Olympia Snowe Gives Health Care Reform Its First Republican Vote
from The Christian Science Monitor
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) broke party ranks Tuesday to vote in favor of the Senate Finance Committee's health care reform bill – giving Democrats their first GOP vote for reform in either the House or Senate. More    

Polls: Americans Want Health Care Reform at No Cost to Them
from The Christian Science Monitor
Democrats in Washington are navigating treacherous electoral terrain as they craft health care reform legislation, judging by new polls that show Americans pulled by conflicting desires on health care. They are eager for change but hesitant about paying for it. That’s the tricky context as Congress takes steps toward possible passage of a sweeping reform of health insurance. More    

Health Care Reform Bill Means HIPAA Changes, Too
from Information Week
The health care reform bill that passed a key Senate committee this week contains several health IT related provisions. Among them are new rules regarding HIPAA, including a proposals allowing the periodic update of HIPAA standards, and fines to health plans that don't comply to HIPAA "operating rules" by April 2014. More    

States to Prepare for Medicaid, CHIP and Health Care Workers H1N1 Inoculations
from CCH
State health officials are advised to plan and prepare for the needs of Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) enrollees and the health care workforce by preparing an inoculation program for individuals in these groups. Priority should be given to vaccination of eligible individuals as follows: (1) pregnant women; (2) individuals caring for or living with infants under the age of six months; (3) healthcare workers; (4) children between the ages of six months and 18 years; (4) adults between the ages of 19 and 24; and (5) adults between 25 and 64 with health conditions associated with increased complications of influenza. More    

The Key Changes and Impacts of the Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System Final Rule
from The Medical News
Policies and payment rate changes for inpatient stays in acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2010 have been set by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS). That's why we have organized our annual reimbursement management briefing audio webcast on the impact of the changes for hospitals found in the new final rule adopted by CMS. More    

Iowa Doctor: Medicare Reimbursement Changes Needed
from Quad-City Times
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is no fan of a public option, but an Ames neurologist sees an upside for Iowa in the congressional debate about a government-run health insurance program. More