In a recent update regarding the health care industry, Galichia Heart Hospital has announced that they have sealed the deal with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas and with Coventry Health Care of Kansas, making the hospital an in-network provider for both insurance companies.

Last Tuesday, Galichia CEO Stephen Harris said that the hospital had been discussing with both companies for several months already. “We’ve been talking to them for a long time,” he said.

Blue Cross and PHS are the two largest insurance providers in the Wichita market. Blue Cross now has signed agreements with Wesley, Via Christi, Galichia, Kansas Heart Hospital and Wesley Rehab. PHS has contracts with Via…

During the first debate regarding the Senate health care bill, Democrats have successfully defended their plan of having more than $400 billion in Medicare cuts. Democrats argued that the cuts, totaling $464 billion over 10 years, would not affect the basic services provided by Medicare. Instead, this would prevent insurance companies and hospitals from charging too much for the level of service they are offering.

Republicans oppose this plan and said that the cuts would affect care for senior.  Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican and a doctor, explained that physicians will probably respond slower.

“I know what goes on inside a hospital. When you cut $130 billion out of the hospitals, the…

Last Tuesday, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania has announced that he is willing to become the leader within his party as they attempt to abolish abortion funding from the health care bill. As one of just two Democrats in the Senate who call themselves pro-life, Casey confirmed that he will definitely work on removing the vast abortion funding in the plans which will be offered through public option and affordability credits.

On the other hand, the House bill includes a proposal by Rep. Bart Stupak that removed the abortion funding and Casey told Congressional Quarterly that he will take on something similar but would not say he would oppose the Senate health…

As the Democrats in the U.S. Senate took another step toward passing their government-run healthcare legislation, the more people oppose the plan. Many said that the bill does not focus on patients or on quality care. This proposal will cost taxpayers up to $2.5 trillion, create a massive new entitlement, raise taxes, and add to the federal deficit.

The actual concern is the impact it will have on the ability of doctors and individuals to make decisions about care, particularly for women. Last week, a government appointed panel issued a set of recommendations regarding mammograms and self-exams for women in their 40s and 50s. Particularly, this panel discouraged women from self-exams.…