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CMS releases proposed rule for health insurance co-ops

Even though considerable doubts surround the survival prospects of these co-ops, they are envisioned as a means to give consumers better value than existing insurance companies. Start-up loans will be available to co-ops that have good odds of becoming financially viable.

20 Jul 2011

Curiosity emerges regarding federal fallback for health exchanges

Will there really be a strong federal health insurance exchange to take over for states that don't build their own? Or is it a paper tiger? That question is nagging at some policy experts following last week's release of the proposed federal rules on the new state health insurance marketplaces, which are supposed to be set up in every state by 2014 under President Barack Obama's health reform law.

20 Jul 2011

Efforts underway to fix health law glitch

Two separate bills have been introduced to address this health law issue, which inadvertently would make 3 million middle-income early retirees eligible for Medicaid because Social Security benefits would not be factored into their income. The fix could save $13 billion. However, it's not clear if either measure will move forward.

20 Jul 2011

Major Hispanic marketing group, National Health Partners enter CARExpress agreement

National Health Partners, Inc., a leading provider of unique discount healthcare membership programs, announced today that it has entered into agreement with a major Hispanic marketing group for the sale of its CARExpress programs.

20 Jul 2011

State roundup: Maine, Minn. GOP want insurance changes

Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) told an enthusiastic crowd at the Heritage Foundation on Monday that his Republican administration thinks "taking off the shackles" from insurers is the way to keep healthcare costs low for rural residents.

20 Jul 2011

First Edition: July 19, 2011

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver reports: "New consumer-controlled health insurance plans could get seed money from the government to increase competition - and maybe cut prices -- under new rules announced Monday by the Department of Health and Human Services".

19 Jul 2011

State roundup: Strain felt from home care, adult day care cuts

A growing number of states are shifting health care costs to the federal government by finding military veterans who receive Medicaid and signing them up for medical benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Arizona, California and Texas are among the states that are working to replicate a program first launched in Washington State.

19 Jul 2011

Married men with heart attack seek help sooner: Study

A new study implies that married men tend to live longer than their unwed counterparts, they're more likely to see their doctor regularly, and they even have a lower risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. The study shows that men who experience chest pains while having a heart attack tend to get to a hospital sooner if they're married or in a common-law relationship. A woman's marital status, by contrast, was not associated with how quickly she sought treatment after experiencing heart-attack-related chest pains, according to the study, which was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

19 Jul 2011

Capitol Hill prepares for politically charged votes on debt limit

With the deadline just about two weeks away, lawmakers continue to struggle to reach an agreement surrounding the effort to raise the nation's borrowing limit.

18 Jul 2011

IPAB continues to draw repeal talk

Health exchanges, accountable care organizations, high-risk pools and waivers are among health law hot topics also attracting headlines.

18 Jul 2011

Aetna enters agreement to acquire account-based health plan administrator, PayFlex

Aetna today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire PayFlex Holdings, Inc., one of the nation's largest independent account-based health plan administrators, with approximately 1 million accounts and approximately 3,300 direct employer customers.

18 Jul 2011

First Edition: July 18, 2011

Today's health policy headlines include the latest news on the debt-ceiling talks as well as reports on IPAB and health exchanges.

18 Jul 2011

AHRQ: Employees with family coverage pay 27% of health insurance premium

Nationwide, private-sector employees with single coverage contributed 21 percent of the cost of their health insurance and employees with family coverage paid 27 percent, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

16 Jul 2011

Alabama insurance premium hikes may soon come under federal scrutiny

In other state insurance news, the Georgia health plan that covers about 700,000 state workers, retirees and dependents is facing low reserves, and two California insurers announces new coverage for autism therapy.

16 Jul 2011

Children with private insurance more likely to receive comprehensive primary care

Children with public insurance are 22 percent less likely to receive comprehensive primary care than those with private insurance, according to new research from the University of Michigan Medical School.

16 Jul 2011

Lap Band surgery less expensive than other obesity-related treatments

By being safe, minimally invasive, and extremely effective, the Lap Band has become one of the most accessible means for obese individuals with a BMI of 35 or higher to shed their excess weight and lead healthier lives.

16 Jul 2011

Longer looks: Penalties for doctors who keep patients waiting

When she makes a doctor's appointment, Cherie Kerr makes it clear that she better not be kept waiting long. She said she usually tries to schedule the first appointment of the day, or the first one after lunch. But if the doctor is going to be late, she insists the staff give her a call -- lest the office be billed for her time in the waiting room.

15 Jul 2011

State roundup: Model insurance brings 'modest' savings

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' alternative quality contract, which Governor Deval Patrick has held up as a potential model for controlling health care costs, produced "modest" savings in its first year while yielding improved quality of care in some areas, according to a new study in this week's New England Journal of Medicine.

15 Jul 2011

Viewpoints: Teaching hospital cuts; Medicare & debt deal politics; end-of-life care

Teaching hospitals educate the next generation of physicians—who are clearly essential for our future. But the importance of academic medical centers and teaching hospitals goes far beyond delivering care.

15 Jul 2011

First Edition: July 14, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about how tempers are flaring in the midst of debt-ceiling negotiations, and how failure to reach an agreement could lead to tough choices about which of the nation's obligations will be left unpaid.

14 Jul 2011