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First Edition: February 3, 2011

Today's headlines detail the Senate GOP-led failed vote to repeal the health law and look to what steps will now follow.

3 Feb 2011

CIGNA fourth quarter shareholders' net income increases to $461 million

CIGNA Corporation today reported shareholders' net income of $461 million, or $1.69 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2010 compared with shareholders' net income of $330 million, or $1.19 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2009.

3 Feb 2011

Physicians should contribute some efforts to improve patient safety, outcomes

Efforts to keep hospital patients safe and continually improve the overall results of health care can't work unless medical centers figure out a way to get physicians more involved in the process.

3 Feb 2011

Senate repeals small piece of health law, but Republican attempt at overall repeal fails

Senate Republicans failed to muster enough votes to repeal the health law. But a vote to delete a small, revenue-raising provision of the sweeping law did pass, in a bipartisan vote.

3 Feb 2011

Viewpoints: N.Y. Times slams Vinson ruling as WSJ, Wash post parse it; Violence in hospitals; Bending health cost curve

A ruling by a Federal District Court judge in Florida that the entire health care reform law is unconstitutional was a breathtaking example of judicial activism and overreach. It is hard not to believe this decision was driven at least in part by ideology.

3 Feb 2011

Viewpoints: On Judge Vinson's decision; Medicaid and long-term care; Doctors' ennui; Insurers' profits

Federal Judge Roger Vinson opens his decision declaring ObamaCare unconstitutional with that citation from Federalist No. 51, written by James Madison in 1788. His exhaustive and erudite opinion is an important moment for American liberty, and yesterday may well stand as the moment the political branches were obliged to return to the government of limited and enumerated powers that the framers envisioned.

2 Feb 2011

What happens next: The decision's immediate impact

Even as it becomes increasingly clear that challenges to the health law are on a straight course for the Supreme Court, yesterday's lower court decision has muddied the waters around the overhaul — in terms of congressional action, political posturing and state-level implementation activities.

2 Feb 2011

Roundup: Medicaid worries in Texas, Ill., Pa.; California insurance exchanges; Kansas controversy on health law

The current state House and Senate budget proposals include a 10 percent cut in the rate that the state will pay Medicaid providers. Some health care lobbying groups say that when you add in the loss of the enhanced federal Medicaid match paid for by stimulus dollars that have now dried up, you get a 33 percent reduction overall.

2 Feb 2011

First Edition: February 1, 2011

Today's health policy news focuses on analysis of Monday's ruling in which a federal court judge in Florida struck down the health law.

1 Feb 2011

High-risk pools, hospital readmissions among health law topics in the news

Health reform's high-risk pools, so far plagued with lackluster enrollment, are showing signs that they are starting to turn around - just as House Republicans are launching an investigation into the program (Kliff, 1/31).

1 Feb 2011

Efforts to repeal Medicare advisory board could attract Dem support

This week, a half-dozen House Republicans unveiled a one-paragraph piece of legislation to dismantle the [Independent Payment Advisory Board], well before it ever gets going.

1 Feb 2011

Health premium costs: Hot topic in partisan debate

Just as President Obama and members of his administration assert that health insurance premiums will go down under the health overhaul, GOP lawmakers argue these claims are overstated. Ultimately, how this issue shakes out will be central to the public's perception of the new law.

1 Feb 2011

First Edition: January 31, 2011

KHN staff writers Marilyn Weber Serafini and Julie Appleby report: "Financially strapped governors, Congress and the Obama administration could be headed for a showdown over the Medicaid health care program that covers 48 million poor, disabled and elderly people nationwide".

31 Jan 2011

President 'won't refight' health law debate

White House Chief of Staff William Daley told CBS this weekend that President Obama is open to tweaking the health care law - but that he would not "refight the entire fight" over reform. "The president has said he's open to changes to this," Daley told CBS' "Face the Nation," in his first television interview since joining the Obama administration.

30 Jan 2011

Health care reform fact check

The Obama administration released a 13-page report Friday that argues the healthcare reform law will save families and businesses thousands of dollars, prompting immediate criticism from the GOP.

30 Jan 2011

President Obama rallies health overhaul supporters; Reports by Dems and GOP offer very different views on law's impacts

In a Friday morning speech, Obama was expected to offer a message to "fire up" health law supporters. Reports indicate a White House report will detail the positive effect the health law will have on health insurance premiums. Meanwhile, however, Republicans are citing a report of their own that shows the law's negative repercussions for child-only health plans.

29 Jan 2011

Research roundup: Barriers to trauma care, immunizations; Small business tax credit; Medicare coverage of preventive care

Possible Geographical Barriers To Trauma Center Access For Vulnerable Patients In The United States - This study analyzes disparities in geographic access to trauma centers in 2005, drawing from data from the 2005 American Hospital Association annual survey.

29 Jan 2011

New feature: KHN's selection of thought-provoking magazine articles on health policy issues

Today, we begin this new weekly feature, which will provide a selection of thought-provoking articles from a variety of sources.

29 Jan 2011

Viewpoints: Where is the surgeon general; Unions' health law waivers; Mass. plan to aid municipalities

Although some of the nation's healthcare issues are abstruse and vexing, others are relatively approachable. Many in this latter category fall within the province of the U.S. surgeon general. But the incumbent is nowhere to be found.

29 Jan 2011

Roundup: Florida considering major cuts to mental health programs; Texas patient groups fight back on Medicaid plans; Calif. weighs limiting Medicaid patients' trips to doctors

In the committee rooms and corridors of the state Capitol, lobbyists are looking for clues about which programs will get slashed. On Wednesday, mental-health and substance-abuse programs got more than a clue. In fact, it looked like a bulls-eye (Saunders, 1/27).

28 Jan 2011

Health Reform News and Research

First Edition: February 3, 2011

CIGNA fourth quarter shareholders' net income increases to $461 million

Physicians should contribute some efforts to improve patient safety, outcomes

Senate repeals small piece of health law, but Republican attempt at overall repeal fails

Viewpoints: N.Y. Times slams Vinson ruling as WSJ, Wash post parse it; Violence in hospitals; Bending health cost curve

Viewpoints: On Judge Vinson's decision; Medicaid and long-term care; Doctors' ennui; Insurers' profits

What happens next: The decision's immediate impact

Roundup: Medicaid worries in Texas, Ill., Pa.; California insurance exchanges; Kansas controversy on health law

First Edition: February 1, 2011

High-risk pools, hospital readmissions among health law topics in the news

Efforts to repeal Medicare advisory board could attract Dem support

Health premium costs: Hot topic in partisan debate

First Edition: January 31, 2011

President 'won't refight' health law debate

Health care reform fact check

President Obama rallies health overhaul supporters; Reports by Dems and GOP offer very different views on law's impacts

Research roundup: Barriers to trauma care, immunizations; Small business tax credit; Medicare coverage of preventive care

New feature: KHN's selection of thought-provoking magazine articles on health policy issues

Viewpoints: Where is the surgeon general; Unions' health law waivers; Mass. plan to aid municipalities

Roundup: Florida considering major cuts to mental health programs; Texas patient groups fight back on Medicaid plans; Calif. weighs limiting Medicaid patients' trips to doctors

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