Health Care Access in the News:  Monday, January 21, 2008
Consumer Health Coalition (CHC) has highlighted major news headlines and studies related to health care access from the past week. We hope you find this information INTERESTING AND useful!

HEALTH CARE QUALITY

'BUNDLING' HOSPITAL PROCESSES MIGHT HELP PREVENT INFECTIONS
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
By Allison Baker, USA Today

"Hospitals are attacking potentially fatal bacterial infections by marrying a series of proven medical treatments in an approach called a "bundle." The Institute for Healthcare Improvement, a non-profit organization based in Cambridge, Mass., reports that thousands of hospitals, both national and international, have joined its campaign against preventable complications that requires the adoption of bundles. The IHI defines bundling as a group of processes needed by patients undergoing certain risky treatments. The idea is to join scientifically grounded elements that reduce the risk of serious complications, such as pneumonia or central-line infections. Ventilator-associated pneumonia is one of the most common hospital-acquired infections. The related bundle requires that the head of the bed be elevated, the patient be woken daily for assessment, and preventative steps be taken to prevent blood clots and ulcers."

RENEWED WARNING ON COLD MEDICINES
Friday, January 18, 2008
By Gardiner Harris, The New York Times

"Concerned that many parents continue to give infants over-the-counter cold remedies, the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it “strongly recommends” that these medicines not be used in children under 2. And a top agency official hinted that the agency was considering raising the age limit to include every child under 6. In October, major manufacturers announced that they would voluntarily withdraw “infant” cough medicines. A few days after the announcement, an agency advisory committee voted that all products for children under the age of 6 should be banned. The F.D.A. usually follows the advice of its advisory committees but need not. There is no evidence that pediatric cold medicines provide any relief to children suffering from colds, and there are growing reports of deaths, convulsions, rapid heart rates and some loss of consciousness associated with them. There are about 800 pediatric cold products sold in the United States that use one or more of 39 different drugs. Parents spend around $500 million every year buying nearly 95 million boxes containing 3.8 billion doses of medicine. The American College of Chest Physicians recommends that pediatric cold medicines not be used."

UPMC CREATES 'SMART' ROOMS WITH ELECTRONICS
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
By Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

"The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center today said that it has created the first-ever "smart" patient room. These rooms use ultrasound tracking devices, flat screen monitors and electronic medical records to identify doctors, nurses and other hospital workers who visit patient rooms and to clearly display important patient information, such as vital signs and allergies, to authorized personnel. "Having the latest patient information right at the bedside, including lab results and medications recently given, helps to ensure the safest and most effective patient care possible," Dr. Shuja Hassan, a UPMC geriatrician and Smart Room user, said in a news release."

LONG-DISTANCE DIAGNOSIS SPEEDS TREATMENT FOR STROKE
Monday, January 21, 2008
By Carla DeStefano, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

"Even the latest high-tech equipment can't help someone who doesn't get to a hospital quickly after a stroke. If treatment can begin within the first hour after symptoms appear, the most serious complications -- even death -- may be averted. The same is true in the case of heart attack. Doctors call it the "golden hour," a 60-minute span that can make all the difference. Sauter, of Westmoreland Neurology Associates, uses videoconferencing devices to connect with Excela's emergency departments remotely. Like a corporate manager who holds long-distance meetings using webcams and Internet connections, he can see and hear patients who are miles away. The technology lets doctors engage in direct patient care in less time than it would take them to drive to the hospital. With the help of hospital staff, they can assess a patient's condition, get a medical history and decide on an initial treatment."

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

CMS PROPOSES CASH ALLOWANCE TO LET BENEFICIARIES HIRE PERSONAL CARE WORKERS
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
By Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report

"CMS on Monday announced it will accept public comment on a proposal to provide some Medicaid beneficiaries with a cash allowance to hire personal care workers, CQ HealthBeat reports. If their home states elect to adopt a self-directed personal assistance services option in their state plan, beneficiaries would be able to hire and train their own qualified caregiver -- who could be a family member -- to assist with daily activities but not direct medical care. The proposed regulation would implement a provision from the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act that lets states choose to provide care in ways that previously required a waiver from CMS. States must have an existing personal care services benefit or be operating a home- or community-based service waiver program before allowing Medicaid beneficiaries to be eligible for the cash allowance."

NEIGHBORHOODS: MOST LIVABLE CITY FOR WHO?
Thursday, January 17, 2008
By Melissa Meinzer, Pittsburgh City Paper

"Much has been made of Pittsburgh's recent designation as a "Most Livable City," but, some say, it's unclear for whom it's so great. On Mon., Jan. 7, at the Union Project in Highland Park, the Coro Center hosted a panel to get to the root of that question. Panelists dissected the notion of "most livable" and how to make that term apply to everyone, crossing boundaries of race, age, gender, ability and more. The panelists all agreed that different Pittsburghers experience different levels of livability. However, they didn't manage to entirely solve the knotty problem of discrimination in the two-hour discussions, offering more views of the dilemma than solutions to it... Chaz Kellem, group sales associate for the Pirates, stressed societal responsibility to equip kids with a solid educational foundation."

