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Bill seeks team-based approach to caring for Medicare patients with chronic illness

Sen. Ron Wyden plans to unveil a bill to encourage team-based care in the program for older and disabled Americans. In the meantime, Medicare readies to deliver payment data for individual doctors on a "case-by-case" basis.

16 Jan 2014

In states opposed to health law, many low-income residents are left out

Politico examines the stark differences in the impact of the Affordable Care Act between Republican-led states fighting it and others that have accepted the health overhaul. Meanwhile, USA Today finds that even with the law, many consumers will face troubling medical debt.

16 Jan 2014

State officials seek ways to undermine Obamacare

Lawmakers in some states continue to look for ways to stop implementation of the health law, making proposals to ban state employees from carrying out the law, forbidding state officials from taking federal money to implement it, and suspending the state licenses of insurers who take federal subsidies meant to defray the premiums of poor and middle-class consumers.

15 Jan 2014

Coverage, payment confusion persists for insurers, consumers

The CT Mirror details how coverage delays are affecting consumers while the Sacramento Bee reports on how some insurers on California's health exchange have pushed back the due date for premium payments while others are not

15 Jan 2014

Enrollment deadline extended for people in high-risk pools

A special insurance program for about 30,000 people with a history of cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses will be extended for an additional two months so enrollees can continue treatments while they search for other coverage, the Obama administration announced Tuesday.

15 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 15, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about the announcement by the Department of Health and Human Services that people who get their health insurance through high-risk insurance pools will have an extra two months before this program ends.

15 Jan 2014

State legislators contemplate flaws in New York's online insurance marketplace

Testimony during a New York State Senate hearing Monday explored problems that have emerged during the rollout of New York State of Health. News outlets also reported the latest related developments from Maryland and California.

15 Jan 2014

Viewpoints: 'Celebrating' enrollment numbers; Maryland's website 'debacle;' abortion battle moves again to high court

Today the federal government released the most comprehensive data yet about who signed up for Obamacare through Dec. 28. There's reason to cheer for both the law's supporters and its detractors. ... Today's numbers don't settle the question of whether the administration will hit its goals for enrollment in the exchanges, measured either in raw numbers or demographic breakdown. But they show that those goals are within reach (Christopher Flavelle, 1/13).

15 Jan 2014

For many working low-income residents, health law's promise is still unaffordable

Stateline examines the difficulty for many working families to buy insurance while KHN spends time at a California hospital to survey how some without insurance try to afford care. Other news coverage on health law outreach and enrollment looks at narrow networks in some plans and an effort in Connecticut to attract consumers.

15 Jan 2014

Individuals with multiple sclerosis may have increased risk of developing cancer

Individuals with multiple sclerosis may have an increased risk of developing any type of cancer, with an especially high risk of developing breast cancer. That is the conclusion of a recent study published in European Journal of Neurology. Because the findings contradict earlier studies, additional research is needed to determine whether a true link exists between multiple sclerosis and cancer.

15 Jan 2014

State-specific numbers highlight December enrollment surge

Various news outlets report on the enrollment totals through December -- and some demographic data -- for Alabama, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Georgia, California, Illinois and others.

15 Jan 2014

Insurance sign-ups skew older, spurring cost concerns

Halfway through the six-month enrollment period for private insurance under the health care law, just one in four adult enrollees are between ages 18 and 34, the crucial demographic group whose participation rates are key to keeping monthly premiums affordable.

15 Jan 2014

Medicaid expansion battles resume in state Capitols

Aided in some cases by a new cast of elected officials, groups pushing for Medicaid expansion hope to reopen the debate in state legislative sessions beginning in Maine, Virginia, Louisiana, Kansas and Georgia.

14 Jan 2014

More GOP governors give Medicaid expansion another look

Politico reports that while Republican governors in Texas and Louisiana remain firmly in the no camp, others in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana and Oklahoma are giving the program a second look. News outlets also offer updates from Florida, Pennsylvania, Kansas and Georgia.

13 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 13, 2014

Today's headlines include news about how the health law's enrollment process is working and about the federal government's decision not to renew the contract for the company that was overseeing the repairs for healthcare.gov.

13 Jan 2014

State highlights: Calif. Governor's budget to include $670M in new Medi-Cal spending; Mass. launches new electronic health records updates

When he unveils his new budget plan Thursday, Gov. Jerry Brown will propose billions of dollars in new spending on schools, health care, social services and environmental programs as California reaps the benefits of an economic turnaround. … The proposed budget includes $670 million more for Medi-Cal, the state's public health care program, which is expanding as part of President Obama's federal overhaul. The program is expected to serve a quarter of California's residents next year.

10 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 10, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about Maryland's plan to reduce hospital spending.

10 Jan 2014

Viewpoints: Don't blame insurers for health system problems; Obama's 'management failure;' Texas abortion case heads to court

[The] problem with the Affordable Care Act isn't the insurance industry. In fact, the main benefits of nationalized health care can be achieved in systems with hundreds, even thousands, of for-profit insurers. ...

10 Jan 2014

As workers' insurance costs rise, bosses (sometimes wrongly) blame Obamacare

A new study shows how employers are cost-shifting. And Democratic politicians are pointing fingers for Obamacare's website woes.

10 Jan 2014

Minority patients and those of lower socioeconomic status are more likely to have advanced thyroid cancer

UCLA researchers have found that minority patients and those of lower socioeconomic status are far more likely to have advanced thyroid cancer when they are diagnosed with the disease than white patients and those in higher economic brackets.

10 Jan 2014