:30 AM
Gov. Rod Blagojevich took time while promoting his All Kids health insurance program Friday, to respond to challenger Judy Baar Topinka’s skepticism over his ability to fund the program.Save to My Web

Savvier Health and PatientSchool.net Launch Landmark Health Empowerment Study and Offer Companies Free Employee Health  
[Press Release] PR Web - Mar 26 12:16 AM
Savvier Health and Patient School are partnering to launch a landmark health empowerment study to evaluate the impact of easy-to-understand training on medical outcomes and health care expenditures. [PRWEB Mar 26, 2006]Save to My Web

‘No warning’ of health insurance gap 
The Daily Telegraph - Mar 22 12:43 AM
ALMOST half of private health insurance clients required to pay a gap fee for medical services are not warned in advance, an ombudsman has found.Save to My Web

Seniors line up for advice
Centre Daily Times, PA - Mar 21, 2006… twice as much. Sampson predicts that interest in prescription drug coverage will grow as the signup deadline approaches. “We could …
Source: www.centredaily.com

Humana targets Topeka
Topeka Capital Journal (subscription), KS - Mar 22, 2006For now, Wal-Mart shoppers picking up laundry detergent and patio furniture can add prescription drug coverage to their shopping lists. …
Source: cjonline.com

Half of Medicare patients still without drug coverage
IdahoStatesman.com, ID - Feb 25, 2006… More than half of all Medicare beneficiaries in Idaho still don’t have prescription drug coverage, and the deadline to enroll in a Medicare plan without a …
Source: www.idahostatesman.com

Victory in the Medicare Drug War
In These Times, IL - Mar 21, 2006… This would be comparable to the drug coverage that most people have through private insurers, with beneficiaries required to make modest co-payments depending …
Source: www.inthesetimes.com

White House Briefing, March 14
Washington File, DC - Mar 14, 2006… 40-year history. The new drug coverage is working now for millions of people of seniors and people with a disability. More than …
Source: usinfo.state.gov

Only Fraction Sign Up for Senior Drug Coverage
International News Service, Australia - Feb 23, 2006By Ceci Connolly. A $400 million campaign by the Bush administration to enroll low- income seniors in prescription drug plans that …
Source: feed.insnews.org

Group Reappears With New Target for Liberal Attack
Town Hall, DC - Mar 14, 2006… in 2005 after opposing Social Security reforms has resurfaced with a new name and a new target: the Bush administration’s Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage. …
Source: www.townhall.com

Inhalers seized; politics blamed
The Grand Rapids Press, MI - Mar 23, 2006… Rich Graham is a self-employed food broker, he pays $500 every two months for a basic health insurance policy that does not include prescription drug coverage. …
Source: www.mlive.com

Report: Health Insurance Companies to Use IT to Influence Doctors, Patients 
eWeek - Mar 21 7:52 PM
Increasingly, health plans will use the Internet to reach out to patients directly with tips for staying healthy and keeping costs down, a report shows.Save to My Web

Health care costs raising stakes Sikorsky strike part of trend in pay disputes 
Republican American - 1 hour, 1 minute ago
Rising health care costs will only cause more tension at the bargaining table between employers and employees, say analysts who are following developments — or lack thereof — in the five-week-old strike at Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. over worker’s share in health care premiums.Save to My Web

Doctors, insurers at odds over health care contracts 
Rocky Mountain News - Mar 23 12:12 AM
Doctors told a Senate committee Wednesday that insurance companies are forcing them to accept contracts that dictate the care they can provide their patients.Save to My Web

Healthaxis Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2005 Financial Results 
[Press Release] Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance - Mar 23 2:39 PM
IRVING, Texas—-March 23, 2006–Healthaxis Inc. , an innovative provider of technology-enhanced, integrated business process solutions and services, including claims and benefit administration applications, web-enabled software solutions and outsourced claims related services for health benefit administrators and health insurance claims processors, reported financial results today for the three Save to My Web

Columnist Kinsley Suggests Incremental Health Reforms, Rather Than Single Payer System 
Medical News Today - Mar 21 2:04 PM
“Let’s try some more modest reforms before plunging into [a] single-payer” health insurance system, columnist Michael Kinsley writes in a Washington Post opinion piece in response to an article by Paul Krugman and Robin Wells in the New York Review of Books. He adds that “society cannot give the average citizen better health care than the average citizen would choose to buy on his or her own… Save to My Web

