UnitedHealth Group Offers 15 Recommendations To Reduce Federal Health Spending By $540B Over 10 Years.

UnitedHealth Group"s Center for Health Reform and Modernization on Wednesday suggested 15 steps that could be taken to save $540 billion in federal in health care costs over the next 10 years, the AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports (Werner, AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 5/27). Simon Stevens, head of the center, said that the report "puts some flesh on the bones" of the pledge made by health care industry groups earlier this month to cut health care costs, noting that the recommendations already are being used by UnitedHealth to reduce costs and can be applied to Medicare (Reuters, 5/27). contactos

Miami-Dade, Blue Cross Announce Low-Cost PPO Aimed At County's Uninsured.

Florida"s Miami-Dade County and BlueCross BlueShield of Florida on Tuesday announced a new low-cost health plan, called Miami-Dade Blue, aimed at helping the estimated 600,000 uninsured county residents, the Miami Herald reports. The plan -- which costs taxpayers nothing -- is a traditional PPO, with no pre-approvals or referrals and will cost a healthy 35-year-old male about $100 per month. Miami-Dade Blue has a $250 deductible and will cover 90% of in-network hospital costs and 100% of fees for in-network lab tests after the deductible is met. The copayment for generic drugs is $10 per prescription; the plan will not offer coverage for brand-name prescriptions.The plan is being offered to individuals younger than age 65 and to small employers with up to 50 workers. Pro-Health Vibration machine

Farmer Still Under Consideration For Obama Administration Position, Takes Harvard Medical School Appointment.

While Partners in Health co-founder Paul Farmer is still being considered for a senior role in the Obama administration, Farmer has been appointed chair of Harvard Medical School"s Department of Global Health and Social Medicine -- Jeffrey Flier, the medical school"s dean, said on Wednesday -- the Boston Globe reports. Flier said that Farmer will take a leave of absence from the medical school if he is offered a position with the administration. For now, Farmer is slated to succeed the current chair, Jim Kim, on July 1 (Smith, Boston Globe, 5/28). Foreign Policy"s "The Cable" reports that Farmer is "under consideration to head" USAID or "serve in a top administration international assistance post that would encompass it." An unnamed "international health activist" said that Farmer might be appointed USAID administrator "as an interim thing" and that he might go on to lead a new position focused on "global health in the process of foreign assistance reform over the coming year.

UK Travellers Could Pay The Price For Paradise - More Brits Considering Long Haul Trips But Ignoring The Threat Of Malaria.

Brits taking advantage of last-minute credit crunch deals to tropical destinations could be seriously risking their health, according to a survey of over 1,000 UK travellers.1 Published to coincide with Malaria Awareness Week, the survey has revealed that while over half of the 1,004 (52%) Survey of 1,004 people - Malaria Awareness Campaign Holiday Health Survey (2009), Tickbox.net, April 2009 questioned will consider travelling to a long haul destination rather than Europe this year, a shocking 63%1 will think first about buying new clothes, looking good and working out what they will do when they get there, rather than seeking travel health advice to avoid potentially deadly diseases such as malaria. Only just over a quarter of those surveyed (27%)1 said they would consider seeking travel health advice before they fly off. This attitude was particularly rife among 16-24 year-olds, 78% Sample of 55 16-24 year olds from the Survey of 1,004 people - Malaria Awareness Campaign Holiday Health Survey (2009), Tickbox.net, April 2009 of whom placed having fun and looking good at the top of their priority list.