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Washington Post Examines Focus On Abortions Later In Pregnancy After Tiller Murder
The Washington Post on Friday examined the renewed attention on abortion procedures performed later in pregnancy following Kansas provider George Tiller"s shooting death on Sunday. Tiller was one of the few physicians in the U.S. who performed late abortions. The Post reports that these abortions make up a small portion of the 1.2 million abortions performed each year -- more than 88% of abortions are performed in the first trimester and less than 1% are performed after 21 weeks" gestation. Data published in 2001 from 15 states and New York City show that as many as 2,400 abortions after 24 weeks" gestation were performed in the U.S. that year, according to Stanley Henshaw, a senior fellow at the Guttmacher Institute. He added that most of those abortions likely were performed in the 25th or 26th week.Henshaw said that little is known about the circumstances surrounding third trimester abortion procedures and that "information just isn"t available." The government does not collect detailed data regarding the number of such procedures, who is performing them and under what circumstances. In addition, abortion providers who perform the procedure later in pregnancy supply very little published information, the Post reports. According to the Post, most abortion providers will not perform the procedure after 22 or 24 weeks" gestation because of legal and other concerns, social stigma, or inadequate training and lack of experience. A 2001 survey of 1,819 abortion providers indicated that 18 clinics and 12 hospitals performed abortions at 26 weeks" gestation. However, the Post reports that the number of providers offering abortions later in pregnancy likely has declined in correlation with the decreasing number of overall providers. Henshaw said the number of providers offering the procedure later in pregnancy also likely has declined.Abortion-rights supporters say that third-trimester abortions are performed only when medically necessary, such as when a fatal abnormality is detected in the fetus or a life-threatening complication in the woman is discovered. Other circumstances include cases when the woman suffers serious emotional issues or is undergoing cancer treatment, the Post reports. Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation, said that women who experience such pregnancies have "no good choice" and "nee[d] to terminate their pregnancies to protect their own health." Tiller "provided both the emotional and physical care for women in that situation," she said (Stein, Washington Post, 6/5).Los Angeles Times Profiles Abortion Provider Hern The Los Angeles Times on Friday profiled Warren Hern, a Colorado-based abortion provider who performs the procedure later in pregnancy and was a close friend of Tiller"s. Hern has provided abortions since 1973 when the Supreme Court legalized the procedure with Roe v. Wade. He said he "felt doing abortions was the most important thing I could do with my life." Hern opened the Boulder Abortion Clinic in 1975, and in the 1980s authored and self-published a textbook, Abortion Practice. He said that he eventually began to focus on abortion procedures later in pregnancy, which currently make up the majority of his practice. Such abortions usually are performed because of medical complications in the woman or abnormalities in the fetus. Patients at Hern"s clinic receive counseling to explain the procedure and to ensure the woman wants it, although he said many women have already made their decision with their own physician. Hern said that although Tiller"s death has been an emotional situation, his clinic is "pretty busy taking care of people who said they couldn"t find anyone else" to perform abortions later in pregnancy (Correll, Los Angeles Times, 6/5).Bond Set for Tiller Shooting Suspect Sedgwick County, Kan., District Judge Warren Wilbert on Thursday set a $5 million bond for Scott Roeder, the man charged with shooting and killing Tiller, the AP/Yahoo! News reports. A preliminary hearing for Roeder is scheduled for June 16. If convicted, Roeder face