Vote near for health care reform bill 
Sentinel & Enterprise - Mar 21 8:03 AM
BOSTON — Democratic leaders in the Legislature this week are putting the finishing touches on a plan that would impose an annual assessment on businesses that don’t offer health insurance benefits, while also mandating that individuals obtain coverage for themselves.Save to My Web

Increases in local companies’ health premiums slower 
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Mar 22 9:34 PM
For the first time in five years, companies renewing their health insurance are seeing percentage increases that measure in single rather than double digits, according to a new survey of area firms.Save to My Web

Lacking health insurance? You should and can still see a dentist 
CentralOhio.com - Mar 23 10:26 AM
MARION - Christopher Abbott had a good job. He had insurance. He struggled at times, but always managed to make ends meet. When a heart condition left him unable to work, however, he lost his job and along with it, his insurance.Save to My Web

Halifax Medical Center proposes 10-year master facility plan, redesign 
Orlando Business Journal - Mar 23 6:29 AM
Halifax Community Health System plans to launch a 10-year, $200 million master facility plan and redesign of Halifax Medical Center’s main Daytona Beach campus that will bring it to 1.5 million square feet.Save to My Web

Schools go on the offensive against bird flu 
Louisville Courier-Journal - Mar 23 2:49 AM
Local schools are preparing for the possibility of a bird flu outbreak — planning that federal and state health officials are encouraging. That includes making plans for how to continue educating students if school buildings have to be closed, and providing food to children who rely on free meals.Save to My Web

Report: Health Insurance Companies to Use IT to Influence Doctors, Patients 
eWeek - Mar 21 7:52 PM
Increasingly, health plans will use the Internet to reach out to patients directly with tips for staying healthy and keeping costs down, a report shows.Save to My Web

Gentiva(R) Health Services to Celebrate Healthfield Acquisition and New Visual Identity at March 27 NASDAQ Market Open 
[Press Release] PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance - 6 minutes ago
Gentiva Health Services, Inc. , the nation’s largest provider of comprehensive home health services, will celebrate its recent acquisition of The Healthfield Group, Inc. and the official launch of its new visual identity on Monday, March 27, when Chairman and CEO Ron Malone presides over the NASDAQ Opening Bell at 9:30 a.m.Save to My Web

NAO report to critise NHS plans 
ZDNet UK via Yahoo! UK & Ireland News - Mar 23 4:24 AM
A leaked copy of a report on the NHS IT upgrade plans from the Government watchdog reveals concerns that the national programme will not meet its goalsSave to My Web

Wall Street lays plans in case bird flu strikes 
MENAFN - Mar 23 7:30 AM
Wall Street lays plans in case bird flu strikesSave to My Web

Health Business 
UPI - Mar 22 2:13 PM
WASHINGTON, March 22 (UPI) — Medicare will automatically enroll 1.2 million more seniors in Part D drug plans April 30 if they don’t choose a plan themselves.Save to My Web

Hospital offering a time guarantee 
Richmond Times-Dispatch - Mar 22 9:53 AM
St. Francis Medical Center is promising patients in its emergency department that they won’t have to wait more than 30 minutes to be seen. If they have to wait longer, they get an apology and a couple of movie tickets.Save to My Web

Sturges: Diplomas don’t equal dollar signs 
State Press - Mar 20 11:51 PM
A college education isn’t cheap. Neither is a house, a car, medical insurance, or any other life expense. Maybe I’m being naive, but I would like to think a college degree would help pay for all of them…someday.Save to My Web

Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights Developments Related To Medical Malpractice In Three States 
Medical News Today - Mar 21 8:05 AM
The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report features recent developments related to medicalmalpractice in three states. Summaries appear below.Illinois: The Illinois Division of Insurance on Tuesday ordered ISMIE Mutual Insurance, which controls more than 60% of the state’s market for medical malpractice insurance, to cut its premiums by 3… click link for more info.Save to My Web

