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First Edition: July 23, 2014

Today's headlines include coverage and analysis of yesterday's conflicting legal decisions regarding the health law.

23 Jul 2014

Narrow networks backlash being felt across the insurance marketplace and campaign trail

News outlets report that consumer frustration with health law plans' limited choice of doctors and hospitals is emerging in a number of areas.

23 Jul 2014

Highlights: Florida officials crack down on direct Medicaid marketing; a wellness plan in Washington state breaks the mold

[Florida] health officials are taking a cue from past problems and are banning health insurance companies from marketing their plans directly to Medicaid consumers as the state is rolling out a massive overhaul by transitioning millions into managed care. Insurance companies are allowed to market to consumers under the contracts, but only if the state gives prior approval (Kennedy, 7/22).

23 Jul 2014

Drug industry news: FDA again offers warning about a Dallas compounding pharmacy; more on Sovaldi

For the third time in 15 months, the FDA is warning health care providers and consumers not to use drugs that were made by a Dallas compounder because the medicines may be contaminated. And the ongoing struggle between the agency and NuVision Pharmacy underscores the difficulties that beset the pharmaceutical supply chain despite a recently passed law designed to bolster safety (Silverman, 7/21).

23 Jul 2014

Despite controversies and doubts, Cover Oregon board meeting to plan for the future

The board directing the troubled Oregon health exchange is meeting this week to begin making recommendations about next steps and the future. In addition, Washington's health benefit exchange faces challenges of its own.

23 Jul 2014

Debate heats up over physicians' skill reviews

The medical community is embroiled in a bitter debate about what board-certified physicians should be required to do to prove that their knowledge and skills are up-to-date. Besides holding a state medical license, about 75% of U.S. doctors are certified by 24 privately run boards, signifying that they have mastered their area of specialty, in fields ranging from internal medicine to orthopedics.

23 Jul 2014

First Edition: July 22, 2014

Reporting for Kaiser Health News, Susan Jaffe writes: "Medicare officials have allowed patients at dozens of hospitals participating in pilot projects across the country to be exempted from the controversial requirement that limits nursing home coverage to seniors admitted to a hospital for at least three days.

22 Jul 2014

Viewpoints: Problems in training docs; impact of HHS' territory decision; what Halbig decision might mean

ast week's burst of world disorder was ideal for a news dump, and the White House didn't disappoint: On no legal basis, all 4.5 million residents of the five U.S. territories were quietly released from ObamaCare.

22 Jul 2014

How is the health law working on the local level?

Opened in March, Detroit Central City is the first community mental health clinic in southeast Michigan to become a specially designated, federally qualified health clinic to integrate mental health care with physical health, or primary care.

22 Jul 2014

Obama administration, state regulators focus efforts on insurer networks

The New York Times reports that standards are being developed to protect consumers' choices of doctors and hospitals under the health law's new insurance plans. Also, the Wall Street Journal checks in on how the ranks of the uninsured are reacting to the overhaul.

22 Jul 2014

Florida's dominant insurer signals increases ahead for consumers with exchange plans

News outlets from Colorado, Missouri, Washington, Oregon and Minnesota report on developments regarding the online insurances marketplaces, coverage and premium costs.

22 Jul 2014

First Edition: July, 21, 2014

Today's headlines include a story about an effort by regulators to widen insurer networks, as well as a range of other health policy developments.

21 Jul 2014

SEC widens insider trading probe

Federal investigators are examining nearly four dozen hedge funds, asset managers and other investment firms to determine whether they violated insider-trading rules after receiving a tip from a Washington research firm.

21 Jul 2014

Research roundup: ACA lawsuit primer; ACA strategies in 4 states; competitive plans for those eligible for Medicare and Medicaid

In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the ACA, but that did not end attacks against the law. Since the decision in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, objecting parties have filed more than 100 cases in federal courts nationwide.

21 Jul 2014

Tips for people to choose right physical therapist

After an injury or surgery, rehabilitation is often a critical factor on the road to recovery. Since physical therapy is usually a weekly commitment and may be for an extended period of time, convenience is an important consideration, according to JeMe Cioppa-Mosca, vice president of Rehabilitation at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

21 Jul 2014

Help wanted: CMS begins search for HealthCare.gov contractor

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released an 84-page solicitation this week seeking a company to oversee the operations of the troubled health exchange website.

19 Jul 2014

Largest U.S. insurer to be major Obamacare player in 2015

Insurance giant UnitedHealthcare said Thursday that it would sell policies through online insurance markets in as many as 24 states next year, up from only four this year.

19 Jul 2014

U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, exempted from Obamacare

The administration waives the law's requirements for insurers selling policies in the U.S. territories since it does not require residents there to get coverage or provide subsidies. Other stories look at pressure on the administration to issue guidance on the employer mandate and the need to educate newly insured consumers about their coverage.

19 Jul 2014

First Edition: July 18, 2014

Today's headlines include reports from the marketplace, including UnitedHealthcare's move toward the health law's insurance marketplaces and the latest on the Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into insider trading related to a health policy change.

18 Jul 2014

Va. Gov. to visit free Medical camp set up for uninsured

Gov. Terry McAuliffe will fly to southwest Virginia to draw attention to the uninsured as he continues his campaign to expand Medicaid.

18 Jul 2014

Health Insurance News and Research

First Edition: July 23, 2014

Narrow networks backlash being felt across the insurance marketplace and campaign trail

Highlights: Florida officials crack down on direct Medicaid marketing; a wellness plan in Washington state breaks the mold

Drug industry news: FDA again offers warning about a Dallas compounding pharmacy; more on Sovaldi

Despite controversies and doubts, Cover Oregon board meeting to plan for the future

Debate heats up over physicians' skill reviews

First Edition: July 22, 2014

Viewpoints: Problems in training docs; impact of HHS' territory decision; what Halbig decision might mean

How is the health law working on the local level?

Obama administration, state regulators focus efforts on insurer networks

Florida's dominant insurer signals increases ahead for consumers with exchange plans

First Edition: July, 21, 2014

SEC widens insider trading probe

Research roundup: ACA lawsuit primer; ACA strategies in 4 states; competitive plans for those eligible for Medicare and Medicaid

Tips for people to choose right physical therapist

Help wanted: CMS begins search for HealthCare.gov contractor

Largest U.S. insurer to be major Obamacare player in 2015

U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, exempted from Obamacare

First Edition: July 18, 2014

Va. Gov. to visit free Medical camp set up for uninsured

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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