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New report tallies death rates among people who lack health insurance

The report, released by Families USA, concluded that each year more than 26,000 working-age U.S. adults die prematurely because they lack health insurance.

22 Jun 2012

Ads take issue with health law

News outlets report on various ad campaigns designed to criticize the Democrats' health law.

22 Jun 2012

Analyzing the court's possible impact

Consumers, small businesses and even the health insurance marketplace will face significant ramifications depending on how the court rules.

22 Jun 2012

Poll: Majority want new effort if court overturns health law

A new Associated Press-GfK poll found that Americans want Congress and the president to work on new legislation to overhaul the health care system if the high court rules that the 2010 health law is unconstitutional. Meanwhile, the lead attorney for the states challenging the law said it's difficult to predict what the court will do.

21 Jun 2012

HHS reports 3.1 million young adults gained coverage under health law

The law's provision requiring that insurers allow many adults under the age of 26 to stay on their parents' plans is popular.

21 Jun 2012

What's at stake in the much-anticipated high court health law decision?

News outlets report on how the ruling will impact seniors, women and states, among other stakeholders. Reports also examine what might happen if the individual mandate is overturned but other elements of the law are left intact.

21 Jun 2012

Viewpoints: Health law can be intensely personal; Insurers' promises miss the mark

Whenever I read or hear objections to "Obamacare," I think about my friend's son. The son had cancer when he was a teenager. Thankfully, his dad had health insurance -- through his job. A job that he lost. He has a new job now, but like so many new jobs, it doesn't pay as much -- and it doesn't come with benefits. Fortunately, his son seems to have beaten the cancer. And the family now has health insurance from the mom's job. So the son, thanks to "Obamacare," can be insured through his parents.

21 Jun 2012

Capsules: Obama administration finds 3.1 million young adults gained coverage under law; LGBT community still has hurdles in health care equality

Now on Kaiser Health News' blog, Christian Torres reports on the latest numbers regarding young adults' health insurance coverage: "More than 3 million young adults have gained insurance coverage under the health law, according to the latest government estimate. Obama administration officials touted the benefit Tuesday as an example of how the law is making a difference."

21 Jun 2012

Mayo Clinic receives $60 million from CMMI to improve health care delivery

Mayo Clinic and its collaborators have been awarded nearly $60 million from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to improve health care delivery.

21 Jun 2012

Examining the decision's possible impact on voters, access to insurance coverage

A new poll finds that regardless of the Supreme Court's decision, less than a majority of Americans will be happy with the outcome. Republican voters, however, are more open to the idea of the court nullifying part of the law. Meanwhile, even if the law is upheld, an estimated 26 million people will still go without insurance, including illegal immigrants and those eligible for Medicaid but who don't enroll.

20 Jun 2012

States brace for SCOTUS ruling: Calif. exchange marches on, Texas considers its next steps

In California, the state health insurance exchange is starting its work no matter the outcome of the Supreme Court decision while Texas officials consider their post-decision steps.

20 Jun 2012

AIDS United releases new infographic

According to a recent estimate by the Centers for Disease Control, nearly half of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the United States are in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee--the same region that is leading the nation in persons living with, and dying from, AIDS.

20 Jun 2012

State roundup: Retiree health costs soaring; Calif.'s duplicate surgical payments; Georgia's AIDS drug waiting list shrinks

Recession-plagued states diverted scarce money away from pensions to pay for more immediate concerns, leaving a $757 billion hole in the retirement funds covering millions of public employees, according to a study released Monday. … States also faced a $627 billion shortfall in health care services for retirees. Essentially, for every $1 they'll eventually have to pay out in health care, states had set aside only 5 cents.

20 Jun 2012

Report: 3.1M young adults gain insurance due to new health care law

A new report released today by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shows that 3.1 million young adults have gained health insurance because of the health care law. Without the health care law - the Affordable Care Act - these 3.1 million young adults would not have health insurance.

20 Jun 2012

Viewpoints: For Fla. small business owner, loss of health law would be 'real blow;' Effort to silence Mich. legislators backfires

Running a small business with four employees, I've got a lot hanging in the balance as the Supreme Court deliberates on the healthcare law. The legal challenge to the law was launched here in Florida with a small business lobby group as a plaintiff in the case. But if you're thinking that means small business people like me want to see the law rolled back, think again. The simple fact is, the healthcare law is saving our business serious money and saving our healthcare benefits.

20 Jun 2012

First Edition: June 19, 2012

Today's headlines include more speculation about the political implications of the Supreme Court's much-anticipated health law decision.

19 Jun 2012

In Calif. and Mass., reforms proceeding even as court causes uncertainty

News reports offer updates on California's health exchange as well as the important signal sent by Massachusetts' major health insurers.

19 Jun 2012

High Court uncertainty raises stakes in health law guessing game

News outlets offer scene setters exploring the dynamics at play at the high court and the importance of the pending ruling on the constitutionality of the health law. They also look at how the decision will impact different parts of the health care sector, ranging from safety-net providers and investors to patient safety advocates and employers.

19 Jun 2012

Health care spending slowdown may not last as economy heats back up

The Associated Press reports that, although health care spending may have slowed, the trend may not last long. In the meantime, The Arizona Republic reports on a website that allows consumers to shop for discounted medical services.

19 Jun 2012

Upcoming Supreme Court ruling: GOP as 'dog that caught the car'; Growing concerns about mandate

[T]he GOP may be positioning itself to become the dog that caught the car. Political and policy uncertainty is perhaps inevitable given the range of what the Court could do. But the Republicans need a more coherent strategy. ... An orderly unwinding of ObamaCare was always going to be difficult. But based on its disarray and confusion so far, the GOP may be making it harder.

19 Jun 2012