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Health Care Reform Legislation Would Expand Access To Pharmacist Patient Care Services
Legislation released June 9 by Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Edward Kennedy (D-MA) would expand access to pharmacist-delivered medication therapy management (MTM) services for patients suffering from chronic diseases.

Hundreds Gather For California Rally Protesting Proposed Cuts To HIV/AIDS Programs
Hundreds of people gathered at a planned rally on Wednesday at the California State Capitol in Sacramento to protest the proposed $80.1 million in budget cuts to HIV/AIDS programs in the state, which would result in an 80 percent reduction in prevention, testing and counseling programs, as well as significant cuts in programs for people living with HIV, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. According to the Chronicle, the budget plan "faces pushback from the Legislature, where the leaders of both houses have announced their strong opposition," including Sen. Mark Leno (D). At the rally, Leno urged other lawmakers to examine the possible effects of the cuts. Lisa Page, a spokesperson for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), said the governor understands the consequences of the cuts but the state is facing a $24.3 billion budget deficit and has limited options. She said, "Many of these cuts the governor would never consider except in a worst-case scenario, and this is the worst-case scenario" (Buchanan, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/11).
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Novo Nordisk Convenes Policy And Clinical Experts At Diabetes Media Summit
A distinguished panel of clinical and policy experts gathered by Novo Nordisk recently convened in Washington, D.C. to explore solutions to address the exponential growth of diabetes in America. The universal theme from the renowned speakers, including Larry Hausner, CEO of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), was that the cost of the disease to our nation, at $218 billion annually, is startling and the lag in patient motivation to take action to offset the disease is distressing. Without intervention at both a national and patient level, our nation runs the risk of reaching a projected 50 million Americans having diabetes by the year 2025.
Mental Health

Private Insurers Step Into Spotlight On Health Care Reform

"Don"t expect the private insurance industry to go away under any kind of health-care reform initiative. That"s because most key health-reform measures gaining momentum in Washington not only leave private health plans intact but also may give them a greater role," The Chicago Tribune reports. Insurers also "got to ride the coattails" of the America Medical Association"s support for the private insurance system as President Barack Obama "sought the physicians" support" of his public insurance option. Health plans were "happy that the AMA stripped the words "public option" from a resolution." In a new blog launched Wednesday, America"s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) "quoted media reports from AMA immediate past president Dr. Nancy Nielsen espousing the importance of private health plans." Robert Zirkelback, spokesman for AHIP, said "The AMA can speak for themselves, but there is evidence that a government-run plan would significantly impact providers across the country." While lawmakers are "pushing bills to limit insurers" ability to deny coverage" and "a bipartisan proposal would keep Medicaid and Medicare in business," "analysts see private plans also being involved" (Japsen, 6/19). Meanwhile, "managed care stocks surged Thursday as the health care reform push wobbled in Washington," AP/Forbes reports. "Edward Jones analyst Steve Shubitz noted that the entire health care sector rose in trading Thursday. But he added that managed care stocks are particularly volatile. "These stocks kind of trade on emotion," he said in an interview. "It"s like people now on the margin are saying, "Maybe there won"t be a public plan or maybe... it will be so watered down that it will take a lot of years before it really impacts the private insurance companies" (Murphy, 6/18). In other insurance news, "five of Colorado"s largest health insurance plans - Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana and UnitedHealthcare - will contribute money to a pilot program that coordinates medical and reimbursement practices for 17 primary care practice sites in the state, with the goal of improving health care quality and managing costs," the Denver Business Journal reports. "The two-year project is designed to give participating doctors better financial incentives for prescribing preventive care that may improve patients" health and hold down medical costs." It will "cover about 25,000 patients in participating family practices" and will "allow graduates from medical residency programs to participate in the program, in an effort to attract more primary care physicians to the state." The program will be monitored by the Harvard School of Public Health (Mook, 6/18). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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