Obama’s Uphill Battle to Reform Healthcare
from U.S. News & World Report
A week ago Monday, President Obama stood at a podium flanked by six healthcare leaders and announced what he called "a watershed event in the long and elusive quest for healthcare reform." As he spoke, some of the men nodded in agreement; others, looking straight ahead, were almost expressionless. More

Healthcare Overhaul Could Add Financial Burdens to State
from The Boston Globe
The Senate committee in charge of financing the upcoming health care overhaul is considering changes that could place new financial burdens on Massachusetts institutions and employees, including limiting the tax exclusion for employer-provided health coverage, a major benefit to employees in states like Massachusetts, where insurance is expensive and plans tend to be generous. More

The Circle of Life Award:Celebrating Innovation in Palliative and End-of-Life Care is presented annually to honor organizations striving to improve the care provided to patients with life-threatening conditions or near the end of life. In 2010, up to three organizations will win Circle of Life Awards; additional organizations may receive Citations of Honor. Awards and citations will be presented at the American Hospital Association Health Forum Summit, July 22-24, 2010, in San Diego. To nominate an organization or program (either your own or another), please go to http://www.aha.org/aha/news-center/awards/circle-of-life/circleoflife-nominations.html
from Investor’s Soapbox PM via Barron’s
Gregory K. Nersessian and Jason Twizell believe Medicaid is an attractive option for expanding health insurance coverage to a portion of the 49 million uninsured Americans. The infrastructure is already in place to identify, enroll and cover 30%-40% of the uninsured. More

Don't Curtail Dental Care for the Poor
from The Shreveport Times
In a state with serious health issues among its children, Louisiana officials ought to be knocking down barriers to get them into dentists' chairs. Instead House Bill 687 was in the evening spotlight Tuesday night in a move to limit mobile dental clinics, particularly at schools. More

U.S. Workers Paying More for Healthcare: Report
from Reuters
Healthcare costs for Americans who get medical coverage through an employer hit a record $16,771 per family this year, and they are having to pay more themselves, a report released on Monday showed. More

SHCA Call for Webinar Presenters The call for presenters will be available year-round. The entire proposal process may take 20 minutes to complete. All speakers are asked to submit content to fill at least 75 minutes of broadcast time. If you would like to contribute your skills and knowledge to SHCA’s education calendar, submit a proposal today
from The KCBD-TV
The Senate tentatively approved a bill Monday that requires nursing homes to follow the treatment wishes of patients set out in written instructions known as advance directives. More

Electronic Medical Records: An Obamanomic Step Toward Improved Healthcare
from Physorg.com
The Obama Administration's goal to improve the entire healthcare system in the USA begins with an incremental first step by introducing nearly 500,000 physicians to electronic medical records via the American Recovery and Investment Act 2009. Some physicians, hospitals and clinics throughout the world all ready use some form of health care management software which includes electronic medical record programs. More