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For health exchanges, will soft launches lead to hard landings?

CQ HealthBeat examines whether the new online insurance marketplaces will be ready to go on Oct. 1, and what possible delays might emerge and how those delays could impact the exchanges' effectiveness. Also in the headlines, reports from Delaware, Kentucky, Washington, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia.

7 Sep 2013

Research roundup: The financial burden of hospital acquired infections

Health care–associated infections (HAIs) account for a large proportion of the harms caused by health care and are associated with high costs. ... [Using a simulation, the researchers found that the] total annual costs for the 5 major infections were $9.8 billion (95% CI, $8.3-$11.5 billion), with surgical site infections contributing the most to overall costs (33.7% of the total), followed by ventilator-associated pneumonia (31.6%), central line–associated bloodstream infections (18.9%), C difficile infections (15.4%), and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (<1%). ... recent analyses indicate that at least 50% are preventable. ...

7 Sep 2013

IRS proposes rules for health law's employer mandate

On Thursday, the Internal Revenue Service published proposed rules for how companies with more than 50 employees must report health coverage for their workers. That provision was delayed a year until 2015.

7 Sep 2013

'Flurry' of new reports show wide variations on insurance rate costs

News outlets continue to follow recent studies released by several health policy groups about the expected premiums for plans offered on the new online insurance marketplaces.

7 Sep 2013

First Edition: September 6, 2013

Today's headlines include a report on the White House's proposal about how to gather information that would allow the government to enforce the employer mandate, which requires companies with 50 or more workers to provide affordable health insurance to their full-time employees.

6 Sep 2013

Viewpoints: Texas and Florida should concentrate on uninsured; health law's costs to young adults being overlooked; obscure case could impact abortion issues

A new Census Bureau report documents the alarming percentages of people in Texas and Florida without health insurance. Leaders of both states should hang their heads in shame because they have been among the most resistant in the nation to providing coverage for the uninsured under the Affordable Care Act, the law that Republicans deride as "Obamacare" (9/4).

6 Sep 2013

Capsules: Washington state panel OKs 7 insurers for exchange

Now on Kaiser Health News' blog, the Seattle Times' Amy Snow Landa, working in partnership with KHN, reports: "In the end, it was a calm affair. The Washington Health Benefit Exchange Board met in a special session Wednesday afternoon to vote on the certification of health plans for the state's new online health insurance marketplace in 2014" (Land, 9/5).

6 Sep 2013

TPMG receives AMGA Acclaim Award for transforming health care through leadership, technology

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) today announced that the recipient of the 2013 AMGA Acclaim Award is The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) for "Transforming Health Care through Leadership and Technology," an innovative initiative that achieves superior performance through physician leadership, advanced information technology, and a mission-driven culture of collaboration.

6 Sep 2013

New studies find health law's insurance premium costs won't be cheap, but consumers will have many options

A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation offered estimates of how much government tax credits would lower the price of the "silver" benchmark policy. A second study, this one by Avalere Health, examined sticker prices at a variety of levels.

6 Sep 2013

Ohio group takes steps to advance Medicaid expansion as ballot initiative

The coalition, which is made up of health care providers, unions, businesses, religious organizations and others, views this effort as its back up plan if state legislators block Gov. John Kasich's push to expand the low income health insurance program.

6 Sep 2013

Bill Clinton delivers speech to dispel health law confusion, urge enrollment

The former president -- dubbed the "explainer in chief" -- spoke from his presidential library in Arkansas to drum up support for the overhaul and scold Republicans for their efforts to repeal it.

6 Sep 2013

GOP lawmakers' request for info about navigators may slow process

Meanwhile, in regard to a separate issue, West Virginia's attorney general is criticizing the Department of Health and Human Services for not responding to questions about navigator privacy concerns.

6 Sep 2013

First Edition: September 5, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about former President Bill Clinton -- dubbed the "explainer in chief" -- drumming up support for the health law and scolding Republicans for their efforts to repeal it.

5 Sep 2013

"Millions Suffer, Few Understand" encourages patients to talk openly about IC/BPS

This September, patients around the world will unite to share their personal stories and struggles with interstitial cystitis / bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). The 2013 theme, "Millions Suffer, Few Understand" encourages patients and providers to talk openly about this common yet often misunderstood pelvic pain condition.

5 Sep 2013

Viewpoints: Economic theory shows health law's taxes will affect jobs; no indication that part-time jobs are increasing; doctors 'ditching' Medicare?

The Affordable Care Act was intended to expand the fraction of the United States population covered by health insurance. The law includes taxes on employers and various implicit taxes on employees that go into effect over the next two years.

5 Sep 2013

The new norm? Businesses setting up private exchanges for insurance

The Wall Street Journal examines private health insurance marketplaces in which many employees of small and mid-size businesses can expect to receive health benefits from their employer.

5 Sep 2013

Michigan gives final green light to Medicaid expansion

The Republican-led Michigan House gave final approval on Tuesday to a bill that would expand the Medicaid health program for the poor under Democratic President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law. Representatives voted 75-32 to concur with modifications of a bill that they had approved in June and agreed to send it to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, a Republican who has backed the expansion of the Medicaid program (Bailey, 9/3).

5 Sep 2013

First Edition: September 4, 2013

Todays headlines include reports about how the Balitmore Ravens will be part of the effort to raise public awareness about Maryland's health exchange.

4 Sep 2013

State highlights: Calif. bill to expand nurse role in health care dies; Ohio senior housing developer turns eye to primary care; examining Miss. trauma care costs

A selection of health policy stories from California, Ohio, Mississippi and Washington. An effort to ease a shortage of primary-care doctors in some California communities by letting nurse practitioners operate more independently has flat-lined in the Legislature after a fierce lobbying battle. A bill by Sen.

4 Sep 2013

Viewpoints: Shortages of drugs persist; number of Medicare doctors is growing; Obamacare undermines health savings accounts

As was the case during the last debt-ceiling debacle, in 2011, playing politics with the nation's creditworthiness is irresponsible and unnecessary. Leave aside the ObamaCare obsession, because Republicans have zero chance of persuading the president to kill one of his defining achievements.

4 Sep 2013