State roundup: Mich. Gov. releases health plan

News outlets report on a variety of state health policy issues.

Detroit Free Press: Gov. Rick Snyder Unveils New Health Care Plan
The job of implementing a key Obama administration health reform -;a statewide marketplace where consumers and businesses can buy affordable health insurance-;would be turned over to a non-profit company under proposed legislation announced today by (Michigan's Republican) Gov. Rick Snyder. In his first major health care speech, Snyder called for creation of the MIHealth Marketplace, a non-profit firm that would oversee the sale of health insurance to uninsured adults or small businesses struggling to provide workplace coverage starting in January, 2014 (Anstett, 9/14).

The Miami Herald: Florida Law Restricting Doctors' Gun Talk Blocked By Federal Judge
A federal judge Wednesday blocked a Florida gun law that restricted doctors from asking patients about firearms. Judge Marcia G. Cooke said doctors had a First Amendment right to ask about firearms, and she rapped the state's lawyers for failing to provide more than anecdotal evidence to show the law was needed (Caputo, 9/15).

The Washington Post: Va. Board Of Health To Vote On New Regulations For Abortion Clinics
The Board of Health is expected to vote Thursday on draft regulations that would regulate abortion clinics in Virginia by establishing specific physical requirements for facilities, allowing inspectors to make unannounced visits and mandating that hospitals provide emergency care (Kumar, 9/14).

Georgia Health News: Free Clinics Face Rising Demand In Services To Uninsured
The clinic's waiting room filled up quickly Wednesday morning, and there were still more patients waiting outside, sitting on the porch of the converted home. Good Shepherd Clinic, which provides free medical services to the uninsured of Clayton County, is a busy place every Monday and Wednesday, the only days when it's open. ... The Morrow clinic draws people such as Lois Joiner, 63, of Forest Park. Joiner is unemployed and hasn't had health insurance in five years. ... When asked where she would be without the clinic, Joiner promptly answered: "The emergency room" (Miller, 9/14). 

The Lund Report: Insurance Board Looks To Provide Solutions For Oregonians Amid Uncertainty
The federally-passed Affordable Health Care for America Act (ACA) will take effect in 2014, and the Oregon Medical Insurance Pool Board (OMIP) is in the process of providing clarity to the thousands of Oregonians who need access to affordable health insurance in the interim. OMIP's board met last Wednesday to discuss how it will continue to offer affordable insurance while providing quality benefits to people denied coverage due to pre-existing or current health conditions (Thomas, 9/14).

WBUR's CommonHealth blog: Partners-Blue Cross Deal: 'Squeezing Out Costs'
Partners HealthCare -; (Massachusetts') largest hospital network -; is telling State House leaders that it has agreed to a new contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield that will reduce Partners' payments by $240 million over three years. Partners, which includes some of the state's highest paid hospitals, has said for months that it was willing to take less money. In this deal, that includes a move to global payments, Partners would receive $80 million less than its current contract in each of the next three years (Bebinger, 9/14). 

The Baltimore Sun: Delayed HIV Funding Restored To Local Agencies
Millions in federal funds used to provide services to those living with HIV are again flowing to local programs after a months-long delay. Eighty one Maryland health organizations rely on about $61 million a year from the federal Ryan White Care Act to provide services for those who can't afford their own care, and some officials said they had no choice but to trim their offerings (Cohn, 9/14)