In this May 26, 2011 photo provided by Terry Kalley, Kalley and his wife, Arlene, are seen at their home in Troy, Mich. Blue Chielf of California, San Francisco, says it may limit access to coverage for new prescriptions for Avastin for patients with breast cancer Oct. 17, because a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel has decided that the benefits of taking the drug do not justify the risks for most breast cancer patients. The Kalleys believe the drug works and are trying to keep Avastin benefits in place. California Blue Shield says it will continue benefits for patients already receiving the drug and may make exceptions in individual cases. (AP Photo/Terry Kalley)
A panel at the Institute of Medicine, Washington, released a report Friday that is supposed to help U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius design the “essential health benefits” (EHB) package that is supposed to be at the heart of the major medical plans offered through a new system of health insurance exchanges starting Oct. 14, 2014. The EHB is supposed to keep carriers from undercutting competitors by watering down benefits. Interest groups are girding to fight the benefits of interest to their members. The American Academy of Ophthalmology, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, was out front battling for basic benefits packages to include vision care benefits for children. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this Sept. 13 photo provided by the University of Chicago Medical Center, Dr. Gautam Jayram assists during prostate cancer surgery, watching an internal video of the patient’s body, at the University of Chicago Medical Center in Chicago. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force sparked a controversy Friday by concluding that it sees no clear evidence that routine prostate-specific antigen blood tests help the men who get the tests. Critics say the tests save lives; panel supporters are pointing to the recommendation as an example of the need for careful evidence-based assessments of treatment and screening test recommendations. (AP Photo/University of Chicago Medical Center, Bruce Powell)