02/03/2012
Yesterday, the Obama administration announced that the health reform law reduced prescription drug costs by $2.1 billion for the 3.6 million Medicare beneficiaries who were in the "doughnut hole" in 2011, amounting to about $604 in savings per beneficiary. Los Angeles Times et al.
02/02/2012
Last night, 28 Democrats joined all House Republicans in approving legislation to repeal the federal health reform law's Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act. The bill now goes to the Senate, where Democrats are expected to resist its passage. Roll Call et al.
02/02/2012
Many state Medicaid directors are concerned about a provision of the federal health reform law that requires insurers to pay a tax on premium revenue. Some directors hope the federal government will exempt Medicaid managed care plans from the tax. Kaiser Health News/McClatchy.
02/01/2012
Today, the House is expected to pass legislation to repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program created by the federal health reform law. However, the bill is unlikely to secure enough support to pass in the Senate. The Hill's "Healthwatch," National Journal.
01/31/2012
Although Massachusetts' 2006 health reform law is similar to the federal overhaul, state officials will need to make changes to comply with federal standards. Meanwhile, a new poll finds that most U.S. residents know little about Massachusetts' reform law. Politico, Washington Post's "WonkBlog."
01/30/2012
The Department of Justice has filed a brief arguing that the Supreme Court should not void the entire federal health reform law if it strikes down the individual mandate. Plaintiffs have argued that the law should be invalidated if the mandate is struck down. Politico et al.
01/30/2012
A Los Angeles Times editorial states that a proposed rule stemming from the federal health reform law "that requires the makers of drugs and medical devices to disclose most payments and gifts to physicians" on a searchable public website "would both protect patients and reduce medical costs." It notes that "the website will be a force for good even if few patients examine it" because "[w]atchdog organizations and news reporters will use it" to find "potentially troubling behavior." Los Angeles Times.
01/27/2012
During a debate yesterday, GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum criticized former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for supporting an individual mandate in his state. Romney said his plan was intended only at the state level, unlike the federal health reform law. Los Angeles Times et al.
01/26/2012
In a release issued on Tuesday, Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee pointed to new Gallup poll data indicating that the number of uninsured U.S. residents increased from 14% in 2008 to 17% in 2011 as evidence of the weakness of the federal health reform law. Democrats said the data underscore the need for the overhaul's provision to extend coverage to millions of uninsured individuals by 2014. The Hill's "Healthwatch."
01/26/2012
On Wednesday, Rep. Joe Pitts said that the GOP will release an alternative to the federal health reform law after the Supreme Court rules on the law's constitutionality. Pitts said the plan would be crafted in response to how the court rules. Politico, The Hill's "Healthwatch."
01/26/2012
A Kaiser Family Foundation poll finds that 55% of U.S. residents believe the Supreme Court will rule that the health reform law's individual mandate is unconstitutional. Nearly 60% of respondents believe the justices will be influenced by ideology. Kaiser Health News, CQ HealthBeat.
01/26/2012
A new study says that 1.04 million fewer California residents would gain insurance by 2019 and that premiums could rise without the federal health reform law's individual mandate. Payers & Providers, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research release.
01/25/2012
On Monday, a group of experts who make up the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, which was created by the federal health reform law to assess the effectiveness of medical procedures, released its draft research agenda for public comment. The 22-page agenda highlights five priority areas for comparative effectiveness study, such as improving health care systems, communicating research and assessing prevention, diagnosis and treatment options. The Hill's "Healthwatch," Modern Healthcare.
01/25/2012
During his State of the Union address last night, President Obama spent little time discussing health care issues. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he thought Obama "would rather not discuss" the federal health reform law during his re-election campaign. Politico et al.
01/24/2012
On Friday, HHS confirmed that most health insurers and employers by Aug. 1 must comply with a federal health reform law regulation to cover at no cost preventive services and contraceptives for women. The Obama administration rejected a request for a broad exemption by not-for-profit religious groups and employers that oppose birth control on religious grounds. However, such church-affiliated organizations will have additional time -- until Aug. 1, 2013 -- to comply with the requirement. New York Times et al.