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Romney details his deficit-reduction plans

Media outlets also report on how the abortion issue might impact GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, fact checks and news from Iowa about Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum also are in the headlines.

5 Nov 2011

Viewpoints: Romney's plan to cut the debt; congressional squabbles on spending; spurning insurers' concerns about new labels

First, eliminate every government program that is not absolutely essential. There are many things government does that we may like but that we do not need. … For example: Repeal ObamaCare, which would save $95 billion in 2016. …Eliminate Title X family planning programs benefiting abortion groups like Planned Parenthood. … Second, return federal programs to the states where innovation, cost management and reduction of fraud and abuse can far exceed what Washington achieves. I will block grant Medicaid and workforce training, saving well over $100 billion in 2016.

5 Nov 2011

100 House lawmakers urge super committee to consider 'all options'

A letter from this bipartisan group of House members to the deficit panel asked that the super committee strive for a larger, $4 trillion deal. Meanwhile, Politico offers four possible scenarios that could play out.

4 Nov 2011

AMAG reports third quarter total revenues of $17.6 million

AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported unaudited consolidated financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2011.

4 Nov 2011

First Edition: November 4, 2011

In today's headlines, reports about the super committee's apparent impasse, and details on Mitt Romney's plan to cut the deficit.

4 Nov 2011

Roundup: Mental health hospital woes; N.Y. Medicare scam bust

A Miami Herald series "Neglected to Death," focused this spring on critical breakdowns in Florida's enforcement system, including failures by the state's Agency on Health Care Administration to fully investigate deaths or to shut down some of the worst offenders among Florida's 2,850 assisted-living facilities. Although more states are using Medicaid money to pay for some portion of assisted living care for the poor, the federal government has a limited role in the facilities their oversight has been and will likely continue to be a state duty.

4 Nov 2011

Commercial disease management models do not reduce Medicare costs in America

At a time when everyone is looking for ways to reduce health care costs in America, using commercial disease management programs to reduce the fee-for-service Medicare costs associated with chronic conditions among senior citizens seems like a practical approach.

4 Nov 2011

Cain offers up his views on health policy

In a short policy speech delivered on Capitol Hill, GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain expressed his support for repealing the 2010 health law and replacing it with market-based reforms.

4 Nov 2011

The skinny on 'narrow networks'

Health Net of Arizona is joining with Banner Health to offer a new type of HMO plan. In other news, Health News Florida reports on WellCare and Humana's profits.

4 Nov 2011

ACP tells 112th Congress to 'go big' by reforming Medicare payments

The American College of Physicians (ACP) today told the 112th Congress to "go big" by reforming Medicare payments, including enacting a permanent end to scheduled Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) physician payment cuts.

4 Nov 2011

CMS issues J-code for Savient's KRYSTEXXA

Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has assigned a product-specific billing code, or J-code, for KRYSTEXXA (pegloticase), which is used for the treatment of chronic gout in adult patients refractory to conventional therapy.

3 Nov 2011

First Edition: November 3, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about a bipartisan group of lawmakers who are urging the super committee to consider "all options."

3 Nov 2011

Budget experts focus on health costs

Four well-known budget gurus testified Tuesday in a public super committee hearing, telling the panel they should raise revenues and overhaul expensive federal health programs in order to develop a budget compromise that will meet the $1.2 trillion, 10-year mandate.

3 Nov 2011

Doctors face deep Medicare pay reductions — but slightly less than original estimates suggest

Without congressional intervention, physicians will face a 27.4 percent Medicare pay cut on Jan. 1. This reduction is slightly smaller than the earlier estimate of 29.5 percent.

3 Nov 2011

Long-term care insurance gets boost from federal workers

In September, the Office of Personnel Management announced that it had added 45,000 people to its long-term care insurance rolls - a 20 percent jump after a three-month enrollment period. It's the largest long-term care plan in the country, with 297,000 enrollees - all government employees or their families. The surge is notable because long-term care insurance has attracted so few new customers in recent years, even though an estimated 15 million people will need long-term services by 2020.

3 Nov 2011

Medicare fee payments for outpatient care to go up 1.9 percent; payments for home health will drop

Hospital operators such as Tenet Healthcare Corp. (THC) will get higher federal payments for emergency room visits, diagnostic imaging and other outpatient services in 2012 under U.S. rules. Medicare payments for outpatient services will rise 1.9 percent to $41 billion and dialysis clinics, cancer centers and ambulatory surgery facilities also are scheduled to receive modest fee increases from the U.S. health program for the elderly and disabled under regulations issued yesterday.

3 Nov 2011

State Medicaid Directors seek to sway feds on eligibility rules

In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the state officials made recommendations about new regulations and asked for coordination between federal and state leaders. Meanwhile, in other Medicaid news, a New York doctor gets a big payout from his whistleblower lawsuit, and the Lousiania program reports a shortfall.

3 Nov 2011

Edwards Lifescience receives FDA approval for Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first artificial heart valve that can replace an aortic heart valve damaged by senile aortic valve stenosis without open-heart surgery.

3 Nov 2011

Viewpoints: GOP intransigence on super committee; taxing health benefits would backfire; the need for care in defining essential benefits

There may be logic to Speaker John Boehner's insidious intransigence. Republicans keep saying no and Democrats keep offering more concessions. Super committee Republicans suggested instead a package based largely on cuts in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, combined with magical hundreds of billions they say would be produced by slashing assistance to the elderly and the vulnerable, by selling off government assets, and by the growth sparked by tax cuts.

3 Nov 2011

First Edition: November 2, 2011

In today's headlines, reports about Tuesday's super committee hearing and the message communicated by bipartisan budget hawks to the panel -- raise revenue and revamp health programs.

2 Nov 2011