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House GOP targets CLASS Act during subcommittee hearing

Republicans on the panel took issue with the 2012 start-up funding sought by the Department of Health and Human Services, though the long-term care program is one part of the health law Democrats have made clear they are open to refining.

19 Mar 2011

House lawmakers introduce bill to protect health insurance brokers

A bipartisan duo of lawmakers introduced a bill Thursday that would throw a lifeline to insurance agents and brokers who fear the health care reform law will put them out of business.

19 Mar 2011

Research roundup: Successful medical homes; shortage of HIV doctors; boosting use of $4 generic drugs

Every Friday, Jennifer Evans compiles this selection of recently-released health policy studies and briefs.

19 Mar 2011

Roundup: Texas attacks health law as Calif., Ind. hospitals cope with law's effects

At today's meeting of the House Select Committee on State Sovereignty, Republican lawmakers laid out a dozen bills — and a handful of different strategies — to prevent implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in Texas, and allow the state to operate Medicaid its own way.

19 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 18, 2011

Today's headlines include news about events planned to mark the health law's first anniversary as well as other developments related to the measure's implementatioin and the budget issues Congress continues to wrestle.

18 Mar 2011

S&P Healthcare Economic Composite Index for 12-month period ending January 2011 is 6.29%

Data released today by Standard & Poor's for the S&P Healthcare Economic Composite Index indicate that the average per capita cost of healthcare services covered by commercial insurance and Medicare programs increased by 6.29% over the 12-months ending January 2011.

18 Mar 2011

Blue Shield of California withdraws planned rate hike

Part of the reason for the decision may have been the result of political and public pressure, but an unexpected development may have made the retreat easier for the company to accept — it's paying out less than expected for claims.

18 Mar 2011

At the one-year mark, implications of health law emerge

Media outlets report on a range of issues related to implementation of the health law and its one-year anniversary — among them, the unexpected importance taken on by waivers, the marketplace impact on health insurance brokers, the geography of the health care workforce issues likely to result from coverage expansions and the continuing problems faced by lawmakers who are trying to repeal the measure's 1099 reporting provision.

18 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Houston's 'painful' E.R. decision; Arizona's 'war' on kids' health care; protecting elders from abuse

Women are the majority of public-sector employees at the state and local levels and have already lost 320,000 public-sector jobs in the past two years. In addition, the GOP majority is attempting to defund Title X services, which have connected millions of American women to health care since 1970.

18 Mar 2011

UPMC Health Plan earns recognition for overall satisfaction in Pennsylvania

UPMC Health Plan earned the highest ranking for overall satisfaction by a health insurer in Pennsylvania in 2011, according to a study on member experience by J.D. Power and Associates, the nationally recognized market research company.

18 Mar 2011

ACAP selects ArpegioHealth as vendor for business strategy services

National management consulting firm ArpegioHealth announced today it has been selected by the Association for Community Affiliated Plans as a preferred vendor for business strategy.

18 Mar 2011

Roundup: Cuts in Calif. programs; Ga. seeks federal MLR waiver; N.J. lawmakers try to restore some health funding

State lawmakers Wednesday approved billions of dollars in cuts to welfare, medical programs for the poor and in-home care for the elderly and frail, among other services, moving forward key pieces of Gov. Jerry Brown's budget reduction package.

18 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 17, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about a new GAO report showing success in health insurer appeals and a decision by Blue Shield of California to retreat from proposed rate increases.

17 Mar 2011

Health law battle lines prominent as 1st anniversary approaches

Some Democrats say their party should embrace the law in the upcoming campaign season, just as some tea party lawmakers are questioning the GOP leadership's commitment to repeal it. In the background, "death panels" have again emerged as a topic of congressional investigation.

17 Mar 2011

Abortion funding limits may be at odds with GOP interest in tax benefits

Bloomberg reports that House Republican efforts to limit abortion funding "are colliding" with the GOP aversion to limiting tax benefits. Meanwhile, NPR takes a look at state abortion legislation and what may be motivating those who support these proposals.

17 Mar 2011

CBAI to operate its own business strategies

Cord Blood America, Inc., the umbilical cord blood stem cell preservation company focused on bringing the life saving potential of stem cells to families nationwide and internationally, said today the focus of the Company on a go forward basis is to operate entirely off its own cash flow.

17 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Wis. Medicaid dilemma; an army doc's Rx for cutting costs; Rep. Boren on repeal

These slipshod exercises in governance were choreographed by House Republicans, who knew that neither the Senate nor President Obama would ever accept their original proposal to gut nonsecurity discretionary spending with $61 billion in cuts through September, including riders to end financing for Planned Parenthood and the health care law.

17 Mar 2011

State roundup: Moving ahead on exchanges; Ga. training minority docs

House Majority Leader Amy Stephens is no fan of "Obamacare." So Stephens, at first glance, seemed an unlikely co-sponsor of legislation that would enact one of the key tenets of health reform: the requirement that states set up health insurance "exchanges," marketplaces where individuals and small businesses can shop for insurance.

17 Mar 2011

Individuals face roadblocks in buying health insurance

According to the Commonwealth Fund, difficulty getting health coverage — combined with rising treatment costs and high unemployment levels — triggered a jump in the number of Americans who struggle to pay their medical expenses.

17 Mar 2011

It's the health law's birthday and not everyone is celebrating

The health overhaul's first anniversary — just about a week away — is already being marked on Capitol Hill with a number of hearings and other events related to exploring, complimenting and criticizing the law's implementation.

16 Mar 2011