Pharmaceutical, Healthcare & Life Sciences (Mondaq)
Long before United States Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA) pushed for prohibitions against physician self-referrals of Medicare and Medicaid patients (now known as the "Stark" law), New Jersey Senator Richard Codey was working on legislation prohibiting physicians from making referrals to health care services in which they held ownership interests back.

Senate Rejects Amendment Reinstating 'Global Gag Rule' During SCHIP Debate (Medical News Today)
The Senate on Wednesday voted 60-37 to reject an amendment that would have reinstated the "Mexico City" policy, also known as the "global gag rule," as part of legislation to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S. 275), the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports.

House Democrats Introduce Legislation That Would Allow Medicare To Offer Prescription Drug Plans That Compete With ... (Medical News Today)
Congressional Democrats on Tuesday introduced legislation (HR 684, S 330) that would allow traditional Medicare to establish one or more plans to compete with private plans under the prescription drug benefit, CQ HealthBeat reports. In addition, the legislation, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Reps. Marion Berry (D-Ark.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.

How Close Is the Great Depression, Part 2? (Contacto)
Credit crunch, unemployment rates and financial disaster have led many Americans to believe that the United States is approaching a remake of the Great Depression of 1929, a terrible economic slump that lasted about 10 years. How close are we from a depression?