health care system

(Research!America) The new edition of America Speaks, a compilation of public opinion polls commissioned by Research!America, demonstrates increasing public support for research and innovation to improve health, create jobs and boost the economy.

However, nearly 60 percent of Americans don't believe we are making enough progress in medical research, and 54 percent don't believe the US has the best health-care system in the world.

(American Physical Therapy Association) A new study suggesting that "the role of the physician gatekeeper in regard to physical therapy may be unnecessary in many cases" could have significant implications for the US health care system, says the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

The study was published ahead of print Sept. 23 in the journal Health Services Research (HSR).

(Commonwealth Fund) A new set of strategies released today by the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System could dramatically improve how the US health care system serves vulnerable populations -- those in the US who are uninsured, low-income, or members of racial and ethnic minority groups.

(Commonwealth Fund) Seven of 10 adults think the US health-care system needs to be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt, according to a Commonwealth Fund survey released today.

The concerns reflect widespread experiences with access barriers, poorly coordinated care and growing costs.

The survey also reveals strong support for more patient-centered care systems and innovative use of teams and information systems.

(Commonwealth Fund) Two years after the reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program, a new Commonwealth Fund state scorecard evaluating how the health care system is working for children finds that federal and state action has helped preserve, and expand, health coverage for children, despite the severe recession.

Yet wide differences persist among states on children's health insurance coverage, affordability of care for families, preventive care and treatment, and the opportunity for children to lead healthy lives.

(Commonwealth Fund) Despite having the most expensive health care system, the United States ranks last overall compared to six other industrialized countries -- Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom -- on measures of health system performance in five areas: quality, efficiency, access to care, equity and the ability to lead long, healthy, productive lives, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report.

President Barack Obama says he did a full court press for a health care system remake because "this country was going to go bankrupt."

Here is a recap of the top news items from this week on Wall Street: 1. Late Sunday evening, House Democrats passed the highly debated health care reform bill that will seek to provide health care for every American.

The bill passed 219 to 212, with not one Republican voting in favor of the bill. The bill promises to fix the broken health care system, but those against it suggest it is fiscally irresponsible and will bankrupt the country.

It is being called the most sweeping social change in more than four decades. Healthcare stocks initially jumped on the news, however

Feb. 19 -- Bradley Fluegel, executive vice president for strategy at WellPoint Inc., talks with Bloomberg's Peter Cook about his company's proposed health-insurance premium increase and the outlook for an overhaul of the U.S. health-care system.

As Congress nears votes on legislation that would overhaul the health care system, many small businesses say they are facing the steepest rise in insurance premiums they have seen in recent years.