President Bush
ALSO NOTED: Senate agrees to expand SCHIP; Minnesota cardiology program takes fly-ins; and much more...
> Despite facing the threat of a veto from President Bush, the U.S. Senate agreed to add 3 million children from lower-income families to SCHIP. Read more...
Teaching hospitals dodge a bullet
President Bush delivered a blessing for medical educational programs this week as part of new legislation. By signing the Iraq war spending bill, which contained language impacting Medicaid reimbursement, Bush also agreed to halt planned changes to federal Medicaid match funding. The Bush administration had previously proposed to eliminate Medicaid payments given directly to hospitals as a state match. Teaching hospitals have been using that money to pay for residency programs, but the …
... Read more...Bush commission to examine veterans' healthcare
Spurred by reports of atrocious conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, President Bush has established a commission to study how wounded soldiers are cared for when they return to the U.S. The bipartisan commission will be led by former senator Robert Dole, a disabled World War II veteran, and former HHS secretary Donna Shalala. Bush has also asked that the VA secretary create a …
... Read more...Governors fight for future of SCHIP
A number of Republican and Democratic governors are appealing to President Bush to protect the budget for State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), a program that provides coverage for about 6 million children whose families don't qualify for Medicaid. The governors are worried about the future of the program, as President Bush's budget proposes cutting back federal aid to the states.
Over the past several years, states have expanded SCHIP to include more families above …
... Read more...ALSO NOTED: Employees charge Denver Health with discrimination; Psychiatrist faces probe after child dies; and much more...
> A group of former and current employees of public hospital system Denver health have sued, alleging that the system is biased against minorities. Article
> A Massachusetts doctor has come under fire after a 4 year old girl died while taking psychiatric drugs she had prescribed. …
... Read more...Genetic discrimination ban gains support
A federal bill which would ban genetic discrimination by insurers is making significant progress in Congress, a decade after the issue first drew the attention of legislators. The bill's prospects are stronger than they have been in many years, as President Bush has indicated that he will sign such a measure. This comes despite the opposition of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other groups, which argue that the measure would encourage employees to file genetic discrimination suits. …
... Read more...Despite resistance, Bush pushes med mal reform
President Bush continued his battle this week to initiate reform of medical malpractice law, arguing in Chicago that "frivolous lawsuits" are responsible for high healthcare costs. Bush has been a major advocate of tort reform throughout his presidency, but of late, begun to reframe the matter, also suggesting that med mal suits hold back U.S. economic growth. However, despite his advocacy, political observers suggest that this time he's pretty much out of luck. With Democrats in charge …
... Read more...Hospitals could lose $30B under Medicare cuts
A new budget proposal by President Bush designed to cut Medicare spending by $65.6 billion over five years would have a particularly harsh effects on hospitals, reducing their Medicare income by $30 billion over that period, industry analysts said this week. President Bush is also proposing cutting Medicaid costs a total of $25.7 billion, including $13 billion in spending cuts and $12.7 billion intended to be generated by administrative-cost savings.
The five-year budget proposal …
... Read more...Press Release: Study of President Bush's Health Proposal Finds Benefits to Some Uninsured
Press Release: Study of President Bush's Health Proposal Finds Benefits to Some Uninsured
... Read more...Study:Bush plan would cut uninsured, raise deficit
New research from The Lewin Group, a non-partisan research organization, has concluded that the health insurance tax restructuring proposed by President Bush could indeed save money for some families, and cut the number of uninsured in the U.S. Lewin researchers also noted that the plan could accomplish one of its main goals, cutting increased health spending; in fact, it could cut such spending by about $24.5 billion in 2009, said vice group president John Sheils. …
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