News in category: Major Medical

In the discussion of health care reform in the House today what's missing is a reminder that the current system is unsustainable. As Americans lose their insurance through job loss and because of the cost of private insurance, they raise their risk of death by 40 percent.

"Heed the Gavel", yells Rep. John Dingell as Republicans interrupt Democrats who are voicing their approval of the health care reform bill, HR 3962.

The House has some basic issues to address in the debate over H.R. 3962 which will reform health care in the U.S. in this rare Saturday session.

Additional taxes will come from health care reform on small business say dissenters on the House floor this morning - ironic since the GOP generally supports big business they are reminded by a House Democrat. Meanwhile, more lobbys representing doctors and seniors are lending support.

House discussion is taking place this morning on health care reform H.R. 3962 which likely goes to a vote in the House Saturday. Nancy Pelosi is gathering votes amid Democratic defectors and Republicans, who do not support it.

A visible and vocal GOP rally against the Democrats version of health care reform heated up when a banner of Holocaust victims was paraded among those in attendance. Meanwhile the AMA and AARP have both announced support of the Democratic plan.

Democrats plan to take health care reform to a possible vote in the House on Saturday with a plan that should offer health care insurance coverage to 36 million more Americans. The GOP effort is already underway to derail the plan with its own plan which covers 3 million more Americans.

Medical health insurance premiums are supposed to go primarily to pay medical claims, but a Senate Committee inquiry finds that a larger chunk, than previously suspected, of what you pay for medical insurance, returns to the insurer as profit.

Are there too many frivolous lawsuits? It's tough to find any backing to that claim that will be heard when health care debate begins later this week. But there is plenty of evidence that 100,000 to 200,000 Americans are dying every year from medical error - and most don't file lawsuits.

The 'Loser pays" proposal is just the latest in a long line of tort reform proposals, part of health care reform, that further erode an injured persons ability to seek a remedy in the court after medical malpractice.

Eight states are recalling 546,000 pounds of ground beef after E. coli contamination was detected. One person in New Hampshire has died and two others are sickened from what is suspected to be the same contaminated meat.

When a study showed the more expensive N-95 respirator was superior over surgical masks, the CDC and Institute of Medicine quickly adopted the findings and made recommendations to hospitals. Now it's revealed the findings were based on faulty science.

In a new report, the federal government says that Chinese drywall has elevated sulfur emissions. But, the preliminary findings stop short of linking it to health problems. More results will be released in November.

A new government report shows only one-third of adults are getting sufficient sleep or rest every night. According to the CDC, some 50 to 70 million American adults suffer from sleep and wakefulness disorders.

Stryker Biotech LLC and its executives were indicted by a grand jury Wednesday, accused of fraudulently marketing its bone-growth products and covering-up the misconduct. They face prison time and fines.