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Administration: Contraception rule does not burden religious groups

In the latest legal skirmish over the so-called contraceptive mandate in the health law, Obama administration lawyers urged Justice Sonia Sotomayor to drop an appeal from the Little Sisters of the Poor and other Catholic groups.

6 Jan 2014

Biocides used in food industry at sublethal doses may be endangering public health

Biocides used in the food industry at sublethal doses may be endangering, rather than protecting, public health by increasing antibiotic resistance in bacteria and enhancing their ability to form harmful biofilms, according to a study published ahead of print in Applied and Environmental Microbiology. This is among the first studies to examine the latter phenomenon.

6 Jan 2014

Acadia Healthcare expands geographic presence in the US

Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. today announced the acquisition of inpatient psychiatric facilities in Seattle, Washington, and Riverside, California, expanding the Company's geographic presence to two new states. Effective, December 1, 2013, the Company completed the purchase of an acute inpatient psychiatric facility from Highline Medical Center, a nonprofit healthcare system headquartered in Seattle.

6 Jan 2014

First Edition: January 6, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about how the health law fits into the Capitol Hill agenda for the year ahead.

6 Jan 2014

Viewpoints: Stop 'bailout' of Obamacare; health law not to blame for all insurance woes; 'theft' of Medicare advantage money

Shrinking revenues and rising costs could bring on the "death spiral" - an unbalanced patient pool forcing huge premium increases (to restore revenue) that would further unbalance the patient pool as the young and healthy drop out. End result? Insolvency

6 Jan 2014

Plant-based milk for people with lactose or gluten intolerance

Researchers at the Universitat Politècnica de València have obtained new products fermented with probiotic bacteria from grains and nuts - what is known as plant-based or vegetable "milks" - which are an alternative to conventional yogurts.

6 Jan 2014

New study provides first contemporary findings on how risk of arrest varies across race, gender

Nearly half of black males and almost 40 percent of white males in the U.S. are arrested by age 23, which can hurt their ability to find work, go to school and participate fully in their communities.

6 Jan 2014

Romney, Paul knock health law, Reid: 'It's already working'

On ObamaCare, Reid defended the new law, even though he criticized the initial rollout by the Obama administration as "awful." Citing a recent conversation with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, Reid said the enrollment numbers for the insurance exchanges would be "staggering" come April 1, when the six-month sign-up period ends. "It's already working," he said of the law (Berman, 1/5).

6 Jan 2014

Henry Schein signs agreement to acquire five companies from Arseus

Henry Schein, Inc., the world's largest provider of healthcare products and services to office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners, today announced the signing of an agreement that will further strengthen its European dental and technology businesses.

6 Jan 2014

Making lists: Parts of the health law to note

A variety of lists detail important provisions of the overhaul and how they might impact the public's feelings about it.

6 Jan 2014

Kentucky Health Cooperative adds more staff to address consumers’ queries related to health insurance

Kentucky Health Cooperative, Inc. is addressing higher call volumes and Kentuckians' interest in enrolling in health plans by extending call center hours and by adding call center staff.

6 Jan 2014

HMHB's new infographic provides guidance on folic acid consumption for children ages 0-13

National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB), a recognized leader and resource in maternal and child health, in partnership with TJL Enterprises, makers of innovative natural health products for families, today released a new informational graphic that provides clinical guidance about the vitamin folic acid, and the recommended consumption for children ages 0-13.

6 Jan 2014

State highlights: Moving Americans out of nursing homes; Kansas to get Medicaid bonus; Va. gov. names mental health task force

For 60 years, Bobbie Jones, 88, had lived in the same Petworth rowhouse where she raised four children -- including one born in an upstairs bedroom -- and became a grandmother to 10 and a great-grandmother to nine. But last year, a stroke and a fall landed her in the hospital and then in a nursing home. In the past, a nursing home might have wound up being where she lived out the rest of her days. But through a new program that helps District residents receive care in their homes and communities, Jones was able to go home. She is among 58 people who have been relocated since the D.C. Office on Aging launched its Nursing Home Transition Program in April (Bahrampour, 1/2).

6 Jan 2014

Kaiser Permanente announces extension of payment deadline related to ACA premium

Kaiser Permanente has extended the deadline to Jan. 15 for receipt of the first month's premium for a Jan. 1 coverage effective date.

6 Jan 2014

For the health law, are the first days the hardest ones?

News outlets take a look at how the health law's implementation is working out on the ground during these first days of January.

6 Jan 2014

Gene-based technology for effective weight loss solutions

Losing weight is the most popular New Year's resolution for 2014, but research shows that only eight percent of people are successful in achieving their resolutions.

6 Jan 2014

Koch backed group launches ads against Senators who supported health law

Americans For Prosperity, a group backed by the billionaire Koch brothers, said it will spend $2.5 million for TV ads targeting three vulnerable Democrats who supported the health care law -- Sens. Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. Other groups are using dueling personal stories to try to sway public opinion.

6 Jan 2014

Who the health law's first wave left behind, and who it embraced

Health law coverage includes how the measure's implementation impacts a variety of different populations, as well as other key policy issues.

6 Jan 2014

Jones Engineering Group to focus on pharmaceutical industries in Saudi Arabia

Jones Engineering Group is continuing to develop its presence in Saudi Arabia with a strategic focus on the food and beverage, pharmaceutical and health care industries. The leading international engineering contracting group has recently signed a deal with a major multinational FMCG client worth an estimated €20 million. Work on the project will commence immediately.

6 Jan 2014

State insurance exchanges continue to struggle even after New Year deadline

The Washington Post Fact Checker takes a closer look at the health law enrollment target the Obama administration is now backing away from. In the meantime, many states continue to confront insurance exchange challenges even after the crush of customers looking to get coverage to start in January.

6 Jan 2014