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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

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

Hospitals, doctors consider changes amid Medicare hospital readmissions scrutiny

Hospitals and doctors are feeling the health care law heat as officials try to reduce readmissions and increase quality of care in the Medicare program. PBS NewsHour looks at the law's hospital readmissions penalties and Medpage Today explains what the hospitals are doing.

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

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

In states that opt-out of Medicaid expansion, low-income residents won't face insurance mandate

A rule published Wednesday exempts low-income people from the health law's requirement to buy insurance if they live in states that decide against expanding Medicaid. News outlets also report on the latest related developments from Ohio, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Oklahoma and California.

29 Jun 2013

GOP senators press Sebelius to back away from helping nonprofit focused on health coverage enrollment

The group of 28 senators are also seeking more information about the health secretary's efforts to help the nonprofit Enroll America to get more people signed up for coverage available through the health law. Meanwhile, the head of the House Republican Study Committee urged the NBA and the NFL not to promote the health care law.

29 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Late hospital bills perplex consumers; Personal health data can 'revolutionize' care

Flavio de Pecol hit the trifecta after taking his daughter to the emergency room for a horse-riding injury: hours of waiting, a 16-mile ambulance ride to a different facility and bills for more than $40,000. At least, he thought, that was the end of it. But nearly two years (later), ... De Pecol, of Newport Beach, has received yet another bill, this time for $1,054.53. ... "How can I trust that this isn't a mistake when a hospital takes 21 months to bill me?" De Pecol asked. ... Good questions, and yet another example of the way consumers are at the mercy of the healthcare industry's opaque and byzantine billing practices (David Lazarus, 6/25).

28 Jun 2013

High court's DOMA ruling will impact health benefits for gay couples

The decision will affect benefits for federal employees, as well as people eligible for new coverage under the health law, and will likely lead employers in the 12 states that recognize same-sex marriages to review employee-benefit packages to make sure they don't discriminate against gay spouses and comply with the law.

28 Jun 2013

When states reject the Medicaid expansion, safety-net hospitals likely to be in a bind

The Washington Post highlights a Georgia hospital to illustrate the choices safety net hospitals will face if their states opt against the health law's Medicaid exansion. Also, a number of states continue to grapple with debate and decisions related to the expansion issue.

28 Jun 2013

White House takes aim at Latinos, young people with health law outreach efforts

Both populations are key to the success of new online health insurance marketplaces, which will begin enrolling people on Oct. 1 for coverage that takes effect Jan. 1.

27 Jun 2013

Sebelius ramps up enrollment push

The Obama administration unveiled a revamped HealthCare.gov website, the centerpiece of its campaign in more than 30 states to enroll people in health coverage, as well as a 24-hour consumer call center. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius aims to enroll 7 million people by late March with help from major sports franchises and moms.

26 Jun 2013

Government to bargain with insurers over exchange plans

Hoping to get consumers the best prices, the Obama administration is negotiating with insurers looking to sell policies in online health insurance marketplaces this fall, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Monday (Galewitz, 6/24).

26 Jun 2013

As doctors, hospitals, insurers prepare for health law implementation, 100-day countdown begins for online marketplaces

The New York Times profiles a Louisville clinic's efforts to be ready for changes, while several outlets look at the progress of the health exchanges where consumers will be able to buy insurance plans.

25 Jun 2013

First Edition: June 20, 2013

Today's headlines include a variety of reports about the health law's implementation as well as related developments from Capitol Hill.

20 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Urgency has slipped away for 'grand bargain'; The need to scrutinize drug competition; Restore funding to 'Meals on Wheels'

It may seem paradoxical that Congress was willing to tackle a grand bargain when the deficit problem looked big and insoluble - but quickly lost interest as soon as the problem became more manageable. … But the reason isn't really mysterious. A grand bargain would have required both sides to swallow unpalatable compromises. It would have required Democrats to agree to cuts in future spending on Medicare and Social Security. Likewise, it would have required Republicans to accept increases in tax revenue (Doyle McManus, 6/19).

20 Jun 2013

'Get Covered America' campaign launched by nonprofit group

In an effort to sign up people for the new health coverage that will become available this fall, Enroll America is one of a number of organizations launching aggressive health law outreach campaigns.

20 Jun 2013

Political battles congeal around IRS scandals, implementation questions

The Associated Press reports that the funding sought by the Obama administration for the Internal Revenue Service's health law activities could be in jeopardy as a result of recent scandals. Meanwhile, The Hill reports that GOP lawmakers are developing plans for handling constituents' questions about the health law.

18 Jun 2013

Immigrants' health care costs are hot topic on Capitol Hill

Other media reports detail Sen. Ron Wyden's proposal to allow accountable care organizations to focus on the sickest, most costly patients; questions from Rep. Darrell Issa, R.-Calif., about the navigator program's funding; and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's, D-Calif., angry response to a reporter's question about late-term abortions.

15 Jun 2013

Research roundup: Studying states' readiness for insurance exchanges

Unauthorized immigrants' options for health care generally consist of hospital emergency rooms and community health centers. Using nationally representative survey data from 2000 to 2009, researchers compared medical spending for unauthorized immigrants, legal residents, naturalized citizens, and natives of the United States and found that "unauthorized immigrants have lower health care spending overall but higher rates of receiving uncompensated care than legal immigrants and US natives."

15 Jun 2013

Health Reform News and Research

Administration delays health law requirement for large employers to provide coverage

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

Hospitals, doctors consider changes amid Medicare hospital readmissions scrutiny

First Edition: July 1, 2013

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

In states that opt-out of Medicaid expansion, low-income residents won't face insurance mandate

GOP senators press Sebelius to back away from helping nonprofit focused on health coverage enrollment

Viewpoints: Late hospital bills perplex consumers; Personal health data can 'revolutionize' care

High court's DOMA ruling will impact health benefits for gay couples

When states reject the Medicaid expansion, safety-net hospitals likely to be in a bind

White House takes aim at Latinos, young people with health law outreach efforts

Sebelius ramps up enrollment push

Government to bargain with insurers over exchange plans

As doctors, hospitals, insurers prepare for health law implementation, 100-day countdown begins for online marketplaces

First Edition: June 20, 2013

Viewpoints: Urgency has slipped away for 'grand bargain'; The need to scrutinize drug competition; Restore funding to 'Meals on Wheels'

'Get Covered America' campaign launched by nonprofit group

Political battles congeal around IRS scandals, implementation questions

Immigrants' health care costs are hot topic on Capitol Hill

Research roundup: Studying states' readiness for insurance exchanges

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The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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