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Possible hospital merger in Mass. could accelerate trend toward consolidation

News outlets also report on another hospital merger as well as how a Minnesota psychiatric hospital gathered the necessary funds and support to be built.

21 Jan 2011

Three Senate Dems urge Boehner to move quickly to delete health law reporting requirement

Though it is generally accepted that the GOP repeal effort is finding little-to-no traction among Senate Democrats, some of these lawmakers are urging House GOP leaders to move fast to undo a small health law provision that requires business to file certain tax forms. The provision, which is not directly related to health care, is a revenue raiser for the sweeping overhaul, but has been very unpopular in the business community.

21 Jan 2011

HHS announces implementation grants for state health exchanges

As a result of the health law, the state-level exchanges must be up and running by January 2014.

21 Jan 2011

Health overhaul mandates spur lobbying push for waivers, Bloomberg reports

The new health law has created an open-season atmosphere for Washington lobbyists seeking waivers and other changes.

21 Jan 2011

GOP anti-abortion bill introduced in House

This divisive issue promises to stir up politics on the Hill and trigger debates about federal funding that will include issues related to the health law.

21 Jan 2011

After repeal vote, what becomes of health reform messaging, public opinions

News outlets report on how the next chapters of the debate will be marked by both parties seeking to "mold" public opinion. An example: a recent speech by Newt Gingrich in which he warns of a possible "health dictatorship." In the background, polls continue to explore how the American public views the law.

21 Jan 2011

Viewpoints: Disputing the costs -- or savings -- of the health law; Britain's NHS; 'Fixing' Wis. Medicaid

With this week's vote to repeal President Obama's health care reform, House Republicans struck a blow for freedom. They struck a blow for the freedom of hospitals to avoid financial penalties, no matter how many Medicare patients develop infections under their care. They struck a blow for the freedom of hospitals to avoid consequences, no matter how many Medicare patients are readmitted soon after treatment.

21 Jan 2011

Roundup: NY Times on mental health cuts; Wis. GOP agenda moves ahead; Minn. Medicaid expansion

Gov. Mark Dayton said during his campaign that enrolling 95,000 people in an expanded Medicaid program would be his top priority when he took office -- and he meant it. Less than three weeks after he was told by members of former Gov. Tim Pawlenty's administration that it could take until October to enact the change, Dayton announced Thursday that it would be done by March 1.

21 Jan 2011

$Medicare reimbursed for only a fraction of the services recommended by government task force, study finds$

Medicare reimbursed for only a fraction of the services recommended by government task force, study finds

Health care reform should be able to mend a disconnect that has existed between the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a task force charged by the government to review clinical preventive health services for older adults, and Medicare coverage for those services, a new UCLA-led study finds.

21 Jan 2011

AHF proposes funding solutions to current ADAP crisis

In anticipation of an additional round of cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) to be implemented in the next few months, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today proposed three possible funding solutions to the current ADAP crisis—which has left more than 5,000 people on waiting lists to receive lifesaving medications and thousands more scheduled to be disenrolled from the program altogether. Currently,

21 Jan 2011

Three million Medicare beneficiaries receive prescription drug cost relief through Affordable Care Act

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced that three million Medicare beneficiaries nationwide have received prescription drug cost relief through the Affordable Care Act. To date, three million eligible beneficiaries who fell into the drug coverage gap known as the donut hole during 2010 have been mailed a one-time, tax-free $250 rebate check.

21 Jan 2011

First Edition: January 21, 2011

Today's headlines highlight the House GOP's plans to advance the "replace" part of their strategy to reverse the health overhaul.

21 Jan 2011

HHS announces new funding opportunity for states to implement Health Insurance Exchanges

Today, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a new funding opportunity for grants to help states continue their work to implement a key provision of the Affordable Care Act - Health Insurance Exchanges.

21 Jan 2011

How Dems who voted against the health law decided their repeal positions

Three House Democrats voted with Republicans to repeal the health law. But others, who voted against the legislation the first time around, chose to side with their party caucus.

21 Jan 2011

HCLA testifies that medical lawsuit abuse threatens patient care

The Health Coalition on Liability and Access (HCLA) testified today before the Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of Representatives in a hearing titled, "Medical Liability Reform – Cutting Costs, Spurring Investment, Creating Jobs." Stuart L. Weinstein, MD, a spokesperson for the HCLA, called on the Congress to "create a climate for patient centered care by reforming a medical liability system that continues to put everyone's health care at risk."

21 Jan 2011

Initiative to eliminate cervical cancer in North Carolina

Patricia Gregory of Cary was only 24 years old when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Now a mother of an 11-year-old daughter, she considers herself blessed to have a child, as cervical cancer can make women unable to bear children.

21 Jan 2011

What protects certain diabetics from complications?

Much research has been carried out on why diabetics develop complications. Now researchers are asking the question the other way around. They want to know why some diabetic patients do not develop complications. What is it that protects them? The PROLONG study could provide the answer.

21 Jan 2011

CWLA disappointed with House's vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act

The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), the nation's oldest and largest membership-based child welfare organization, is speaking out against the House of Representatives' vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

21 Jan 2011

AARP opposes health law repeal, writes letter to Congress

AARP CEO A. Barry Rand sent a letter to Members of Congress yesterday in advance of a scheduled vote on legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act. In his letter, Rand said, "While we respect that there are those who do not support the ACA, AARP opposes repeal because the new law includes many vital provisions important to older Americans and their children."

21 Jan 2011

WSJ: Insurers' profits on the rise

Health insurers' fourth-quarter reports will provide an early glimpse into how much wind the health overhaul could take out of plans' profits—and, so far, Wall Street estimates don't look all that bad for the industry (Johnson, 1/20).

21 Jan 2011