03-10-2012 22:39 Mitt Romney says the costs to small business to implement "Obamacare" will hurt new hires.

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Presidential Debate 2012 on Health Care: Mitt Romney Says 'Expensive' 'Obamacare' Hurts Job Growth - Video

04-10-2012 10:14 "The American [health care] system is more expensive than the Canadian system," says Michel Kelly-Gagnon, president of the Montreal Economic Institute. "To that, I answer that a Mercedes is indeed more expensive than a Toyota Corolla." "Thank god for that," he says, explaining that innovation depends on early adopters who are far more likely to be well-off and pay high rates for new and better options. That doesn't mean only the rich benefit, though. "Certain treatments that are only available to the richest people," he says, "will eventually become more economical and the whole world will benefit." Kelly-Gagnon says that some variation on universal coverage is already a "political reality" in most developed countries, where citizens don't let large numbers of people die from curable diseases. But the focus on coverage rates obscures the problems created by single-payer systems such as Canada's, where costs are kept down via rationing and long wait times for services taken for granted in the United States. "Once you've established that [universal coverage] is how it's going to be," says Kelly-Gagnon, the real question is "how do you find more private solutions" that will serve more people at better rates. About 3.20 minutes. Produced by Anthony L. Fisher. Camera by Josh Swain. Visit for downloadable versions and visit to subscribe to our videos.

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Why US Health Care Costs More Than Canada's: "A Mercedes Costs More than a Corolla" - Video

Details Published on Thursday, 04 October 2012 00:00 Written by AMADO P. MACASAET

It is becoming clear that health care is being used by the supporters of heavy taxes on smoke as a ploy or cover to collect more money from the tobacco industry.

The authors and supporters of HB 5727, the new excise tax proposal, are making us look like fools by making us believe the rates in the bill must be applied for the sake of the health of smokers.

The truth is there is money P50 billion of it, according to Senator Ralph Recto which should be remitted to PhilHealth and to the Department of Health for one single purpose health care.

Recto, chairman of the Senate ways and means committee yesterday repeated his charge that there is at least P12.5 billion from cigarette excise tax that should have been remitted to the Department of Health to fight smoking-related diseases notably lung cancer.

Obviously, the Department of Budget and Management which unconditionally support heavier taxes on cigarettes, never remitted the tax money to the Department of Health. But some lawmakers ably aided by the Department of Finance want more money from the cigarette makers.

It is becoming clear that health care is being used by the supporters of heavy taxes on smoke as a ploy or cover to collect more money from the tobacco industry. They have raised enough but the money is not used for the purpose they say it will be used for, that is to fight smoking-related diseases.

The refusal of the DBM to release the money to the Department of Health is a clear violation of RA 9334 which states that two and a half percent of the incremental revenue from excise on alcohol and tobacco products starting January 2005 shall be credited to the account of the Department of Health and constituted as a trust fund for its disease prevention program.

Another 2.5 percent from the same sources shall be remitted directly to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. for the purpose of meeting and sustaining the goal of universal coverage of the National Health Insurance Program.

In other words, 5 percent of excise tax collected from sin products is clearly intended for health care.

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Philippine Business News | Online News Philippines

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 4, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Independence Blue Cross (IBC) is proud to announce that Christopher Cashman, executive vice president and president of commercial markets, will join other health care leaders at an annual industry conference this afternoon hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Association of Health Underwriters (GPAHU). Cashman will speak at the conference on how IBC is embracing change and investing in new ways to enhance its customers' health and wellness, lower costs, and improve the quality of care.

"This is a time of remarkable transformation in health care. We are committed to exceeding our customers' expectations through innovative health and wellness solutions, and that means embracing change," said Cashman. "It's a privilege to have the opportunity to speak today at the annual GPAHU conference. At Independence Blue Cross, we value our strong relationship with brokers, agents, and consultants and the guidance they provide our customers."

