Latest News
Health care, economy top concerns of Bay Area small business, Bank of America survey saysBay Area small business owners’ greatest concerns center on health care costs, credit availability and a recovery in consumer spending, according to Bank of America’s inaugural survey of small business owners that the bank plans to conduct twice a year.
By Mark Calvey, San Francisco Business Times
May 18, 2012
Medical students embrace Medicare for all
If you ever want to rekindle your hope for American medicine, spend time with medical students. These bright, energetic minds are going into medicine for all the right reasons — to help people, relieve suffering and find new ways to cure illness and eradicate disease.
By Ed Weisbart, STLToday
May 17, 2012
Average annual healthcare cost for a family tops $20,000
Healthcare or a Hyundai?
By Chad Terhune, Los Angeles Times
May 16, 2012
High uninsured rates can kill you — even if you have coverage
There are many health policy studies that link uninsurance to worse health outcomes. A forthcoming paper in the Journal of Health Economics adds an important layer to that relationship: It finds that high rates of uninsurance mean worse outcomes even for those with coverage.
By Sarah Kliff, Washington Post
May 15, 2012
Global push to guarantee health coverage leaves U.S. behind
China, Mexico and other countries far less affluent are working to provide medical insurance for all citizens. It’s viewed as an economic investment.
By Noam Levey, LA TIMES
May 14, 2012
Emergency Room Visits on the Rise Due to Low Co-Pay Costs
Employees and their families are making more trips to the emergency room (ER), urgent care facilities and specialists’ offices as relatively low co-pay costs are narrowing the gap between those and other services – notably primary care physicians.
HighRoads
May 11, 2012
New York and Missouri Introduce Single Payer Legislation
Doctors, nurses, patients, senior citizens, anti-poverty advocates, faith leaders and medical administrators joined Assemblymember Richard Gottfried and Senator Thomas Duane in unveiling an updated and revised single payer legislative proposal for New York State. More than 70 state lawmakers are cosponsors.
Healthcare – NOW
May 10, 2012
Get Ready for Summer Conference 2012!
Organizing for Healthcare Justice in California
Sponsored by the Campaign for a Healthy California
May 9, 2012
How single payer can improve the access to cancer care
One in four families impacted by cancer finds themselves in financial straits. A Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard Public Health study found half of cancer patients use up most or all of their life savings. Studies have found that over half of bankruptcies in the United States resulted from medical bills.
By Aldebra Schroll, MD – KevinMD Blog
May 8, 2012
Nominate a Health Care Hero
The San Francisco Business Times is excited to present our annual Health Care Heroes Awards, honoring those professionals who go above and beyond to make the Bay Area healthier through delivering quality care, advocating for patients, innovating new technology or educating the community about health issues. Heroes can include individuals, businesses, agencies, organizations or coalitions.
San Francisco Business Times
May 7, 2012
U.S. health care spending ‘dwarfs’ that of other countries
The United States spends more on health care than 12 other industrialized countries, a new Commonwealth Fund study finds – but that doesn’t mean this country’s care is any better.
By Kathryn Smith, Politico
May 3, 2012
California’s Fight to Stop Health Insurance Price Gouging & the Single Payer Solution
As California families continue to reel from the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression, health insurance premium rates have soared by 153% since 2002, nearly five times the rate of inflation.
By Zack Kaldveer, New America Media
May 2, 2012
Community clinics try to fill in dental care gap
Roughly three million poor and disabled Californians had their coverage for dental services cut three years ago, and community dental clinics have struggled to cover preventative services ever since.
By Callie Shanafelt, California Health Report
May 2, 2012
Upcoming Events
Click Here for More Information
Saturday, May 19th – Los Angeles Chapter Meeting – Los Angeles, Ca
Saturday, May 19th – County+Community Health Empowerment Speak Out for the Public Health System – Los Angeles, Ca
Monday, May 21st – Chico Chapter Meeting – Chico, Ca
Monday, May 21 – Immigrant Day – Sacramento, Ca
Saturday, June 2 – East Bay Chapter – Oakland, Ca
Friday, June 8 – Townhall Meeting: Healthcare Reform, California Moving Forward – Los Angeles, Ca
Saturday and Sunday, July 7th and 8th – Campaign for a Healthy California Summer Conference – Los Angeles, Ca
Friday, December 7th – South LA Health and Human Rights Conference – Los Angeles, Ca
News Feeds
PNHP Blog
- Smiley and West – “The Rich and the Rest of Us”
- Private equity investors moving into dentistry
- Drs. Marcia Angell and Arnold Relman visit Oregon
PNHP Articles of Interest
- Smiley and West – "The Rich and the Rest of Us"
- Private equity investors moving into dentistry
- WellPoint shareholders say no to political spending proposal
Commonwealth Fund
New York Times Prescriptions Blog
- A Note to Readers of This Blog
- Drug Costs Pose Smaller Financial Burden Amid Generic Boom
- Drug Makers Dial Down TV Advertising
Health Affairs
- Medicare Physician Payment: A Hollow Victory For The RUC
- Implementing Health Reform: State-Based, Partnership, And Federally Facilitated Exchanges
- Remembering Larry Lewin: A Legacy Of Accomplishment And Mentorship
Kaiser Health News
- GOP Stakeholders Have Different Views For Health Law Strategies
- As Presidential Campaign Ads Hit The Airwaves, Health Policies Have Big Role
- AMA: FTC Decision On Who Can Whiten Teeth Could Change Medical Practice Regulation
California Healthline
