Congress Forms MS Caucus
Federal lawmakers recently formed the first-ever Congressional Multiple Sclerosis Caucus aimed at raising awareness of the disease. Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) and Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Tex.) are cochairing the caucus, which will focus on health care, disability, and research issues related to multiple sclerosis. “The new MS caucus is a significant step forward in the MS movement,” Joyce Nelson, National Multiple Sclerosis Society president and CEO, said in a statement. “It will help build bipartisan awareness and education in Congress about important MS issues.” The society plans to work with the caucus cochairs to recruit additional members of Congress.
New Autism Research Funded
The National Institutes of Health is consolidating two autism research programs in an effort to accelerate the search for treatments. The new program—the Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE)—combines the Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment (STAART) and the Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism (CPEA). The newly consolidated program initially includes five research centers at universities across the country and one research network based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Data generated through the ACE program will be added to the National Database for Autism Research, a Web-based tool housed at NIH that is accessible to researchers around the world. Research projects include a study of how individuals with autism learn and understand information and a study using brain imaging to track brain development in children thought to be at risk for autism spectrum disorders. Funding for additional ACE projects will be announced next year, according to NIH.
Epilepsy Bill Introduced
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) has introduced legislation to establish six Epilepsy Centers of Excellence within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Her bill (S. 2004) is expected to receive a hearing by the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs this fall, according to the American Academy of Neurology, which has been pushing for the legislation. The bill is similar to a House bill (H.R. 2818) introduced by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.). In particular, the two bills are aimed at providing additional resources to care for veterans who develop epilepsy in the future as a result of traumatic brain injuries suffered in combat.
Hispanic Stroke Awareness
NIH officials launched a new awareness campaign aimed at educating members of Hispanic communities about the importance of seeking prompt treatment for stroke. The centerpiece of the program is a tool kit that can be used by health educators to teach individuals about the signs of stroke and the importance of calling 911 immediately. Hispanics have a high rate of several risk factors for stroke such as diabetes, excessive weight, high blood pressure, and cigarette smoking, according to NIH. “Some people do not recognize stroke as a medical emergency and may not feel comfortable calling 911 due to possible perceived language barriers,” Dr. Jose D. Merino, a staff clinician in NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, said in a statement. “It is important that Hispanics know how to recognize the signs of stroke and feel confident [even if] saying only 'stroke' when calling 911 to receive immediate medical treatment.”
Small Practices Decline
Physicians are shying away from solo and two-physician practices, according to a new report from the Center for Studying Health System Change. Although these small practices are still the most common arrangements, between 1996–1997 and 2004–2005 researchers saw a shift from solo and two-person practices to midsize, single-specialty groups of 6–50 physicians. The percentage of physicians who practiced in solo and two-person practices fell from 41% in 1996–1997 to 33% in 2004–2005. During the same time period, the percentage of physicians practicing in midsize groups rose from 13% to 18%. The biggest declines in physicians choosing small practices have come from medical specialists and surgical specialists, whereas the proportion of primary care physicians in small practices has remained steady at about 36%. “Physicians appear to be organizing in larger, single-specialty practices that present enhanced opportunities to offer more profitable ancillary services rather than organizing in ways that support coordination of care,” Paul B. Ginsburg, Ph.D., president of the Center for Studying Health System Change, said in a statement. The report's findings are based on the group's nationally representative Community Tracking Study Physician Survey.
Drug Premium About $25 in 2008
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said that Medicare beneficiaries will pay about $25 a month for their Part D pharmaceutical coverage in 2008. This is about a $3 per month increase over the average premium in 2007, but still 40% lower than what had been projected when the program was established in 2003, according to CMS. The premiums for those who get their benefits through private Medicare Advantage plans will be about $14, according to CMS. The agency said that almost 10 million low-income beneficiaries are having their premiums subsidized by the federal government. Because Part D is sketching out to cost 30% less in the first 10 years than had been estimated, President Bush's 2009 budget will be retooled to reflect the decline, according to CMS.