Today starting at 9AM ,  leading experts will debate heathcare ideas and others as part of the 2010 William J. Bicknell Lectureship in Public Health at the Boston University School of Public Health. This year’s topic is “Controlling Healthcare Costs: Your Money or Your Life?”  featuring lecturer David Cutler. Panelists include Alice Coombs, M.D. President of the Massachusetts Medical Society; William C. Van Faasen, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts; and Kate Walsh, M.P.H. President and CEO of the Boston Medical Center. The event will take place at 670 Albany Street on the Medical Campus.

Contact Dr. Caroline Apovian, 617-414-1816, capovian@bu.edu

With leading health-care industry groups offering the Obama administration $2 trillion in savings over the next decade, School of Management Professor Stephen Davidson can discuss the implications.  He is the author of the soon to be published book “In Urgent Need of Reform: Saving the U.S. Healthcare System.”

“These organizatons are promising to reduce their charges in order to reduce the rate of increase in health care costs.  If it works, that would benefit many individuals needing services.  Their share of premiums might go up less because the insurers that provide their coverage would be paying out less to providers.

“There are two big ‘ifs.’  First is that since many of these organizations are membership groups, it will only work if their members — the companies and professionals providing the services and products — agree to do so.  Second, even if physicians and hospitals agree to hold the line on their charges, if the volume of services increases, expenditures will continue to rise.”

Contact Stephen Davidson, 617-353-7422, sdavidso@bu.edu

School of Management Professor Stephen Davidson, author of “In Urgent Need of Reform: Saving the U.S. Healthcare System” being published this spring, questions whether today’s White House health-care summit will have any lasting political impact.

“Congressional Republicans were advised by their leaders to oppose anything, no matter what compromise plan the Clinton Administration came up with.  Some of those people are in even more senior positions in the party now.  If they have the same attitude now, the summit won’t have any positive effect on them.  But if there are others who are open to considering reform, the summit signals that their ideas would get a fair hearing from the Obama administration.”

Contact Stephen Davidson, 617-353-7422, sdavidso@bu.edu

Waistlines are expanding as worries about the economy worsen, according to doctors, dietians and trainers in a Forbes.com story last week. Caroline Apovian, M.D., director of the Center for Nutrition and Weight Management and director of clinical research for the Obesity Center, both at Boston Medical Center, has seen the eating habits of her patients worsen.

“My patients used to be able to keep their weight under control by eating lots of fresh produce and lean protein,” said Dr. Apovian. “Now they can’t afford these things. As a result, they’re seeing the numbers on the scale creep up, along with their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.” 

“While this is a victory for New Hampshire, the Court of Appeals skirted several of the important Constitutional issues raised in the case. Several other states intend to move forward with similar legislation in the next few months.

“Most Americans are not aware that their prescriptions are being used by drug companies to aggressively market to physicians. The Court of Appeals was sympathetic to the desire to restrain drug marketing by expanding privacy laws to cover additional prescription data. Similar laws in other First Circuit states should now be upheld.

“The court’s focus on standing in part II of the opinion all but guarantees that drug companies will join this suit upon remand and return to the First Circuit demanding a more complete description of the Constitutional arguments presented.”