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Boehner draws line in sand on debt-limit vote

One of his main themes was the need for "honest conversations" about how to control the costs of the Medicare program — a statement some viewed as a signal that the GOP is still committed to restructuring at least some elements of the health insurance program for the elderly.

11 May 2011

Viewpoints: NY Times warning on women's rights; WSJ on 'Romneycare'; Dutch model for Medicare

The ObamaCare preview that Massachusetts has been conducting for the last several years grows more ominous by the month, not that anyone in Washington is paying attention. A new survey released yesterday by the Massachusetts Medical Society reveals that fewer than half of the state's primary care practices are accepting new patients, down from 70% in 2007, before former Governor Mitt Romney's health-care plan came online.

11 May 2011

HHS: Few families without health insurance have financial assets to pay hospital bills

A new report released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows that few families without health insurance have the financial assets to pay potential hospital bills.

10 May 2011

ADI, Mayo Clinic announce new health insurance option for Canadians

Mayo Clinic has announced a new health insurance option that will allow Canadians to access Mayo Clinic expertise and care. The product, called MyCare, is provided by Assured Diagnosis Inc. and will be available nationwide in Canada, initially excluding Quebec.

10 May 2011

UNC researchers present latest advances in GI, medicine and technology at DDW 2011

Digestive Disease Week is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.

10 May 2011

RWJF offers health law implementation assistance to states

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will offer states assistance in implementing elements of the health law that involve expanding access to the uninsured.

9 May 2011

Confusion surrounds Medicare proposals, budget plan debate

News outlets report on the fits and starts of the ongoing budget deficit talks, including how plans for Medicare's future are faring and how politics are heating up — both in Washington and in a special congressional election beyond the Beltway.

9 May 2011

Appeals Court set to hear arguments Tuesday in health law challenge

Arguments in the two cases, which are the first two challenges to the Obama administration's health overhaul to advance from the federal to appellate level, mark the beginning in what some say is a race to the Supreme Court.

9 May 2011

First Edition: May 9, 2011

"It sounds like a new Apple product, but IPAB is actually a controversial board at the heart of a highly charged battle over Medicare, the federal health program for the elderly and disabled".

9 May 2011

Centene's AHCCCS receives Bridgeway contract to deliver Arizona Long Term Care System services

Centene Corporation was notified that the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System has awarded Bridgeway Health Solutions, Centene's Arizona subsidiary, contracts to deliver Arizona Long Term Care System services.

9 May 2011

Retirees face big challenges on health costs

A survey by Sun Life Financial, released this week, found that 92 percent of workers said they don't know how much their health care will cost in retirement or vastly underestimated the amount. Only 8 percent were in the correct range, estimating costs of $200,000 or more. In fact, a 65-year-old couple retiring this year will need $230,000, on average, to cover medical expenses in retirement, according to a separate Fidelity Investments study released in March.

9 May 2011

Pawlenty's health-care claims during debate get mixed ratings

During the first Republican presidential debate of the 2012 campaign, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty reminded viewers that President Barack Obama was against a requirement that everyone buy health insurance before he was for it. Just a few years ago, Obama "promised the nation he would do health care reform focused on cost containment, he opposed the individual mandate," Pawlenty said on May 5, 2011.

9 May 2011

Florida, Vermont, Hawaii, Maine make sweeping health care changes

As some state legislative sessions begin drawing to a close, news outlets report on major changes in health care. Florida is overhauling its Medicaid program, Vermont passed a modified "single payer" bill, Hawaii is trying a "medical home" model and the Maine legislature has a new approach to insurance sales in the state.

9 May 2011

IPAB claims a friend within the GOP

During a break in a Thursday House subcommittee hearing on elements of the health law, Mark McClellan offered positive views of IPAB. Also during the hearing, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius commented on how the reform law assists entitlement reform and gave her views on the measure's pre-existing condition program.

7 May 2011

Vermont legislature passes bill to establish single payer health plan

The Vermont House has given final approval to an ambitious plan to move Vermont toward a universal, publicly funded health care system. The next stop for the legislation is the desk of Gov. Peter Shumlin, a strong supporter. The bill would set up a new Green Mountain Care health insurance program under which every Vermont resident would be eligible for coverage.

7 May 2011

Appellate hearing for two health law challenges scheduled for Tuesday

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit will consider two cases testing the sweeping law that requires people to buy health insurance by 2014 or face a tax penalty.

7 May 2011

Research roundup: Racial disparities in cancer screening and VA treatment

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Colorectal Cancer Screening Persisted Despite Expansion Of Medicare's Screening Reimbursement. This study looked at the effect in minority groups of expanded reimbursements by Medicare for colorectal cancer screenings.

7 May 2011