House Looks for Money for Healthcare
from The Washington Post
The powerful tax-writing House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee will unveil a funding plan by Friday to pay for broad healthcare reforms, Chairman Charles Rangel said on Tuesday. More

Democrats Prepare for Healthcare Reform Debate
from U.S. News & World Report
It began with a leak two weeks ago, a chunk of a bill circulating in Washington that offered the first real glimpse of a Democratic plan for healthcare reform. By early last week, the leak had given way to the real thing: a 615-page draft put out by Sen. Ted Kennedy, the ailing liberal from Massachusetts, and accompanied by the outline of a largely similar bill from House Democrats. More

Patient Rights Activist Wins Battle to Die in Hospice with Bills Reimbursed
from The Boston Globe
Judi Chamberlin of Arlington, a patient advocate known for championing the rights of the mentally ill, has won her battle to have her unpaid hospice bills reimbursed by her insurance company. Chamberlin received a letter yesterday from UnitedHealthcare saying the charges have been "reprocessed" for payment. More

State Links Billing Rates to Hospital Performances
from Annapolis Capital
On July 1, Maryland's hospitals will receive financial incentives based on the steps taken to prevent complications. The system will be based on a list of 64 preventable complications including collapsed lungs and infections of the urinary tract and in the blood. More

SHCA Online Learning Proudly Presents:Cultural Competency in Patient Centered Care - Webinar Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 1:00 p.m. CST This 90-minute webinar will focus on effective communication between cultures citing language barriers and how they can affect the patient experience within your facility. Registration is available online now! Click here
from NBC News – Denver, Colo.
The Partnership for Patient Assistance helps uninsured and financially struggling patients who lack prescription coverage get access to prescription assistance programs that offer medicines for free or nearly free. More

Colonoscopy Risks Increase With Age and Illness
from Forbes
Screening colonoscopies for colon cancer may be too risky for some elderly patients, a new study finds. More

Texas Town At Center Of Healthcare Debate
from CBS Evening News
For the South Texas border town of McAllen, it's unwanted criticism. First it came from an article in the New Yorker that highlighted the area's sky-high medical costs, and now, reports CBS News correspondent Don Teague, it's coming from President Obama who today suggested McAllen's doctors are part of a national problem of physicians ordering unnecessary treatments. More