Former Canadian soccer international sues to speed up insurance claim 
Canadian Press via Yahoo! News - Mar 22 11:37 AM
TORONTO (CP) - Tired of waiting for insurance companies to sort out his injury claim, former Canadian soccer international Jason Bent has gone to court to accelerate the process.Save to My Web

Family of college student with cancer gets health insurance with the state 
The Barre Montpelier Times Argus - Mar 20 5:05 AM
MONTPELIER — The Douglas administration and the Vermont State Employees Association signed an agreement Friday that will mean a 20-year-old college student suffering from cancer can stay on her parents’ health insurance. … - By Susan Smallheer Rutland HeraldSave to My Web

Why students need health insurance 
The Daily Utah Chronicle - Mar 20 10:58 PM
Editor: I am writing in response to Karen Shaw’s question: “Why is it important to the U whether or not the students attending this school have health insurance?” (”Give us answers on health insurance,” March 10). I would restate the question as: “Why shouldn’t U students be required to carry health insurance?” Most medical problems can be treated better early in the process rather than later.Save to My Web

Our View Exposing the fraud of world-class health care 
Mankato Free Press - Mar 21 9:30 PM
Those in the medical, insurance and drug industries defend the bloated American health care system by repeating the mantra, But we have the best health care in the world.Save to My Web

Pharmacists frustrated by Medicare drug plan
Standard Speaker, PA - Mar 18, 2006… Medicare Part D means more time for pharmacy personnel at … Karen Ignagni, president of America s Health Insurance Plan, a trade association, said insurers …
Source: www.standardspeaker.com

Commission approves drug discount card -
Maryville Daily Times, TN - Mar 19, 2006… have the card because I can check the price with the insurance card, compare … built for Blount County, www.blountrxcard.com, will include a pharmacy locator and …
Source: www.thedailytimes.com

Aetna and Columbia Announce Results from Study Showing …
Genetic Engineering News, NY - Mar 20, 2006… Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral …
Source: www.genengnews.com

Duane Reade Holdings, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year …
PR Newswire (press release), NY - 23 hours ago… and legal costs in support of the World Trade Center insurance claim have … generate a minimum of $25 million of combined front-end and pharmacy working capital …
Source: www.prnewswire.com

Protesters rally in Ithaca, Canandaigua to decry Medicare Part D …
Ithaca Journal, NY - Mar 15, 2006… could run the country’s health insurance program better than the insurance companies … that the plans they signed up for were being rejected during pharmacy visits …
Source: www.theithacajournal.com

GHX Acquires Assets of Ideal Systems
B-EYE-Network, CO - 17 hours ago… of rebates to health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and pharmacy benefit managers … PBM customers include insurance companies, pharmacies, hospitals, HMOs and …
Source: www.b-eye-network.com

Demand high for generic drugs
Jakarta Post, Indonesia - Mar 19, 2006… A previously proposed health insurance scheme is also expected to boost demand for generic drugs. … “In general, the pharmacy industry has a very high potential …
Source: www.thejakartapost.com

Pharmacy middlemen go under microscope
NorthJersey.com, NJ - Mar 12, 2006For years, pharmacy benefits managers — the companies that serve as middlemen between health insurance plans and the drug makers — were seen as playing a …
Source: www.bergen.com

Benefit to help school clinics
Danbury News Times, CT - Mar 18, 2006… “I write a prescription for those who have health insurance and those I know … We’re not looking for a complete pharmacy, but to have some options,” she said. …
Source: news.newstimeslive.com

Rx for a headache
The Robesonian, NC - Mar 13, 2006… Clinic, said spent an hour on the phone on hold while trying to talk with a insurance company about … I would advise people against going to pharmacy as their …
Source: www.robesonian.com

Coming to a Retailer Near You: Health Clinics
Forbes - Mar 18, 2006… trend — led by conglomerates such as Wal-Mart and Target; national pharmacy chains like … $25 to $60 up-front fee (only some clinics take insurance) to address …
Source: www.forbes.com

Senate backs in-state tuition status for illegal immigrants
Mohave Valley News, NV - Mar 15, 2006… to ensure that the public can take a prescription to a second pharmacy if the … Linda Gray of Glendale to allow automobile insurance companies to charge a triple …
Source: www.mohavedailynews.com

