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Virginia business, hospital groups launch ads promoting Medicaid compromise

The radio promotion is trying to drum up support for a private option plan that would help insure thousands of low-income residents. Gov. Terry McAuliffe also is barnstorming around the state seeking to put pressure on Republican lawmakers who are opposed to the expansion of Medicaid.

18 Mar 2014

House ties 'doc fix' to a delay in the individual mandate

The Senate is expected to refuse to accept the Republican plan to fix the way Medicare pays doctors and that could fray a bipartisan effort to find a long-term solution to the problem.

18 Mar 2014

Study estimates a third of uninsured won't enroll in health plans

The Fiscal Times reports that the study by Bankrate.com shows government outreach efforts are falling short. Meanwhile, news outlets look at enrollment efforts in New Jersey, Montana, Maine, Washington, Pennsylvania, Ohio and California.

18 Mar 2014

Colon cancer rates plunge after screenings increase, study reports

As use of colonoscopy has increased, the number of colon cancer diagnoses dropped 30 percent in the past decade in Americans over the age of 50.

18 Mar 2014

Obama: Enough people have signed up -- health law will work

In a Friday interview with WebMD, President Barack Obama offered assurances that the health law's new marketplaces have had enough customers to ensure that insurance companies will stay in the system.

18 Mar 2014

Maine's new co-op plan wins 80 percent of market share

In Maine, a new startup beats a well-known Blue Cross plan in the competition for enrollees, while enrollment in Oregon's exchange continues despite the website's troubles. The success of California's exchange, meanwhile, is marred by slow progress in reaching Latinos and young people.

18 Mar 2014

Sickest may keep 'high-risk' coverage for additional month, officials say

The program to cover those with pre-existing health conditions was initially set to expire at the end of 2013, but officials have extended it for the third time.

18 Mar 2014

Administration eyes 'the big dance' as opportunity to sell Obamacare health plans

Officials will launch a marketing campaign in conjunction with the NCAA college basketball tournaments -- events they view as offering great potential for reaching young people and urging them to get health insurance.

18 Mar 2014

State highlights: Wash. state cost and quality bills; Okla. privatized Medicaid; Fla. malpractice law overturned

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17 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: Cancer's deadly toll in minority communities; GOP candidates need to go on offense against health law

Since the early 1970s, studies have shown that black Americans have a higher death rate from cancer than any other racial or ethnic group.

17 Mar 2014

First Edition: March 17, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about new health coverage rules and guidances announced by the Obama administration.

17 Mar 2014

Research roundup: Medicaid eligibility; tracking discontinued randomized trials; decline in work-based insurance

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), changes in income and family circumstances are likely to produce frequent transitions in eligibility for Medicaid and health insurance Marketplace coverage for low- and middle-income adults.

17 Mar 2014

Accommodations sought for chronically ill, victims of domestic violence

Advocates press for help for thousands of consumers with pre-existing illnesses who face a March 31 closure of high-risk insurance pools and also for married victims of domestic abuse to allow them to qualify for subsidized coverage.

17 Mar 2014

When it comes to enrollment rates, some states, regions outpace others

The Washington Post notes that the Northeast appears to be doing the best with enrollment, but western states are doing well with implementation.

17 Mar 2014

Obama administration rule raises more questions about the individual mandate's reach

News outlets report that a hardship exemption was added that could potentially make it much easier for people to get around the requirement that they have health insurance.

17 Mar 2014

Calif. reports more than 900,000 people have signed up for health plans

But officials note that the number of Latinos and young people enrolling on the state marketplace is still below expectations. Meanwhile, the troubled Maryland exchange is reportedly gearing up to adopt the technology used by Connecticut.

14 Mar 2014

First Edition: March 14, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about which states are doing well with health law enrollment and implementation, and which ones are not.

14 Mar 2014

State highlights: Vt. health care costs plan; Iowa inmate coverage; Mich. abortion law takes effect

A selection of health policy stories from Vermont, Iowa, Michigan, California, Florida, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

14 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: The impact of Florida's special election; drug testing for doctors; the toll from Alzheimer's

A rule of electoral politics is that when a Democratic wave is building, the media broadcast it like a foregone conclusion. When a Republican wave is building, Beltway pundits are the last to admit it. After Tuesday's GOP win in a Florida special House election, even the press corps now agrees that Republicans are poised for major gains in November, assuming the GOP has the wit to exploit it (3/12).

14 Mar 2014

Va. officials using two-week respite to bolster arguments on Medicaid expansion

The state's legislature adjourned without a budget because of arguments over growing the program for low income residents, and lawmakers will come back to try again March 24.

14 Mar 2014