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President Obama To Engage AARP Members At Health Care Town Hall
President Barack Obama will join AARP leaders and members tomorrow for the next in a series of national tele-town hall meetings on the need for quality, affordable health care choices for every American. The Association"s town hall meetings have now reached nearly one million of its members and volunteers nationwide.
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Orszag Talks About Personal Choice, MedPAC And CBO Scores
Obama budget chief Peter Orszag sat with Slate.com last week to talk about health reform. In his answers, Orszag talked about personal choices affecting health care costs, the role of MedPAC and the Congressional Budget Office.
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Ohio Supreme Court Restricts Mifepristone Use In State To Scope Of FDA's Approval Letter
In answering two certified questions from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, the Ohio State Supreme Court on July 1 declared that a state law regulating the use of mifepristone -- which is used in medication abortion -- bars physicians from prescribing it for off-label use, BNA reports. The court confirmed that doctors who use the drug to induce abortion must do so in compliance with the 49-day gestational limit included in FDA"s 2000 drug approval letter. Doctors also must prescribe the drug in accordance with the protocols and dosage indications included in its FDA-approved labeling.Interpretation of State Law in ContentionThe Ohio General Assembly in 2004 passed a law (Section 2919.123 (A)) that required any health care professional prescribing or dispensing mifepristone to comply with "all provisions of federal law that govern the use" of the drug. The law defines "federal law" as "any law, rule or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter" from FDA "that governs or regulates the use of" mifepristone for inducing abortion. FDA"s approval letter states that the drug "is indicated for use in the termination of pregnancy (through 49 days" pregnancy) and has no other approved indication for use during pregnancy." In addition, the drug"s label states the recommended dosage and that its use requires three office visits by the patient. Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region challenged the law in district court, arguing that neither FDA"s approval letter nor any other federal provision bans the off-label use of mifespristone to induce abortion beyond 49 days" gestation. The group also argued that the state law was unconstitutionally vague because it did not notify abortion providers in advance regarding which FDA documents were included in the state"s criminal law. In addition, Planned Parenthood said that prohibiting the evidence-based use of the drug would infringe on the rights of women, requiring them to take higher-than-necessary dosages of the drug or to undergo surgical abortions when a noninvasive alternative is available. The district court ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood, saying that the law was void because of vagueness. The state appealed the decision to the 6th Circuit, which then submitted two questions to the state Supreme Court seeking its interpretation of the law.The state Supreme Court ruled that FDA"s drug approval letter is included in the definition of "federal law" and that the state law is not ambiguous, according to BNA. The court said that because the drug approval letter incorporated FDA"s labeling text, Ohio physicians cannot prescribe or provide mifepristone to induce abortion outside of the stipulations of the drug approval letter and approved label. According to BNA, product liability law experts say the ruling will not have an impact outside of mifepristone or the state of Ohio.Case Returns to Appeals CourtRoger Evans of Planned Parenthood Federation of America said that he is not sure if the court"s decision helps or hurts the group"s case. Evans said that the district court declared the law unconstitutional based on an interpretation that the statute operates in the same way the state Supreme Court ruled it does. He noted that there are other possible interpretations of the law that would have solved the constitutional issues at the center of the litigation. However, because those issues were not resolved, the case now returns to the 6th Circuit, which will decide if the statute is constitutional based on the state Supreme Court"s interpretation. If the circuit court agrees with the district court that the statute is unconstitutionally vague, the state of Ohio could seek a U.S. Supreme Court review. If the circuit court finds that the statute is constitutional, the case likely will be sent back to the district court for resolution of some other issues in the case, according to BNA (BNA, 7/6).