Protesters rally in Ithaca, Canandaigua to decry Medicare Part D …
Ithaca Journal, NY - Mar 15, 2006… could run the country’s health insurance program better than the insurance companies … that the plans they signed up for were being rejected during pharmacy visits …
Source: www.theithacajournal.com

Case of two wives killed years apart goes to jury
San Diego Union Tribune, United States - Mar 16, 2006… the night and asked him to go to an El Cajon all-night pharmacy to get … that William New was the beneficiary of more than $800,000 in life insurance on Phyllis …
Source: www.signonsandiego.com

NECAC to host programs on Medicare changes
Hannibal Courier Post, MO - Mar 17, 2006The not-for-profit North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC) is sponsoring two free programs about the sweeping changes taking place in Medicare. …
Source: www.hannibal.net

That terrible Medicare hurricane
Village News Network, CA - Mar 17, 2006For the past several weeks a steady stream of negative stories about the new Medicare drug benefit has been blowing through the media. …
Source: www.thevillagenews.com

Doctors May See Fewer Medicare Patients if Reimbursement Cut
HealthCentral.com - Mar 17, 2006A proposed US government cut to doctors’ Medicare reimbursement rates may mean that some doctors will stop accepting new Medicare patients or see fewer of them …
Source: www.healthcentral.com

Panel members discuss Medicare
Kansas State Collegian, KS - Mar 15, 2006The failure of medications such as Librium and Xanax to be covered under the new Medicare plan was one of several concerns raised by senior citizens at a town …
Source: kstatecollegian.com

Democrats Take Aim for Mid-Term Gains, Complicated Medicare Plan …
Falls Church News Press, VA - Mar 15, 2006President Bush is making a big push this week to win popular support for this new prescription drugs Medicare Part D benefit, but the issue is going to be on …
Source: www.fcnp.com

New Medicare Drug Plan Vexes Pharmacists
Ely Times,  USA - Mar 16, 2006… It took about two months under the new Medicare drug benefit to drain it. Song s experience is not unique. Small, independent …
Source: www.localnewsleader.com

Health centers expand in Vermont
Barre Montpelier Times Argus, VT - 6 hours ago… That designation by the federal Bureau of Primary Health Care earns the group of health centers an annual grant of $643,500 and increased Medicare and Medicaid …
Source: www.timesargus.com

HOW TEXANS VOTED
Houston Chronicle, United States - 11 hours ago… President Bush has asked Congress to impose $65 billion in curbs over five years in programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, but the underlying measure (S Con …
Source: www.chron.com

Group Reappears With New Target for Liberal Attack
CNS News - (CNSNews.com) - A liberal group that disappeared in 2005 after opposing Social Security reforms has resurfaced with a new name and a new target: the Bush administration’s Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage. Americans United, formerly known as

More Studies Find More Savings if Seniors Use Generic Drugs
Senior Journal - Consumer Reports and Medicare highlight potential savings in drug program March 3, 2006 Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs yesterday issued a new report on the significant savings available to senior citizens in the Medicare prescription drug

Medicare drug plan session is Tuesday
Victoria Advocate - Senior citizens can attend an information session on the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan on Tuesday morning at the Victoria branch of IBC Bank. IBC Insurance Agency and Humana have partnered to host a series of free Part D educational classes

Medicare Part D creates problems for drug giveaway programs
Managed Healthcare Executive - WASHINGTON, D.C. Some pharmaceutical companies are dropping Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) for seniors who enroll in the Medicare drug benefit program. They fear they’ll be hit with fraud charges by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) at

Lawmaker Asks Members for ‘Will to Act’
WTRF - In a last-ditch effort to convince legislators to take a harder look at the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office, Delegate Bob Ashley, R-Roane, addressed the House of Delegates March 7. Ashley spoke about the AG’s practice of hiring contingency

Cases: Midnight Conversations With a Two-Headed Mind
New York Times - He was studying psychology in college when he had his first break. He is familiar with all the symptoms of major mental illness , but fails to recognize any in himself. ” Freud wrote that hallucinations are an indication of loneliness,” he says on my

