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Consumers examine government's new health care website, health insurers critical

News outlets continue to report on the federal government's new health care website, healthcare.gov, launched Thursday.

3 Jul 2010

Insurer stocks drop; Drugmakers shed 35,000 jobs

News outlets report on a drop in health insurance stocks and the elimination of 35,000 jobs in the drug industry this year.

3 Jul 2010

States anxiously hoping for extra Medicaid funds extension

Kaiser Health News: "Democrats are leaving Washington for their July 4th recess without passing key parts of their health agenda. Among the provisions being left for when Congress returns from a week-long break: enhanced Medicaid aid for states and a subsidy to help the laid off afford to keep their former employer's health insurance.

3 Jul 2010

High-risk pools begin taking applications in some states

The Dallas Morning News: The federal government began accepting applications Thursday for coverage through high-risk insurance pools from people who have been unable to obtain insurance on the commercial market due to pre-existing conditions. "To be eligible, people must be uninsured for at least six months and have been turned down for coverage by a private insurer because of a medical problem. Applications for the insurance are available online at www.HealthCare.gov. Coverage starts Aug. 1" (Boderson, 7/2).

3 Jul 2010

Virginia challenge to health overhaul goes to court

Justice Department and the state of Virginia lawyers faced off Thursday in the first challenge of the federal government's authority to require people purchase health insurance.

3 Jul 2010

Today's OpEds: Insurance premium caps; Doc shortage; High-risk pool

The insurer's proposed premium hikes are staggering, but the problem is that medical costs have been growing considerably faster than inflation. AB 2578 would help put a check on unjustified hikes ... The Assembly passed the bill last month, and we urge the Senate to follow suit (7/2).

3 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 2, 2010

Today's health policy headlines include the latest developments regarding Virginia's legal challenge to the federal health care overhaul.

2 Jul 2010

Online health insurance broker that once feared overhaul now sees new opportunities

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports: "EHealthInsurance, a large online health insurance broker, had once feared that its business might be imperiled by the health care overhaul.

2 Jul 2010

Federal officials ask judge to order upgrade of Georgia's mental health system; VA. officials in court today on suit against health law

Atlanta Journal Constitution: "Talks to settle a federal investigation of Georgia's mental health system came down to a single meeting Wednesday." And, "the talks failed. Federal authorities immediately went to court, asking a judge to force Georgia to make substantial and potentially expensive improvements in its state psychiatric hospitals and in its community-based treatment services — the same measures state officials rejected during the negotiations.

2 Jul 2010

Five questions about the government's new health insurance website

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz provides some key details relating to this new way to shop for health insurance coverage (Galewitz, 7/1).

2 Jul 2010

HHS launches website to provide consumers with public, private health coverage options

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today unveiled an innovative new on-line tool that will help consumers take control of their health care by connecting them to new information and resources that will help them access quality, affordable health care coverage. Called for by the Affordable Care Act, HealthCare.gov is the first website to provide consumers with both public and private health coverage options tailored specifically for their needs in a single, easy-to-use tool.

2 Jul 2010

Medical groups back medicare nominee Berwick

About 90 groups, including medical societies, patient and employer groups, all backed the nomination of Donald Berwick, a physician and health care quality advocate, to lead the federal Medicare agency.

2 Jul 2010

Virginia Lawsuit: Federal health reform law faces initial consitutional test

District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson said Thursday that "he will decide whether to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Virginia challenging the constitutionality of the federal health-care law within 30 days, providing an initial legal test in the landmark suit."

2 Jul 2010

Unemployment will run out for 1.3 million as GOP again blocks jobless bill

The Associated Press: Slightly more than 1.3 million people won't get unemployment benefits reinstated before Congress goes on its July 4th recess and an "additional 200,000 people who have been without a job for at least six months stand to lose their benefits each week, unless Congress acts."

2 Jul 2010

New Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan from HHS

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today the establishment of a new Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) that will offer coverage to uninsured Americans who have been unable to obtain health coverage because of a pre-existing health condition.

2 Jul 2010

Federal government launches new health insurance website

NPR reports that the website, which was mandated in the new health reform law, is meant to guide consumers through the process of securing health insurance.

2 Jul 2010

High-risk insurance pools open to people 'locked out' of market

People who have been unable to obtain health insurance in the commercial market because of pre-existing conditions can apply for a new, federally funded high-risk insurance pool beginning Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reports. "The program is the first major plank of the health overhaul signed into law in March, and it's designed as a temporary provision to expand coverage until 2014, when a requirement kicks in that insurers accept all applicants."

2 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 1, 2010

Today's health policy headlines highlight news about the launch of a government health insurance web site and the start of the high-risk health insurance pools mandated in the health reform law.

1 Jul 2010

Mass. reports on people who buy insurance only when sick; Wash. board considers aiding consumers get 'Plan B' referrals; ACLU sues R.I. over electronic records

The Boston Globe: "The number of people who appear to be gaming the state's health insurance system by purchasing coverage only when they are sick quadrupled from 2006 to 2008, according to a long-awaited report released yesterday from the Massachusetts Division of Insurance. The result is that insured residents of Massachusetts wind up paying more for health care, according to the report. … The report was released as state lawmakers consider proposals to make it harder for consumers to jump in and then dump their health insurance coverage" (Lazar, 6/30).

1 Jul 2010

Constituents of the U.S. healthcare system ready to adopt value-based insurance designs: Study

A new study commissioned by The TriZetto Group, Inc. finds that doctors, health insurers, consumers and other constituents of the U.S. healthcare system say they are ready and willing to adopt value-based insurance designs and related payment programs. Such designs encourage patients and clinicians to make better choices to improve care based on proven best practices, using both better information and financial incentives.

1 Jul 2010