AHHHH -- Friday!!!

Mitch McConnell, Senate GOP leader, says he's not about to give up trying to repeal health reform. And our old friend Karl Rove is helping the GOP to plot health reform repeal. If the GOP picks up 4 more Senate seats in 2012, they will have a majority in both the House and the Senate. At that point, the only thing standing in the way of health reform would be a presidential veto -- assuming we still have President Obama in office. Okay, Karl, you've got my attention and I'm scared.

Donald Berwick, who runs the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, says health reform is helping the elderly and the poor. They're getting help with prescription drugs and preventive care, and premiums on Medicare Advantage Plans are decreasing. Still, he took a hard grilling yesterday at the House Ways and Means Committee.

The GOP says health reform is a job killer. The Congressional Budget Office says yes, health reform will reduce the number of people who have to work just to get health insurance. So health reform does not eliminate jobs that people want -- it only allows people who don't want to work to stop working. A job killer? I think not.

And in the interests of truth and accuracy, there's an anonymous email going around saying you'll pay 3.8% tax if you sell your house, and the money goes to health reform. Read and learn -- it's not true.

Enrollment in the new Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plans continues to lag behind predictions, although it's starting to pick up.

The marvelous Dr. Pauline Chen writes today about the importance of patient narratives, of stories. You really should never miss one of her essays.

Are you getting your vaccines when needed? There's actually a schedule for adult vaccines, and most primary care docs don't stock all the vaccine that's needed. Look into this.

Utah is going to seek a Medicaid waiver, a sliding scale of copays so those with slightly higher income will pay more.

Here in Connecticut, the legislature will hold hearings on our version of health reform, called SustiNet, on Monday. I'm preparing my testimony now.

And that's the health news for this morning. Have a great day! Jennifer