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New Hampshire's Medicaid Program Almost Out Of Money
"Rising unemployment and spiking Medicaid and welfare caseloads have put [New Hampshire"s] most recent budget to the test just two weeks after its adoption," New Hampshire Public Radio reports. The state"s Medicaid caseload is just 39 enrollees away from putting the "state"s Medicaid budget in the red."

Minimally Invasive Stent Treatment Aids Chronic Venous Insufficiency
During circulation, arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the limbs (and other parts of the body) and veins return oxygen-poor blood to the heart. Disease of the limb arteries is commonly referred to as PAD (peripheral arterial disease). Venous return from the lower limbs may be affected when major veins are obstructed (stenosis or occlusion) or when venous valves malfunction allowing abnormal reverse flow (reflux). When this happens, chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) can occur.
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Obama Urges Swift Confirmation Of Sotomayor; GOP Mulls Opposition Strategy
President Obama on Tuesday in his official announcement of his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court emphasized what he called her "extraordinary journey" from a modest background to the top of the judiciary, launching a "confirmation battle that he hopes to wage over biography more than ideology," the New York Times reports. If confirmed, Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the court, as well as the sixth of the court"s current members with a Roman Catholic background, the Times reports (Baker/Zeleny, New York Times, 5/27). Sotomayor would replace retiring Justice David Souter, who typically is a liberal vote on social issues, the Wall Street Journal reports. Therefore, the addition of Sotomayor would not likely change the ideological balance of the court (Bravin/Koppel, Wall Street Journal, 5/27). The Washington Post reports Obama in his remarks cast Sotomayor "as the embodiment of the qualities he seeks in a judge," including superior intelligence, an understanding of the limited role of the judiciary and what he called "an understanding of how the world works and how ordinary people live" (Barnes/Fletcher, Washington Post, 5/27). The president said he wants Sotomayor to be confirmed before the Senate leaves in August for its summer recess, so she can join the court in time for its September review of potential cases. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that the Senate has "ample time" to complete the confirmation process, as the average time span is 72 days and there are 74 until the recess (Koffler, Roll Call, 5/26). Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) praised Obama"s decision, calling Sotomayor"s record "exemplary" and her nomination "historic." Leahy noted that both former President George H.W. Bush and former President Clinton nominated Sotomayor to federal judgeships, adding, "She has been nominated by both Democratic and Republican presidents, and she was twice confirmed by the Senate with strong, bipartisan support" (Stanton, Roll Call, 5/26).Rulings on Abortion Rights Throughout her career as a federal judge, Sotomayor has not issued what are considered major decisions regarding abortion rights, although her record on cases involving civil and social rights issues appear "more liberal than not," according to the New York Times (Liptak, New York Times, 5/27). Politico reports that Sotomayor has ruled in favor of antiabortion-rights groups in two cases. The first case occurred in 2002 when she sided with the Bush administration in its efforts to implement the "global gag rule," which banned federal funding for international family planning groups that offer abortion services or information with their own funds. Sotomayor ruled that the government had the right to decide how to spend its funding. In 2004, Sotomayor ruled in favor of antiabortion-rights protesters who alleged that they were brutalized while being arrested in West Hartford, Conn. (Gerstein/Javers, Politico, 5/26). Gibbs said that Obama did not ask Sotomayor about issues related to abortion during her vetting and there was "no litmus test" on abortion-rights issues (Koffler, Roll Call, 5/26).Obama"s announcement was well-received by many groups that support abortion rights. NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan said the group is anticipating more information about Sotomayor"s views on abortion rights and the right to privacy. She added that the group is "encouraged by the strong support she receives from her peers and other legal scholars and the fact that the Senate has twice confirmed her for federal judgeships" (Posner, Congress Daily, 5/26). Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization of Women, said that Sotomayor "brings a lifelong commitment to equality, justice and opportunity, as well as the respect of her peers, unassailable integrity and a keen intellect informed by experience." Gandy added that Obama "said he wanted a justice with "towering intellect" and a "common to
Endocrinology

Senate Finance Committee Under Pressure To Produce Health Bill

President Obama told Sen. Max Baucus that he wants a Senate Finance Committee health overhaul bill by the end of the week, The Associated Press reports. "These officials said Obama made his wishes known directly to Baucus, D-Mont., at a White House meeting Monday attended by administration officials and senior Democratic lawmakers." "Scott Mulhauser, a spokesman for Baucus, said the senior Democrat has stressed that his committee will be ready when it has completed a proposal "that can ensure quality, affordable care for every American, lower costs- and pass the Senate."" The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is pushing to complete its bill Tuesday to create a government-plan with an employer mandate on providing coverage for employees, though that plan will likely garner little Republican support. Finance Committee senators, in the meantime, are still trying to pay for the bill and resolve the Democratic demand for the government to sell insurance in competition with private business (Espo and Werner, 7/14). Dow Jones Newswires: "The U.S. Senate is not likely to embrace a surtax on wealthy households to fund an overhaul of the health-care system as the House of Representatives is set to propose, senators said Monday. "I don"t think that"s the direction that"s being taken," Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said after a Senate vote Monday. "In the search for alternative means of funding, those things that are more controversial are losing altitude." Senate Finance Committee members are debating how to raise about $300 billion over 10 years to help pay for a $1 trillion health-care re-write." Dow Jones continues, quoting Baucus: ""The House is going to do what it thinks is best, and we in the Senate are going to enact what we think is best." He added that proposals for a surtax have not been ruled out of the discussion in the Senate" (Vaughan and Yoest, 7/13). CNN: "Republicans support a plan that would give Americans cash -- initial figures suggest $5,000-$7,000 a year -- to buy their own private health insurance instead of creating a government-funded public option favored by Obama" (Barrett, 7/13). Hopes for a bipartisan deal remain alive, however, The Wall Street Journal reports: "In closed-door negotiations, a bipartisan group that includes (Sen. Charles) Grassley (R-Iowa) is pondering proposed levies on pharmaceutical companies and insurers, as well as an income surtax on wealthy individuals, which is part of a House Democratic bill set to be unveiled this week. Mr. Grassley isn"t fond of the idea. "When is enough enough?" he asks in an interview. ò€¦ The White House and top Democrats think a bipartisan bill would give the public added confidence in the legislation, which partly explains Mr. Grassley"s clout. "It"s more durable...more lasting," Mr. Baucus says of legislation that attracts bipartisan support. As a practical matter, a bill with GOP backing would give Democrats leverage to overcome certain delaying tactics" (Hitt, 7/14). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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