Americans are still split on health care reform, but only 18% favor a total repeal: poll
Dharapak/AP Obama has vowed to fight any efforts to repeal the health care reform he fought to pass. Though Republicans have vowed to get rid of Obama's sweeping health care reform as quickly as possible, it turns out most Americans don't want the legislation repealed entirely. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll released Tuesday found that only 18% are in favor of completely ejecting the health care overhaul passed last year, which Republicans dubbed "Obamacare." That doesn't mean most Americans support the reform, however: 50% of those polled said they oppose the law. It's no surprise that views on the issue are severely split along party lines.
One More Thing to Worry About: Cabin Fever - Courant.com
February 04, 2011|By Give 'em Health, William Weir The recent weather has many of us experiencing our own version of cabin fever. We've been driven indoors for days at a time, stressing over whether the roof will collapse. Where would horror movies be without cabin fever? Think Jack Nicholson in "The Shining," or for that matter, the 2002 gore-fest "Cabin Fever."
Daschle, Frist, Strickland stress bipartisanship on health care
From NBC's Catherine ChomiakAs House Republicans return to their health-care reform repeal effort -- and as the tone of political discourse is examined -- former Senate leaders Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Bill Frist (R-TN) and former Gov. Ted Strickland (D-OH) announced the creation of a bipartisan health project. The project's goal is to aid states with the new law's implementation and to find bipartisan solutions to health challenges. At a press conference in DC, the three men stressed the importance of working together and across party lines.
Increase in Newly Diagnosed HIV Infections Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men
February 4, 2011 / 60(04);99-102 During 2001--2006, new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnoses among black men aged 13--24 years who have sex with men (MSM) in 33 states increased by 93% (1). The Wisconsin Division of Public Health (WDPH) recently reported to CDC a 144% increase during 2000--2008 in HIV diagnoses among black MSM aged 15--29 years in Milwaukee County. In October 2009, the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD), WDPH, and CDC investigated whether the increase in HIV infections among young black MSM in Milwaukee represented increased HIV transmission or simply better identification of prevalent infections. This report describes the results of that investigation, which indicated that a new "social networks" HIV testing strategy and the recent expansion of better targeted HIV testing efforts accounted for few diagnoses among young black MSM and occurred after HIV diagnoses increased, respectively. During 2006--2008, WDPH intensified HIV testing statewide.
Administration: Health repeal could cost millions coverage
Administration analysis says as many as 129 million Americans under 65 have some pre-existing conditionHealth Secretary Sebelius says GOP debate on repealing health reform offers opportunity to remind people what is a stakeSebelius says too much is at stake to go back Washington (CNN) -- Nearly half of all Americans under the age of 65 have health conditions that could prevent them from getting insurance if the Republican effort to repeal health care reform is successful, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday. Sebelius said 129 million people -- nearly half of all Americans under the age of 65 -- have some form of pre-existing condition that could make them ineligible for coverage should they lose or change jobs, get divorced or face other changes that force them to seek new insurance. Republicans say the law will harm the economy without containing health care costs. "It's a substantial financing savings and an emotional savings as well," she said.
Treating Chronic Pain and Managing the Bills
“If you tally up everybody who has chronic, recurring back, and musculoskeletal problems, it includes almost everybody by the time people get into their 30s,” said Dr. Perry Fine, a professor of anesthesiology at the Pain Research Center and the and incoming chairman of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. Given the prevalence of chronic pain — often defined as recurrent pain that lasts more than three to six months — you might expect that by now medical science would have figured out how to alleviate it and that health insurers would routinely cover its treatment. If only it were that simple.
HHS: Up To 129M U.S. Residents Under 65 Have Pre-Existing Conditions
As many as 129 million U.S. residents younger than age 65 have pre-existing medical conditions that could cause them to be rejected or charged higher rates by health insurers, according to an HHS study released on Tuesday, the Washington Post reports.According to the Post, the study is the first attempt by the federal government to account for the total number of non-elderly residents with pre-existing conditions. HHS released the study just before the GOP is scheduled to begin debating legislation (HR 2) that would repeal the federal health reform law. The overhaul includes provisions that preclude insurers from denying individuals coverage because of pre-existing conditions. The study examined findings from a large federal survey of medical expenditures conducted in 2008. It found that one-fifth to one-half of non-elderly residents could experience complications in securing insurance because of chronic illnesses, such as:
Pediatricians, parents should get on same page
Health research is Cassondra Webb's thing. If her doctor prescribes a new medicine, she Googles it before she'll ingest it. What does it do? What is it for? What are the side effects?
Public News Service
January 20, 2011 CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Tuesday's party-line vote in the U.S. House to repeal last year's health-care reform is not popular with two doctors who are also members of the West Virginia state Senate. Sen.
Community Has a Role in Health of Low-Income Kids
MONDAY, Feb. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Living in a connected community may protect poor teens from health risks such as smoking or obesity, researchers have found. In a study of low-income and middle-income families, Cornell University researchers asked 17-year-olds and their mothers to provide information about social capital, which is a measure of how connected their community is and the degree of social control. For example, the mothers answered a question regarding whether one of their neighbors would do something if they saw someone trying to sell drugs to a child or youth, and the teens responded to a question about whether there were adults they could go to for advice, explained the researchers. The teens also provided information on their health behaviors, such as smoking, and had their height and weight measured to determine their body-mass index (BMI). Compared to middle-class teens, poor teens were more likely to smoke and have a higher BMI. More information