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Viewpoints: Dems' abortion policies on the wrong side of public opinion; Doctors need to be more accurate in death reports

Last week saw two major developments in the legal and political battle over the Obama administration's sound decision to require most employers to provide free insurance coverage of contraceptives for women under the new health care law - one of them positive and the other a blow to the mandate and to religious liberty (7/1).

3 Jul 2013

MAXIMUS customer contact centers achieve Center of Excellence distinction

MAXIMUS, a leading provider of government services worldwide, announced today that its New York Physician Profile and New Jersey Health Care Profile operations have been recognized as "Certified Centers of Excellence" by BenchmarkPortal.

3 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 3, 2013

Today's headlines detail the Obama administration announcement that it would delay the health law rule requiring businesses provide insurance to workers.

3 Jul 2013

UnitedHealth to leave California's individual market at year's end

UnitedHealth is the second major company to announce its exit in advance of the changes that will take effect as a result of the health law. Meanwhile, Blues plans in Iowa and South Dakota announced plans to skip participation in those two states' health exchanges in 2014.

3 Jul 2013

State highlights: Dartmouth joins N.H. Medicaid managed care

New Hampshire's largest health care provider signed contracts Monday with three health care plans to join the state's managed care network for Medicaid -- a key to getting the network operating. Dartmouth-Hitchcock announced it will work with Well Sense Health Plan, Granite State Health Plan and Meridian Health Plan of New Hampshire to provide coordinated care for eligible Medicaid beneficiaries (Love, 7/1).

3 Jul 2013

Questions and answers about health insurance exchanges

The Associated Press reports the company operating call centers to help consumers navigate new online insurance marketplaces will add 120 jobs in eastern Iowa as part of a nationwide expansion. Other news outlets answer queries about the cost of insurance in those marketplaces, also called exchanges, which open for enrollment Oct. 1.

3 Jul 2013

Many uninsured don't know they must buy coverage next year

News outlets report on a poll finding that more than 40 percent of the uninsured are unaware they could be required to buy health coverage in 2014, while another study calculates how many young people are benefiting from the provision allowing adult children to stay on their parents' policies up to age 26.

3 Jul 2013

Administration delays health law requirement for large employers to provide coverage

Businesses won't be penalized next year if they don't provide workers health insurance after the Obama administration decided to delay a key requirement under its health-care law, two administration officials said. The decision will come in regulatory guidance to be issued later this week. It addresses vehement complaints from employer groups about the administrative burden of reporting requirements, though it may also affect coverage provided to some workers (Dorning and Wayne, 7/2).

3 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 2, 2013

Today's headlines include various reports about changes afoot in the insurance marketplace.

2 Jul 2013

State highlights: Calif. bill to fine firms with workers on Medi-Cal fails; Pa. eyes disallowing apologies used against doctors in court-proceedings

A California proposal to fine large companies that have workers on Medi-Cal came up short in an initial vote in the Assembly amid strong business opposition. The proposed fines could reach about $5,000 per full-time employee who receives Medi-Cal, the state Medicaid program for the poor. The bill, AB 880, garnered 46 votes in the 80-member chamber Thursday, short of the 54 votes, or two-thirds majority, needed. The measure could come up for reconsideration as early as next week (Terhune, 6/27).

2 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: A 'clever' fix for contraception coverage; Sanjay Gupta warns doctors to pay attention to health overhaul

Many nonprofit religious organizations have balked at having to insure their employees' birth control -- because they don't believe in artificial contraception -- under the Affordable Care Act. On Friday, the Obama administration announced a solution to this problem. The new health care law guarantees access to preventive services, and contraception falls, appropriately, into that category (Carla Hill, 6/28).

2 Jul 2013

What do moms, librarians and local officials have in common? They are all part of the health law's messaging effort

News outlets report on how a range of organizations and professions could play a role in advancing the Obama administration's effort to get more people to enroll in the health insurance that will become available as a result of the health law.

2 Jul 2013

African-American kids with T2D and risk for retinopathy are less likely to receive eye exam

In one of the few studies to provide information on eye screening of children, African-American children with the greatest risk for disease of the retina as a complication of Type 1 diabetes are the least likely to have received an eye exam, reports a team of researchers including senior author Terri H. Lipman of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

2 Jul 2013

NFL says it has no plans to help with Obamacare promotion

After receiving letters from Republican senators urging it to stay out of a political fight, the National Football League said Friday that it will not work with administration officials on the effort. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' suggested earlier that the league was enthusiastic to help.

2 Jul 2013

Contraceptive exemption for religious groups finalized

The rule, issued under the health care law, attempts to quell the controversy by balancing the interests of women with the concerns of the Roman Catholic Church and other employers with religious objections to providing coverage for contraceptives.

2 Jul 2013

Stakes are high for rollout of health exchanges

An estimated 7 million people will shop for individual health coverage this fall in the new online health insurance marketplaces, with another 2 million seeking coverage through the law's small business program. Federal and state officials are working full tilt to have them ready in time.

2 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 1, 2013

Today's headlines include a variety of weekend news reports, including coverage of the Obama administration's final contraceptive coverage rule as well as a range of other stories on health law implementation issues.

1 Jul 2013

MAXIMUS completes acquisition of Health Management Limited

MAXIMUS (NYSE:MMS) announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Health Management Limited, an independent provider of occupational health care services in the United Kingdom.

1 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: The entitlement crisis is not over; VA needs to deal more effectively with mental health issues; Iowa gives governor new abortion duty

Americans are used to hearing that health care will bust the budget. The Congressional Budget Office projected last year that Medicare, Medicaid and other government health programs would eat up 9.6 percent to 10.4 percent of the nation's gross domestic product by 2037, crowding out many other vital programs. But a new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development suggests that the United States is not the only country that will struggle to contain public spending on medical care (Eduardo Porter, 6/27).

29 Jun 2013

State highlights: Maine to permit Rx drugs from Canada; Ore. to levy hospital, nursing home assessment tax

For the first time in several years, a state has acted to allow its citizens to purchase prescription drugs by mail from other countries. The idea is to take advantage of those nations' lower prices, which can be half the cost of those at American pharmacies (Rovner, 6/27).

29 Jun 2013

Health Insurance News and Research

Viewpoints: Dems' abortion policies on the wrong side of public opinion; Doctors need to be more accurate in death reports

MAXIMUS customer contact centers achieve Center of Excellence distinction

First Edition: July 3, 2013

UnitedHealth to leave California's individual market at year's end

State highlights: Dartmouth joins N.H. Medicaid managed care

Questions and answers about health insurance exchanges

Many uninsured don't know they must buy coverage next year

Administration delays health law requirement for large employers to provide coverage

First Edition: July 2, 2013

State highlights: Calif. bill to fine firms with workers on Medi-Cal fails; Pa. eyes disallowing apologies used against doctors in court-proceedings

Viewpoints: A 'clever' fix for contraception coverage; Sanjay Gupta warns doctors to pay attention to health overhaul

What do moms, librarians and local officials have in common? They are all part of the health law's messaging effort

African-American kids with T2D and risk for retinopathy are less likely to receive eye exam

NFL says it has no plans to help with Obamacare promotion

Contraceptive exemption for religious groups finalized

Stakes are high for rollout of health exchanges

First Edition: July 1, 2013

MAXIMUS completes acquisition of Health Management Limited

Viewpoints: The entitlement crisis is not over; VA needs to deal more effectively with mental health issues; Iowa gives governor new abortion duty

State highlights: Maine to permit Rx drugs from Canada; Ore. to levy hospital, nursing home assessment tax

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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