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Lawmakers Seek Compromise On Health Overhaul Proposals
Democrats and Republicans are saying that they will need to compromise on a government-run public plan if they are to meet the deadline of having a bill on the Senate floor by the August recess, The Associated Press reports.
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New Image Survey Reveals 'Perception Is Reality' When It Comes To Teenagers With Acne
In today"s image-obsessed society where millions of photos are uploaded daily through digital networks such as Facebook and Flickr, how much of an impact can a common skin condition like acne have on the life of teens? Based on first impressions, teens with acne are perceived to have different personality and social traits than if they had clear skin, according to results of a new online perception survey sponsored by the American Acne & Rosacea Society (AARS), and co-authored by Dr. Eva Ritvo, psychiatrist and co-author of The Beauty Prescription.(1) The survey asked thousands of teens and adults to offer their impressions of a group of teens based solely on photos of their faces - with clear skin or digitally enhanced to simulate acne. The results, which are being released to mark the first-ever National Acne Awareness Month, also expose the significant lengths that teens with acne would go to if it meant they could get rid of their acne forever.(1a)
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Des Moines Register Examines Planned Parenthood Of Greater Iowa 75 Years After Founding
The Des Moines Register on Friday profiled Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa, which marks its 75th anniversary this year. Established in 1934 as the Iowa Maternal Health League, PPGI now includes 17 clinics offering a range of reproductive health services, as well as an education and re center. The organization originally was founded by four women with a mission of providing birth control for low-income married women. Over the years, it frequently "has been on the forefront of advances in reproductive history," according to the Register. For example, in the early 1960s, PPGI became the first provider in the Midwest to offer the oral contraceptive Ortho-Novum, leading to a more than 350% increase in its number of patients.Although antiabortion-rights advocates often discuss Planned Parenthood in relation to abortion services, the vast majority of its services are not abortion-related. Jill June, president and CEO of PPGI, said that although the organization"s services have greatly expanded since its founding, the "needs people have for the services we provide and the challenges we face in meeting those needs haven"t changed." She added, "People still face unintended pregnancies despite great technological advances in birth control and efforts to make contraception more available and to normalize contraception use" (Challender, Des Moines Register, 5/22).
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American Hospital Association Statement On Administration's New Proposals On Reform

Rich Umbdenstock President and CEO American Hospital Association America"s hospitals support systemic reform that lowers costs and improves care for patients; however, we are deeply disappointed and concerned to see the Administration propose cuts of more than $220 billion to hospitals, especially during these tough economic times when more patients are turning to their local hospital for care. Hospitals are already facing as much as $41 billion in cuts due to the Medicare payment system changes recently proposed by the Administration. Additional cuts of this magnitude could severely jeopardize hospitals" ability to care for their patients and communities. Hospitals have long supported expanding health care coverage to all Americans but feel this must happen while maintaining adequate financing for hospitals that serve large numbers of poor and uninsured patients. Cutting the Medicare and Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) programs, as the Administration is proposing, overlooks the critical role these important programs play in supporting a broad range of services for uninsured children and adults as well as essential community services such as trauma and burn units, disaster readiness, neonatal care and emergency psychiatric services. These programs also help to mitigate the financial shortfalls hospitals experience from government program underpayments and treating undocumented immigrants. Even with today"s DSH payments, federal health programs pay hospitals more than $32 billion below the cost of caring for patients on average. These programs go beyond covering care for the uninsured and serve as a lifeline to hospitals struggling to meet the growing needs of patients and communities. Because of that, we urge lawmakers not to cut DSH programs before coverage expansions are universal and fully implemented as part of reform, and Medicare and Medicaid shortfalls are addressed. The Administration also is calling for a "productivity" adjustment for hospitals. Anyone who has been to a hospital knows how vital the nurses and other skilled caregivers are in their care. Other industries can replace people with machines but health care is about people taking care of people. That"s why the measure proposed to adjust for productivity, which was not intended for health care, does not make sense. Instead, our focus needs to be on ensuring that patients receive the right care at the right time in the right setting. In addition, the new proposals for long-term care and rehabilitation hospitals are problematic and could serve as a barrier to better coordination of care for patients. Hospitals have pledged to do our part to help reduce national health costs and we remain committed to doing so. Reform must improve care for patients without crippling hospitals" ability to care for patients and communities. We stand ready to help the Administration and the Congress make thoughtful reform a reality. American Hospital Association


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