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NEWS ABOUT: health care costs

Current Care Kills More Than 'Army of Death Panels'

System 'takes lives and breaks apart families'

(Newser) - Despite screeches that a government-run health care program will bump people into an early grave, "it’s a good bet that our existing dysfunctional health system knocks off far more people than an army of ‘death panels’ could, even if they did exist," writes Nicholas Kristof in... More »

No, Joe, We Can't Put Off Health Care

Procrastinating will only inflate costs in the long run

(Newser) - Joe Lieberman recently opined that, given our deficit woes, we should wait to reform health care, saying “There’s no reason we have to do it all now." Well, he’s dead wrong, writes David Lazarus of the LA Times. Without reform, costs will keep going up, and... More »

Is Teddy's Care Too Costly for Real Reform?

(Newser) - Edward Kennedy’s terminal illness has become a powerful symbol in the health care debate, Politico reports, though not necessarily in the way the Massachusetts senator would like. Although Kennedy recently wrote that he wants all Americans “to get the same treatment that US senators are entitled to,”... More »

Health Reform's Enemy No. 1? Seniors

(Newser) - Scan the ranks of health care reform malcontents at your local town hall, and you’ll notice a lot of older faces. With Democrats aiming their sales pitch mostly at middle-class Americans and the uninsured, seniors have come to fear that Medicare, their own beloved government-run health care, will face... More »

Ambinder: Town Halls Backfiring on Conservatives

(Newser) - Only a week ago, it seemed that conservatives had all the momentum in the fight against health care reform. Now, it's clear "they ramped up too quickly," writes Marc Ambinder in the Atlantic. The first town hall activists were "itching for a fight," and "the... More »

Obama Takes On Rationing, 'Death Panel' Rumors

(Newser) - Barack Obama took the stage in New Hampshire today to set the record straight about Democratic health care reform efforts. Though the crowd was all applause, Obama took on the raucous protests that have characterized recent town halls. “Let's disagree over things that are real, not these wild misrepresentations,... More »

Health Care Opponents Aren't (All) Crazy

They aren't 'delusional' for equating reform with fewer choices

(Newser) - There are definitely crazy black helicopter watchers amongst the screaming masses of health care foes, but most of the people filling town halls are “confused and concerned Americans,” writes Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post. “And they have a point.” Robinson’s a self-proclaimed “true... More »

GOP 'Flat-Out' Lying About Health Care

Republicans trying to scare US out of discussion

(Newser) - When it comes to health care reform, Republicans have become “political terrorists,” trying to scare Americans in an effort to block consensus, writes Steven Pearlstein for the Washington Post. “There is no credible way to look at what has been proposed and conclude that these will result... More »

A Digital Pill a Day May Keep the Doctor Away

Wireless monitoring aims to cut visits and billions in health costs

(Newser) - As Congress debates ways to save on health care, Silicon Valley has an idea of its own: cutting costs through wireless technology, the Wall Street Journal reports. One startup has built a tiny, edible chip that attaches to pills and keeps track of whether patients are taking their medication. Remote... More »

Costs Soar as Docs Order and Perform Tests

Fishy practice highlights challenge of medical regulation

(Newser) - As Congress wrestles with health-care reform, studies show it’s tough to regulate the status quo: Doctors’ “self-referrals” for medical imaging have continued despite efforts to legislate against them, the Washington Post reports. Doctors who own the equipment that scans patients stand to make more cash—and tend to... More »

Why Congress Won't Face the Fat Problem

Lawmakers fear giving US 'bad news'—especially while munching Doritos

(Newser) - Congress is “in denial” on one key health issue: obesity, writes Lisa Lerer for Politico. Obesity-related illnesses reportedly cost $147 billion, or 10% of medical spending, last year—and lawmakers say they’re focused on cost-cutting. But, experts say, “no one wants to tell Americans the bad news.... More »

Blue Dog Deal Means No Vote on Health Before Recess

Dems also agree on $100B trim: Waxman

(Newser) - The House will not vote on a health care bill before the August recess, the Hill reports. Rep. Henry Waxman agreed to the delay as part of a deal with “Blue Dog” Democrats on his Energy and Commerce Committee, who had been threatening to block the bill. Waxman now... More »

Obesity Costs Swell to 10% of Health Spending

(Newser) - The medical cost of obesity has almost doubled over the last decade to $147 billion annually, a new study finds. Treating obesity-related disorders now accounts for almost 10% of the total spending on health care, reports Bloomberg. Each obese person costs the government or insurers an average of $1,429—... More »

Success Pumps Up Cost of Heart Attack Care

(Newser) - Advanced treatments have given heart attack victims a vastly better chance of survival than decades ago, but at chest-clutching prices, reports the Washington Post. In the 1960s, up to 40% of patients died soon after a heart attack. Today, it's only 6%. But treatment cost $5,700 in 1977—and... More »

Press Let Obama Off Easy on Health Details

(Newser) - Barack Obama maintained his trademark cool at last night's press conference, but he seemed back in campaign mode as he offered "well-honed arguments and sound bites" in favor of health care reform, writes Jane Sasseen of BusinessWeek. The president did a good job selling his plan, but he steadfastly... More »

Obama: 'We Will Do It This Year'

(Newser) - President Obama will take to the airwaves tonight in his fourth prime-time news conference with a familiar message: Health care reform is not only long overdue, it's a "central" part of the plan to keep the economy on track. In excerpts released in advance of tonight's 8pm EST address,... More »

Inaction Costlier Than Health Reform

(Newser) - If you want to see a health care plan that will hike your taxes, increase your medical expenses, and swell the deficit, Steven Pearlstein can name one: "Doing nothing as we continue to search in vain for the perfect plan." For the Washington Post columnist, a somewhat... More »

Silver: Don't Forget Wyden's Health Plan

(Newser) - When a bipartisan group of six senators sent a letter to Harry Reid yesterday asking him to slow down on health care reform, one name stood out to Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com: Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon. At first glance, the liberal-ish senator doesn't seem to fit with the... More »

Obama Cracks Whip, Cites Progress on Health Reform

'Now we've got to get over the finish line,' President tells Congress

(Newser) - President Obama today praised “unprecedented progress” in Congress on health-care reform, the Boston Globe reports. In a hastily scheduled appearance meant to galvanize support amid some signs this week of Democratic dissent, Obama said he remained “absolutely convinced” a bill would be passed this year. “The last... More »

Health Bill Has a Big Carrot for the Healthy

Senate measure would let employers cut premiums up to 50%

(Newser) - A measure slipped into the Senate’s health care reform bill could cut workers’ insurance costs by up to half if they eat well, lose weight, and quit smoking, the Boston Globe reports. The measure may be key to encouraging Americans to stay healthy without too much government imposition, a... More »

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