Beware of prescription drug scam
Delta County Independent - A Paonia resident contacted the Delta County Independent about a prescription drug scam. The resident received a phone call from a woman saying she represented AARP insurance. She made an appointment to meet the resident in her home. When the alleged

In Session: Article reminds us how to communicate with doctors
Chico Enterprise-Record - Every once in a while an article of some value shows up in a publication where it is least expected. When this happens, the useful information is worthy of sharing. The U.S. Deartment of Health and Human Services has issued a piece on Doctor’s Office

Does retraining work?
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - “The federal government has proven to be inept in that area,” said David Muhlhausen, a senior policy analyst for The Heritage Foundation of Washington, D.C. “They largely have been a complete failure in raising the wages of these people. Essentially

Spring Cleaning Your Health Plan
Lake Sun Leader - New readers of the Lake Sun online must create a member ID and register to gain full access. The Lake Sun will NOT disclose or sell registrants’ private information to any third party. Failure to provide complete and accurate information will result

Alterman: Why Does Sandra Day O Connor Hate America?
MSNBC - This seems important. Sandra Day O Connor, a conservative Republican ex-Supreme Court Justice spoke at Georgetown last week. The only reporter present was NPR s Nina Totenberg. Nobody else covered the speech, but here s what she said

Business Forum: HSAs — employers must do a selling job
Minneapolis Star Tribune - Employers who wonder why health savings accounts (HSAs) aren’t selling like hotcakes should take a good look in the mirror. Given a choice, would they personally want to exchange a $15 co-pay for a $1,500 deductible? The honest answer is “no” because

Politicians Run Out Disparate Health Plans for States
Journal Times - WASHINGTON — When Republican Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida talks about healthcare, he stresses his plan to empower low-income families with choices while cutting costs for government and spurring efficiency in the medical system. When Democratic

Uncertain Cure: Early Reaction to Health Savings Accounts Is Two
Washington Post - Two years after they became legal, President Bush has begun to champion health savings accounts as a salve for the nation’s ailing health care system, proposing $156 billion in tax breaks to encourage Americans to buy an unorthodox kind of insurance

Bush won’t extend drug plan sign-up
Baltimore Sun - SILVER SPRING // President Bush, working yesterday to allay public anxiety about the new Medicare drug benefit, ruled out extending the May 15 deadline for seniors to sign up and said “now is the time” to enroll. Bush acknowledged the confusion sown

Help out there for Medicare users
Bloomington Pantagraph,  USA - Mar 13, 2006… agency helping Medicare beneficiaries navigate through the new prescription drug plans … PATH, the area agency on aging, the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP …
Source: www.pantagraph.com

In Stormy Political Climate, Frist Shifts Focus to Healthcare
Los Angeles Times, CA - Mar 11, 2006… to provide private insurance companies a larger role in Medicare until they prove they can smooth out their administration of the new prescription drug benefit …
Source: www.latimes.com

Chrysler Group To Announce Reduction in Health Benefits for …
Kaiser network.org, DC - 1 hour ago… said that the proposal would include a reduction in prescription drug coverage. … will begin to charge employees an additional fee for health insurance for their …
Source: www.kaisernetwork.org

(PRN) American CareSource Holdings Expands Management Team With …
Houston Chronicle, United States - 7 minutes ago… another leading prescription benefit management company where he was regionally … management and sales management roles with leading insurance companies serving …
Source: www.chron.com

Voters Say Bush Can’t Improve Healthcare, Independents Turn to Sen …
SeniorJournal.com, TX - 23 hours agoMarch 14, 2006 The Medicare, Medicaid and prescription drug news in … the quality of healthcare and the percentage of Americans without health insurance. …
Source: www.seniorjournal.com

Waltham Council on Aging
Daily News Tribune, MA - 7 hours ago… Prescription Advantage is a state sponsored prescription drug insurance plan that helps Medicare beneficiaries pay for the cost of their Medicare Part D plans. …
Source: www.dailynewstribune.com

Experts: Crestor buzz won’t boost sales
BusinessWeek - 18 hours ago… Yet, Crestor has only has a 6.3 percent share of statin prescription market, according to IMS Health. … You deserve great auto insurance. You’ve earned it. …
Source: www.businessweek.com

