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Delayed Obamacare deadlines 'far from unprecedented'

Enforcement of a variety of sweeping new laws has often been delayed, Bloomberg News reports. Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Obamacare enrollment is off to a "hell of a start."

20 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 20, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about Medicaid expansion challenges in Virginia and Arkansas.

20 Feb 2014

Mauna Kea installs flagship Cellvizio system at Apollo Gleneagles Hospital in Kolkata

Mauna Kea Technologies (Paris:MKEA) (Euronext: MKEA, FR0010609263), leader in the optical biopsy market, announced today it has installed its flagship Cellvizio system at the Apollo Gleneagles Hospital in Kolkata, a leading center of excellence in Gastroenterology in India, part of the Apollo Hospitals Group.

20 Feb 2014

Ark. House vote falls short for 'private option' Medicaid expansion

Also in the news, other states -- including Missouri, Wyoming and Utah -- continue to contemplate their own efforts to expand the program or health insurance coverage for low-income people.

20 Feb 2014

The health law's changing world order

News outlets report on how consumers, employers and even providers are grappling with a score of emerging issues -- ranging from health care costs and demand to the challenges of trying to understand the complexities of the marketplace.

20 Feb 2014

Examining wide price differences in the insurance marketplace

An NPR segment looks at how the cost of insurance varies across the country. Also, it offers a report on Colorado's efforts to set up a system for consumers to find out what medical procedures cost.

20 Feb 2014

Beta version of Cover Oregon gets mixed reviews

The troubled Cover Oregon insurance exchange unveiled its long-awaited beta website to mixed reviews Tuesday. Meanwhile, Humana announced it will waive fees for enrollees who bought plans on the Mississippi exchange who see a doctor by the end of June for a non-preventive visit. Also, Republicans probe state websites which are still having major problems.

19 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 19, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about the doubts that now surround Arkansas' Medicaid expansion plan -- a compromise plan that has gained national attention.

19 Feb 2014

Discrimination against transgender people need to be addressed by medical establishment

Discrimination against transgender people -as many as one million Americans identify themselves as transgender - should immediately be addressed by the medical establishment, backed by policy change at the national level to provide equal access to quality health care.

19 Feb 2014

Highlights: Ohio gov.'s evolving stances; Conn. social services woes; abortion-ban push continues

A selection of health policy stories from Ohio, Connecticut, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, California, New York, Oklahoma, Washington, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Georgia.

19 Feb 2014

Investor group to buy claims manager for $4.4B

A group led by Starr Investment Holdings said Monday that it is buying MultiPlan Inc., which helps manage claims for large health insurers. The price was $4.4 billion, according to a person close to the deal, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the companies did not disclose terms (2/17).

19 Feb 2014

Moving deadlines is 'wrong way' to fix health law; expand Medicaid to close 'racial' health gap

Commentators assess the health law and its implementation.

19 Feb 2014

Viewpoints: Refusing a mammogram; video monitoring in hospitals; peril of low-T marketing

A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.

19 Feb 2014

Have questions about new health coverage? Here are some answers

News outlets offer tips and answers for consumers who are trying to understand the health insurance they now have as a result of the health law.

19 Feb 2014

In Virginia, finance panel advances alternate approach to expanding Medicaid

The state's Senate Finance Committee proposed using funding set aside to pursue an expansion of the traditional Medicaid program to help as many as 400,000 state residents buy private insurance.

19 Feb 2014

Some older Americans get relief from health law

The Associated Press reports that people in their 50s and 60s who lost jobs during the recession are signing up for new coverage in large numbers.

19 Feb 2014

Automated Obamacare payment system months from completion

Meanwhile, California, Texas and Arizona exchanges do poorly at enrolling Latinos, while in Oregon, insurance agents and other consumer guides hope to get their first look today at an overhauled website. In Texas, a campaign targets neighborhoods with high rates of uninsured residents.

19 Feb 2014

Report: Best practices saving lives, hospitals money

In the meantime, patients sharing their appointments with other patients -- group doctor visits -- gains popularity.

19 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 18, 2014

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jay Hancock, working in collaboration with USA Today, reports: "Congratulations. You bought insurance through one of the online Affordable Care Act exchanges, possibly after days or weeks of trying to get the site to work. Don't relax. Joining the plan is only the first challenge. Now you have to understand it. Policies sold through the online portals -- to more than 3 million people so far -- cover essential benefits and put a cap on your out-of-pocket medical costs. But you need to follow the rules" (Hancock, 2/17).

18 Feb 2014

MAXIMUS Foundation distributes grants to 87 local non-profit organizations

MAXIMUS, a leading provider of government services worldwide, announced today that the MAXIMUS Foundation has distributed approximately $206,000 in grants to 87 local non-profit organizations as part of its most recent grant cycle.

18 Feb 2014