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Viewpoints: Calif. could take a lesson from Wis. reforms; Republican advocates a 'Nixon to China' embrace of Medicare for all

The state's teachers union, Wisconsinites learned, had used its power to collectively bargain for healthcare benefits to demand that local school districts provide coverage through a nonprofit insurer affiliated with the union. Once the state ended bargaining on healthcare, school boards began competitively bidding out their health insurance. By the opening of the new school year in September, just two months after the budget bill went into effect, 23 districts had rebid their contracts, saving $16 million, or an average of $211 per student.

17 Jul 2012

First Edition: July 17, 2012

Today's headlines include a report that concludes that few Americans will pay more as a result of the health law.

17 Jul 2012

Health law continues to be challenge for Romney campaign

GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney continues to confront issues about the similarities between the health reform he signed while Massachusetts governor and the 2010 federal health law. Meanwhile, The Associated Press reports about some of Romney's potential running mates and key issues in the campaign.

17 Jul 2012

Repeal strategies take shape -- though none will likely be easy

Yes, if Mitt Romney wins the White House and his Republican allies retake the Senate, he could shred most of President Barack Obama's health care law without having to overpower a Democratic filibuster. But it won't be as easy as some Republicans portend, and it certainly won't be quick. Why? Because any realistic effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act -- as opposed to last week's quixotic vote in the GOP-controlled House -- is sure to get jumbled together with lots of other issues, including Medicare, taxes, food stamps and defense spending.

17 Jul 2012

Governors stake out political and policy positions on Medicaid expansion

During the National Governors Association meeting this past weekend in Williamsburg, Va., the nation's state executives continued to wrestle with what to do in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision.

17 Jul 2012

Viewpoints: 'Tug of War' over Medicaid expansion; Bill Keller debunks 5 'Obamacare' myths

The new health care law's individual mandate - the provision pushing people to buy insurance, and upheld last month by the Supreme Court - has garnered huge attention. But about half the planned expansion of insurance coverage under the new law comes from another source entirely: growth of the Medicaid program. Yet Medicaid has never been especially popular, and when its expanded role becomes more widely understood, it is likely to become less popular still.

17 Jul 2012

Polls: Public views health law as a tax, opinions divided along party lines

A Quinnipiac poll finds that most people view the health law as a tax increase, while a survey by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press not only found that the public is sharply divided over the law, but in regard to the court, too.

14 Jul 2012

Governors' concerns continue to surface about health law's Medicaid expansion

Though much of the dust-up following the Supreme Court's Medicaid decision has come from Republican governors vowing to opt out of the expansion, news outlets report that some Democratic governors also have concerns. Meanwhile, Kentucky became the 13th state to say it would set up its own online insurance exchange where individuals and small businesses could shop for coverage beginning in 2014.

14 Jul 2012

Viewpoints: Wis. Gov. calls Obamacare 'bad policy;' 'Do the math' before deciding on Medicaid expansion

Since the Supreme Court upheld President Obama's health-care mandate, there has been exhaustive discussion about the philosophical basis of this federal law. As Election Day approaches, debate will surely grow about the proper role of our federal government. But while much attention has focused on Congress's intention to repeal or replace the Affordable Care Act, too few are studying the law's practical impact.

14 Jul 2012

State roundup: Bankrupt Calif. city's retirees sue

A group of Stockton retirees has filed suit in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Sacramento asking for a restraining order against the city's moves to cut their health benefits. The city informed retirees by letter that they must pay their premiums by July 30 or "medical coverage will be canceled retroactive to July 1."

13 Jul 2012

Medicaid news: Federal officials question drop in Pa.'s rolls

In Pennsylvania, the federal government is checking into why 130,000 people were removed from the Medicaid program.

13 Jul 2012

Governors continue to mull, question Medicaid expansion

In the weeks since the Supreme Court ruling, several Republican governors opposed to the law have declared that they will opt out of its Medicaid expansion, which is set to take effect in 2014 and would cover those earning 133 percent or less of the federal poverty level.

13 Jul 2012

First Edition: July 12, 2012

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz, working in collaboration with The Philadelphia Inquirer, reports: Penn is one of a small, but growing number of hospitals taking their advertising campaigns to Facebook, Google and other websites. Fewer than 150 of the nation's 6,000 hospitals use Google and Facebook to market services, estimates Rob Grant, executive vice president of eVariant, a Simsbury, Ct.-based hospital consulting firm.

