Federal Medicaid Aid Boost Becomes Issue In Kansas Governor’s Race
A bill before Congress that would extend richer federal Medicaid assistance to states has now become an issue in the Kansas governor’s race.
All Coverage
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Opinion Column
Medicare Advantage: You Get What You Pay For
In the long run, there’s no getting around the fact that Advantage plans will shrink in generosity and availability. Anything else would defy a fundamental law of economics that also happens to be a fundamental law of politics: you get what you pay for. And that might not be a bad thing.
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Health Policy Week In Review: The White House Touts Medicare Rebate Checks And Senate Dems Struggle To Advance Jobs Bill
Administration officials tout the Medicare drug rebate as an early and tangible benefit of health reform while Senate Democrats continue trying to advance a legislative package that includes the Medicare physician payment fix and, potentially, an extension of enhanced Medicaid funding for states.
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What’s Next? Reporting On Health Reform Between Now and 2014
Now that health reform is law, reporters covering this topic are shifting from political angles to the issues and questions surrounding how the law is implemented. This briefing for reporters discussed story ideas and approaches for reporting on health reform going forward.
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Heart Problem Underscores Need to Test Competing Treatments
More than 2.2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, the most common heart arrhythmia, but treatment choices vary widely
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A Look At Comparative Effectiveness Research
Under the new health law, a nonprofit entity called the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute will be established to carry out a comparative effectiveness research agenda, starting in 2012. The law bars the government from using findings as the sole basis for decisions about what Medicare will cover.
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Pregnant Women And New Mothers Will Get Benefits, Services Under Health Care Law
New health plans must cover tests, supplements for pregnant women, and home visits for young mothers.
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The Health Care Economy: New Questions About Costs, Quality And Care
The health care industry is bulletproof when it comes to increasing spending or creating jobs as growth rates often double the rest of the economy.
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Opinion Column
Reform Whiplash
Controversy erupted this week after the director of the Congressional Budget Office said the new health overhaul law won’t significantly reduce government speding on health care and a New York Times story critiqued Dartmouth research on health spending.
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Week In Review: States Brace For The End Of Medicaid Enhanced Funding, Physicians Press For Medicare ‘Doc Fix,’ And The N.Y. Times Critiques The Dartmouth Atlas
Much of this week’s major health policy news stems directly from Congress’ unfinished business related to the Medicare ‘doc fix’ as well as the House Democrats’ decision not to include enhanced Medicaid funding and COBRA benefit subsidies in their sweeping jobs bill.
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COBRA Subsidy Starts Running Out For Some As Congress Grapples With Extension
The proposal to extend COBRA subsidies to those laid off through the end of the year is languishing in Congress. So the unemployed may soon pay more to remain on COBRA, look for insurance on the individual market, go on Medicaid or lose coverage altogether. And that could further tax a health system already struggling to keep up with the number of uninsured.
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Patient Survey: More Health Care Is Better, Despite What Experts Say
A new survey finds that, when it comes to their own health care, most people say “more is better, newer is better, you get what you pay for.” That’s frustrating for experts who say these things are often not true.
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Analysis: Anti-Smoking Program Extinguished in New Jersey
Gov. Chris Christie is cutting services and New Jersey’s anti-smoking program in order to reduce the deficit. Other states are feeling the pinch as well.
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What The New Health Law Means For You
The law will extend health insurance to 32 million currently uninsured Americans by 2019, and will also have an impact on how nearly every American buys insurance and what insurance must cover.
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Transcript: Health On The Hill – June 1, 2010
Bowing to pressure from Democratic fiscal conservatives, House Democratic leaders scaled back health-related provisions in tax extenders legislation the House passed before beginning its Memorial Day recess.
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Health On The Hill – June 1, 2010
Bowing to pressure from Democratic fiscal conservatives, House Democratic leaders scaled back health-related provisions in tax extenders legislation the House passed before beginning its Memorial Day recess.
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Insurance Industry Faces Tough Scrutiny From Federal Watchdogs
A foursome of longtime industry watchdogs are helping steer the federal government’s effort to overhaul the private insurance market. Karen Pollitz, Steve Larsen, Jay Angoff and Richard Popper have top spots in the newly minted Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight.
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Health Care Tax Credit Comes With Benefits, Strings For Small Businesses
Michelle Andrews’ latest consumer column explores the health care tax credit for small businesses, which is designed to help employers pay for insuring workers. But the credit has several conditions, and some are worried that it won’t provide enough help.
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Week In Review: Doctor Payment Fight; State Budgets And Medicaid; Medicare Brochure Protests
Challenges from conservative Democrats forced party leaders this week to cut some major spending programs, such as extending COBRA benefits for workers being laid off and providing extra money to state Medicaid programs.
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Full Text Of HHS’ Controversial Brochure, “Medicare and the New Health Care Law”
The federal government sent a brochure to more than 40 million Medicare beneficiaries, “Medicare and the New Health Care Law – What It Means for You,” which is generating political controversy.
