With the presidential election almost upon us, it is time to consider how the next president and Congress can reform America’s healthcare system in the midst of a stumbling economy. Rather than using our economic challenges as an excuse for inaction, we should use them as a catalyst for change and move towards a system in which everyone can have access to healthcare at the right time, receive the appropriate care at an affordable cost and achieve the best health outcome. more»

Americans should be required to buy health insurance, bringing healthier people into plans that will help bring down costs, Ron Williams, chairman and CEO of Aetna, told a Detroit audience. Williams said he favors plans similar to those adopted by some states that require everyone to have health insurance: either through a workplace plan or through a plan consumers buy on their own, with help from state subsidies for those who can't afford it. A mandatory system would help bring down costs and end the problem of enrolling healthy applicants and rejecting those with prior medical problems because costs and risks would be spread over a larger group of people, Williams said. more»

CATONSVILLE, MD (September 16, 2008) – Erickson Retirement Communities, one of the leading national developers of full-service retirement communities, today announced that it has ranked 83rd on the 2008 InformationWeek 500. Erickson is being recognized for the innovations it has achieved in the areas of health informatics, operational systems integration and custom software development supporting the company’s construction operations. more»

As chief executive of Aetna, one of America's big health insurance companies, Ron Williams is at the centre of one of the country's most contentious political issues.

Unlike many of his corporate peers, he has become an outspoken supporter of healthcare reform - though Mr Williams, 58, is careful not to endorse the specific plan of any candidate or political party. more»

A Google-backed startup that analyzes customers' genetic makeup to predict health risks and provide ancestry information has slashed the price on its personal DNA test, the company announced Tuesday.

The decision by 23andMe Inc. to cut the price of its test from $999 to $399 could herald a price war in the small but buzz-heavy marketplace for direct-to-consumer genetic testing. The company's main competitors charge anywhere from just under $1,000 to $2,500 for similar services. more»

In July the Associated Press (AP) profiled new studies on medical tourism and retail clinics by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, part of Deloitte LLP. The two studies demonstrate that consumers are receptive to new ways of saving money on health care costs. more»

CATONSVILLE, MD (September 4, 2008) – Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the New York psychologist who became famous in the 1980's when she hosted radio and television programs that encouraged frank, open discussion of sex, will pen a monthly 300-word column in The Erickson Tribune newspaper starting in November. The column will be titled “Dr. Ruth On…” and will cover a wide range of topics relating to older adults. more»

Employers trying to get a handle on healthcare costs often find their hands tied by one simple fact of life: you can't predict the unpredictable. more»

Recently the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund called attention to the declining state of health care in the U.S. despite leading the world in spending. The conclusion was that Americans squander money on wasteful administrative costs, illnesses caused by medical error and inefficient use of time. more»

Manipal Cure and Care (MCC) was graced by the presence of Muhammad Yunus, the Noble Peace Prize awardee of 2006 accompanied by Vidar Jorgensen - President Grameen America. more»

Lack of access to health care often drives an employee's decision about where to seek care. For instance, when parents of sick children can't get into they primary care physician, he/she often head directly to the emergency room - the most costly option for care. more»

Voters are more worried about health care than about Iraq, according to recent polls, making it a key political issue - and leading many health insurance company CEOs to keep their heads down. Aetna's Ron Williams has been an exception, speaking up on many major issues, though declining to endorse any candidate's health-care proposal. Formerly Blue Cross of California's president, Williams came to Aetna as COO in 2001 when the company was on the brink of failure. more»

WASHINGTON- 4/21/08 -(BUSINESS WIRE)--ChangeNow4Health, an open coalition committed to improving the U.S. health care system, today launched a series of new online programs to further drive dialogue and transformation in the health care system. Announced at the World Health Care Congress in Washington, D.C., these programs range from Health Expert Blogs led by national health care consultants to the new “Innovation xChange,” which is an ongoing campaign designed to invite and reward new ideas that address issues in our current health care system. more»

Aetna was one of the first insurers to disclose what doctors in its networks get paid for their services, giving consumers more information to comparison shop. Just this week, the company unveiled a more comprehensive cost disclosure plan. more»