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Romney's '47 percent' comments fuel analyses of who gets tax breaks, aid

Some news outlets report how the remarks underscore different views of the role of government by President Barack Obama and GOP challenger Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, Romney attempts to deflect criticism by going on the offensive, saying his comments help define the choice before voters.

20 Sep 2012

Roundup: Ore. insurance CO-OP readies coverage; N.J. Medicaid liabilities hurt state's fiscal outlook; Wis. AG appeals collective bargaining ruling

Independent workers -- artists, journalists, information technology professionals, craftsmen and even those who earn their living buying and selling on eBay -- will soon have the ability to buy health coverage without having to dicker with a privately-run insurance company such as Regence BlueCross BlueShield. ... people can sign up when enrollment opens for the health insurance exchange in October 2013.

20 Sep 2012

Viewpoints: Romney says citizens 'do need help from government;' One Retiree suggests sacrifices on Medicare, entitlements would be used to prop up rich

Government benefits are heavily skewed towards seniors, nearly all of whom paid Social Security and Medicare taxes for decades to earn them. Judging by the polls, both they and low-income workers are likely to give Romney respectable levels of support in November, unless they feel he is insulting them or cannot relate to their situation.

20 Sep 2012

Some states consider partial Medicaid expansion under health law

Also in the news, a report about how a ruling barring health coverage for illegal immigrants, allowed to stay in the United States because they were brought here as young children, is angering Hispanic groups.

19 Sep 2012

Mental illness campaign launched by Australia’s private hospitals sector

Australia’s private hospitals sector is set to test just how much Australians really know about some of the nation’s most prevalent mental disorders with the launch of its large-scale campaign, ‘What do you know…. about mental illness?’

19 Sep 2012

News from the Hill: GOP lawmakers continue to investigate aspects of the health law's implementation

House Republican lawmakers are questioning hiring practices at the Department of Health and Human Services as well as how the Internal Revenue Service will enforce provisions of the health law.

18 Sep 2012

States watch Calif. as it builds exchange; Red state officials wrestle with opposition to law and need to implement it

News outlets report on both the progress and difficulties states are facing as they attempt to establish health exchanges and meet other health law requirements. Meanwhile, Vermont is hoping to move beyond the federal law as it tries to set up a single payer system.

18 Sep 2012

Viewpoints: Dragging the 'C word' -- cost -- out of hiding; Elton John on discrimination against state prisoners with HIV

We need death panels. Well, maybe not death panels, exactly, but unless we start allocating health care resources more prudently -- rationing, by its proper name -- the exploding cost of Medicare will swamp the federal budget.

18 Sep 2012

Roundup: Mont. settlement money to pay for uninsured's prescription drugs; Physician assistants' role in Mass.; Atlanta to cut worker premiums

The Montana attorney general's office says nearly $1 million collected in drug company settlements will be used to help pay for prescription medicine for people who are uninsured and underinsured. Attorney General Steve Bullock said in a statement Thursday the money came from settlements dating back to 2010 with four drug companies accused of inflating the wholesale prices of drugs paid by Medicare and Medicaid.

18 Sep 2012

Mo. college files its own lawsuit over contraception mandate

A Missouri Christian college is joining the fight against the health law's mandate that insurance plans cover contraception by filing its own lawsuit.

17 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 17, 2012

Today's headlines include a number of reports about how Medicare and other health policy issues are playing important roles on the campaign trail.

17 Sep 2012

Research roundup: Patients' experiences at safety-net hospitals

Each week KHN reporter Ankita Rao compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.

15 Sep 2012

Spending measure passes House with Ryan's support

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., returned to the chamber Thursday for the first time since he became the GOP vice presidential candidate, casting his vote for a measure that raised spending above the levels in his own budget. Republicans hailed him, while Democrats released a video highlighting his proposal to overhaul Medicare as a fixed subsidy program.

15 Sep 2012

Court denies Maine Medicaid lawsuit, says to give CMS time to rule on cuts

A federal appeals court rejected a Maine lawsuit Thursday and said the state -- which wants to cut 30,000 from its Medicaid rolls -- needs to allow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services time to review its request.

15 Sep 2012

AHIP offers advice on essential benefits and keeping premium costs affordable

Meanwhile, Kansas officials are facing a ticking clock as they try to develop recommendations for what should make up the state's essential benefits in individual and small group health insurance policies.

15 Sep 2012

Bahamas' Ministry of Health unveils plans to advance breast cancer programs

Bahamas' Ministry of Health on Wednesday unveiled its plans to advance breast cancer programs in The Bahamas through a public-private partnership with the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Sunshine Insurance Marathon Bahamas, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world's leading breast cancer organization.

15 Sep 2012

Roundup: Calif. to probe hospital/doctor consolidations; Cuccinelli warns Va. health board on abortion clinic rules

California's attorney general has launched a broad investigation into whether growing consolidation among hospitals and doctor groups is pushing up the price of medical care, reflecting increasing scrutiny by antitrust regulators of medical-provider deals.

15 Sep 2012

Viewpoints: While health care demand rises, medical schools turn away thousands; Jeb Bush on state-based Medicaid changes

Despite high unemployment, there is one bright spot in the economy: while nearly all other sectors shrank during the recession, jobs in health care increased by more than 1.2 million, with most paying salaries of over $60,000. And demand for those workers will keep improving. ... But for American health workers, this is hardly good news. Despite a labor shortage, our crowded medical professional schools are turning away hundreds of thousands of qualified applicants; to fill the gap, we are importing tens of thousands of foreign workers.

15 Sep 2012

First Edition: September 14, 2012

Today's headlines include stories detailing the politics stirred up by GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan's return to Capitol Hill, as well as reports about new poll numbers and the latest about how health issues are playing on the campaign trail.

15 Sep 2012

Number of uninsured Americans drops by 1.3 million

New census data shows that for the first time since 2007, the number of Americans without health insurance declined. However, high rates of poverty persisted.

14 Sep 2012

Health Insurance News and Research

Romney's '47 percent' comments fuel analyses of who gets tax breaks, aid

Roundup: Ore. insurance CO-OP readies coverage; N.J. Medicaid liabilities hurt state's fiscal outlook; Wis. AG appeals collective bargaining ruling

Viewpoints: Romney says citizens 'do need help from government;' One Retiree suggests sacrifices on Medicare, entitlements would be used to prop up rich

Some states consider partial Medicaid expansion under health law

Mental illness campaign launched by Australia’s private hospitals sector

News from the Hill: GOP lawmakers continue to investigate aspects of the health law's implementation

States watch Calif. as it builds exchange; Red state officials wrestle with opposition to law and need to implement it

Viewpoints: Dragging the 'C word' -- cost -- out of hiding; Elton John on discrimination against state prisoners with HIV

Roundup: Mont. settlement money to pay for uninsured's prescription drugs; Physician assistants' role in Mass.; Atlanta to cut worker premiums

Mo. college files its own lawsuit over contraception mandate

First Edition: September 17, 2012

Research roundup: Patients' experiences at safety-net hospitals

Spending measure passes House with Ryan's support

Court denies Maine Medicaid lawsuit, says to give CMS time to rule on cuts

AHIP offers advice on essential benefits and keeping premium costs affordable

Bahamas' Ministry of Health unveils plans to advance breast cancer programs

Roundup: Calif. to probe hospital/doctor consolidations; Cuccinelli warns Va. health board on abortion clinic rules

Viewpoints: While health care demand rises, medical schools turn away thousands; Jeb Bush on state-based Medicaid changes

First Edition: September 14, 2012

Number of uninsured Americans drops by 1.3 million

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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