The conference began at 9 a.m. today in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, with keynote speaker Pennsylvania State Insurance Commissioner Michael F. Consedine. Cashman is co-presenting with regional leaders from the health insurance industry on embracing change now that the health care reform law has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

During the conference, Cashman will discuss how IBC is boldly leading the transformation of health care in the region. IBC is pioneering innovative ways to partner with hospitals and physicians to reward them for higher--quality, more coordinated care. IBC also offers innovative programs to help its members take an active role in making healthier choices

About Independence Blue Cross

Independence Blue Cross is a leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we have 3.1 million members nationwide. For nearly 75 years, we have been enhancing the health and wellness of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more about how we're changing the game, visit http://www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook at ibx.com/facebook and on Twitter at @ibx. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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Independence Blue Cross Executive to Speak on the Changing Health Care Market

The debate over President Barack Obamas health-care law has taken another twist. Now conservatives and libertarians are defending it, while the administration tries to toss part of the legislation out.

The reason for this role reversal is that the drafters of the law outsmarted themselves and handed their opponents a weapon. Now they would like to pretend the law doesnt say what it does.

Obamas plan makes tax credits available to people who get health insurance from exchanges set up by state governments. If states dont establish those exchanges, the federal government will do so for them. The federal exchanges, however, dont come with tax credits: The law authorizes credits only for people who get insurance from state-established exchanges. And that creates some problems the administration didnt foresee, and now hopes to wish away.

Legislative debate over the law didnt go into great detail about these provisions. We can surmise what happened, though. Supporters of the legislation wanted to encourage states to set up the exchanges. So they offered the states a deal: If they did so, they would get to write their own rules, and their citizens would be able to get the tax credit. The states would also gain extra flexibility on Medicaid spending. The laws supporters also expected the health-care law to become more popular over time.

That hasnt happened. Many states are determined in their opposition, and few of them have set up exchanges. If they dont do so, the tax credits dont go into effect and the federally established exchanges wont work: People wont be able to afford the insurance available on them without the subsidy.

States have another incentive to refrain from setting up exchanges under the health-care law: It protects companies and individuals in the state from tax increases. The law introduces penalties of as much as $3,000 per employee for firms that dont provide insurance but only if an employee is getting coverage with the help of a tax credit. No state exchanges means no tax credits and thus no employer penalties. The law also notoriously penalizes many people for not buying insurance. In some cases, being eligible for a tax credit and still not buying insurance subjects you to the penalty. So, again, no state exchange means no tax credit and thus fewer people hit by the penalty.

The administrations response to the impending failure of its signature legislation a failure resulting entirely from its flawed design has been to ignore the inconvenient portion of the law. In May, the Internal Revenue Service decided it would issue tax credits to people who get insurance from exchanges established by the federal government. It has thus exposed firms and individuals to taxes and penalties without any legal authorization. Obviously, that situation sets the stage for lawsuits.

The plaintiffs will have a strong case. Jonathan Adler and Michael Cannon two libertarians, the first a law professor at Case Western Reserve University and the second a health-care analyst at the Cato Institute have done more than anyone to bring attention to this issue. They point out that every health bill advanced by Senate Democrats clearly made tax credits conditional on states establishment of exchanges. They have also uncovered that during the debate over the bill, Sen. Max Baucus, a Democrat from Montana, explicitly said the same thing.

Supporters of the health-care law may be tempted to dismiss the challenge to the IRS. That would be to repeat a mistake. They were contemptuous of the constitutional case against the law, too. Timothy Jost, a Washington and Lee University law professor, even wrote that the attorneys who brought the suits should face professional sanctions for filing frivolous cases. In the end, the Supreme Court sided with the plaintiffs on their constitutional claims, in one case by a 7-2 margin, upholding the law only by removing parts of it.

