Healthdame Tips for empowered patients in the new health 2.0 universe

Stomping the Hill for Health Care Reform With the Genetic Alliance

The Genetic Alliance has crafted a set of principles that it wants U.S. legislators to keep in mind as they craft or consider any health care reforms. The group took to the Hill recently to communicate those.

White House Tries to Clarify Health Reform’s Goals Through New Website

The White House has launched a new website, “Health Insurance Reform Reality Check” to explain how some of the House health care reform legislation is intended to work.
It’s notable that the Administration is now referring to this as “health insurance” reform.  Health care reform was just too scary.
The website addresses topics such as:

Your Medicare is [...]

End-of-Life Counseling: What the Bill Says and Why It Matters

Does the “end-of-life counseling provision in the House health care reform bill put us on the road to euthanasia? Or is it good news for patients? 
I’ve already said I think it’s good news.  Too few people realize that decisions at the end-of-life are often a trade off:  For a longer life, you can pay [...]

About That Health Care Reform Bill, From Someone Who HAS Read It

Has anybody actually read the health care reform bill?  This young lady has, and she’s posted a video on CNN’s iReport where she describes what’s in the bill.
Funny, it’s not nearly as scary as people are making it sound.
She’s only up to page 150, so you’ll have to check back later if you want to [...]

End-of-Life Counseling Isn’t Just Good, It’s Essential

How did the idea that Medicare should pay for “end-of-life” counseling suddenly become such a hot button in the health care debate?  Because confused people seem to think that would lead to euthanasia.
I’m not certain who planted that absurd idea in their heads, but it seems to be part of hysteria being whipped up by [...]