Dec 13 Virginia Judge Rules Major Health Reform Provision Unconstitutional Updated 4:02 p.m. Federal judge Henry Hudson ruled Monday afternoon that a major provision of the health care reform law is unconstitutional, setting up a legal battle that will likely end at the Supreme Court. In his decision, the… Continue reading
Dec 13 How Will the Nutrition Bill Change School Lunches? President Obama has signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 into law, a major victory in First Lady Michelle Obama's crusade against child obesity and hunger. The bill increases federal funding for school lunches - by about six cents… Continue reading
Dec 13 Cuba Faces Economic Woes; Boasts Strides in Health, Education By Talea Miller Ray Suarez is back from Havana, Cuba, where he reported on the health system, medical diplomacy and the move towards economic reforms. Watch an online-exclusive on the struggles of everyday life in Cuba and Suarez's experience as an American reporter… Continue reading
Dec 10 Health Reform Watch: Congress Passes 'Doc Fix,' Revisiting McAllen Congress gave Medicare doctors a one-year reprieve from a looming pay cut this week. On Thursday, legislators passed a bill that will stave off a 25 percent cut in the Medicare reimbursement rate, which they paid for by shifting… Continue reading
Dec 09 Watch Surgeon General: Smoking Even Once Poses Health Risks Surgeon General Regina Benjamin speaks with Judy Woodruff about a new study on how even just one puff of one cigarette causes immediate harm to a person's lungs and lead to bigger health problems down the road. Continue watching
Dec 09 Congress Patches Payment Gap for Medicare Doctors Congress once again headed off a pay cut for doctors who treat Medicare patients by stopping a 25 percent decrease in the amount the federal government pays them to take care of seniors. The cut was scheduled to take effect… Continue reading
Dec 09 Top 5 Global Health Headlines: One Cigarette Causes Harm, Haiti Cholera By Talea Miller Photo by Valentin Ottone Just One Cigarette Can Harm Health The chemicals from even one puff of a cigarette can cause immediate damage to the lungs and DNA, according to a new report issued by U.S. Surgeon General Regina… Continue reading
Dec 07 Watch In Cuba, Biotech Eyed for Potential Economic Boost Ray Suarez, who is reporting for the NewsHour's Global Health Unit in Cuba, speaks with Jeffrey Brown about the country's changing economy, its booming medical research industry and health care system. Suarez returns to Havana for the first time since… Continue watching
Dec 06 Texas Considers Dropping Medicaid as States Face Budget Crisis Texas State Capitol Building (Flickr Creative Commons/Ed Schipul) For 45 years, the states and federal government's Medicaid program has provided health care to low income children, pregnant women, seniors and disabled adults. Today, Medicaid covers about 50 million Americans. Continue reading
Dec 06 New Meningitis Vaccine Could be Model for Future Drugs By Talea Miller The rollout of a new meningitis vaccine developed specifically with poor countries in mind began Monday in western Africa. Health officials hope to vaccinate more than 12 million people in Burkina Faso by the end of the year and… Continue reading