Mayo official to be in audience at Obama speech
Tonight President Obama will address a joint session of Congress about his ideas to restructure the nation's health care system. One of the people who is expected to be in the audience in Washington is Jeffrey Korsmo, the Executive Director of the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center.
MPR by Cathy Wurzer,
Coverage of Obama’s speech to Congress:
Click here to read the prepared text of President Obama’s speech. Click here for the GOP’s response.
With His Top Priority on the Line, President Reframes Critical Debate
The Washington Post
Sept. 10, 2009
After a month of angry town hall meetings and dire predictions about the state of healthcare reform, President Obama moved forcefully to take the initiative on the debate during a nationally televised speech to a joint session of Congress.
Obama, Armed With Details, Says Health Plan Is Necessary
The New York Times
Sept. 9, 2009
President Obama confronted a critical Congress and a skeptical nation on Wednesday, decrying the “scare tactics” of his opponents and presenting his most forceful case yet for a sweeping health care overhaul that has eluded Washington for generations.
President Makes His Pitch
The Wall Street Journal
Sept. 10, 2009
Obama's emotional, sometimes contentious address to Congress combined tough talk with olive branches on policy in a bid to break the impasse on health care.
The Speech: What He Said, What He Meant
Politico
Sept. 10, 2009
Behind the rhetoric, Obama was laying out massive changes to the health insurance system that have raised concerns that one high-stakes speech to Congress seem unlikely to quiet – and highlighting divisions in his own party that seem certain to continue.
Aim of Obama Health Speech: Reigniting a Presidency
The New York Times
Sept. 9, 2009
President Obama’s address on health care Wednesday night was an effort to display his authority to a Congress that had begun to question his fortitude.
Obama's Speech Leaves Room For Snowe's Compromise To Put Off Public Option
Kaiser Health News
Sept. 10, 2009
By signaling his flexibility last night on a government-run insurance plan, President Barack Obama gave new impetus to a fallback “trigger” approach that some believe could be essential to passing health care legislation this year.
Nine Health Leaders Respond to Obama's Health Reform Speech
HealthLeaders Media
Sept. 10, 2009
After finally hearing directly from the president, what do health leaders think?
Politico
Sept. 10, 2009
Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst during Obama's health care speech may be a turning point for Dems.
Max Baucus Moves Forward With Health Care Bill
Politico
Sept. 9, 2009
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said Wednesday that he will push ahead with a comprehensive health care reform bill with — or without — Republican support and start a committee markup the week of Sept. 21.
Transparency/Safety
A Hospital Hand-Washing Project to Save Lives and Money
The New York Times
Sept. 10, 2009
The Joint Commission, which accredits more than 16,000 hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers, plans to unveil a pilot project on Thursday aimed at placing an intense focus on hand-washing at eight prominent hospital systems.
State news
California Pushes to Enact Strongest Anti-Rescission Law in the Nation
HealthLeaders Media
Sept. 10, 2009
A bill that may become the strongest legislation in the nation to prevent health plans from dropping coverage to members who become ill passed the California Senate yesterday and may soon be headed for the governor's desk.
Medicare/Medicaid
Kaiser Family Foundation
Sept. 10, 2009
In this updated video tutorial Diane Rowland Sc.D., executive vice president of Kaiser and executive director of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, reviews the latest data on how Medicaid operates and its role in covering the low-income population. The tutorial presents the most recent data on Medicaid coverage and spending, long-term care assistance, impact on access to care, and discusses the program in the context of the current economy and health reform legislation.
Reform efforts
The Obama Plan: Stability & Security for all Americans
The White House
A bulleted outline of President Obama’s plan for health care reform.
Too Late for Obama to Turn It Around?
Salon
Sept. 9, 2009
Opinion piece by Camille Paglia.
New England Journal of Medicine
Sept. 9, 2009
Two new articles on health care reform were posted yesterday in the NEJM:
Getting Past Denial — The High Cost of Health Care in the United States
Jason M. Sutherland, Ph.D., Elliott S. Fisher, M.D., M.P.H., and Jonathan S. Skinner, Ph.D.
British Lessons on Health Care Reform
David J. Kerr, M.D., D.Sc., and Mairi Scott, M.B., Ch.B.
Health Information Technology
Tech Companies Push to Digitize Patients’ Records
The New York Times
Sept. 10, 2009
Both large and small technology firms are devising ways to update health care records. About $19 billion in government financing will help.