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Some employers continue to offer 'skinny' plans

Even though the Obama administration will not enforce the mandate requiring large employers to offer coverage for another year, some companies still plan to offer so-called "skinny," or limited benefit plans -- and the federal government will permit them, according to Politico. Other reports look at the growth in part-time jobs and whether that is a result of the health care law.

17 Jul 2013

How will health exchanges work? Business versions may offer clues

News outlets look at how the health law's new online insurance marketplaces might work and examine the experiences of employees participating in private corporate exchanges. Others examine what some critics view as opportunities for fraud and bad actors.

16 Jul 2013

Study provides insight into how primary care patients experience genetic testing

Several companies sell genetic testing directly to consumers, but little research has been done on how consumers experience such tests. The tests have raised questions about the validity and accuracy of the information provided to consumers - especially without the involvement of a qualified health care professional.

16 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 16, 2013

Kaiser Health News consumer columnist Michelle Andrews reports: "Since smokers' health-care costs tend to be higher than those of nonsmokers, is it reasonable for smokers to pay higher premiums when they buy insurance through the new state marketplaces that are scheduled to open in October? A handful of states and the District say the answer is no" (Andrews, 7/16).

16 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: Disability insurance 'time bomb;' Leavitt on the lessons of Medicare Part D's rollout; Boys and eating disorders

Social Security for retirement and Medicare are the best known of the major entitlement programs with looming financial disasters. While some argue about when they will run out of money, their projected 75-year unfunded liabilities grow larger every year and now total $40 trillion, much worse thereafter. But the ticking time bomb of entitlement reform is Social Security's Disability Insurance Fund (Michael J. Boskin, 7/14).

16 Jul 2013

Roundup: Ore. seniors get special medical deduction, but less generous than hoped; Six fired at Calif. hospital after patient data breaches

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber and Democrats wanted to do away with it. Oregonian columnist Susan Nielsen opined against it. Even AARP was OK with its demise. But when the smoke cleared this week, the Oregon Legislature merely curtailed it. Beginning this tax year, only seniors age 62 or older can deduct out-of-pocket medical expenses, not their entire households (Hunsberger, 7/12).

16 Jul 2013

Insurers could be caught in health law's smoker glitch; Student health plans to get an upgrade

As the health overhaul's implementation marches on, the Obama administration has limited a provision relating to the cost of smokers' premiums and one news outlet looks at the effects on plans available to college students.

16 Jul 2013

Health exchange countdown: Insurers, regulators test drive new plans, TV ads

News outlets report on how the health law's online health insurance marketplaces will work, the products that will be available through them and the efforts to enroll millions of uninsured or underinsured people.

16 Jul 2013

Ripple effect of employer mandate delay seen on policies, politics

Politico reports on how the Obama administration's decision may create some difficulties for employers. Other media outlets detail how Republicans will try to capitalize on it this week on Capitol Hill.

16 Jul 2013

Americans may choose to stop working due to Affordable Care Act

As a consequence of the Affordable Care Act, between 500,000 and 900,000 Americans may choose to stop working. That possibility is predicted in a new analysis of an analogous situation in reverse: the abrupt end of Tennessee's Medicaid expansion in 2005.

16 Jul 2013

Health overhaul scam opportunities emerge

As the health law roll-out continues, more attention is being paid to the opportunities it may create for scammers and fraudsters.

16 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 15,2013

Today's headlines include reports about the health law's implementation and status checks on how the measure's online insurance marketplaces are taking shape.

15 Jul 2013

Two upcoming votes in House part of GOP continuing assault on health law

House Speaker John Boehner said the chamber will vote next week to delay the 2010 health-care law's requirement that most Americans carry health insurance. At his weekly news conference today, the speaker said it's not fair for President Barack Obama's administration to keep that provision in effect while postponing enforcement of the requirement that businesses provide their workers with insurance (Hunter, 7/11).

15 Jul 2013

Texas' strict new abortion law heads to Gov. Perry for signature

News outlets closely covered the developments surrounding one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country.

15 Jul 2013

State highlights: Calif. insurers, lawmakers fight over premium disclosure; For-profit hospital re-entrance in Mass.

Despite opposition from insurers, the Assembly Committee on Health last week approved a bill designed to lower health insurance premiums by requiring plans to disclose more information about their rates. SB 746 by Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) would require insurers selling coverage to employers with 50 or more employees to provide more detailed information about how and why they raise health insurance rates. Leno said the bill was prompted by a recent dust-up between San Francisco unions and Kaiser Permanente. Union officials asked Kaiser for data and reasons for rate increases. Leno indicated he has not been satisfied with the insurer's response (Hart, 7/11).

15 Jul 2013

Older minority male cancer survivors less likely to receive basic preventive care: Study

Older African-American and Hispanic men who have survived cancer are less likely than their white counterparts to see a specialist or receive basic preventive care, such as vaccinations, according to new research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

15 Jul 2013

Obamacare implementation issues: Rollout resembles some of the problems of Medicare Part D

NPR examines how the implementation of that last big government health program might offer lessons for the health law. Also, two stories explore outreach to people needing insurance and the grocery chain Wegmans reportedly is cutting health benefits to part-time workers.

15 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: GOP should focus on fixing health law; bishops refuse to accept victory

Los Angeles Times: It's Time To Focus On Fixing The Affordable Care Act, Not Gutting It Conservatives have married their political fortunes to the notion that Obamacare is a catastrophe and must be discarded in its entirety - even though some of the signature elements of the law, such as a requirement that most people be insured, are ideas that they originated.

15 Jul 2013

Mass. employer health insurance mandate repeal moves forward

Gov. Deval Patrick has agreed to end a state mandate that employers provide health insurance to their employees, included in Massachusetts' 2006 health care overhaul, because a federal law -- which is now delayed a year -- was set to impose a similar mandate on employers. The repeal is included in the 2014 budget.

15 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 12, 2013

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including articles on data tracking of doctors and comparing the rollout of the Medicare Part D drug plans to implementation of the federal health law.

12 Jul 2013

Health Insurance News and Research

Some employers continue to offer 'skinny' plans

How will health exchanges work? Business versions may offer clues

Study provides insight into how primary care patients experience genetic testing

First Edition: July 16, 2013

Viewpoints: Disability insurance 'time bomb;' Leavitt on the lessons of Medicare Part D's rollout; Boys and eating disorders

Roundup: Ore. seniors get special medical deduction, but less generous than hoped; Six fired at Calif. hospital after patient data breaches

Insurers could be caught in health law's smoker glitch; Student health plans to get an upgrade

Health exchange countdown: Insurers, regulators test drive new plans, TV ads

Ripple effect of employer mandate delay seen on policies, politics

Americans may choose to stop working due to Affordable Care Act

Health overhaul scam opportunities emerge

First Edition: July 15,2013

Two upcoming votes in House part of GOP continuing assault on health law

Texas' strict new abortion law heads to Gov. Perry for signature

State highlights: Calif. insurers, lawmakers fight over premium disclosure; For-profit hospital re-entrance in Mass.

Older minority male cancer survivors less likely to receive basic preventive care: Study

Obamacare implementation issues: Rollout resembles some of the problems of Medicare Part D

Viewpoints: GOP should focus on fixing health law; bishops refuse to accept victory

Mass. employer health insurance mandate repeal moves forward

First Edition: July 12, 2013

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