ALSO NOTED: UnitedHealth offers real-time claims submissions; CA considers health insurance rate regs; and much more...

> UnitedHealth has created a new claims submission website allowing physicians to file claims in real time. The health plan says the system can confirm patient costs within 10 seconds. Article

> A group of California lawmakers and consumer advocates are pushing for state regulation of medical insurance rates, similar to rules that already govern auto insurance. Article

> Medicare plans to pass out $30 million to states to develop programs to counsel beneficiaries. Article

> Military officials are considering closing Walter Reed Army Medical Center as soon as possible, rather than waiting until 2011 as planned. Article

> Analysts are predicting that the HIV medication market will grow to $10.6 billion by 2015, driven partly by new drugs such as Pfizer's CCR5 inhibitor Celsentri and Merck's integrase inhibitor Isentress. Article

> The U.S. Senate has passed two bills that would increase federal funding of stem cell research. Report

And Finally... They don't come better connected than Tenet's newest board member. Article