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Texas Democrats oppose state's MLR waiver request

The state's Democratic House members urge HHS to reject the Perry administration request to give Texas insurers more time to meet medical loss ratio standards in the health law.

23 Dec 2011

A health insurance plan President Gingrich might support

KHN's Marilyn Werber Serafini reports on a health insurance plan Newt Gingrich might support: "The lesser known proposal would encourage people to purchase insurance by giving them tax credits or deductions.

23 Dec 2011

Harkin blasts South Carolina over exchange grant

The chairman of the Senate HELP Committee wants the HHS inspector general to investigate whether a $1 million federal grant was misused.

23 Dec 2011

Republicans widen probe of AARP tax status

House Republicans sent new details to the Internal Revenue Service as part of an ongoing challenge to AARP's not-for-profit tax status, following the group's leading role in pushing for enactment of the 2010 federal healthcare overhaul.

23 Dec 2011

IOM authors disagree with HHS decision on essential benefits

Political Pro talks to researchers who helped develop the IOM recommendations for the federal government on what should be offered in health plans. At the same time, a number of media outlets look at news about the implementation of the 2010 health care law.

23 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Republicans' 'gift' to Obama; Essential benefits rule a 'lump of coal'

One photo snapped Wednesday on Capitol Hill captured the essence of Congress in 2011. It showed a group of senior House Republicans sitting on one side of a long table, waiting for their Senate counterparts to show up for a negotiating session the House had demanded. ... What viewers should really have seen in the photo was the Republican leadership team whose miscalculations may soon cause payroll taxes to go up - and unemployment benefits to be truncated, and payment rates to Medicare doctors slashed. That's on the verge of happening.

23 Dec 2011

Health care issues leaving mark on presidential race

President Obama is busy touting his health law, while Mitt Romney argues that an individual mandate in Massachusetts is a "conservative" idea. In the meantime, the Associated Press examines Newt Gingrich's past support of the Children's Health Insurance Program.

23 Dec 2011

Roundup: Texas members oppose state's MLR waiver; Calif.'s disability case takes unusual turn

If you want to know what a Tea Party America might look like, there is no place like Kansas. In the past year, three state agencies have been abolished and 2,050 jobs have been cut. Funding for schools, social services and the arts have been slashed. The new Republican governor rejected a $31.5 million federal grant for a new health-insurance exchange because he opposes President Obama's health-care law. And that's just the small stuff.

23 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 22, 2011

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including articles on the Capitol Hill stalemate that threatens to cut Medicare payments to doctors and government efforts to keep details of a research experiment on bird flu secret.

22 Dec 2011

Federal officials extend Medicaid waiver for Mass.

The federal government on Tuesday extended a Medicaid waiver in Massachusetts, which was first implemented as part of then-Gov. Mitt Romney's healthcare overhaul. The waiver will now run through 2014. It is focused primarily on efforts to improve the cost and quality of the Medicaid program and better coordinate care. The waiver provides incentives for hospitals to improve their efforts to integrate their services.

22 Dec 2011

Romney, Obama on the attack

GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney used a TV appearance to take on rival candidate Newt Gingrich regarding a range of policy and political issues. Meanwhile, aides to President Barack Obama blasted Romney for shying away from the similarities between Massachusetts' health reforms and the 2010 health law. Negative ads also flood the Iowa airwaves.

22 Dec 2011

ACTF, Merck announce new HIV initiatives

Today, Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, and the ADAP Crisis Task Force (ACTF) announced a number of new initiatives to help struggling state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) continue to provide access to medicines to people living with HIV.

22 Dec 2011

Roundup: Health coverage drops again in Fla.; Calif. wrestles with issue of violence in mental hospitals

Enrollment in commercial health insurance is continuing to decline in Florida. An annual market report adopted Tuesday by the Florida Health Care Insurance Advisory Board shows enrollment dropped by 4.3 percent during 2010. That's the fifth straight year it's gone down.

22 Dec 2011

Fear of cancer spurs breast implant recall

There are concerns regarding breast implants and the association with cancer. UP to 30,000 French women and perhaps tens of thousands more around the world may need to have defective breast implants removed after several suspicious cancer cases. The final decision on recall of the implants, produced by the Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) company will be made by the end of the week, after a report from France's National Cancer Institute on December 23.

21 Dec 2011

High court sets March dates for health law arguments

March 27 will be the day for two hours of arguments over the provision, which starting in 2014 will require most Americans to carry health insurance or pay a penalty. The high court is expected to announce its decision by the end of June.

21 Dec 2011

GOP candidates trade barbs over health care policies

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, speaking in Iowa, said the government should not be running the medical world. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney outlines his views on abortion while Michele Bachmann uses the Supreme Court's scheduling announcement to reiterate her position against the 2010 health law and question that of her opponents. Also, Romney's health policies are again in the spotlight.

21 Dec 2011

What 2012 holds for state reform efforts, health law implementation

Vermont, Oregon and Georgia are considering what the new year will bring for their efforts to implement health reforms, including formation of insurance exchanges. In California, the state's pool of money for the pre-existing health condition plan is getting a new infusion of funds.

21 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: If not the health law, then what?; Shifting Medicare costs isn't enough

When President Barack Obama's health care reform was making its way through Congress, Republicans and other opponents registered plenty of criticisms: It was too generous, too inflexible and too centralized. But such concerns were brushed aside in the push to get a bill passed. Today, it's harder to ignore those flaws. Implementation of the program has brought tougher challenges than the administration led Americans to expect. So it has been obliged to make some major concessions to reality.

21 Dec 2011

Romney's Medicaid comments draw criticism that he is 'out of touch'

During a campaign appearance, GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said that until he became involved in government services he didn't completely understand the differences between Medicare and Medicaid. Meanwhile, the aggressive ads being run in Iowa by another candidate, Ron Paul, may be making an impact.

20 Dec 2011

Even as it faces attack, health law implementation — and challenges — continue

The Hill and Reuters report on the health law's numerous 2012 battle fronts - starting with the Supreme Court's review of the law and moving toward the November elections. Meanwhile, however, other news outlets report on continuing implementation of the measure, including the creation of a federal health exchange and defense of its prevention fund.

20 Dec 2011