Weekly Dose of Health News January 27-31, 2014

This week we have links to coverage of the recent NY State Senate public hearing regarding health insurance networks, a story on a basic health plan proposal in the Executive Budget as well as some interesting articles appearing in major dailies on union reaction to Obamacare and how obesity prevention measures need to start very early in a child’s life.

New York doctors were in town Monday to testify at a Senate about health insurance networks.  Capital New York covers it here.

$7 million in new funds has been awarded in New York City for a clinical trials database.  The New York City Clinical Data Research Network is comprised of 22 regional organizations and the funds are designed to link patient medical records and ease enrollment into clinical trials.

Capital New York reports on the Executive Budget proposal for a basic health plan which will be available beginning in January 2015 for some low income adults and legal immigrants.

Labor unions continue to voice their disappointment in Obamacare, the Wall Street Journal writes.

EmblemHealth agrees to reinstate over 8,000 young adults who were dropped from their parents’ health insurance.  New York law requires that insurers keep young adults on parents’ policies until age 30.

Senator Chuck Schumer says that New York will get an answer on their Medicaid waiver application in February.  New York revised it’s waiver request this past   week.

The New York Times writes about how obesity takes hold very early in life and that current preventive strategies which usually begin in school age children should begin much earlier.