New York s Hispanic Community Can Get Answers to Rx Struggle
Hispanic PR Wire (press release), FL - Feb 23, 2006… Launched in 2004, Pfizer Helpful Answers is a family of programs that help people without prescription coverage save on many Pfizer medicines, no matter their …
Source: www.hispanicprwire.com

More Than 25 Million Medicare Beneficiaries Now Have Prescription …
PR Newswire (press release), NY - Feb 22, 2006… significantly lower. Some Medicare Advantage plans are even offering prescription coverage for no additional premium. “The promise …
Source: www.prnewswire.com

Functional foods
OCRegister, CA - Mar 12, 2006… Do we put it in a thing they do eat or drink “. But don’t swap your prescription coverage for a frequent-supermarket-shopper card just yet. …
Source: www.ocregister.com

Media Frenzy Over Barry Bonds Gets Story Wrong
Beyond Chron, CA - 10 hours ago… to destroy Bonds career for using steroids without a prescription, but expressed … Another common falsehood permeating media coverage of Bonds is the supposed …
Source: www.beyondchron.org

The doctor is OUT
Keizertimes, OR - Mar 9, 2006… have one or the other. They opted to keep the prescription coverage, which pays for the ongoing costs. “When I asked them what we …
Source: www.keizertimes.com

Ferris Hills prepares for Presidential Visit
WHEC-TV, NY - Mar 12, 2006… with one resident who says he will not meet with Mr. Bush, because his current prescription coverage is equal to or better than the new Medicare drug plan. …
Source: www.10nbc.com

My Medicare Matters Team of Educators Rolls Into Bergen County …
PharmaLive.com (press release), PA - Mar 6, 2006… We want to empower them to take action and give them the means to feel confident they are making the best possible choice for their prescription coverage. …
Source: www.pharmalive.com

Studies Show Medicare Drug Plans Offer Significant Discounts and
Senior Journal - March 9, 2006 Medicare released an analysis today showing seniors citizens and people with disabilities enrolled in Medicare prescription drug plans are seeing significant savings on the costs of their prescription drugs over what they would have

Hidden lesson in ports flap
Ithaca Journal - In all the coverage of the uproar about the deal to contract with Dubai World Ports for port services on the East Coast, there has been some important news analysis missing. That is, when certain ideas about government enterprise are raised in this

Lean Plate Club (Updated 3.10.06): Nutrition and Health
Washington Post - Welcome to The Lean Plate Club, hosted by Washington Post health and nutrition writer Sally Squires . Share your tips on healthy recipes, meal plans, sugar alternatives and resisting overeating with other readers. Now that the school bell is ringing

More Studies Find More Savings if Seniors Use Generic Drugs
Senior Journal - Consumer Reports and Medicare highlight potential savings in drug program March 3, 2006 Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs yesterday issued a new report on the significant savings available to senior citizens in the Medicare prescription drug

Part D-layed
Pasadena Star-News - WASHINGTON - It took Dennis Song eight years to amass a $10,000 emergency fund for his pharmacy in Flower Mound, Texas. It took about two months under the new Medicare drug benefit to drain it. The $20,000 credit line at his bank is nearly maxed out

News 7 Today: Weekdays 5:30am-7:00am on WDAM-TV7
WDAM-TV - Welcome to the News 7 Today page of WDAM.com. If you have an idea for a future interview on our program, please send it to us at news7today@wdam.com and include your name and phone number for verification purposes as well as the words “News 7 Today

Survey: Most Americans concerned about avian flu
Centre For Infectious Disease Research and Policy - Feb 27, 2006 (CIDRAP News) More than half of Americans are concerned about the threat of avian influenza reaching the United States, but few are “very concerned” and fewer still have looked into getting an antiviral drug to protect themselves

Bush drug program bashed by opponents
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle - (March 13, 2006) Democrats and labor leaders this morning lashed out at President Bush’s prescription drug benefit program in advance of his visit to Canandaigua on Tuesday. Democratic candidates for Congress and members of the Rochester and

Health workers prepare for avian flu 
WBBH - Mar 12 2:49 PM
Southwest Florida health departments work hard to get prepared for a possible pandemic. John and Florence Weir moved to Cape Coral from New England 25 years ago. Theyve seen southwest Florida grow so fast, and they wonder what kind of diseases people could bring here.Save to My Web

