Patriot-News: Let’s act on healthcare, already!

November 18th, 2008

The Patriot-News wants the PA legislature to stop fooling around and address the health insurance issue.

New medical school aims to have lower tuition cost

November 12th, 2008

The goal is to combat the doctor shortage that Pennsylvania is currently facing.

Gov. Rendell and House Majority Leader to make healthcare announcement today

November 10th, 2008

Just what type of announcement will it be? We’ll have to wait and see!

How an Obama presidency might affect healthcare in PA

November 10th, 2008

An Obama presidency may increase the likelihood of Gov. Rendell’s plan being approved.

Kickoff of autism service program for adults delayed indefinitely because of budget shortfall

November 10th, 2008

The autism program is just another in the tally of Pennsylvania services which are being cut.

Latest in Inquirer’s health series: A man with a broken arm and no health insurance

November 10th, 2008

“Richard Hershman is sick and poor, partly, he said, because he abused drugs and did not lead a model life,” reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. “When he slipped and broke his arm, he could not get surgery to repair it properly because he had no insurance.”

Both presidential candidates promise to take on the pharmaceutical industry

October 30th, 2008

The presidential candidates may have very different overall proposals to changing the nation’s health care system, reports Gannett News, but Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama both talk tough about taking on the pharmaceutical industry.

Advocacy group coalition presses Obama and McCain to speak out on chronic disease policy

October 30th, 2008

A recent Wall Street Journal blog post describes ads being run by the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, a consortium of advocacy groups, which ask where the presidential candidates stand on health care and spending to fight chronic disease.

Will “boutique healthcare” take off in PA?

October 29th, 2008

Today, the Baltimore Sun reports on a growing healthcare trend in some areas, known as “boutique care.” In this type of primary care, doctors quit accepting health insurance, and instead charge a flat yearly fee to patients/families in exchange for the promise of 24-hour access to doctors, unhurried appointments, home visits and state-of-the-art annual physicals.

The latest healthcare cutback: Blood transfusions

October 29th, 2008

Amid rising blood costs and safety concerns about transfusions, reports the Wall Street Journal, a growing number of hospitals are developing guidelines for when transfusions are necessary and are making sure doctors are in compliance.