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The Morning Briefing: NHS reforms, free HIV care, doctors strike

"The Morning Briefing" is SmartPlanet's daily roundup of must-reads from the web. This morning we're reading about news from the field of healthcare.
Written by Charlie Osborne, Contributing Writer

"The Morning Briefing" is SmartPlanet's daily roundup of must-reads from the web. This morning we're reading about news from the field of healthcare.

1.) Overseas visits to the UK for free HIV care? For the first time, overseas visitors to Britain will be offered free HIV treatment on the NHS (National Health System). Ministers are backing the scheme, calling for the treatment process as a means to 'protect the wider public'. However, in order to try and prevent health tourism, safeguards are expected to be put in place.

2.) Nick Clegg: NHS reforms must be 'watered down'.
In order to avoid the 'Americanisation' and privatisation of England's hospitals, the Deputy Prime Minister has sent letters to all Liberal Democrat politicians to urge them to back amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill, which is currently passing through the UK's parliament.

3.) Pension reforms: UK doctors to ballot for industrial action. For the first time in nearly 40 years, UK health professionals will be balloting over strike action in a dispute over pensions and public sector reform. Rather than an official strike, Britain's doctors could decide to withdraw all non-emergency care or take contracted breaks.

4.) Texans with health insurance expected to reach 91 percent. The percentage of Texans with health insurance is expected to increase to 91 percent -- up from 74 percent currently -- after the national health care law takes effect in 2014, the state's Medicaid director told legal professionals Monday. However -- the act includes a provision that will penalise people who do not buy health insurance.

5.) Poll: Health care overhaul hurts Obama? Has the President managed to convince the American public the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is the right thing to do?

Image credit: Rodrigo Senna

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