Uninsured rate dipped lower in 2007, to 15.3%.
The number of Americans without health insurance coverage dropped to 45.7 million in 2007, down from 47 million in 2006, mainly because of increased enrollment in government-funded health insurance programs, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The percentage of uninsured Americans fell from 15.8%...

Medicare pay favors specialists.
Incomes vary widely in the four medical specialties--geriatrics, hematology-oncology, nephrology, and rheumatology--that derive more than half of their revenues from government-run health insurance programs, a study showed. For example, geriatricians' incomes averaged $165,000 annually, compared with $504,000 for hematologists, even though the specialties require a similar amount of training,...

Medicare pay favors specialists.
Incomes vary widely among the four medical specialties--geriatrics, hematology-oncology, nephrology, and rheumatology--that derive more than half of their revenues from government-run health insurance programs, a study showed. For example, geriatricians' incomes averaged $165,000 annually, versus $504,000 for hematologists, even though the two specialties require a similar amount of training....

Private health insurance: a threat to Medicare.
The dramatic growth in the government financial subsidy to private health insurance (PHI) if continued, will inevitably cripple Medicare and force up health costs. Projecting Australian Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW) recorded premium rates, the PHI subsidy will cost $4.8 billion in 2007-08. In addition, there is a...

Live 24-Hour Help Line Expanded to Help Uninsured Georgia Residents Obtain Health Coverage.
Help Line, Free Brochure Detailing Health Care Options Are Part of Campaign to Reduce Georgia's 1.4 Million With No Health Insurance SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- After discovering that nearly one-third of Georgia's uninsured are eligible for government health insurance but aren't enrolled, the Foundation...

Using budget analysis to improve maternal health, Mexico.
By analysing information about government programmes, policies and budgets related to maternal health from the Ministry of Health and Mexican Congress, the Fundar Center for Analysis and Research in Mexico has identified a gap between the government's stated objectives and its actual public spending. They have identified shortfalls in...

A philosophy of privatization: rationing health care through the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.
I. INTRODUCTION II. PAYING FOR HEALTH CARE IN THE UNITED STATES A. A Brief History of Managed Care B. The Founding of Medicare III. INTRODUCING THE MEDICARE MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2003 IV. RATIONING HEALTH CARE UNDER MEDICARE V. CONCLUSION I. INTRODUCTION An enduring duality continues...

Miss Urena goes to Washington.
Katherine Urena uses a wheelchair to get around, but that hasn't stopped her from fighting for kids' health-care coverage. Last summer, Katherine, 14, of New York City, and other young people traveled to Washington, D.C. They asked members of Congress to support Medicaid (government-run health insurance for low-income people)...

NASE Survey: Health Care Reform is a Key Issue for Entrepreneurs.
HEALTH AND BEAUTY CLOSE-UP-12 September 2008-NASE Survey: Health Care Reform is a Key Issue for Entrepreneurs(C)2008 - CloseUpMedia - newsdesk@closeupmedia.com A national survey measuring the impact of rising health care costs on businesses with 10 employees or fewer shows that micro-businesses strongly support health care reform leading...

Universal coverage: how to get there.
Last month, I discussed the universal health coverage proposals offered by the presidential candidates. Now let's look at two areas that could help us figure out how to get there: universal health care systems in other countries, and how America's one universal coverage-type program--Medicare--came about. Earlier this...