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Research roundup: Distance from a transplant center; Medicaid prenatal care; metastasis of email; profiting from Medicare Advantage

Centralization of specialized health care services such as organ transplantation and bariatric surgery is advocated to improve quality, increase efficiency, and reduce cost.

29 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: Nothing 'magical' about 6 million enrollees; the high cost of hep C medicine

Big news this afternoon on the Affordable Care Act: The ACA exchange signups have reached the 6 million mark. With a few more days to go before the open sign-up period closes (well, sort of) it looks like the original 7 million estimate -- which the Congressional Budget Office had revised downward after the botched October roll-out of the federal exchange -- is going to be pretty close to the mark.

29 Mar 2014

Beyond the health law enrollment numbers, state-by-state disparities, penalties draw headlines

The Wall Street Journal reports that federal officials have sent a "nudging" email to consumers who haven't picked a plan yet. And the New York Times examines how the push to expand health coverage has taken the shape of a number of very different and uneven individual efforts instead of "a sweeping federal overhaul." Meanwhile, NPR notes that the state specific figures may turn out to be more important than the national sign up total.

29 Mar 2014

Heart problems less likely for spouses than for single people

People who are married have lower rates of several cardiovascular diseases compared with those who are single, divorced or widowed, according to research to be presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session. The relationship between marriage and lower odds of vascular diseases is especially pronounced before age 50.

29 Mar 2014

States work to clarify enrollment rules, untangle technical problems as open enrollment period moves toward its close

News outlets also report that states are still conducting outreach efforts and offering the latest tallies of people who are signing up as well as information about subsidies.

29 Mar 2014

White House: As deadline approaches, Obamacare sign ups top 6 million

Many questions remain about what this number means, though, including how many of those enrolling in new coverage had been uninsured before signing up and whether young and healthy people will be adequately represented.

29 Mar 2014

Hospitals find better care means more money under the health law

Elsewhere, gay couples find that insurance coverage depends on where you live, and hospitals prepare to offer their own insurance plans.

29 Mar 2014

In new Hampshire, Medicaid expansion becomes law

Gov. Maggie Hassan signed a bill setting up a 2 and 1/2 year pilot program to provide health insurance to 50,000 low-income adults. The program will use federal Medicaid funds to pay private insurers.

29 Mar 2014

5 Senate Dems seek changes to health law

The Democrats, and one independent, want to modify a health law provision requiring companies to provide coverage if they have more than 50 employees. The senators want to make the cutoff 100 workers. Other proposals include offering consumers additional health plan choices, among them, a less-expensive "copper" option.

28 Mar 2014

Health law commentary: A series of delays; Senators' ideas for a fix; GOP should drop 'excuses' in Va. Medicaid debate

One by one, the myths of the Affordable Care Act have been revealed. When the curtain on open enrollment falls on March 31, the last remaining big myth of ObamaCare will be fully exposed: The individual mandate has failed. After a last-ditch effort with President Obama himself encouraging "young invincibles" to sign up before the deadline, the administration is scrambling to boost enrollment. On Tuesday, the White House announced that people who applied for coverage on the federal health-insurance exchange will have until mid-April to finish the paperwork (Abby McCloskey and Tom Miller, 3/26).

28 Mar 2014

Longer looks: Exercise to treat depression; crowdsourcing treatment decisions; nitroglycerin shortage

Depression is the most common mental illness - affecting a staggering 25 percent of Americans - but a growing body of research suggests that one of its best cures is cheap and ubiquitous.

28 Mar 2014

First Edition: March 28, 2014

The White House said on Thursday that more than six million people had signed up for medical insurance plans under President Obama's health care law, exceeding the administration's revised goal for enrollment by the Monday deadline.

28 Mar 2014

Surge of sign ups expected to hit HealthCare.gov before March 31

Consumers who at least begin the enrollment process before Monday's deadline can avoid the health law's tax penalty, according to this week's Obama administration decision. The change, which some are calling an extension, has triggered some worry from insurers and a round of new attacks from the overhaul's opponents.

28 Mar 2014

Study: Just 1 in 5 eligible for premium subsidies seek coverage

Sign-up rates varied greatly by state, with more than half of the $10 billion allotted so far going to consumers in California, Florida, North Carolina, Texas and New York, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation study. Meanwhile, the Treasury Department allows battered spouses filing separate income taxes to claim subsidies. Also, Merck and GlaxoSmithKline hold off on helping Obamacare enrollees with copays.

28 Mar 2014

Boehner ridicules extension, while advocates maintain urgency

The Obama administration's decision to give some people more time to sign up for coverage drew criticism from Republicans, while advocates continued to hit hard on the formal deadline to maintain their momentum.

28 Mar 2014

Some state-run health exchanges scramble to meet last-minute sign-up traffic

People are waiting in line in Maryland while Minnesota's exchange is now enrolling about 2,000 people a day. Elsewhere, California has trouble getting African Americans to sign up, and Florida's enrollment numbers swell.

28 Mar 2014

Medicaid expansion 'private option' plans drawing increasing concern from advocates

Stateline reports that backers of the health law and the expansion increasingly are worried that these alternative approaches being developed by some states could undermine the Medicaid program.

28 Mar 2014

California, Oregon also make deadline accommodations

California officials say they will stick with the March 31 deadline for applying for health insurance but are granting those who start an application by then until April 15 to finish it. Oregon officials, meanwhile, gave residents another 30 days to get coverage through Cover Oregon. And in Texas, advocates continue their all-out push despite the relaxation of the federal exchange deadline.

28 Mar 2014

6 million enrollees in sight, some analysts say

Three million of those enrollees alone are in California while Georgia enrollment moves up slightly to more than 177,000.

28 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: Generic drug warnings; Medicare Advantage 'scam'

Late last year, the Food and Drug Administration proposed sensible regulations that would authorize the makers of generic drugs to update safety labels independently, without waiting for F.D.A. approval, to warn of newly discovered risks.

28 Mar 2014