There will be many more court battles over the health-care law, because it involves so many legally dubious expansions of bureaucratic power. In addition to the IRS move, there are lawsuits against the administrations ruling that almost all employers must provide coverage for contraception and sterilization, a decision that conflicts with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The law also creates a board of experts to control health-care costs, a move that is sure to bring legal action on separation-of- powers grounds.

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OPINION: Flaws that will unravel Obama’s health plan

MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Henry Schein, Inc. (HSIC), the world's largest provider of health care products and services to office-based dental, medical and animal health practitioners, today announced a new five-year agreement with the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Inc. and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) to increase access to care for underserved communities. Under the new agreement, NACHC will participate in two Henry Schein Cares flagship initiatives: Henry Schein's Global Product Donation Program and the Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities initiative.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121004/NY86519 )

Under the agreement, every two years 10 new NACHC member health centers will participate in Henry Schein's Global Product Donation Program and each receive donated dental and medical products for a term of two years, valued at between $5,000 and $25,000. To learn more about the Global Product Donation Program, please visit: http://www.hscaresfoundation.org/globalproductDonation.asp.

In addition, approximately 10 NACHC member health centers will each annually receive Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities grants. The Henry Schein Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities initiative promotes access to health care, prevention, and wellness for at-risk and underserved communities by providing free medical and oral health screenings for thousands of children and their caregivers at events around the country.To learn more about the Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities Program, please visit: http://www.hscaresfoundation.org/healthylifestyles.asp.

"The new partnership between Henry Schein and NACHC underscores our shared strong commitment to helping America's community health centers deliver excellent quality care to all," said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein, Inc. "Through Henry Schein's expertise and our comprehensive range of offerings covering the full spectrum of medical, oral health, and technology solutions, we are proud to support the role of community health centers as health homes to tens of millions of patients around the country. And through this new partnership, we are gratified to further enhance the ability of community health centers to 'help health happen' for those in need through their participation in our Global Product Donation and Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Communities programs."

Henry Schein's program, "HealthHome: Solutions for Coordinating Prevention and Wellness" provides full spectrum medical and oral health support to the nation's community health care centers, including supplies and equipment; electronic health care records software; health center design and planning; and 340B, diagnostic, and influenza vaccine programs. As part of Henry Schein's strong support of community health centers across the country, the Company also recently provided financial sponsorship, on-site volunteers, executive speakers, and other support for National Health Center Week 2012 events in California, North Carolina, Colorado and Missouri.

"We are pleased to enter into this partnership with Henry Schein and Henry Schein Cares Foundation," said Tom Van Coverden, President and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers. "The partnership represents the commitment of the parties to improve health care for the most vulnerable people in America. The two signature programs that will be made available to a number of community health centers over the period of the partnership will result in increased resources for health centers as well as improved access to care for patients in underserved communities."

About the National Association of Health CentersThe National Association of Community Health Centers was founded in 1971. Its mission is to promote the provision of high quality, comprehensive and affordable health care that is coordinated, culturally and linguistically competent, and community directed for all medically underserved populations. NACHC represents over 1,200 health centers that serve more than 20 million patients at over 8,000 sites in the United States and its territories.

About Henry Schein Cares and the Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Inc.Henry Schein Cares, Henry Schein's global corporate social responsibility program, stands on four pillars: engaging Team Schein Members to reach their potential, ensuring accountability by extending ethical business practices to all levels within Henry Schein, promoting environmental sustainability, and expanding access to health care for underserved and at-risk communities around the world. Health care activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on three main areas: advancing wellness, building capacity in the delivery of health care services, and assisting in emergency preparedness and relief. Firmly rooted in a deep commitment to social responsibility and the concept of enlightened self-interest championed by Benjamin Franklin, the philosophy behind Henry Schein Cares is a vision of "doing well by doing good." Through the work of Henry Schein Cares to enhance access to care for those in need, the Company believes that it is furthering its long-term success.

Established in 2008, Henry Schein Cares Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, works to foster, support, and promote dental, medical, and animal health by helping to increase access to care for communities around the world.

