by Dan Royer on Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Leave a CommentFeaturing hospital and health care headlines from the media and Web.
Iowa News
Grassley defends Medicare drug benefit, tax cuts
Sen. Chuck Grassley’s campaign manager, Bob Renaud, responded to criticisms leveled in Monday’s forum about Grassley’s support for tax cuts and his role as an architect of the 2003 Medicare prescription drug benefit. Democrat Roxanne Conlin leveled most of the attacks against Grassley, a Republican who seeks his sixth term this fall. (Des Moines Register)
How to recruit more family doctors
After Jacob Hollenbeck’s bath Tuesday evening, the 3-year-old Iowa City boy went to bed complaining of an earache.In the morning, dad Randy brought his son to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Pomerantz Family Pavilion where they met with Dr. Katie Imborek, a second-year resident in the family medicine program. (Iowa City Press Citizen)
Govt warns health insurance industry on mergers
In a blunt warning to the health insurance industry, the Obama administration said Monday it won’t hesitate to block mergers that threaten to stifle competition. Justice Department antitrust chief Christine Varney told a lawyers’ conference that vigorous enforcement of anti-monopoly laws is vital to the success of the new health care law, particularly in trying to control rising premiums. (Associated Press)
Countdown continues on Minnesota nurses’ strike
Five days after Twin Cities nurses voted to authorize a strike, there’s been little movement on either side. Both sides have publicly declared they would like to return to the negotiating table — to stave off what would be the biggest strike in nursing history if 12,000 Twin Cities nurses walk out of 14 hospitals. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
A new Web-based tool seeks to help patients spend less time in the waiting room before seeing their doctor. The application, called MedWaitTime, allows patients to check before their appointment whether their doctor is running late, akin to getting a flight-status update before going to the airport. (Wall Street Journal)
After Eric Heininger left his job (and medical insurance) to follow his girlfriend to graduate school in New Haven, he wanted to get a physical, so he volunteered to take part in a medical study. (New York Times)
