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Connecticut House Approves Two Health Insurance Pooling Bills
The Connecticut House on Wednesday approved two separate measures to expand health insurance pooling in the state, the Hartford Courant reports. The first measure would create a public health insurance pool open to all residents. The pool, intended to compete with rather than replace private insurance, would be based on the existing pool for state workers (Keating, Hartford Courant, 5/21). The bill will create a nine-member board of directors to investigate and recommend a plan to guarantee every resident health insurance. The bill also creates four committees that will work with the board and provide advice on electronic health records, medical homes, clinical care guidelines and preventive care. In addition, three task forces will examine obesity, tobacco use and care provider shortages (Stuart, CT News Junkie, 5/20).The cost of plan, known as SustiNet, could be a "sticking point" given the state"s $8.7 billion budget deficit over the next two years, the Courant reports The state Senate and Gov. Jodi Rell (R) will consider the plan next.The second measure would allow local governments, small businesses and not-for-profit groups join the state employee insurance plan. The bill would increase the current pool"s membership from 200,000 to an estimated 300,000. Juan Figueroa, a former state legislator and president of the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, said, "Both of these plans reduce costs and increase choice. The partnership (pooling) bill has features that SustiNet can build on. The two bills fit hand in glove." Democrats said the second bill would utilize economies of scale to lower costs. Steve Fontana (D), co-chair of the State House Insurance and Real Estate Committee, said, "The larger the pool you have, ... you reduce the volatility and the risk associated with that pool."Opponents say the pooling measure would affect only those who already have coverage. According to House Republican Leader Larry Cafero, "This bill does not solve that problem. If you don"t have it now, you"re not going to have it because of this" (Keating, Hartford Courant, 5/21).

Monitoring Bone Density In Older Women Is Unnecessary And Potentially Misleading
Monitoring bone mineral density in postmenopausal women taking osteoporosis drugs (bisphosphonates) is unnecessary and potentially misleading, concludes a study published on bmj.com.
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The European Experience: The Pluses And Minuses Of Government-Run Health Care
As President Barack Obama pushes to overhaul health care, many look to Europe for examples of government-run health care.
Nutrition

Link Between Symptoms Of Depression In Obese Children And Elevated Cortisol

A new study connects abnormalities of the "stress" hormone cortisol with symptoms of depression in obese children, and confirms that obesity and depression often occur together, even in children. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. "There is evidence in adults that abnormal regulation of cortisol plays a role in both obesity and depression," said the study"s lead author, Panagiota Pervanidou, MD, of Athens University Medical School in Athens, Greece. "Our study indicates that cortisol abnormalities may underlie obesity and depression starting in childhood." Cortisol is a steroid hormone that helps the body respond to stress but also has other functions, including converting fat, protein and carbohydrates into energy. Normally, levels of this hormone peak in the early morning, start to drop in late morning and reach their low point at night. However, depressed adults have slightly elevated cortisol levels at night - "the endocrine equivalent of chronic stress," Pervanidou said. This chronic elevation of cortisol contributes to development of the metabolic syndrome, which includes abdominal obesity and other risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In this new study, Pervanidou and colleagues measured cortisol five times a day in the saliva of 50 obese children and teenagers as well as in their blood in the morning. The 20 boys and 30 girls, ages 8 to 15 years, were patients in the Athens University pediatric obesity clinic and did not have a prior diagnosis of depression. All subjects completed the Children"s Depression Inventory (CDI), a questionnaire that assesses self-reported symptoms of depression. Cortisol levels in the saliva in the afternoon and evening correlated positively with symptoms of depression, the authors reported. The more depressive symptoms that subjects reported, the higher the cortisol levels at those times. This finding indicates that obesity and depression may not only be related to behavior but also may have a hormonal link, according to Pervanidou. Because obesity and depression often co-occur, she said that prevention and screening should focus on both disorders and should start in childhood. "We recommend that obese children be screened for depression and anxiety, especially female adolescents, who have the highest risk," she said. "In addition, children with a diagnosis of depression should be evaluated for disordered eating, because these patients frequently develop obesity or anorexia." Aaron Lohr The Endocrine Society


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