Obama Urges Fast Action on Health Care
from The Dallas Morning News, Sept. 10, 2009
Declaring that the "time for bickering is over," President Barack Obama sought to revive the prospects for the passage of a far-reaching health care overhaul by seizing ownership Wednesday night of an initiative he has largely left in lawmakers' hands. n a televised address to a joint session of Congress, Obama prodded lawmakers to quickly enact comprehensive legislation that would impose strict new insurance protections, expand government health programs for the working poor and begin pilot projects aimed at reducing medical malpractice lawsuits. More

Obama's Health Care Speech Met with Praise, Skepticism
from ABC News, Sept. 10, 2009
In his address to a joint session of Congress, President Obama tried to fire up lawmakers and urged them to come together for a "season of action" but Republicans say they are still wary of the idea of a "public option" and would've liked to get more guarantees from the president on the costs and benefits of his health care reform proposals. More

A Model for End-of-Life Care?
from The Washington Times, Sept. 5, 2009
The national debate on health care reform has brought long overdue attention to the controversial, emotional topic of end-of-life care. It is unfortunate that the current conversation has at times produced half-truths. With the spotlight so focused, correcting misconceptions is time well-spent, particularly if existing end-of-life care models can help inform the debate. The Texas Advance Directives Act is one such model addressing end-of-life decisions. It provides for a living will that allows patients to request or reject life-sustaining treatment in cases of terminal or irreversible illness. More

Opinion: Selling Out Doctors to Pay Off Trial Lawyers
from Politico, Sept. 3, 2009
Civil justice reform, which is sometimes referred to as "tort reform," is not addressed in any health reform bill now being considered by Congress. As a matter of fact, civil justice reform is rarely being discussed even though it should be a critical component of every discussion and in every legitimate health reform bill. More

Could Lawsuit Curbs Pave Way For Health Care Deal?
from NPR, Sept. 2, 2009
In the Republicans' most recent weekly radio address, Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi offered several of what he called "common sense reforms" aimed at curbing health care costs: more competitive insurance plans, better information for health care shoppers, and that old GOP chestnut - cutting down on frivolous lawsuits. "We need to reform our flawed medical liability system and eliminate junk lawsuits against doctors and hospitals," Enzi said. "Unnecessary lawsuits cause extra costs and drive up health care costs." More

Flu Wisdom: Prepare to be Sick
from The Houston Chronicle MedBlog, Sept. 2, 2009
Stock up now on chicken soup, juice and pain medication, health officials say. Don't slog your sick self into public places to collect your get-well kit after flu strikes. Your coughs and sneezes might make others ill. The CDC recommends isolation for people who think they've come down with influenza. More

As Nation Discusses Health Care, Texas Doctor Shortage Expected to Worsen
from The Austin American Statesman, Sept. 6, 2009
As talk on national health care reform centers on providing insurance for everyone, Texas and the nation are already struggling with a shortage of primary care doctors that is expected to keep growing. In Texas, 114 of the 254 counties have been designated by the federal government as primary-care shortage areas. Some clinics spend months trying to lure doctors, and some patients drive one or two counties away for even the most routine health care. More

Passing a Health Bill: What are the Odds?
from The Houston Chronicle, Sept. 6, 2009
If health-care reform were a high-stakes political card game, President Barack Obama would be sitting at the Capitol Hill poker table holding a pair of twos. But with stacks of political chips on the table, congressional Democrats and congressional Republicans also have a lot to win - or lose - as the acrimonious summer-long debate over health care nears its final hand. More

Senate Chair Proposes Fee on Insurance Companies
from The Associated Press via The Houston Chronicle, Sept. 7, 2009
Sen. Max Baucus has pushed a new health care plan including an industry fee to help pay for covering the uninsured as President Barack Obama said insurance companies must share accountability for the troubled system. The Finance Committee is the last best hope for a bipartisan bill since four of five congressional committees have produced partisan proposals. More

Six Physicians Tackle Issues During Forum
from Amarillo.com, Sept. 9, 2009
Six Amarillo doctors represent the challenge facing congress. Each agreed there are serious problems facing the current health care system, but each presented different ways to address the issues they see. Those six doctors - of varying age, background and medical specialty - spoke to a crowd of nearly 150 during a League of Women Voters forum at the Amarillo Senior Citizens Center. More

In Health Care Reform Debate, All Sides Agree High Costs Must be Curbed
from The Dallas Morning News, Sept. 8, 2009
"All of us agree that health care costs are out of control and we have to bring them under control," Republican Sen. John McCain told ABC News. After a long and difficult summer debate, what's left of the administration's approach is a plan to extend health insurance to most Americans who don't have it, paid for with tax hikes and cuts in Medicare spending. More

Opinion: Without Legal Reforms, Health Care System Will Remain Broken
from The Austin American Statesman, Sept. 8, 2009
There's an old joke about the boy who goes to the doctor and uses his index finger to point all over his body, explaining, "It hurts here, here, here and here." The doctor sighs and says, "Son, your finger is broken." This poor kid was looking for his ailment in all the wrong places. That's exactly what's happening in Washington as our leaders grapple with health care reform. They're missing what's really broken. More

Family Doctors Dwindling
from News 8 Austin, Sept. 8, 2009
Family physicians are becoming fewer and fewer, and 27 Texas counties have no doctor at all. Dr. David Wright says that the low pay associated with family medicine is an issue that needs to be addressed. "Of all the specialties a medical student can go into, the lowest paid is family medicine," Wright said. More

HHS Distributes $70.9 Million for States to Expand Health Insurance Coverage
from Insurance & Financial Advisor, Sept. 9, 2009
Thirteen states received a boost from the federal government in the form of $70.9 million in grants to assist their expansion of health care coverage for uninsured residents. Top recipients include the State of Oregon (nearly $10 million), the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (nearly $10 million), and the Texas Health & Human Services Commission ($9.5 million). More

Health Care Reform Could Curtail Access, Doctors Fear
from The San Antonio Business Journal, Sept. 4, 2009
The head of one of the largest orthopaedic practices in the country says there is a deepening concern among physicians that federal lawmakers, in their quest to overhaul the nation’s health care system, will create a public-coverage option that limits patients’ access to specialty care and other services. More

Doctors Slash Vaccines Due to Rising Costs
from CNN Money, Sept. 5, 2009
Parents who bring their kids to Dr. G. Andrew McIntosh for the chicken pox vaccine are out of luck. The family physician, who has a solo practice in Uniontown, Ohio, doesn't offer that shot because he can't afford it. Most insurers won't sufficiently cover the cost. "It doesn't do me any good. I am losing money on [them]," he said. The chicken pox vaccine runs about $115, but insurers only cover between $68 to $83 of that. More