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State roundup: Md. hospital rate-setting system under scrutiny

News outlets report on a variety of health policy news in Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Oregon and Texas.

11 Jun 2012

First Edition: June 11, 2012

Today's headlines feature reports that UnitedHealthcare plans to honor some health law provisions regardless of what the Supreme Court decides.

11 Jun 2012

House passes repeal of tax on medical devices

The bill, which is likely to hit tough opposition in the Senate, would roll back a tax in the 2010 health law designed to help pay for the expansion of coverage to people who do not have insurance.

8 Jun 2012

Bachmann calls for federal audit of Minnesota Medicaid program

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., is asking for a federal audit of her state's Medicaid program after a congressional probe found a year's worth of alleged overpayments. In other news, insurers Molina and Centene have won back Medicaid contracts in Ohio after initially being rejected.

8 Jun 2012

More federal scrutiny for Minn. Medicaid program; Colo. Medicaid reforms signed into law

Minnesota's Medicaid program faces more federal scrutiny on its rates. In the meantime, new Medicaid payment reforms are signed into law in Colorado.

8 Jun 2012

Life expectancy gap narrows between blacks and whites

The life expectancy gap between blacks and whites has narrowed thanks to fewer black deaths due to AIDS and heart disease, a new study finds.

7 Jun 2012

Army to examine if it shortchanged vets on mental health retirement compensation

The Army will examine 190,000 files to see if it failed to give veterans the proper pension compensation for mental health problems. In Calif. one in 10 vets are uninsured.

7 Jun 2012

Romney's recent health policy decisions leading some conservatives to 'scratch their heads'

GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney insists that when it comes to health care, his first priority is the full repeal of the 2010 Affordable Care Act. But some of his actions of the past few days have conservatives scratching their heads. First, there was the appointment of Mike Leavitt, a former Utah governor and Health and Human Services secretary, to lead a potential Romney transition team.

7 Jun 2012

Roundup: Calif. cigarette tax hike too close to call; Mass. insurance mandate not as contentious; Sept. 11 health fund cancer coverage ruling delayed

Tobacco companies poured nearly $47 million into defeating Proposition 29, a $1-a-pack tax hike on cigarettes, but the measure was narrowly leading in early returns Tuesday despite the hard-fought campaign. The tax increase would raise $810 million a year for cancer research and smoking cessation programs, and it would give California -- which currently has a lower tobacco tax than 32 other states -- the 16th-highest cigarette tax in the nation. … The vote would be a huge win for the public health groups that sponsored the measure, including the American Cancer Society.

6 Jun 2012

Republicans schedule repeal votes to bring attention to health law

One of the highest profile efforts involves the repeal of the health law's medical device tax, and one proposal also includes language that would trim the measure's insurance subsidies for low- and middle-income taxpayers.

From Medtronic 5 Jun 2012

High-deductible health plans pick up steam

Seventy percent of large companies participating in a recent survey said they'll offer high-deductible insurance by 2013 combined with accounts that let patients buy medical services with pre-tax dollars.

5 Jun 2012

Fate of pre-existing condition insurance pools, health exchanges may hinge on high court ruling

News outlets report on what might become of programs such as high risk pools and health exchanges if some or all of the health law is overturned by the Supreme Court.

5 Jun 2012

Mo. Gov. faces defining choice on abortion bills; La. House approves abortion ban after 20 weeks

Missouri's governor faces tough choices on a pair of abortion bills awaiting his signature or veto -- moves that could have national implications. In the meantime, Louisiana lawmakers have approved a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

5 Jun 2012

First Edition: June 4, 2012

Today's headlines include the latest news on implementation of the health law, on the pending Capitol Hill effort to repeal the medical device tax and reports from the states.

4 Jun 2012

Psoriasis linked to sexual dysfunction in men

Men with psoriasis are at an increased risk for sexual dysfunction, research suggests.

1 Jun 2012

First Edition: June 1, 2012

Today's headlines include reports about the latest health policy developments on Capitol Hill and news on the health insurance marketplace.

1 Jun 2012

Longer looks: The cost of dying; Insuring fertility

During those four days Terence had his blood drawn - eight times. Urine collected at least twice. There was a CT scan of his chest and an MRI of his brain. A physical therapist dropped by several times. A nutritionist talked about cancer fatigue, decompensation, and calorie needs. Over the stay, at least 29 professionals - nurses, physical therapists, a nutritionist, and nine M.D.s - attended to his needs.

1 Jun 2012

State roundup: Federal judge rejects Calif. request to end oversight of prison health care; States push prescription drug databases; Medicare drug benefit at issue in Utah Senate race

A federal judge rejected a request by California prison officials Wednesday to regain control of inmate health care, which has been under court-supervised receivership for six years, and said the state must first show it can provide adequate medical treatment. ... The current receiver, Clark Kelso, has reported improvements in the prisons' medical staff and facilities, and said a "turnaround plan" he proposed for the system in 2008 is about 80 percent complete.

1 Jun 2012

First Edition: May 31, 2012

Today's headlines include reports about various health-related measures currently on the move in Congress.

31 May 2012

State exchanges and health IT could be hurdles to health law implementation

It seemed like a good idea at the time. But a health insurance tax credit for small businesses, part of President Barack Obama's health care law that gets strong support in public opinion polls, has turned out to be a disappointment. Time-consuming to apply for and lacking enough financial reward to make it attractive, the credit was claimed by only 170,300 businesses out of a pool of as many as 4 million potentially eligible companies in 2010.

31 May 2012