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Roundup: Fla. judge rules legislature must decide on prison care privatization; Skepticism over Ore. medical liability reform proposal

A Tallahassee judge ruled Tuesday that a legislative committee did not have the authority to approve a contract regarding prison health care services. According to Businessweek, the plan would privatize health care services in three of Florida's four prison system regions. Circuit Judge John Cooper, who made the decision, said the policy changes must be approved by the full Legislature, rather than just a panel of 14 select legislators.

6 Dec 2012

First Edition: December 6, 2012

Today's headlines include a report that some in the GOP are urging lawmakers to support the idea of trading tax breaks for changes in safety-net programs.

6 Dec 2012

Health care programs a clear target in deficit reduction efforts

As negotiators debate proposals to trim entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, stakeholders ranging from public hospitals to physician groups lobby to protect their interests.

6 Dec 2012

Studies gauge health law's impact on consumer savings, Rx drug coverage

The Commonwealth Fund concluded that consumers saved $1.5 billion in 2011 as a result of a provision that limits how much insurers can spend on expenses not related to medical care. Meanwhile, Avalere Health found that drug coverage plans offered on health exchanges will vary by state.

6 Dec 2012

States continue sorting out choices about health exchanges, Medicaid expansion

Kansas, South Dakota and Texas are among the states still making decisions -- or reconsidering old ones -- about the health law's insurance exchanges and the Medicaid expansion.

6 Dec 2012

University of Akron devises novel design for future wellness programs

A computer engineering professor at The University of Akron has devised a novel design for future wellness programs. The National Science Foundation praised the proposal and awarded $1.3 million to test and validate the Personal Wellness Management System.

6 Dec 2012

Two simple cost-effective methods can reduce expensive postoperative complications

As the nation grapples with surging health care costs, researchers at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, and Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, have confirmed two simple cost-effective methods to reduce expensive postoperative complications-communications team training and a surgical checklist.

6 Dec 2012

Viewpoints: Sen. Whitehouse argues deficit fix shouldn't be about Medicare; Is a plunge over the cliff so bad?

As President Barack Obama and congressional leaders continue discussions to avert the so-called fiscal cliff - the mix of tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect automatically in January - we hear a troubling but familiar refrain in Washington: To fix our deficit, we must cut Medicare benefits.

6 Dec 2012

Roundup: Florida health law battles take new turn; Oklahoma court rejects anti-abortion law; Calif. kids Medi-Cal dispute continues

Even in Florida, where Republican leaders led the legal battle against Obamacare, there's recognition now that the state has to act fast to comply with the new law. ... After Nov. 6, Gov. Rick Scott had a change in tone. "Gov. Mitt Romney did not win the election. So, it's not an option to repeal Obamacare," he said. "So, my goal now is to focus on what's good for our citizens." But Republicans are having trouble convincing Tea Party activists that the fight is over.

6 Dec 2012

Trouble spot in fiscal talks: The down payment

Although there appears to be general agreement about tax code and entitlement changes that would begin next year and tally more than $1 trillion over 10 years, the initial installment of deficit reduction has become a sticking point between the White House and GOP leaders. Meanwhile, the Washington Post checks the facts on entitlement "spending cuts."

5 Dec 2012

Viewpoints: David Brooks' formula to avoid Cliff; Krugman says control costs, don't cut coverage

Republicans should go to the White House and say they are willing to see top tax rates go up to 36 percent or 37 percent and they are willing to forgo a debt-ceiling fight for this year.

5 Dec 2012

Health plans welcome some HHS health law implementation rules, gear up for marketplace changes

Insurers are preparing for new approaches to selling plans directly to consumers and how some state exchanges will operate. They are also girding for additional guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services that could help stabilize the insurance market.

5 Dec 2012

Study compares mental health-related ED visits between children with and without ASD

In the first study to compare mental health-related emergency department (ED) visits between children with and without autism spectrum disorders (ASD), researchers found that ED visits are nine times more likely to be for psychiatric reasons if a child has an ASD diagnosis.

3 Dec 2012

HHS releases new insurance exchange rules, includes controversial surcharges

Health insurance companies will have to pay to play in new health insurance markets coming under President Barack Obama's health care law, the administration said in a regulatory notice issued Friday. The Health and Human Services department is proposing a "user fee" amounting to 3.5 percent of premiums for health insurers who want to offer policies in new federal exchanges coming in 2014.

2 Dec 2012

US women lose their health insurance after divorce: Study

Each year, almost 115,000 women in the U.S. will lose their health insurance in the months following a divorce, finds a study in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

1 Dec 2012

Appeals court temporarily blocks contraception mandate for Missouri business owner

A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a preliminary injunction from the rule for Frank O'Brien and his company -- which is the fourth private business to secure such a temporary order.

1 Dec 2012

Mo. governor wants Medicaid expansion; Other states consider health exchanges

After mulling the controversial decision, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said Thursday he wants the state to expand Medicaid, a key part of the health law, but he faces substantial opposition from Republicans who control the legislature. Meanwhile, some states continue to wrestle with issues related to health exchanges.

30 Nov 2012

States, courts, employers contend with health law's requirements

News outlets follow developments on health insurance exchanges, requirements for mental health parity and employer coverage and assess still-pending lawsuits

30 Nov 2012

Some people choose out-of-network care in emergency situations

Forty percent of people who received health care outside of their insurance network did so out of necessity, finds a new study in Health Services Research. About half of those patients did not know how much they would have to pay for their out-of-network care. Out-of- network care can occur during an emergency medical situation or when the network status of a physician or hospital is unknown or if an in-network doctor is unavailable.

30 Nov 2012

Rural cancer survivors more likely to have poor health outcomes

Cancer survivors who live in rural areas are more likely to say they are in poor health than those who live in urban areas, according to a study in the journal Cancer. They are also more likely to have other health disorders, more psychological distress, and be unemployed due to health reasons than city dwellers.

30 Nov 2012

Health Insurance News and Research

Roundup: Fla. judge rules legislature must decide on prison care privatization; Skepticism over Ore. medical liability reform proposal

First Edition: December 6, 2012

Health care programs a clear target in deficit reduction efforts

Studies gauge health law's impact on consumer savings, Rx drug coverage

States continue sorting out choices about health exchanges, Medicaid expansion

University of Akron devises novel design for future wellness programs

Two simple cost-effective methods can reduce expensive postoperative complications

Viewpoints: Sen. Whitehouse argues deficit fix shouldn't be about Medicare; Is a plunge over the cliff so bad?

Roundup: Florida health law battles take new turn; Oklahoma court rejects anti-abortion law; Calif. kids Medi-Cal dispute continues

Trouble spot in fiscal talks: The down payment

Viewpoints: David Brooks' formula to avoid Cliff; Krugman says control costs, don't cut coverage

Health plans welcome some HHS health law implementation rules, gear up for marketplace changes

Study compares mental health-related ED visits between children with and without ASD

HHS releases new insurance exchange rules, includes controversial surcharges

US women lose their health insurance after divorce: Study

Appeals court temporarily blocks contraception mandate for Missouri business owner

Mo. governor wants Medicaid expansion; Other states consider health exchanges

States, courts, employers contend with health law's requirements

Some people choose out-of-network care in emergency situations

Rural cancer survivors more likely to have poor health outcomes

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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