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KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Marilyn Werber Serafini discuss how Medicare reforms could figure into November’s presidential election now that presumptive GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney has chosen Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to be his running mate.
The Republican-controlled House, along party lines, twice approved Ryan’s proposals to overhaul the popular program by giving beneficiaries a set amount of money every year to buy coverage from competing health plans. That is a fundamental shift from today’s program, where the federal government must help pay for every doctor visit and medical service that an individual uses.
KHN periodically shares readers’ comments on recent original stories.
The government is testing new hospital payment rules to see if fewer beneficiaries will be classified as observation patients, which can be a costly designation for seniors.
A special legislative committee gave Colorado the green light on Thursday to continue working on its health insurance exchange by allowing it to apply for a $43 million federal grant. But first the lawmakers had to fight about it.
Jackie Judd and KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey discuss the health law provision mandating contraception coverage at no cost to consumers, as the focus of the dispute broadens from Congress to the courts.
Michelle Andrews discusses options for protecting yourself when traveling if you have a preexisting condition.
