Monday Moaning

Have I told you I hate Mondays? But this particular Monday isn't bad since our own Nicole Netkin-Collins is going to be sworn into the Bar today, and we're surely excited about that! Not that anything else could eclipse that, but here's the news:

The President will start his debt reduction talks today after VP Biden's talks broke down over tax increases. Nobody's quite sure where Sen McConnell stands, although he has said he's against tax increases, including closing loopholes. The GOP appears to be firm on the issue of taxes. VP Biden says the Administration won't let the middle class bear the whole burden of deficit reduction. But the GOP is adamant on opposing tax increases. The GOP may prefer cuts in military spending than tax increases. But Americans remain split on whether to raise the debt ceiling -- something that makes me wonder if they truly understand what not raising the debt limit would do to interest rates and the economy in general.

For those of us supporting health reform, defending the law against baseless attacks appears to be a non-ending story. It's hard when the most important changes won't take effect until 2014, so we don't have huge victories to point to.

The Obama Administration is going to call doctor's offices to see how hard it is to get an appointment with a primary care doctor. They'll also see if there's a difference between access for people with insurance and access for people with Medicaid or Medicare. This should be interesting, eh? Especially with so many of us wondering what ever happened to the family doctor.

A private sector partnership says health reform let them join together to reduce cost. But providers really can't stand the Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board, which would kick in with cuts to Medicare if costs rise. Secretary Sebelius is adamant, though, that the IPAB will not lead to rationing.

Will people die earlier under health reform? WaPo gives that fiction three Pinnochios.

Google kills Google Health. It was supposed to be a place to store your medical records. But nobody's using it, so they're shutting it down. What does that mean for the future of electronic medical records?

Diabetes is on the rise. And we are getting better at treating it. But 2 out of 3 deaths worldwide are from noncommunicable diseases like diabetes, cancer -- and all other chronic illnesses.

An amusement park in -- of all places -- Texas caters to the disabled. And wilderness trails in New Hampshire are accessible by those with disabilities. Good for them.

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