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SPOTLIGHT: Medical costs an obstacle for 25 percent of Americans

Not surprisingly, consumers in the U.S. continue to struggle with their medical expenses, research suggests. Almost 25 percent of Americans reported having trouble paying their medical bills last... Read more...

Study: Cancer drugs shouldn't cost more than $20K per month

Of late, there's been a lot of discussion over the astronomical price of cancer drugs, some of which can hit $100,000 per year. Given that they only extend patients' lives a short while in most... Read more...

Group forms trust to buy medical properties

As we've written in the past, the picture is a bit fuzzy as to when medical office buildings will become cash cows again, but things seem to be improving. One sign can be found in the formation of a... Read more...

Blues see $350M gain from anti-fraud investigations

It's not just CMS getting down and dirty to fight fraud: A new report from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans says that the group recovered almost $350 million last year through anti-fraud... Read more...

Moody's leery of uncompensated care backlash

Moody's Investor's Service is nervous about what the next few quarters will bring for investor-owned hospitals. In a recent report, it noted that such companies could take a serious hit to their... Read more...

Also Noted

> While the public-option plan being mulled by legislators has been attacked by the insurance industry, a recent research report suggests that it has some virtues, with the potential to slow healthcare cost growth over the next 10 years. Article

> While the use of health savings accounts continue to grow, some Senators want to set tougher limits on the tax-advantages of such accounts. Of course, some folks are predicting a dire outcome if these proposals are enacted. Article

> Those gloomy Guses at the Government Accountability Office are at it again. The GAO is predicting that the federal deficit will climb to more than 5.5 percent of GDP unless spending is curbed, notably healthcare spending. Article

> To the consternation of consumer advocates, the White House is still mulling a tax hike on health insurance plans which would hit middle-income Americans hard, insiders say. Article

And Finally... I say you can never have too many swans, and apparently the Queen agrees. Article