As implementation continues, poll finds public view of law improving

Also, a number of states — Indiana, Washington, Rhode Island and Kansas — continue to wrestle with the formation of health exchanges.

CBS: Obama's Approval Rating On Health Care Improves
Since its passage in March 2010, President Obama's health care reform package has been controversial. The latest Associated Press poll, however, finds that the percent of Americans who approve of the way Mr. Obama is handling health care has hit a new high. The AP poll, conducted May 5-9, shows that 54 percent of Americans approve of Mr. Obama's handling of health care, while 46 percent disapprove. That figure has risen steadily since October of last year. Mr. Obama received his lowest marks on health care in the AP poll in September of 2009, when just 42 percent said they approved (Condon, 5/23).

Modern Healthcare: Enzi Urges Vice President To Send Regulations To Senate
Republicans hoping to overturn new regulations creating the first federal medical-loss ratio requirements for insurers cannot do so because the administration never submitted the regulations to the Senate, according to a leading Republican. Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), ranking Republican on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, wrote Vice President Joe Biden on Monday to ask the whereabouts of regulations implementing the Affordable Care Act's requirements on insurers (Daly, 5/23).

CQ HealthBeat: Indiana, Washington and Rhode Island Lead the Way on Exchanges
Indiana and Washington were among three states the federal government rewarded with money Monday for being in the forefront of setting up health insurance exchanges. This, even though both are among 26 states trying to kill the law in court. The Department of Health and Human Services on Monday announced a significant step forward in the development of the exchanges — grant awards totaling nearly $35 million to Indiana, Washington and Rhode Island, which is not challenging the health law. Indiana will receive $6.8 million, Rhode Island $5.2 million and Washington $22.9 million (Norman, 5/23).

Kansas Health Institute News: Insurance Exchange Planning Group Will Slacken Pace
The steering committee that is developing the plan for a Kansas health insurance exchange will move at a slower pace after the administration of Gov. Sam Brownback called for delay in selecting a key exchange vendor. The initial plan, as spelled out earlier this year by Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, had been to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for a vendor sometime in July. The administration, however, asked Praeger to delay that process until the 2012 Legislature has weighed in on the plan (Shields, 5/23).

The Associated Press: RI To Get Over $5M Federal Health Care Grant
Rhode Island is set to receive a $5.2 million federal grant to set up a system in the state that will allow residents to shop for health insurance online. The Department of Health and Human Services grant is part of President Barack Obama's landmark health care plan. Last year, the Ocean State received a $1 million grant to start setting up the online insurance exchange. Rhode Island's congressional delegation announced the grant Monday as Gov. Lincoln Chafee said he hoped the grant would help make Rhode Island a leader in putting Obama's health care plan to use (5/23).

Providence Journal: R.I. Wins $5.2-Million Federal Grant To Build Health-Insurance Exchange
Rhode Island has received a $5.2-million federal grant to continue its work developing a health-insurance exchange, a cornerstone of the federal health-care law. But the state, which also received a $1-million planning grant in September, could lose out on future federal money if the General Assembly fails to approve legislation creating the exchange, a marketplace for health insurance. That bill has stalled, caught in a dispute over anti-abortion language (Freyer, 5/24).