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Henry Schein and Henry Schein Cares Foundation Partner with National Association of Community Health Centers to ...

President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney had at it out over health care Wednesday night providing some of the toughest, and wonkiest, moments of the night.

Both candidates also showed they had done their research, citing studies to back their claims about Obama's health care law and how the other would cut Medicare spending but they both managed to stretch the truth.

Here are the highlights of their claims in Wednesday nights debate:

Romney claim: On Medicare, for current retirees, hes cutting $716 billion from the program.

Misleading. If Romney had worded his statement more narrowly for example, by saying only that Obama is cutting Medicare spending by $716 billion it would have been true. That is the amount of spending the health reform law will save by reducing payments to Medicare providers and private Medicare Advantage plans. But Romney said it in a way that suggests that the cuts will come out of current retirees pockets, by slicing their benefits, and that framing stretches the truth.

Obama claim: The Republican Medicare plan would cost the average senior about $6,000 a year.

Questionable. Obama covered himself by pointing out that this estimate applied to Paul Ryans original Medicare plan. At the time, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal think tank, estimated that the plan would shift nearly $6,400 in costs to seniors. But that plan had a hard limit on how much could be spent on Medicare each year and Romneys campaign insists that his plan has no such limit.

Obama doesnt buy Romneys argument that competition among private plans alone will bring down costs. He argued that Medicare has lower administrative costs than private insurance does, and that if you are going to save any money through what Gov. Romney's proposing is that the money has to come from somewhere. But he did acknowledge that Romneys plan is different from the Ryan plan and that in fairness, what Gov. Romney has now said is he'll maintain traditional Medicare alongside it.

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Analyzing health-care statements

How can a compassionate humanity meet the health care needs of the more than 2 billion people who live on less than $2 per day? As chairman of the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development, Klaus M. Leisinger works to alleviate poverty-related health problems in the developing world at three levels: on-the-ground assistance with health care services and medicine; connecting global health ...

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Toward Health for All

On health care, Mitt Romney and President Obama sometimes seemed to inhabit parallel universes at their debate on Wednesday night - with separate sets of assumptions, beliefs and even facts - it was on the question of health care, and government's role in providing it.

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The Caucus: On Health Care, Two Visions With Their Own Set of Facts

By Russ Britt, MarketWatch

LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) Investors in hospitals started heading for the exits in the wake of President Barack Obamas lackluster debate performance by selling off shares in virtually all companies in the sector early Thursday.

With the prospect that Obama who spearheaded the health-care overhaul bill that gives aid to hospital balance sheets could be vulnerable in his re-election bid against Republican Mitt Romney, shares plunged even though the broader market enjoyed substantial gains.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average /quotes/zigman/627449 DJIA +0.68% was up more than half a percent, as was the S&P 500. /quotes/zigman/3870025 SPX +0.67%

A review of Wednesday night's debate between Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama, and a look at how to get a handle on health-care spending.

Most analysts agreed that Romneys aggressive tack in Wednesdays debate gave him the edge over the incumbent Democrat. Romney has vowed to repeal the health-care bill, which would force hospitals to return to the practice of writing down large chunks of revenue due to those unable to pay for medical care.

Thats making investors nervous, since the debate raised the prospect that Romney could unseat Obama.

By requiring more people to get coverage, the health-care overhaul bill is expected to cut back on the bad debt that virtually all hospitals record on their balance sheets, since they cant turn away patients in emergencies.

In a morning note to clients, CRT Capital Group analyst Sheryl Skolnick said: After an at-best lackluster and at-worst pitiful performance by President Obama in last nights debate, health care investors have to be wondering this morning whether the reform-on play of the last several weeks is the right one going into the Nov. 6 election.

She added: Investors who are long hospital stocks this morning should be thinking, Thanks a lot, Mr. President, at least in our view.

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Health-care Stocks: After debate, hospital investors head for exits