HEALTH OBSERVERS EXPECT POLICY BATTLES
Sunday, January 20, 2008
By Kevin Freaking, Associated Press, USA Today

"Democrats also are focused on trimming payments to private health insurers that serve older people and the disabled. Democratic Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, who heads the Senate Finance Committee, has said a hard look at the payments and the marketing practices of insurers is long overdue. The insurance companies provide coverage to about 9 million people through a program known as Medicare Advantage. The government, on average, spends about 12% more for beneficiaries treated through Medicare Advantage than it does for those in traditional Medicare. Under regular Medicare, the government simply reimburses a provider a set rate for a particular service. But Leavitt said the administration will not support cutting money for Medicare Advantage... About the only legislation that both Democrats and Republicans view as having to pass would eliminate a pay cut for doctors who treat the elderly and disabled. The doctors were scheduled to take a 10-percent rate cut beginning Jan. 1 until Congress granted a six-month reprieve. As part of that expected bill, the administration wants to require that doctors adopt electronic record keeping. Those who do not buy such technology would get paid less than the doctors who do. Such records can help coordinate patient care, potentially reducing health costs. The widespread adoption of electronic records furthers the administration's priority of creating a marketplace that gives people more information about the quality and price of the care they receive, Leavitt said."

PUBLIC HEALTH/HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

PROPOSAL WOULD LIMIT ENGINE IDLING TIME
Sunday, January 20, 2008
By Don Hopey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The proposed rule, which could be finalized by this summer, would limit idling -- that is, sitting motionless with the motor running -- by long-haul trucks to five minutes per hour. It also would affect many delivery trucks, school buses, transit buses and motor coaches. Legislation with almost identical language, that would reinforce the proposed regulation, has been introduced in the state Senate. At least 14 states, including many of those around Pennsylvania, already have anti-idling laws. At a time when Pennsylvania must reduce air pollutants to meet new federal standards, diesel fuel prices are topping $3 a gallon and new technology is available to provide electric power to more truck stops, opposition to the regulation is almost nonexistent."

PANEL CALLS FOR RESEARCH ON CELL PHONE HEALTH EFFECTS
Friday, January 18, 2008
By David Templeton, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"The question might arise every time the cell phone rings: Is this wireless device affecting my health? For now, science isn't ready to conclude whether radiofrequency energy, or RF, causes health problems, although considerable research to date has found no such link. But the National Research Council issued a report yesterday outlining a wide range of research it thinks is necessary to answer the question once and for all. "What we suggest would improve the understanding of what's going on here," said Frank Barnes, University of Colorado professor of electrical engineering and chairman of the committee that completed the report. The 66-page report does not outline existing research nor offer conclusions about any health effects associated with wireless devices. Based on his own expertise on the topic, Dr. Barnes said research to date is mixed."

SITE LAUNCHED FOR SMOKERS DETERMINED TO QUIT IN 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
By New Pittsburgh Courier

"As the New Year starts, Secretary of Health Dr. Calvin B. Johnson launched the site DeterminedToQuit.com, a comprehensive online community designed to help smokers successfully quit. “DeterminedToQuit.com is an exciting new support tool to help Pennsylvania’s nearly two million smokers who truly are determined to quit their tobacco habit for the last time,” said Johnson. “Success rates double for smokers who have the right support during their quit attempt.” The site features a Quit Companion that allows users to update and monitor their quit attempts and smoking lapses; schedule reminder messages to automatically be delivered to their mobile phones; and invite their family and friends to send messages of encouragement. Several current smokers from throughout Pennsylvania will also post video blogs of their quit attempts."

HEALTH CARE POLICY & MARKETPLACE

ANALYSIS: RENDELL HEALTH PLAN FACES BIG BATTLE
Thursday, January 17, 2008
By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau

"The escalating battle over Gov. Ed Rendell's plan to extend health insurance to 767,000 uninsured Pennsylvanians carries political dangers for both Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature. For Democrats, there is the risk of voting for higher taxes in a year when they're running for re-election. Mr. Rendell's health insurance plan, called Cover All Pennsylvanians, or CAP, would be funded in three ways, and two of them are tax increases. He wants a 10-cents-a-pack increase in the tax on cigarettes -- for a total tax of $1.45 a pack. That would generate $67 million a year for CAP, he says. He also wants a first-time sales tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco, which would raise another $50 million a year. He said he was amazed when he learned Pennsylvania is the only state that doesn't tax those tobacco products. The third part of CAP is to tap $267 million of the nearly $500 million surplus in the Mcare abatement fund. It was enacted in 2003 and gets its money from a 25-cents-a-pack tax on cigarettes. The fund helps doctors in the state pay for their malpractice insurance. "If the General Assembly can raise the cigarette tax by 25 cents to help the doctors, is it OK to raise it 10 cents a pack to help people who can't afford health insurance? You bet it is," said Mr. Rendell at a health care rally at the Capitol this week."

NYT ELECTION GUIDE 2008: HEALTH CARE
January 2008
By The New York Times

Click below for a summary of the 2008 Presidential candidants' positions on health care and other top policy issues.

MOST US ADULTS SUPPORT HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATE WITH SUBSIDIES FOR SOME, STUDY SAYS
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
By Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report

"About 68% of U.S. adults support a requirement that all residents obtain health insurance with government subsidies for those who cannot afford coverage, according to a survey released on Tuesday by the Commonwealth Fund, Reuters reports. The survey -- conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International between June 6, 2007, and Oct. 24, 2007 -- included responses from 3,501 adults in the continental U.S. According to the survey, 80% of Democrats support a health insurance mandate, compared with 52% of Republicans and 68% of independents. Commonwealth Fund Vice President Sara Collins said, "It is a significant issue as the number of uninsured people climbs every year and more and more middle-class people are affected."

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