BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: Obama’s FY 2014 Budget Proposal Under Fire for Health Care Changes

Bloggers in recent days jumped on President Obama’s fiscal year 2014 budget proposal, which he released last Wednesday.

Obama’s proposal aims to reduce the federal deficit by $1.8 trillion over a decade through a combination of tax hikes for higher-income individuals and targeted spending cuts, including $400 billion in health care savings. The plan is similar to an offer he made in December 2012 during negotiations to avoid the mandated spending cuts under sequestration.

BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: New CVS Wellness Program Might Be Too Aggressive

CVS Caremark last week received some backlash after announcing a new program that would require its employees to disclose personal health information — including weight, height, body fat, blood pressure, and glucose and fasting lipid levels — or pay an additional $50 each month for their health insurance.

In the Center for American Progress’ “Think Progress,” columnist Annie-Rose Strasser wrote that the program “could end up penalizing low-income Americans who are already stretched too thin.” She added that wellness programs should not be implemented “at the expense of … workers’ interests.” Many critics also said the policy could lead to privacy violations and unfair treatment.

BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: Ryan’s Budget Proposal — Ambitious or Bogus?

Bloggers are taking aim at House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan’s fiscal year 2014 budget proposal, which was released last Tuesday.

BLOGGER Vs. BLOGGER: Debating the Latest Bowles-Simpson Plan

Last week, Erskine Bowles and former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) released a $2.4 trillion deficit-reduction proposal in an attempt to bridge the gap between Obama and the GOP and show that a budget deal to avoid the sequester still is achievable.

BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: Flu Shot, or Not?

As flu-related deaths reached “epidemic” levels this week, hospitals increasingly are moving to enforce their influenza vaccination mandates, according to AP/Modern Healthcare. Over the past two months, more than a dozen hospital employees in four states have declined to get the vaccination and have lost their jobs as a result.

BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: Debating Cost-Effective Prescribing Practices

Close to 40% of physicians acquiesce to patient demands for brand-name drugs, even when less costly generics are available, according to a recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: Mental Health Misinformation Abounds in Aftermath of Newtown Tragedy

Lawmakers are calling for more focus on mental health issues, prompted by last week’s mass murder at a Connecticut elementary school.

However, in a recent post in the Daily Beast, Peter Jukes writes that “[d]espite the promise of a conversation about mental health, misinformation and ignorance became the norm in the aftermath of the Newtown tragedy.”

BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: The Buzz Over Raising Medicare Eligibility

Although Republicans and Democrats still face significant challenges in reaching a deal that would avert the looming mandated spending cuts under sequestration, senior aides familiar with the ongoing negotiations say the essential elements of an eventual deal are coming into focus, the Washington Post reports.

BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: Will User Fees for Federal Exchanges Be Passed on to Consumers?

Health insurers that offer plans in federal health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act must pay a user fee, according to draft regulations released by HHS, the New York Times reports.

BLOGGER VS. BLOGGER: Weighing the Cost of Obama’s Proposed Medicare Rule Change

Patient advocacy groups are “cheering” the Obama administration’s proposed settlement of a nationwide class-action lawsuit that would allow thousands of U.S. residents with chronic conditions or disabilities to qualify for Medicare coverage of home health care services.