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Viewpoints: Iowa 'botched' high risk pool; Clinton praises Family and Medical Leave Act; HHS contraceptive policy's 'sensible balance'

The health reform law will get millions of Americans coverage in 2014. Until then, Congress offered Iowa up to $35 million to provide temporary insurance for people whose health prevent them from buying coverage on their own. Iowa botched the entire concept behind the high-risk pool, and state and federal officials stood by and failed to take corrective action.

7 Feb 2013

State roundup: Calif. 'Healthy Families' deficit at $100M

The Healthy Families program has run out of money, according to state health officials. The deficit currently stands at almost $100 million and will keep rising every month, according to Janette Casillas, executive director of the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board, which oversees Healthy Families. Gov. Jerry Brown's administration is pursuing two ideas for refilling the coffers: reinstitution of a recently expired tax on managed care organizations and an appropriation bill if the MCO tax isn't revived.

6 Feb 2013

GOP small biz chair says employer mandate hurting growth

The House Small Business Committee chairman says the health law's employer insurance mandate will hurt small business growth in America while House Republicans will again this week try to pass bills on health care that the Senate ignored.

5 Feb 2013

CMS releases overdue final 'Sunshine Act' rule on payments to physicians

Under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, financial relationships that drug and device makers have with doctors must be disclosed.

5 Feb 2013

Viewpoints: Obama's 'olive branch' on birth control coverage; Sen. Kirk recounts his stroke therapy; Nurses oppose mandatory flu shots

The Obama administration released the final details Friday of the exemption it will provide religious-affiliated employers from the requirement to include free birth control in employees' insurance policies. Not surprisingly, the announcement didn't seem to mollify any of the critics who'd been arguing that the exemption was inadequate.

4 Feb 2013

Health law counts new allies, all-time high support in Calif.

The battle to win American hearts when it comes to supporting the health law continues as a new organization takes hold, a ranking lawmaker reiterates his intent to defend it and the law finds all-time high support in California.

3 Feb 2013

CMS releases delayed final rule on payments to physicians

Under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, financial relationships that drug and device makers have with doctors must be disclosed.

3 Feb 2013

Administration issues proposed rule on contraception coverage mandate and nonprofit religious organizations

The Department of Health and Human Services today announced a proposed rule that, according to an agency press release, lays out "how nonprofit religious organizations, such as nonprofit religious hospitals or institutions of higher education, that object to contraception on religious grounds can receive an accommodation that provides their enrollees separate contraceptive coverage, and with no co-pays, but at no cost to the religious organization."

2 Feb 2013

Viewpoints: Health law's 'implausible' foundations; 4 needed health reforms; Sunlight on drugmaker payments to doctors

As the federal government moves forward to implement President Obama's Affordable Care Act, the Department of Health and Human Services is slated to spend millions of dollars promoting the unpopular legislation. In the face of this publicity blitz, it is worth remembering that the law was originally sold largely on four grounds - all of which have become increasingly implausible.

2 Feb 2013

Ohio might join ranks of red states opting for Medicaid expansion

John Kasich, the state's Republican governor, hints to The Cincinnati Enquirer that he might call for this step in his two-year budget plan, expected to be released in the next few days.

1 Feb 2013

Eligibility for health insurance subsidies narrower than many consumer groups had hoped

A final rule, released Wednesday, set out a strict definition of affordable health insurance that will prevent many families with modest incomes from obtaining federal financial assistance.

1 Feb 2013

First Edition: February 1, 2013

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jenny Gold, working in collaboration with NPR, reports: "As of mid-January, most of NYU is up and running again, including the labor and delivery unit. But the question still looms whether NYU will lose some of the patients and even doctors who sought refuge at NYU's biggest competitors after the storm. If that happens, the storm could end up having a long term impact on NYU's valuable share of the fiercely competitive health care market in New York City."

1 Feb 2013

House Republicans keep target on health law's insurance subsidies

Meanwhile, a new GOP lawmaker from Texas renews his pledge to undo "ObamaCare" while a senator focuses on workforce issues.

31 Jan 2013

Building health insurance exchanges

News outlets report on small business concerns, the potential impact of immigration reform and how some medical device makers are passing on new fees to their customers.

29 Jan 2013

Viewpoints: GOP's hope to end deficits in 10 years will mean 'dramatic cuts' in entitlements; Mass. health overhaul brings need for more taxes

Ryan has a daunting new assignment that may make that message even more difficult to sell. He's been charged by House Speaker John A. Boehner with drawing up a new budget that will erase the federal deficit within 10 years (the first Ryan budget, written in 2011, needed 30 years) solely through spending cuts

25 Jan 2013

Roundup: Lessons from Mass. health reform; Berwick moves closer to gov. bid; Jindal reverses Medicaid hospice cut

When Massachusetts adopted its landmark health care law in 2006, the goals were ambitious and the potential solutions complex. ... What are they getting in return?

25 Jan 2013

Employer-insurer coalition asks HHS to pare essential benefits

Employers, insurers and health providers worry that requiring expansive coverage in the policies sold in health insurance markets could make insurance unaffordable.

25 Jan 2013

Sen. Harkin prepares sweeping public health legislation to combat obesity

Senate HELP Committee Chairman Sen. Tom Harkin is -- for the sixth time -- introducing legislation to combat obesity in children and adults across America using a host of new programs.

24 Jan 2013

Viewpoints: 'A president set to fight' and a speech that argues for 'a collective turn'

On Monday, there was a clear sense that a pent-up Obama agenda had begun to tumble out - along with a clear willingness to engage in more and new partisan battles with Republicans in pursuit of it.

23 Jan 2013

Health law's new spending offers tempting target for lawmakers in search of savings

The overhaul includes $1.7 trillion in new spending over the next decade -- which is being eyed by members of Congress for various reasons. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times reports on a mental health coverage gap in the health law's effort to expand access to health care, and The Washington Post reports on how employer challenges to the law are taking shape.

23 Jan 2013

Health Reform News and Research

Viewpoints: Iowa 'botched' high risk pool; Clinton praises Family and Medical Leave Act; HHS contraceptive policy's 'sensible balance'

State roundup: Calif. 'Healthy Families' deficit at $100M

GOP small biz chair says employer mandate hurting growth

CMS releases overdue final 'Sunshine Act' rule on payments to physicians

Viewpoints: Obama's 'olive branch' on birth control coverage; Sen. Kirk recounts his stroke therapy; Nurses oppose mandatory flu shots

Health law counts new allies, all-time high support in Calif.

CMS releases delayed final rule on payments to physicians

Administration issues proposed rule on contraception coverage mandate and nonprofit religious organizations

Viewpoints: Health law's 'implausible' foundations; 4 needed health reforms; Sunlight on drugmaker payments to doctors

Ohio might join ranks of red states opting for Medicaid expansion

Eligibility for health insurance subsidies narrower than many consumer groups had hoped

First Edition: February 1, 2013

House Republicans keep target on health law's insurance subsidies

Building health insurance exchanges

Viewpoints: GOP's hope to end deficits in 10 years will mean 'dramatic cuts' in entitlements; Mass. health overhaul brings need for more taxes

Roundup: Lessons from Mass. health reform; Berwick moves closer to gov. bid; Jindal reverses Medicaid hospice cut

Employer-insurer coalition asks HHS to pare essential benefits

Sen. Harkin prepares sweeping public health legislation to combat obesity

Viewpoints: 'A president set to fight' and a speech that argues for 'a collective turn'

Health law's new spending offers tempting target for lawmakers in search of savings

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