12 Jul 2012

Feds will waive insurance mandate for low-income people in states that opt against Medicaid expansion

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius urged states to participate in the expansion, but said the administration would waive penalties against poor residents for not carrying insurance in states that opt out. Experts, meanwhile, urge the administration to "be flexible" with states regarding the Medicaid expansion. And Wall Street continues to view Medicaid as a growth opportunity.

12 Jul 2012

GOP lawmaker unveils draft bill on contraceptive coverage rule

The measure focuses on the potential tax implications of the Health and Human Services rule that contraceptives be counted -- without cost-sharing -- among the preventive health services that most employer-sponsored health plans offer.

12 Jul 2012

Viewpoints: Trouble keeping health costs down; Ignagni says law needs some revisions; Coverage is like clean water

Now that the Supreme Court has provided legal certainty on the recent healthcare reform law, the nation must turn its attention to affordability. While the law expands coverage to millions of Americans, a goal health plans have long supported, major provisions of the law need to be changed to avoid significant cost increases for consumers and employers.

12 Jul 2012

Perry rejects Medicaid expansion, opts not to create state-run health exchange

Gov. Rick Perry's announcement that Texas will not pursue either of these two elements of the federal health law is drawing both national and regional headlines. But other GOP governors are delaying and mulling these decisions.

11 Jul 2012

Viewpoints: Obama's 'ideological gymnastics;' Health law's promise of mental health parity; Perry's 'platitudes' on care in Texas

Mitt Romney is under fire for flip-flopping when he declared that the individual mandate is a tax, after a campaign adviser said it was not. In a front-page story, the New York Times wrote that Romney's statement "prompted renewed criticism that he was willing to adjust his views for political expediency." Bill Burton of the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA opined on what he called "Romney's ideological gymnastics."

11 Jul 2012

Roundup: Calif. insurers to lower rate hikes for small businesses, Mass. Gov backs easing doc gift ban

Tens of thousands of small businesses in California collectively will save $48 million on their health insurance bills starting this month now that three insurers have agreed to reduce pending rate hikes.

10 Jul 2012

Viewpoints: Daschle says health law still has 4 hurdles; Commentators from states such as Calif., Texas and Florida wrestle with options

The GOP-controlled U.S. House plans to hold what can only be called symbolic votes on repealing the sweeping reforms they deride as "Obamacare." Meanwhile, at least 15 governors are said to be leaning toward refusing to expand state Medicaid programs -- a key part of the reform's strategy to provide some form of health insurance to the 32 million people now going without coverage.

10 Jul 2012

Health Reform News and Research

Viewpoints: Calif. could take a lesson from Wis. reforms; Republican advocates a 'Nixon to China' embrace of Medicare for all

First Edition: July 17, 2012

Health law continues to be challenge for Romney campaign

Repeal strategies take shape -- though none will likely be easy

Governors stake out political and policy positions on Medicaid expansion

Viewpoints: 'Tug of War' over Medicaid expansion; Bill Keller debunks 5 'Obamacare' myths

Polls: Public views health law as a tax, opinions divided along party lines

Governors' concerns continue to surface about health law's Medicaid expansion

Viewpoints: Wis. Gov. calls Obamacare 'bad policy;' 'Do the math' before deciding on Medicaid expansion

State roundup: Bankrupt Calif. city's retirees sue

Medicaid news: Federal officials question drop in Pa.'s rolls

Governors continue to mull, question Medicaid expansion

First Edition: July 12, 2012

Feds will waive insurance mandate for low-income people in states that opt against Medicaid expansion

GOP lawmaker unveils draft bill on contraceptive coverage rule

Viewpoints: Trouble keeping health costs down; Ignagni says law needs some revisions; Coverage is like clean water

Perry rejects Medicaid expansion, opts not to create state-run health exchange

Viewpoints: Obama's 'ideological gymnastics;' Health law's promise of mental health parity; Perry's 'platitudes' on care in Texas

Roundup: Calif. insurers to lower rate hikes for small businesses, Mass. Gov backs easing doc gift ban

Viewpoints: Daschle says health law still has 4 hurdles; Commentators from states such as Calif., Texas and Florida wrestle with options

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