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In California, Latinos are focus of effort to raise awareness about the health law

Meanwhile, anti-health law forces are aggressively campaigning to urge young people not to sign up for insurance. And Grover Norquist is pressing for a one-year delay of Obamacare.

9 Aug 2013

State highlights: Battle over Brooklyn hospital's fate widens in court

Justice Johnny L. Baynes in Brooklyn, who has issued three temporary restraining orders in the case since March, all forbidding SUNY to take steps to close [Long Island College Hospital], asked a lawyer representing Bill de Blasio, the public advocate and a Democratic candidate for mayor, whether he had reported allegations of criminal interference with emergency room services to the Brooklyn district attorney. Murmurs of approval rose from the room, packed with longtime patients, doctors, nurses and residents of northern Brooklyn where the fate of the 150-year-old hospital has become a rallying cry (Bernstein, 8/7).

9 Aug 2013

Sizing up health law politics and policies

News outlets detail the political landscape surrounding the overhaul's implementation and provide user's guides to help consumers navigate changes. Coverage also highlights health law provisions that could impact coverage for small businesses and union members, and how the law is helping drive marketplace developments.

9 Aug 2013

First Edition: August 8, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the proposed rule released Wednesday by the Obama administration allowing the government to continue to pay for a significant portion of health insurance for lawmakers and Hill staffers.

8 Aug 2013

MAXIMUS revenue grows 26% to $334.3 million in Q3 2013

MAXIMUS, a leading provider of government services worldwide, today reported financial results for its third quarter ended June 30, 2013.

8 Aug 2013

State highlights: Wis. AG says hospitals can't deny admitting privileges to abortion docs

Plans by three Catholic hospital systems in Wisconsin to deny admitting privileges to doctors who perform abortions would "be in active violation of federal law," state Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen's Department of Justice said in a court filing last week. Federal law "provides that hospitals accepting federal funds may not discriminate against a physician because that physician has participated in or refused to participate in abortions," the state Justice Department said in its filing in federal court (Ahmed, 8/7).

8 Aug 2013

Viewpoints: Obamacare isn't a 'job-killing' law; hometown insurer Aetna pulls out of Conn. exchange

The share of part-time jobs rose sharply during the recession, as it always does - employers always cut workers' hours in downturns. Here's the question: Has this share continued to grow as we approach the start of the ACA's employer mandate, which was recently pushed back a year to 2015? The answer is no. Part-time workers represent 19.0 percent of total employment - below the post-recession peak of 20.0 percent and exactly the same as a year ago (Jared Bernstein and Paul Van de Water, 8/6).

8 Aug 2013

IG report: Security testing for Obamacare data hub behind schedule

News outlets report that a May review of the implementation of the health insurance exchange data hub found the contractor paid to develop security features is months behind on testing them. The Department of Health and Human Services responded that the review was several months ago, "and significant progress has been made since then."

8 Aug 2013

Some states say they won't enforce the health law's insurance reforms

Six states have taken this position, according to the Texas Tribune. Meanwhile, media outlets report on new developments regarding state activity on the health law's Medicaid expansion and health exchanges.

8 Aug 2013

Prevalence for major eye disease is higher in people with common sleep disorder

Researchers in Taiwan have discovered that people with sleep apnea are far more likely to develop glaucoma compared to those without the sleep condition. The results of this study, which is the first to calculate the risk of the disease among people with the sleep disorder following diagnosis, is published in this month's edition of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

8 Aug 2013

New online health law tool now available to all Americans

Today, AARP announced new resources available to all Americans looking for facts about the Affordable Care Act including a new online tool called Health Law Answers.

7 Aug 2013

First Edition: August 7, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about how deadlines have been missed regarding tests for the health cxchange privacy system.

7 Aug 2013

Viewpoints: Health law's marketing challenge; GOP not to blame for implementation challenges

More than half of working-class whites say [the federal health law] is a bad idea. Perhaps most stunningly, so do 48% of those currently without health insurance - the very people who stand to gain the most, in the form of help finding and paying for coverage. Meanwhile, by a 30-point margin, political independents think they will be worse off under the law.

7 Aug 2013

Sebelius disputes 'rate shock,' assures exchanges' readiness

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a call with reporters yesterday that the agency is "on target" to open new online marketplaces Oct. 1. She also spoke about personal "Obamacare" accounts which consumers can begin creating now in advance of being able to shop for plans.

7 Aug 2013

Study finds cancer survivors do not always have best access to primary care

While cancer survivors require follow-up care to prevent a recurrence of their cancer and to watch for after effects of treatment, they also need the same preventive check-ups suggested for all people.

7 Aug 2013

Employers' coalition seeks mandate delay 'clarity'

In addition, the Obama administration's decision to delay the health law's employer mandate is having a ripple effect regarding other initiatives.

7 Aug 2013

In Maine, a first look at rates for health plans available on the exchange

News outlets also report on state efforts to implement the health law's online insurance marketplaces in Connecticut and Hawaii.

7 Aug 2013

First Edition: August 6, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the readiness of the health law's insurance online marketplaces for the Oct. 1 enrollment kick-off date.

6 Aug 2013

PeaceHealth inks contract to serve Sterling Medicare SELECT policyholders

In an effort to better serve the Medicare population in our community, PeaceHealth Medical Group in Oregon has contracted with Sterling Insurance to become a network hospital serving Sterling Medicare SELECT policyholders. Sterling Medicare SELECT, underwritten by Sterling Life Insurance Company, is a Medicare Supplement insurance plan offering lower premiums to policyholders in exchange for using a network hospital when hospital care is needed.

6 Aug 2013

State highlights: NYC to gather bids for its health insurance costs; Texas Cancer Institute tries comeback after controversies

Faced with annual health insurance costs of $6.3 billion, New York City is putting its health care contract out to bid, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday. Bloomberg said the bid has not gone out yet but current health-insurance provider EmblemHealth has already chosen not to seek a rate increase for the next fiscal year (Mathews, 8/2).

6 Aug 2013