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New Report Finds American Obesity Rates Climb Again - Fruits & Vegetables Important To Combating Obesity

Adult obesity rates did not decrease in a single state over the past year, but rather increased in 23 states. Also, the percentage of obese and overweight children is now at or above 30 percent in 30 states. These statistics come from the sixth annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2009 report, released July 1, by the Trust for America"s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The report contains rankings of state obesity rates, reviews federal and state government policies aimed at reducing or preventing obesity, and provides recommendations for addressing obesity within health reform. The report finds that adult obesity rates now surpass 25 percent in 31 states and exceed 20 percent in 49 states and Washington, D.C. In 1991, no state had an adult obesity rate above 20 percent. In 1980, the national average for adult obesity was only 15 percent. Today, two-thirds of American adults are either obese or overweight. Sixteen states experienced an increase in the rate of adult obesity for the second year in a row, and 11 states experienced an increase for the third straight year when compared with past reports. According to the report, Mississippi had the highest rate of adult obesity at 32.5 percent, making it the fifth year in a row that the state has topped the list. Four states now have adult obesity rates above 30 percent, including Mississippi, West Virginia (31.2 percent), Alabama (31.1 percent) and Tennessee (30.2 percent). Colorado continued to have the lowest percentage of obese adults at 18.9 percent. Mississippi also had the highest rate of obese and overweight children (ages 10 to 17) at 44.4 percent. Minnesota and Utah had the lowest rate of obese and overweight children at 23.1 percent. The report also states that childhood obesity rates have more than tripled since 1980. Elizabeth Pivonka is a Registered Dietitian and CEO of Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH), the nonprofit entity behind the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters® national public health initiative. Pivonka says that most U.S. adults don"t get the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables each day. "Eating more fruits and vegetables in place of options that are higher in fat and calories is an important step in losing weight and keeping it off." "Don"t feel like you need to give your diet a complete overhaul right away. Sometimes big changes are difficult to stick to. If you can only make one diet change right now you"re best option is to add just one extra serving of fruit or vegetables each day. You"ll find you won"t need to eat as much of other foods when you do." "Fruits and vegetables play important roles in the process of weight loss and weight maintenance," says Pivonka. "Not only because they are low in calories but also because they provide a wide range of valuable nutrients like vitamins and potassium. They are also high in fiber and water, so eating them will keep you feeling full longer." Pivonka adds that fruits and vegetables are loaded with healthy fiber, and fiber rich diets have been shown to have a number of beneficial effects, including a decreased risk of coronary heart disease. "Fruits and vegetables are the cheapest form of health insurance you can buy since eating them may help reduce the risk of obesity and many diseases," adds Pivonka. "Everyone can benefit from eating more fruits and vegetables, so fill at least half of your plate with them at every meal." Pivonka says, "Fruits and vegetables provide the unrivaled combination of great taste, nutrition, abundant variety and multiple product forms. There is no need to eat the same thing day after day when there are so many delicious fruits and veggies from which to choose. Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is easy when you remember that all product forms count - fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and 100 percent fruit and vegetable juice." To read the full F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2009 report, including state-by-state rankings of both adult and obesity and obese and overweight children ages 10-17, go to TFAH"s website at http://www.healthyamericans.org or RWJF"s website at http://www.rwjf.org. Here is a Quick List of Weight Loss Tips from Elizabeth Pivonka, R.D. - Use a smaller plate and make sure to fill at least half your plate with fruits and veggies at every meal. - Have fruit instead of processed sweets for dessert. - Keep a variety of canned fruits and vegetables on hand. They are pre-cooked as part of the canning process and need just a few seconds in the microwave to heat up. Healthy and fast! - Spend the few extra cents to buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are already washed and cut up, or buy larger bags and clean and cut them up yourself and put them into portion controlled containers. Keep them on hand for ready to eat snacks, pack them into lunches and take them in the car. - Don"t forget about dried fruits and veggies! Keep a bag of your favorites in your handbag or in the car for those times when a craving strikes while you"re on the go. - For a quick breakfast fix a smoothie with fat-free milk and frozen fruit. - Got home late and don"t want to cook? Top a bag of pre-washed salad mix with canned tuna, chicken, or a can of your favorite beans, add your favorite veggies like grape tomatoes, cucumber, or bell peppers, and top with low-fat dressing for a quick, yet satisfying meal. Produce for Better Health Foundation


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