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Alarming Rise In Deadly Skin Cancer Cases, UK
There has been an alarming rise in new cases of the deadliest form of skin cancer in the UK, with binge tanning cited as a main reason, said a

Lack Of Access To Contraception Persists In Nigeria, Study Finds
Nearly one-third of sexually active women ages 15 to 24 in Nigeria had an unmet need for modern contraception in 2003, according to a study from the Guttmacher Institute, BBC News reports. The study, which analyzed health data from Nigerian authorities and non-governmental organizations, found that 16% of pregnancies among women ages 15 to 24 in 2003 were unintended, compared with 10% in 1990. From 1990 to 2003, there was little change -- from 4% to 8% -- in use of modern contraceptives among young women who were sexually active. In addition, the proportion of sexually active young women who were aware of how to access family planning services decreased from 32% in 1990 to 18% in 2003, the study found. The study also said that although the proportion of girls and young women with some secondary education increased from 34% in 1990 to 50% in 2003, Nigerian authorities have inadequately promoted sexual health information, including contraceptive information, to the country"s youth. The report noted that Nigeria"s population is increasing by 2.2% annually and will double every 32 years if that rate is maintained.Friday Okonofua, the co-author of the report, said, "We are failing Nigerian adolescents when it comes to providing them with the information and services they need to delay marriage and avoid unintended pregnancies." She added that the lack of information leaves girls and young women vulnerable to unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections like HIV (BBC News, 6/16).
News of the day
Weight Guidelines For Women Pregnant With Twins
Healthy, normal-weight women pregnant with twins should gain between 37 and 54 pounds, according to research from a Michigan State University professor who helped shape the recently released national guidelines on gestational weight gain.
Public Health

Obama Open To Using MedPAC To Set Medicare Payment Rates

As the administration searches for ways to pay for health care reform and restrain medical costs, President Obama suggested Wednesday that he would consider transferring the power to set Medicare reimbursement rates from Congress to the independent advisory agency known as MedPAC, MedPage Today reports. The move reflects legislation introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., last month that would move MedPAC into the executive branch as "a regulatory board similar to the Federal Reserve ... The move would transfer the power to set reimbursement rates from Congress -- and perhaps the interest groups that lobby it -- to an agency that critics say is better equipped to make nuanced medical payment decisions" (Walker 3/09). "Under this approach, MedPAC"s recommendations on cost reductions would be adopted unless opposed by a joint resolution of the Congress," Obama said in his letter to senior Senators outlining his priorities for reform, the Wall Street Journal"s Health Blog reports (Yao, 6/4). Obama also said he would like to cut an addition $200 billion to $300 billion over the next 10 years from Medicare and Medicaid spending in order to pay for the anticipated health care overhaul proposal, the Journal reports separately. "That is on top of an earlier pledge to cut $309 billion over the same time period through changes to those two government programs, including by targeting waste, fraud and abuse" (Adamy, 6/4). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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