Health department keeps bird flu on radar 
Herald Journal - Mar 12 5:14 AM
With the federal government warning that the avian flu virus could strike the United States within months, local health officials are doing what they can to prepare.Save to My Web

Retired Local 652 leader says health care plan needed 
Lansing State Journal - Mar 13 1:12 AM
As summer heated up in 1987, Gary Watson stepped into a large room in Detroit dominated by a large table with many chairs.Save to My Web

Tories angry over NHS trust merger move 
Huddersfield Daily Examiner - Mar 13 1:38 AM
TORIES have hit out at a plan to merge health trusts. The party’s group on Kirklees Council claimed the proposals would lead to a worse service for patients.Save to My Web

Groups Submit Suggestions on Improving Dirigo Health 
RedNova - Mar 12 6:14 PM
By From staff reports Several groups have answered top legislative leaders’ call for recommendations on how to improve Dirigo Health, Gov. John Baldacci’s controversial health reform plan.Save to My Web

Health Alert: Maternity card 
WIS-TV Columbia - Mar 13 6:08 AM
(National) March 9, 2006 - An innovative maternity plan is designed to help women save a bundle on their babies’ delivery. All seems peaceful and happy for the Jonrowe family.Save to My Web

Dr. Allen Douma wants to inject some new ideas into ailing Oregon Health Plan 
The Mail Tribune - Mar 09 2:35 AM
An Ashland physician who helped develop online access to health information will lead the Oregon Health Plan. Dr. Allen Douma, 60, said Wednesday that he hopes to develop collaborative partnerships between public agencies and health care providers to make health care more efficient.Save to My Web

Health Care 
WOWK-TV - Mar 11 9:42 PM
Legislature passes compromise health care billSave to My Web

Health coverage for kids is target 
The Davis Enterprise - Mar 10 2:17 PM
Published Mar 10, 2006 - 15:45:30 CST. WEST SACRAMENTO Local officials and child and health advocates celebrated the launch Thursday of the Yolo County Childrens Health Initiative, an effort to ensure that every child in the county has health insurance.Save to My Web

Long-Time Owner Plans to Market Westchester One 
GlobeSt.com - Mar 10 5:07 AM
WHITE PLAINS-The ownership of Westchester One plans to place the 850,000-sf property up for sale this week. Located at 44 South Broadway, the office was built on spec by the late Salvatore Pepe, founder of Bianco & Pepe of Bronxville.Save to My Web

RILA Asks Court to Strike Down Maryland Health Plan Mandate 
[Press Release] U.S. Newswire via Yahoo! News - Mar 10 11:11 AM
The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) today asked a federal court to strike down Maryland’s mandated health benefit statute.Save to My Web

Forum Health Plans Financial Makeover 
RedNova - Mar 10 2:47 PM
By William K. Alcorn, Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio Mar. 8–YOUNGSTOWN — Nothing has been decided and everything is on the table when it comes to getting Forum Health out of its financial crisis.Save to My Web

Labour & Employment 
Mondaq - Mar 10 9:20 AM
Designing effective employee health and disability plans is complex.Save to My Web

UNM plans to close clinic for mentally ill 
KRQE Albuquerque - Mar 10 6:57 AM
ALBUQUERQUE — The University of New Mexico Hospital plans to close its intensive outpatient program for the mentally ill soon. The program treats about 200 people.Save to My Web

Medsurge announces plans to open Colorectal Health Clinic in Los Angeles 
[Press Release] CNW Group via Yahoo! Finance - Mar 09 9:29 AM
Medsurge Medical Products Corporation announced today that it has signed a lease and contracted with a physician to open a Colorectal Health Clinic in Los Angeles, California. The clinic will be the Company’s third such clinic in the United States; following the successful introduction of a CRH Clinic in Chicago, Illinois, and a scheduled April launch of a clinic in San Francisco, California.Save to My Web

BestWeek: Life Insurers Eye Windfall in Health Savings Accounts 
RedNova - Mar 10 2:46 PM
Life insurers with strong asset-management capabilities may be well positioned to capitalize on a big pool of assets if consumer-driven health plans take off in the coming years as many predict, according to an exclusive story in the March 13 issue of BestWeek.Save to My Web

