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State highlights: Maryland's top health official leaving for Johns Hopkins; Minnesota lawmakers to propose legislation to require contraception coverage

Maryland's top health official, Joshua M. Sharfstein, announced Wednesday that he will leave at the end of Gov. Martin O'Malley's term in January to become an associate dean at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Johnson, 7/30).

1 Aug 2014

Hospital 'observation stays' scrutinized by Senate Aging Committee

Meanwhile, on the House side, the Energy and Commerce Committee approved legislation that would allow people with group health insurance to keep policies that don't conform to the health law's standards.

31 Jul 2014

GAO report: Poor planning and contractor oversight led to Healthcare.gov woes

The government watchdog organization also found that more problems could emerge in the upcoming enrollment season. Investigators suggested implementation of a cost-control plan and improved oversight procedures, among other steps.

31 Jul 2014

Few states plan to extend Medicaid pay raise for primary care docs

The Government Accountability Office examines Medicaid's supplemental payments to hospitals and health care providers.

31 Jul 2014

Cigna's quarterly earnings up

Gains driven largely by global benefits operation after Cigna reported earlier that its business on the health law marketplaces was soft. News outlets also examine Humana and WellPoint's earnings.

31 Jul 2014

BD reports 5.1% increase in third fiscal quarter revenues

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, today reported quarterly revenues of $2.157 billion for the third fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2014, representing an increase of 5.1 percent from the prior-year period, or 4.6 percent on a foreign currency-neutral basis.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 31 Jul 2014

State highlights: New York state faces $1.3B Medicaid payback problem while Mayor De Blasio advances plan to reduce city employees' health costs

When Mayor Bill de Blasio announced his first labor agreements with New York City unions this spring, he was sharply criticized for granting long-awaited wage increases in exchange for promises of unspecified though sizable savings on health care expenses (Greenhouse and Stewart, 7/29).

31 Jul 2014

First Edition: July 31, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about the possible hazards that the future might hold for healthcare.gov.

31 Jul 2014

Viewpoints: Narrow networks 'here to stay;' gun owners challenge doctor privileges in Fla.

The federal government will begin tightening its rules to make sure that narrow networks don't get too narrow. There is some precedent for the reaction: In the 1990s, cheaper narrow-network H.M.O. plans proliferated in the employer market, but they disappeared after mass public outcry.

31 Jul 2014

Several insurers report lower profits

WellPoint Inc. on Wednesday said its second-quarter profit slipped as the health insurer recorded higher expenses, masking a boost in revenue and enrollment.

31 Jul 2014

IOM study finds U.S. medical training may not be meeting needs for care

The comprehensive report calls for major changes in doctor training and points out that it is difficult to track how the $15 billion spent by the federal government is being used.

31 Jul 2014

New IOM report includes recommendations to overhaul current graduate medical education system

The Institute of Medicine released a report, Graduate Medical Education That Meets the Nation's Health Needs, which encompasses recommendations to overhaul the current graduate medical education (GME) system.

31 Jul 2014

First Edition: July 30, 2014

Today's headlines include a range of health policy headines, including news from Capitol Hill on the Senate confirmation of Robert McDonald to head the VA.

30 Jul 2014

Viewpoints: Medicare's future finances; 'promising deal' on VA; Texas 'war on abortion'

Medicare got some good news Monday, when the trustees who oversee its finances announced that the fund that pays for hospital care will remain solvent until 2030, four years longer than its forecast from last year.

30 Jul 2014

Report: The forecast for Medicare trust fund is flush 'til 2030

The Medicare trustees added four years to the solvency of the trust fund as Medicare's financial circumstances experienced a slight improvement due in part to the continued slowdown in health care spending and, some say, elements of the health law.

30 Jul 2014

Johns Hopkins Medicine, Kaiser Permanente partner to expand ways to deliver quality care

Kaiser Permanente and Johns Hopkins Medicine today announced plans to strengthen the successful collaboration between the two health care organizations.

29 Jul 2014

FDA approves EYLEA Injection for treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved EYLEA (aflibercept) Injection for the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema (DME).

29 Jul 2014

First Edition: July 29, 2014

Today's headlines include coverage of the latest Medicare trustee report and the details of the veterans care legislation on Capitol Hill.

29 Jul 2014

Trustees: Medicare now projected to remain solvent until 2030

The new projections give Medicare an additional four years of solvency compared to last year's report by the trustees for Medicare and Social Security.

29 Jul 2014

Plan renewals, narrow networks draw scrutiny

Some industry officials say the automatic renewal of some health law insurance plans could have a negative impact on the financial aid that consumers receive. Meanwhile, narrow networks continue to be the subject of backlash.

29 Jul 2014