"Health & Medical News"

Washington — The Pennsylvania House last month adopted a bill that would expand access to health insurance, but physicians have concerns about the measure’s funding and mandate for physicians to participate in its health plans.

The legislation, passed 118-81 on March 17, would provide coverage through state-subsidized private health plans to an estimated 218,000 of the state’s 767,000 uninsured adults by 2012. It would gradually phase out the state’s medical liability program. Democratic House leaders added the health expansion plan, called Pennsylvania Access to Basic Care, or PA ABC, to the liability reform bill.

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As big-name national retailers and pharmacy chains continue to open in-store clinics, a familiar face soon may enter the fray as well — your local hospital.

Wal-Mart recently announced plans to partner with community hospitals across the country to open up 400 new retail clinics inside its stores by 2010, in addition to the 55 it already houses. Thirteen of those are owned and operated by hospital systems.

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Emergency departments are finding it increasingly difficult to get specialists to provide on-call coverage, a growing problem that threatens patient access to quality and timely care at hospitals, a new study said.

The study, released in November by the Center for Studying Health System Change, said hospitals have struggled during the past decade to get specialists to be on call at their EDs. But hospital executives and others interviewed for the report said the situation is worsening.

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Washington — Long-awaited resources to help the Food and Drug Administration more closely monitor the safety and effectiveness of the nation’s pharmaceuticals and medical devices will begin to flow as a result of a comprehensive new law signed Sept. 27 by President Bush.

The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 reauthorizes the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, the Medical Device User Fee Act and laws that govern the safety of children’s drugs and devices.

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