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The Multiple Health Benefits Of Dairy Foods Examined By New Science Review
WHAT: Food prices rose by 5.5 percent in the past year and are expected to increase up to an additional 4 percent in 2009. Americans are seeking to get the most out of their dollar, and since together, dairy foods provide a unique package of nine essential nutrients, they are a nutritional bang for the buck.
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Study Stresses Importance Of Exercise On Bone Health - Jumping And Running Identified As Best Physical Activity For Bone Development
Exercise has many benefits from improving cardiovascular capacity to reducing weight, and now a new
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Obama Highlights Health Care Reform Progress In Weekly Address
In his weekly radio and Internet address, President Obama discussed efforts by congressional leaders and health care industry groups on health care reform legislation, The Hill reports. He said that "while there remains a great deal of difficult work ahead, I am heartened by what we have seen these past few days: a willingness of those with different points of view and disparate interests to come together around common goals -- to embrace a shared sense of responsibility and make historic progress" (Youngman, The Hill, 5/16). He said, "I have always believed that it is better to talk than not to talk, that it is far more productive to reach over a divide than to shake your fist across it," which has "been an alien notion in Washington for far too long, but we are seeing that the ways of Washington are beginning to change."In the Republican radio and Internet address. Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.), a cardiovascular surgeon, said that a "government takeover of health care will put bureaucrats in charge of health care decisions that should be made by families and doctors." He added, "It will limit treatment options and lead to rationed care," and "to pay for government health care, your taxes will be raised." Boustany, a member of the House Republican Health Care Solutions Group, said, "That is something we cannot support, and frankly, it would clearly violate some of the principles the president himself has endorsed" (Superville, AP/Washington Post, 5/16). In related news, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag on Sunday said on CNN"s "State of the Union" that the administration might support taxing health care benefits to health pay for health care reform (Barr, Politico, 5/17). Timeline
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AARP President: House Bill Makes "Substantial Progress" Toward Health Care Reform, USA

AARP President Jennie Chin Hansen is testifying before the House Committee on Ways and Means during its hearing on "Health Reform in the 21st Century." In her remarks, Hansen discusses the health care needs of older Americans, including affordable coverage for 50- to 64-year-olds and prescription drugs for people in Medicare. Excerpts from Hansen"s statement follow: "Enacting legislation to give all Americans quality, affordable health coverage options is AARP"s top priority this year. "The draft Tri-Committee legislation marks substantial progress toward this goal. "Today I am proud to represent nearly 40 million members of AARP- half over age 65 and therefore in Medicare, and half under 65. "Both age groups face serious problems in today"s health care system, and AARP commends the Tri-Committee for including critical reforms in its draft that will help AARP members of all ages." "To make insurance affordable for Americans age 50-64, AARP believes these individuals should be charged no more than twice what someone under 50 is required to pay for quality health coverage. Why? "Because older may mean wiser but it doesn"t mean richer. In fact, the income of uninsured adults age 18-24 is a little over $28,000 and for those 50-64 it is $30,000." "One of the greatest difficulties faced by our older members is the extraordinary out-of-pocket cost of health care. In fact, Medicare beneficiaries spend 30 percent of their income on health care costs and they face costs that are six times costs faced by those of us with employer-sponsored coverage. This is a particularly stark reality for the nearly half of all Medicare beneficiaries who have incomes of less than $22,000 per year. "Prescription drugs are, of course, a big piece of Medicare beneficiaries" out-of-pocket expenses, which is why AARP has made closing the doughnut hole and improving low income assistance programs top priorities in health care reform. The Tri-Committee has lead the way on both of these vital issues, including the closure of the doughnut hole as well as important improvements to Medicare low-income supports in its draft legislation.." AARP


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