TABLE OF CONTENTS

Jan. 26, 2009

American Medical News  Print edition cover date Feb. 2, 2009, vol. 52 no. 5.

Top stories - Government - Profession - Business - Opinion - Health - 2009 index

Top stories

United agrees to pay $350 million, scrap system that undercut fees
The insurer pledged to spend another $50 million to help establish an independent database of prevailing payment rates that would be governed by a nonprofit.

TV doctors' flaws become bioethics teaching moments
Medical dramas have big followings among students, and professors say the shows can highlight ethical dilemmas.

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Government & Medicine

Medicine at sea: On board the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
The medical staff on an aircraft carrier are tasked with protecting the health of more than 3,000 servicemen on a floating city at war.

House adopts SCHIP expansion
The measure also would block new physician-owned hospitals.

Medicare closes off WellPoint's drug plan
Problems with the insurer's administration of Part D persisted for months, reaching a critical point in January.

News briefs:

• Physicians defend San Francisco universal access program

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Professional Issues

California's high court bans balance billing
Doctors say the decision will burden an already strained emergency care system.

Patient grows up to work beside his childhood doctor
A Michigan orthopedic oncologist now helps train one of his former patients, 15 years after lifesaving surgery.

Ethics Forum: At end of life, listen to patient's fears, values

News briefs:

• Joint Commission remains ASC accrediting agency

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Business

Health plans eye individual insurance market
Insurers position themselves to sell to a bigger individual market as jobs disappear and health care reform featuring an insurance mandate seems possible.

Cash-strapped hospitals laying off record number of workers
Employed physicians could see job losses or salary cuts if the recession continues. View in PDF  

Practice Management: Keeping rubber checks from clogging revenue flow

News briefs:

• Online doctor visits go live in Hawaii
• Walgreens markets health care to businesses

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Opinion

Taking away the fear: Another step toward improving patient safety
The final rules of the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act ensure that physicians have a safe resource to discover ways to improve the way they practice.

AMA Leader Commentary: Physicians need one voice to fight for payment reform

Letters:

• Absence of EMRs isn't the problem, but not living up to their potential is

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Health & Science

Keeping prevention in perspective: Has the value of screenings been oversold?
Prevention has become a catchword, prompting some experts to question whether physician and patient expectations are realistic.

Obesity numbers steady, but well short of health goals
A CDC statistics roundup suggests some weight subsets have settled, but the burden is still significant. View in PDF  

News briefs:

• CDC director resigns
• Study: Blood pressure higher in winter
• Lack of sleep linked to cold resistance

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