Consumers, employers and insurers work to incorporate reform's new rules

The Wall Street Journal: Firms Feel Pain From Health Law
Big employers faced with incorporating the first round of health-care changes next month are grappling with how to comply with the long list of new rules (Mattioli, 12/13).

CQ HealthBeat: Industry, Consumers Watching As HHS Attempts To Define 'Unreasonable'
[A] mechanism in the new health care law [is] designed to give insurance companies pause before proposing such large increases. Under the law, Washington won't be able to block big increases, but it will work with states to conduct annual reviews of increases that are considered "unreasonable." And the federal government gets to define what's unreasonable. Any day now, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is expected to issue regulations spelling out how the department will define the standard and the process by which the HHS will work with states to review the increases (Norman, 12/10).

The Hill: Healthcare Reform Supporters Tout California Union's Implementation Efforts
Healthcare reform law supporters are pointing to a new letter from the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) detailing how the new law is already benefiting its members (Millman, 12/10).

The Arizona Republic: Medicare Enrollment In Arizona Affected By Health Reform
Medicare health and drug plans change somewhat each year, but analysts say seniors may see more changes this time, in part because of health care reform. Fewer prescription-drug plans, a new "doughnut hole" drug-discount provision and higher costs for some Medicare Advantage plans could affect the often-confusing selection process (Alltucker, 12/13).