HEALTH CARE: This week on Capitol Hill

The Senate Finance Committee planned a vote Tuesday on President Obama candidate for the Health and Human Services Secretary, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, a key step in a position that has become a sore point for the policies of Mr. Obama .

The committee vote on sending Ms. Sebelius appointed to the Senate. It should win confirmation, despite protests from anti-abortion activists on the campaign has received money from a Kansas abortion doctor.

Legislators want Ms. Sebelius up quickly because they get to work on the revision of the laws of the country cost the health care system.

Ms. Sebelius Mr. Obama is the second choice for the position of the former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle withdrawn in a tax controversy.

The committee on Tuesday also will host the first of three roundtable discussions between the senators and experts from the health care industry to develop a health care reform later this year.

The meeting will focus on the delivery of health care services. Roundtables scheduled for May will focus on increasing access to health care and the best way to pay for the revision of the nation, the health system.

Presidential Letter

The American Medical Association last week sent a letter to President Obama offers his support for universal health insurance, but warning that any reform plan must provide low-cost health care for all patients.

"The continuing emphasis on health care in the White House said that the administration is to seize this historic opportunity to improve the system," said AMA President Nancy H. Nielsen. "Enlargement of the access to health care for all Americans will make sure people can get the care they need for prevention, which will keep them healthy and keep the nation's long-term health care costs down. "

In the letter of 13 April, the AMA also said that even if improvements are necessary for the employer-based health insurance system, private insurance plans are an important way to promote individual choice and ownership of health insurance. "

"Covering the uninsured has been and continues to be a priority for the AMA," says the letter, which was signed by Ms. Nielsen and AMA President-elect James J. Rohačka. "WADA has long had a policy of expansion of health insurance and choices of all Americans, regardless of income or health status. "

The AMA has also expressed its support to improving the health, information technology, to efforts to improve the value of the nation receives from its health costs, and greater coordination of care.

Sick buildings

Many health facilities are not ready to protect workers against exposure to the flu pandemic, according to a new report by six major unions and the AFL-CIO.

More than a third of the 104 health care facilities in 14 states surveyed have no plans to address pandemic influenza. More than a third of respondents also said that their work is not prepared or only somewhat prepared to deal with health and safety requirements to protect workers during a pandemic.

Preparing for pandemic influenza survey, whose results were released Thursday, was distributed to union leaders across the country, representing health care workers in unionized facilities.

About 43 percent of respondents said that due to a perceived lack of will, some or most of their co-workers to stay home in the event of a pandemic.

The report, available at www.HealthCareWorkersInPeril.org, asks the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue a mandatory standard requiring all facilities to protect healthcare workers from exposure to pandemic influenza.

The investigation and the report was prepared jointly by the AFL-CIO and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, American Federation of Teachers, the Communications Workers of America, Service Employees International Union, nurses of America and the United Nations Food and Commercial Workers.

New rental service

The Ministry of Health and Social Services announced last week the selection of Henry Claypool as director of the agency of the Office on Disability.

Mr. Claypool has 25 years of experience in developing and implementing disability policy at the federal, state and local levels. He also has personal experience with the nation's health care system with a person with a disability.

Mr. Claypool, who suffered a spinal cord injury, more than 25 years, relied on Medicare, Medicaid, disability insurance for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, which allowed him to finish his BA at the University of Colorado. He then served as the University of director of disability services.

Mr. Claypool has served most recently as director of the political independence of the care, management of long term care provider of the City of New York.(source)