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December 5, 2012 To raise vaccination rates, some states have made it much harder for parents to get exemptions for their children from immunizations based on personal beliefs. One doctor says restrictions could backfire.

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December 5, 2012 The traditions of medical education die hard. Many doctors in training still work extreme hours, despite rules that limit the lengths of shifts for medical residents. One residency director calls for doctors educated under the old system to stop bashing the younger generation for being soft.

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December 4, 2012 Economists say that excluding the value of employer-sponsored health insurance from federal taxes makes no sense. But many worry that changing the tax code could mean higher taxes or that employers would push down the value of the health insurance they provide.

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December 4, 2012 CPRSome doctors are unhappy about switching from paper records to electronic ones. While the government is creating incentives for doctors to switch, some say the hassles and expense exceed the rewards.

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December 4, 2012 If you lose your job with a small employer, you'll less likely to get the same kinds of extended health insurance benefits available from bigger firms. Many states have enacted laws to change that, but the results vary.

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December 4, 2012 Most people don't realize that they don't pay taxes on the value of health benefits from their job. If employer-provided health insurance was taxed in the same way as wages, the federal government could gain $250 billion a year. But it would mean higher taxes for many people.

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November 30, 2012 As more boomers age at home, they will need aides to care for them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for home health aides is expected to grow by 69 percent by 2020 — much faster than the average for all jobs. And many see legal immigrants as vital to filling those jobs.

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November 30, 2012 Sometimes the real trick for improving health is getting people, including doctors, to hear the right message and then do something about it. So what's the best way to get the word out about a decades-old generic drug that could save the lives of critically injured patients? You make a comic book.

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November 29, 2012 By delaying the age at which people can join Medicare, the federal government could save millions of dollars. But if 65- and 66-year-olds have to find health insurance on the open market, states, employers and individuals of all ages will end up paying a lot more.

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November 29, 2012 On Jan. 1, Medicare is set to cut payments to doctors by nearly 30 percent. Lawmakers of both parties want to prevent this. So why is it imminent?

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November 26, 2012 A policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics urges doctors to write prescriptions in advance to let teens have fast access to emergency contraception. The pills are currently available over the counter only to those 17 and older.

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