Doctors Still Taking Medicare Patients Despite Skimpy Payments

Here's what we're checking out today:

Medicare: Contrary to conventional wisdom, skimpy Medicare payments aren't making it harder for seniors to find doctors to treat them, according to a new Medicare Payment Advisory Commission survey.

Uninsured: The recession contributed to an additional 5.6 million Americans being uninsured between 2007 and 2009, according to a new Health Affairs report examined by Modern Healthcare's Rebecca Vesely. The Mid-West was hit the hardest.

Cancer Prevention: A large and long-running study finds that taking aspirin daily can help prevent death from cancers, particularly gastrointestinal cancers, by encouraging precancerous cells to commit cell "suicide," CBS News reports.  

Journalist Threatened: An Abbott executive threatens Baltimore Sun columnist Jay Hancock over a column critical of the company's heart stents. That's always a smart public relations move.