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Expanded Medicaid enrollment in Washington state exceeds expectations

By Jan. 30, the state had enrolled 172,700 people, already surpassing its goal for April. But in Missouri, enrollment in the government health program has actually declined with state officials blaming error-ridden data from the federal exchange. Media outlets also follow developments in Arkansas and Nevada.

5 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 5, 2014

Today's headlines include stories detailing a new Congressional Budget Office report that found 2 million people who relied on a job for health insurance will quit working, reduce their hours or stop looking for a job because of new benefits from the health law.

5 Feb 2014

Washington's insurance exchange is winning, too; N.Y. and Calif. see strong Obamacare enrollment numbers

More than 33 percent of eligible Washington residents have signed up for care on the state's health law online insurance exchange. In New York and California, exchanges see big sign-up numbers. Finally, lawmakers in Florida and Virginia ready plans for insurance exchanges that aren't part of the health law.

5 Feb 2014

For people who faced enrollment issues with healthcare.gov, appeals hearings to begin soon

But news outlets report that the computer and phone systems designed to address those appeals have yet to be launched. So far, an estimated 22,000 requests for fixes have been submitted via the mail.

5 Feb 2014

New enroll America health law outreach targets young women with pets

The pet-themed ads are designed to appeal to these women and convince them to sign up for coverage and raise their awareness about the financial assistance for which they may qualify.

5 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 4, 2014

Today's headlines include progress reports on health exchanges in Washington state and New York as well as poll results on Virginia's Medicaid Expansion.

4 Feb 2014

Viewpoints: 'Bailout' isn't the right target for GOP; Republican senators' alternative 'looks inferior;' uninsured are not rushing to health market

Ever since the housing market collapse, nothing stokes the flames of public outrage quite like the phrase "government bailout." It's become the condemnation of choice for both parties when faced with a policy they don't like.

4 Feb 2014

State highlights: Cities, states spending nearly 32% of budgets on health care; Detroit reaches retiree health coverage agreement; NYC, Calif. back caregiver protection bills

A selection of health policy stories from Michigan, New York, California, Wisconsin, Maryland, Georgia, Colorado and Mississippi.

4 Feb 2014

Expanded Medicaid offers new health coverage opportunities -- but not without confusion

News outlets detail how patients still don't completely understand the benefits that are now available to them.

4 Feb 2014

In pre-game rumble, Obama pushes back on O'Reilly questions about health care

The president told the Fox anchor that he regrets his earlier comments that people who like their insurance would be able to keep it.

4 Feb 2014

Report: 5 states, including Texas, are Anti-Obamacare diehards

The report by researchers at Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms looked at which states declined to implement the law's major components. Meanwhile, conservative Kansas lawmakers push to sever their state from the law's authority and Indiana residents are slow to enroll in new insurance.

4 Feb 2014

Administration looks at ways to ensure health care continuity

Meanwhile, tens of thousands are unable to appeal enrollment errors and a little-known provision of the law extends coverage to former foster kids until they turn 26.

4 Feb 2014

GOP candidates to campaign on state exchange glitches

Republican candidates in states that have had troubled exchange rollouts plan to campaign on those problems in gubernatorial and state legislative races later this year, reports The New York Times. Other news outlets report on developments in Kentucky, Oregon, Rhode Island, Maryland, Minnesota, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

3 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 3, 2014

Today's headlines include a range of stories about how the health law is working in different locations across the country.

3 Feb 2014

Obama says 'main priority' on health law is improving web site

President Barack Obama faced questions Sunday on Obamacare, Benghazi and the IRS's targeting of conservative groups during a pre-Super Bowl interview with Fox News host Bill O'Reilly and dismissed much of the criticism of him as ginned up by the cable news channel. ... Asked if the "biggest mistake" of his presidency was his claim that Americans who liked their health insurance plans would be able to keep that coverage, Obama nudged his interviewer.

3 Feb 2014

Why employers may eye health law exchange plans

Premiums for plans sold through the online marketplaces are lower, across the board, than the average premiums for the majority of Americans with work-based coverage, according to a report by PwC's Health Research Institute. Meanwhile, California lawmakers criticize the hiring of people with criminal records to be insurance counselors and labor leaders continue to complain the law will undermine coverage for their members.

31 Jan 2014

Report finds that health exchange insurance purchases are a good deal; HealthCare.gov has new section

A new PricewaterhouseCoopers report finds that the average premium on an exchange is lower than the average premium of an employer-sponsored health plan. Meanwhile, the federal health online marketplace has added a new section to allow consumers who have already signed up for insurance to report life changes. Finally, news outlets provide updates on state exchanges in California, Hawaii, Connecticut, Maryland and Minnesota.

31 Jan 2014

Dems trade barbs on botched insurance exchange rollouts

In Maryland and Oregon, Democratic politicians are blaming each other for problems with state-run exchanges.

31 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 31, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about the retirement announcement by Rep. Henry Waxman and the health policy legacy he will leave behind.

31 Jan 2014

Minn. workers got bonuses for work on troubled exchange; Colo. reports robust Jan. enrollment

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports on the bonuses awarded to 14 managers before the insurance website went live. In other state marketplace news, Colorado officials say about 67,000 people and businesses signed up for coverage this month. Exchanges also make news in Maryland, Massachusetts and Oregon.

31 Jan 2014