Medicare officials blast Democrats’ drug report
Inside Bay Area - Federal officials fired back Tuesday against a Democratic House report that called Medicare’s new prescription drug plan a failure. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services called attention to its

Osprey Health Series
Haliburton Echo - Jennifer Ryan, Registered Nurse at Toronto General Hospital, scrubs her hands before surgery. Province-wide protocols for infection control could help dramatically reduce health care costs. Dr. Roger Strasser, dean of the Northern Ontario School of

Medicare Drug Benefit Program To Feature Fewer Plans Next Year
Medical News Today - Market forces have helped lower prescription drug prices and will reduce the number of plans offered under the Medicare prescription drug benefit next year, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt told insurance executives on Tuesday at a meeting sponsored by

WHAT’S HAPPENING
Biloxi Sun Herald - Red Cross blood drive , noon-4 p.m., Red Cross bus, Walgreens, 2405 Pass Road, Biloxi. For March donors will get a 125th anniversary pin and can enter a drawing for a Miami getaway. VFW Post 6731 turkey shoot , 1 p.m.-until, 4321 W. Gay Road, D

Part D
Gray News - On Thursday, March 9, two Medicare Part D trained volunteers will be at the Gray Public Library from 11 A.M. to 2 P.M. to assist you. Those who have waited to sign up or who have questions or problems about their experiences to date are encouraged to

A view from the retirement front lines
Boston Globe - By now you’ve probably heard that this year, the oldest of the baby boomers will turn 60. Specifically, the Census Bureau estimates that 7,918 people will be turning 60 each day in 2006. That amounts to 330 every hour. That also means millions of

Medicare should repay N.J.
Courier-Post - The chaotic rollout of the new Medicare prescription benefit in January was tremendously confusing, leading many seniors to seek help in trying to pick a plan. Despite the difficulty, however, the Bush administration’s chief Medicare officer, Mark

Medicare Part D: Help Available on the First Coast 
First Coast News - Mar 07 3:07 PM
JACKSONVILLE, FL — Seniors have been able to enroll in the Medicare Part D Prescription Program since January. They have until May 15th to enroll. Many people have questions or don’t understand Part D.Save to My Web

Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging Warns Against Telephone Scams Involving Medicare Prescription Benefit 
[Press Release] PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance - Mar 08 8:02 AM
Older adults and Pennsylvanians with disabilities should beware of a telemarketing scheme that purports to help consumers enroll in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, according to Secretary of Aging Nora Dowd Eisenhower.Save to My Web

State switches back to federal drug plan with few initial problems 
WRGB - Mar 08 12:37 PM
(Montpelier, VT - AP) - Poor elderly Vermonters have been switched back to the once problem-plagued federal prescription drug plan. And advocates say there have been few problems reported so far.Save to My Web

Alert: Phone Call Scam Aimed at Medicare Users 
News Channel 5 Nashville - Mar 07 2:20 PM
If you get Medicare, be on guard. The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a scam alert. It’s a scam that comes over the phone. The caller acts like it’s about the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. The caller is actually after your money and checking account information.Save to My Web

Wanted: Seniors signing up for Medicare prescription drug program 
Lansing State Journal - Mar 02 8:54 AM
Are you hung up over the Medicare prescription drug program forms? Have you been able to get the help you need or are you trying to plod through by yourself?Save to My Web

WANTED: Minnesotans eligible for prescription aid 
Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune - Mar 09 1:15 AM
With fewer than half of the 711,498 eligible Minnesotans enrolled in the new Medicare Part D drug benefit, counselors are scouring libraries, churches, apartment complexes and senior centers for likely candidates. They’re searching for more than 391,000 aged Minnesotans who government officials believe have no “creditable” drug coverage — that is, coverage at least as good as that offered by the Save to My Web

Medicare bus will help Kansans join drug plan 
Kansas City Star - Mar 08 7:11 AM
Less than half of Kansas’ 400,000 Medicare beneficiaries have enrolled in a Medicare Part D drug plan — and that’s not enough, officials say.Save to My Web