NHS Meets Target To Cut C. Difficile Infections Two Years Ahead Of Schedule, UK
Health Secretary Andy Burnham has congratulated NHS staff for their success in meeting the Government"s target to reduce Clostridium. difficile (C. difficile) infections by 30 per cent two years ahead of schedule.
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Kansas Becomes Central Battleground In Abortion-Rights Debate
Kansas has become "perhaps the fiercest battleground" in the abortion-rights debate with mass protests, prosecutions, lawsuits and the recent murder of abortion provider George Tiller, the AP/Washington Post reports. Kansas State University political scientist Joe Aistrup said, "There"s a very prominent vein in Kansas politics that tends toward moral righteousness." He said that this contributes to that unending debate and has produced extremists on both sides of the issue in the state.Peter Brownlie, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said that the majority of those who maintain the intense debate on abortion rights are political leaders. "There is a very clear and growing gap between the general public and the political leaders who are committed to this being such a constant and volatile issue," he said. Brownlie added that on issues relating to abortion, sex education and family planning, "Kansans" views are not markedly different from most Americans, but there are political forces at work, some of them well beyond the state borders."The Post reports that Kansas is different than most states where either supporters or foes of abortion rights dominate. According to the AP/Post, Kansas often sways between having key lawmakers who support abortion rights and those who oppose them. For example, a Republican-dominated Legislature over the past six years passed several bills to restrict abortion access, but much of the legislation was vetoed by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D). The result has triggered frustration in groups opposing abortion rights, and they continue to feed widespread opposition to abortion in the state, the AP/Post reports.According to Burdett Loomis, a University of Kansas political science professor, there even is a split among Kansas Republicans in regard to abortion rights, as some Republicans in the state are evangelical Christians who oppose abortion rights, while others are moderates who support such rights. He said the split "might pop out in gun laws, home schooling, evolution, but it starts and stops with abortion" (Crary/Hanna, AP/Washington Post, 6/3).Wall Street Journal Examines Abortions Later in PregnancyIn related news, the Wall Street Journal on Thursday examined how Tiller"s clinic in Kansas became a battleground in the abortion-rights debate particularly because some of his patients were in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. According to the Journal, even though the subject of abortion later in pregnancy is the of "a deep cultural divide," both sides agree that it is "anguishing." Fewer than 1% of all abortions in the U.S. are performed in the second or third trimesters, and most states prohibit abortions late in pregnancy but include exceptions for the woman"s life and health.The Journal reports that abortion procedures performed later in pregnancy often carry increased health risks, are more expensive and are emotional. The Guttmacher Institute reports that 8.9 maternal deaths occur during every 100,000 abortions performed later in pregnancy, compared with 7.1 deaths per 100,000 births. The article also profiled women who chose to undergo abortions later in pregnancy at Tiller"s clinic, as well as arguments from abortion-rights opponents (Simon, Wall Street Journal, 6/4).
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Sessions Announced For AHIP's Medicare & Medicaid Conferences Early And Team Registrations Available

Join America"s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) September 13 - 17, 2009, along with senior health insurance plan executives, policymakers, and federal and state representatives for updates, analyses, and discussion on the leading issues for health insurance plans participating in Medicare and Medicaid. Whatever is of special interest to you, AHIP"s Medicare & Medicaid Conferences offer sound public policy analyses and access to best practices and insights to help you strengthen your work serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. AHIP is the leading health insurance plan association with approximately 1,300 members providing coverage to more than 200 million Americans. Medicare Sessions: - The Future of the Medicare Program and Role of Medicare Advantage and Part D in a Reformed Health Care System - Aligning Incentives for Quality and Efficiency in the Medicare Program - CMS Priorities for CY 2010 for the MA and Part D Programs - Medicare Part D: A Case Study of Private Sector Delivery of a Public Program - Evaluating Plan Performance: Reporting and Measuring Under MA and Part D - Special Needs Plans: Demonstrating Value - Market Trends for Medicare Advantage and Part D - Political Landscape and Policy Reform - MA and Part D Data: Who, What, When, Where, and How - Medicare Marketing Rules--Implementation and Oversight - The View from Capitol Hill: Outlook on Legislative Priorities, Challenges, and Opportunities Medicaid Sessions: - Role of Medicaid in Health Care Reform: View from the Administration - Roundtable Discussion: Shaping the Future of Medicaid through Health Care Reform - State Medicaid Directors" Roundtable - Medicaid and CHIP: The View from CMS - The Role of the Community-Based Initiatives in Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health - Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans - Forging Cooperative Relationships with States - CEO Forum on Best Practices and Challenges for Medicaid Health Plans - Surviving the Fiscal Challenges of the Recession - States and Medicaid Health Plans Working Together - Innovative Strategies for Expanding Community-based Choices for Individuals with Disabilities - The View from Capitol Hill: Outlook on Legislative Priorities, Challenges, and Opportunities To view a full schedule, please visit the conference website. Early And Team Discounts Available Register by Friday, August 14, 2009 and receive the early registration rates. Combine that with team discounts for an even great value for your organization. For every two individuals from your organization who register, a third team member receives a free conference registration (available for full conference registrations only. Sponsor and Government registrations are excluded). Visit the conference website or call 877.291.2247 for details or to register. Medicare And Medicaid Conference Chairman Level Sponsors: Burgess; Healthways; Medco® Medicare Conference Sponsors And Commercial Supporters: Access2Care; Anvita Health; Argus Health Systems; DestinationRx; First Recovery Group; Ingenix; Lilly USA, LLC; MedAssurant, Inc.; MedSolutions; Merck & Co., Inc.; The TriZetto® Group, Inc.; TMG Health Medicaid Conference Sponsors And Commercial Supporters: Access2Care; Accredo Health Group, Inc.; Anvita Health; Argus Health Systems; DestinationRx; First Recovery Group; Ingenix; Lilly USA, LLC; MedAssurant, Inc.; MEDecision, Inc.; MedSolutions; Merck & Co., Inc.; The TriZetto® Group, Inc.; TMG Health AHIP Educational Programs For more information on AHIP conferences, courses, and other educational and promotional programs, sign up for AHIP"s mailing list at http://www.ahip.org/subscribe.htm. AHIP


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