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Poll: Public is split on candidates who backed Obamacare

But support has significantly increased for lawmakers who voted for the law, according to the Washington Post/ABC News poll. Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a potential GOP presidential candidate, tells a constituent worried about Obamacare to "elect a new president," and former White House adviser Ezekiel Emanuel writes in a new book that many of the early problems with the law were "self-inflicted."

6 Mar 2014

Obama's budget eyes provider cuts to save money

The president's proposal would save $402 billion from Medicare and Medicaid over 10 years, mostly from lower reimbursements to health care providers and drugmakers.

5 Mar 2014

First Edition: March 5, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about President Barack Obama's 2015 budget as well as the latest state-level Medicaid expansion developments.

5 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: Frightening seniors; regulating e-cigarettes; waiting for black lung drugs

The Obama administration's proposed cuts to Medicare Advantage plans - the private insurance plans that cover almost 30 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries - are fair and reasonable. As it happens, they are also mandated by law. Yet Republicans, sensing a campaign issue, are telling older and disabled Americans that the administration is "raiding Medicare Advantage to pay for Obamacare." The health insurance industry, for its part, is warning that enrollees will suffer higher premiums, lower benefits and fewer choices among doctors if the cuts go into force (3/1).

4 Mar 2014

Study finds significant reduction in hospital admissions with Medicare Part D prescription coverage

A new study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Illinois at Chicago finds that Medicare Part D prescription coverage significantly reduced hospital admissions and program expenditures totaling $1.5 billion annually.

4 Mar 2014

Majority of Medicare home health beneficiaries are old, poor and more likely to be women

New analyses completed by Avalere Health and Dobson DaVanzo & Associates released today by the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare find that the majority of Medicare home health beneficiaries and caregivers, both skilled and informal, are women and that Medicare home health beneficiaries are among the most vulnerable of all Medicare beneficiaries.

4 Mar 2014

Forster Physical Therapy named official physical therapy provider of 2014 Asics LA Marathon

Forster Physical Therapy has been named the official physical therapy provider of the 2014 Asics LA Marathon. www.forsterpt.com. And prior to the March 9th race, Forster Physical Therapy is offering free injury assessments to runners experiencing aches and pains while attempting to continue their preparation for the marathon.

4 Mar 2014

Plan to revamp Medicare drug plans meets resistance

A bipartisan group of senators are criticizing the Obama administration's efforts to make significant changes to Part D drug plans.

4 Mar 2014

Study: Twitter could be used to track HIV incidence and drug-related behaviors

Real-time social media like Twitter could be used to track HIV incidence and drug-related behaviors with the aim of detecting and potentially preventing outbreaks, a new UCLA-led study shows.

3 Mar 2014

First Edition: February 28, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about the latest developments for those states that are running their own health insurance exchanges and facing difficulties.

28 Feb 2014

Medicare Part D cost-saving plan draws opposition on several fronts

Among other things, the proposal would limit the types of antidepressants -- and other kinds of drugs -- that are available to Medicare beneficiaries. Drug industry and insurer groups are lining up against the change.

27 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 27, 2014

Today's headlines include a number of stories about Obama past and present administration officials -- notably, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden -- who are stepping up to "sell" people on enrolling in new health law insurance coverage.

27 Feb 2014

Weighing Medicare claims and health law 'job killer' accusations

We have delved into this issue before and find the certainty with which both sides hold their positions to be dismaying. Each side can point to data to make their case, even though the law has only begun to be implemented (Kessler, 2/26).

27 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 26, 2014

Today's headlines include reports that, according to the Obama administration, insurance sign-ups under the health law have hit 4 million.

26 Feb 2014

U.S study:10% of non-lifetime marijuana users report that they would try marijuana if legal

National support for marijuana ("cannabis") legalization is increasing in the United States (US). Recreational use was recently legalized in the states of Colorado and Washington; other states across the country are expected to follow suit.

26 Feb 2014

Regulators propose 1.9% cut to Medicare advantage payments

Federal regulators late Friday proposed cutting payments to private Medicare plans by 1.9 percent after recent lower health care spending growth. Insurers worry the cut could be much deeper than that after health law fees and other payment changes take effect, however, and say another cut could affect benefits for seniors.

25 Feb 2014