September 2003 Health Care News

Published September 1, 2003

The September 2003 issue of Health Care News provides extensive coverage of the ongoing legislative debate over drug reimportation and also reports on:

  • the unfair billing practices of hospitals across the country. According to Randy Suttles and Merrill Matthews Jr., hospitals routinely overcharge and aggressively pursue collections against the uninsured.
  • passage by Congress of legislation that guarantees retired federal employees and members of Congress will have prescription drug benefits better than those available through Medicare.
  • Georgia’s effort to overhaul its Medicaid program by contracting with private firms to offer a managed care option for Medicaid recipients.
  • Presidential candidate Senator John Edwards’ (D-North Carolina) proposal for mandatory health insurance.

Plus: progress in the Medicare conference committee, border crossings by Canadians and Americans dissatisfied with their hometown health care, obstacles facing President George W. Bush’s program to provide HIV/AIDS assistance to Africa, lessons for the U.S. from socialized health care systems worldwide, and the FDA’s misguided efforts to demonize trans fatty acids. The Galen Report and Greg Scandlen’s Consumer Choice Matters column round out this issue.