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Insurance rate hikes could be issue in key states

Although rate hikes average 7.5 percent nationally for the individual health insurance market, consumers in politically key states such as Florida and North Carolina may see higher increases-- and insurers are partly blaming the administration's decision to allow consumers to hold onto their old policies.

14 Aug 2014

First Edition: August 13, 2014

Today's headlines include reports that more than 300,000 people who obtained new insurance through the health law could lose it if they do not provide proof by Sept. 5 that their immigration or citizenship status makes them eligible for it.

13 Aug 2014

OneDX provides patients and physicians alike with unfettered access to medical images

OneDX®, the mobile medical imaging management solution from The New Medical Product Server is providing patients and physicians alike with unfettered access to medical images, allowing images from Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and Vendor Neutral Archive (VNA) platforms to be viewed and shared from a computer or any mobile device in a snap.

13 Aug 2014

Researchers examine why older adults are at risk for malnutrition

More than half of older adults who visit emergency departments are either malnourished or at risk for malnutrition, but not because of lack of access to health care, critical illness or dementia.

13 Aug 2014

HealthCare.gov fixer takes top spot of new 'U.S. Digital Service'

The White House says it wants to apply the approach that was used to resuscitate the federal online insurance marketplace after its disastrous launch to the government's other troubled websites and computer systems.

13 Aug 2014

Silicon Valley startup pitches self-insurance software

Collective Health says it can help employers save money with software that helps them pay workers' health costs directly. Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Apple is preparing to roll out "HealthKit," a monitoring app, as part of the iPhone 6 this fall.

13 Aug 2014

Michigan Chamber announces launch date for statewide private health insurance marketplace

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce will be launching a statewide private health insurance marketplace – Michigan's Insurance Marketplace at www.MiChamberMarketplace.org – on September 1, 2014.

12 Aug 2014

Average Obamacare premium increase estimated at 7.5 percent

The estimate was part of an analysis done by the Health Research Institute at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

12 Aug 2014

First Edition: August 12, 2014

Today's headlines include stories about how the federal government's experience with healthcare.gov has led to the creation of the U.S. Digital Service.

12 Aug 2014

Exchange news: Oracle sues Ore. for $23M; Mass. sticks with state-run website

Oracle Corp., the primary developer behind Oregon's dysfunctional health insurance website, sued Cover Oregon and accused Gov. John Kitzhaber of conducting a "smear campaign" against the company. Meanwhile, Massachusetts officials decided to replace that state's failed exchange with another from a private company, rather than shifting to the federal marketplace.

12 Aug 2014

HRIC selects Softheon MC2 to integrate plan offerings for individuals and SHOP plans to FFM

Softheon, Inc., a proven leader in health insurance marketplace integration and business operation, announced today that Health Republic Insurance Company has chosen the Marketplace Connector Cloud (MC2) as their software platform that will integrate and transition its comprehensive plan offerings for individuals and SHOP plans, both on and off Exchange, to the Federally Facilitated Marketplace.

12 Aug 2014

Medicaid, CHIP enrollments top 7 million

The Department of Health and Human Services reported Friday that 7.2 million people gained insurance through these programs since the health law's eligibility changes began last October. In addition, Arkansas and New Hampshire offer snapshots of their states' enrollment pictures, while Kansas and Missouri hospitals brace for the price of state decisions not to expand the low-income health insurance program.

11 Aug 2014

Health law funds new search for health care improvements

News outlets report on aspects of the health law designed to foster and test innovation in the nation's health care delivery system.

11 Aug 2014

Retina's Alpha IMS microchip receives NUB innovation status from Germany statutory health insurance

Retina Implant AG, the leading developer of subretinal implants for patients blinded by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), today announced that the Company's Alpha IMS microchip was granted NUB innovation status and will now be reimbursed by Germany's statutory health insurance system.

11 Aug 2014

BCBSIL awards grants to improve health and wellness of the people of Illinois

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is awarding $3,380,000 to nonprofit health and human service organizations that are making meaningful differences in the lives of the people of Illinois.

8 Aug 2014

First Edition: August 8, 2014

Today's headlines include reports that President Barack Obama signed into law the $16.3 billion measure to overhaul the veterans' health system.

8 Aug 2014

Longer looks: Kentucky is health law poster child; how to negotiate a lower medical bill; the Ebola outbreak up close

About a year ago, on Aug. 22, a team of inspectors from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) unit of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services arrived in Frankfort, Ky., to see if the people working out of a nondescript warehouse there were going to be able to pull off the launch of Kentucky's Obamacare health-insurance exchange.

8 Aug 2014

State highlights: Abortion restrictions prompt Senate fights; Vt.'s single payer March; Kan. uninsured numbers up

The 2014 campaign hasn't had the equivalent of Todd Akin's infamous rape comments driving the abortion debate. Instead, Democrats and Republicans are using a slew of new state abortion restrictions as weapons in the tight battle for control of the Senate.

8 Aug 2014

Medicaid expansion dilemmas: Mental health care demands, impact of managed care, non-expansion states squeezed

The health law built in changes to the system of coverage for lower-income people. Mental health centers in Colorado are seeing a surge in new clients seeking services under the state's expansion of Medicaid.

7 Aug 2014

Florida 2015 individual insurance rates not as bad as feared: White House

Obama administration officials challenged reports that individual plans will go up an average of 13.2 percent next year. In addition, there are updates on Connecticut and Washington insurance cost and coverage issues.

7 Aug 2014