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Health law policy disputes central to congressional spending fight

As lawmakers tussle over how much spending should be cut in this year's budget, these key policy questions related to the health law and other regulatory issues are a flashpoint. In addition, House Republicans are stepping up their strategies to defund the overhaul.

9 Mar 2011

Cardin, Coakley stake out political positions using health law

News outlets report on how these elected officials are using health care messages to their advantage, and a fact-checker goes to work on recent statements by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.

9 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Romney's record, calling GOP's 'bluff', abortion/birth control funding

The center of the Obama health care reform — the part that has excited the ire of conservatives — is the individual mandate that says everyone must buy health insurance. Romney now says that given the chance, "I would repeal Obamacare." Yet Romney advocated, signed and bragged about a similar requirement in the Massachusetts reform passed while he was governor.

8 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 8, 2011

In today's headlines, news about ongoing budget discussions and how issues like Medicare spending and the health law fit into them as well as reports about the growing interest in replacing the current chief of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

8 Mar 2011

The Hill: Health law waivers exceed 1,000

The number of temporary waivers granted thus far by the Obama administration reached a total of 1,040 by the end of last week. Meanwhile, regarding another controversial part of the new law, The Hill reports on the possibility of finding alternatives to the individual mandate.

8 Mar 2011

Harvard study finds increase in medical bankruptcies in Massachusetts

The percentage of personal bankruptcies linked to medical bills or illness changed little, and the absolute number actually increased in Massachusetts after the implementation of its landmark 2006 law requiring people to buy health insurance, a Harvard study says.

8 Mar 2011

Stakeholders address questions related to HIT impact on healthcare disparities at invitational roundtable

A diverse group of healthcare stakeholders address questions related to health information technology's impact on health and healthcare disparities in a two-day invitational roundtable on March 7-8, sponsored by the Kaiser Permanente Institute for Health Policy, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and AMIA, the association for informatics professionals.

8 Mar 2011

State roundup: Mass. effort to manage care for chronically ill; promoting organ donations

For a glimpse of the future of Massachusetts health care as Gov. Deval Patrick envisions it, consider Phyllis Minsky. At 82, Phyllis is complex. Medically, that is. ... Older patients with multiple chronic diseases are the biggest consumers of health care; some 15 percent of Medicare patients make up over 75 percent of health care spending.

8 Mar 2011

Romney: Federal health reform worse than Mass. plan

News outlets covered a major political speech by former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney on Saturday.

6 Mar 2011

Health care political battles tied to budget, insurance costs

"As Congress continues to debate the new health care law, health insurance costs are still rising, particularly for small businesses. Republicans are seizing on the trend as evidence that the new law includes expensive features that are driving up premiums. But the insurance industry says premiums are rising primarily because of the underlying cost of care and a growing demand for it. Across the country, premiums have more than doubled in the last decade, with smaller companies particularly hard hit in recent years, federal officials say".

6 Mar 2011

Senate Republicans urge White House to withdraw Berwick nomination

The Obama administration used a "recess appointment" last July to appoint Donald Berwick to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Yesterday, 42 GOP senators signed on to a letter asking that this appointment be withdrawn.

5 Mar 2011

Senate dems pitch long-term spending bill

"A long-term spending bill pitched by the Senate will not include language to strip federal funds from Planned Parenthood and implementation of the healthcare reform law, according to new highlights released by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Friday afternoon.

5 Mar 2011

Judge stays ruling against health law, sets deadline for White House to appeal

A federal judge in Florida issued a stay regarding his own January ruling in which he overturned the health law. However, this breathing room is only temporary — he also put the health law on the fast track to the Supreme Court.

5 Mar 2011

House votes to repeal health law's tax reporting requirement

Lawmakers continue to be at odds over how to pay for the repeal of this provision, which was originally included in the overhaul as a means to raise revenue to pay for it. The House's offset, for instance, would recoup advance tax subsidies given to lower- and middle-income people to buy insurance if their incomes exceed a certain threshold during the same calendar year.

5 Mar 2011

Research roundup: Hospital infections and costs; Prescription confusion; Medicaid and access to care

"Sepsis affects approximately 750,000 patients each year in the United States and is in many ways a model condition for examining the relationship between hospital spending and patient outcomes and for identifying potential opportunities to improve the value of hospital care," write the authors.

5 Mar 2011

House Republicans continue budget assault on health law

Hearings are scheduled next week to develop legislation to make it possible to defund the health law by redesignating the related spending from "mandatory" to "discretionary."

5 Mar 2011

Vinson issues stay of his health care ruling

A federal judge who declared President Barack Obama's health care overhaul unconstitutional ruled Thursday that states must continue implementing it while the case makes its way through the courts.

4 Mar 2011

Governors' Medicaid, budget concerns trigger debate

As governors took to Capitol Hill this week to talk about their state budgets, Medicaid and the implementation of the health law, more attention was focused on the issues and cost estimates involved in the debate.

4 Mar 2011

Health law legal challenges draw analysis, predictions

In analyzing the recent Florida decision that overturned the health law, one state senate's legislative counsel determined that only a decision by the Supreme Court is binding beyond the circuit in which it is issued. Meanwhile, another legal expert offered a prediction on how Justice Roberts would vote on the measure's constitutionality.

4 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Medicaid costs making Ohio 'ill'?; Penn. adultbasic cuts 'bad'; Calif.'s prisoner dilemma

The president's health care overhaul has made Ohio's budget situation worse. The law prohibits states from changing eligibility requirements, cutting reimbursements or reducing benefits, which would allow our state to live within its means.

4 Mar 2011