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Roundup: HIV staff to be cut in Ga.; Abortion news in N.J., Mo.; Wis. Medicaid coverage in limbo

A loss of $3.7 million in federal funds is forcing Georgia to reduce its workforce for HIV prevention. After an inquiry by Georgia Health News, the Department of Public Health this week acknowledged that 20 people in state health districts have been notified they will probably lose their jobs in January, and that an unspecified number of staffers at the department level have received the same notification.

23 Dec 2011

Ohio law prohibits abortion coverage by insurers in state exchanges; Pa. measure would step up abortion clinic regulation

Ohio Governor John Kasich on Wednesday signed a law that would prohibit abortion coverage from the state insurance exchange Ohio must create under the federal health care law. ... The law bans Ohio citizens from being able to purchase insurance through the exchange that includes abortion coverage, even if they pay for it with their own money, said Kellie Copeland, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, who criticized the bill.

23 Dec 2011

GOP candidates trade barbs over health care policies

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, speaking in Iowa, said the government should not be running the medical world. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney outlines his views on abortion while Michele Bachmann uses the Supreme Court's scheduling announcement to reiterate her position against the 2010 health law and question that of her opponents. Also, Romney's health policies are again in the spotlight.

21 Dec 2011

State roundup: Ariz. high court to hear Medicaid funding challenge

The Arizona Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a challenge to state Medicaid cuts. The court put the matter on its Feb. 15 agenda and will decide then whether to take the case and hear oral arguments. Three public-interest law groups challenged an enrollment freeze for childless adults in the state's Medicaid program, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. A lower-court judge and an Arizona appeals-court panel upheld the cuts.

21 Dec 2011

Romney's Medicaid comments draw criticism that he is 'out of touch'

During a campaign appearance, GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said that until he became involved in government services he didn't completely understand the differences between Medicare and Medicaid. Meanwhile, the aggressive ads being run in Iowa by another candidate, Ron Paul, may be making an impact.

20 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Is Wyden-Ryan Medicare plan a game changer?; The GOP and the individual mandate

In the maelstrom of dysfunction and partisanship better known as the 112th Congress, it is always surprising and gratifying when lawmakers from opposing parties manage to work together. That is particularly true when their collaboration involves an issue as politically charged and substantively complex as Medicare. So we begin by congratulating Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) for having the tenacity to try again, with a revamped version of Medicare reform unveiled last week.

20 Dec 2011

State news: Ariz. Planned Parenthood resumes some services

A state advisory group on Thursday recommended legislative changes to bolster oversight of coronary stent placements amid widespread concerns about unnecessary medical procedures, but it stopped short of proposing that state law regulate physician reviews in hospitals.

17 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Fascination with Wyden, Ryan plan; Need for school nurses; Pa. abortion bill controversy

The new Wyden-Ryan Medicare framework is the most fascinating policy and political maneuver of the year. Let me try to explain why.

16 Dec 2011

GOP presidential candidates promise limits on abortion

Republican presidential contenders Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Rick Santorum appeared at the screening of an abortion documentary hosted by former candidate Mike Huckabee. They each spoke for about 10 minutes, and offered descriptions of the steps they'd take to limit abortion if elected president.

16 Dec 2011

Ohio Senate puts abortion bill on hold

The Ohio measure would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. In Pennsylvania, the legislation would overhaul abortion clinic operation standards.

16 Dec 2011

Medicaid spending claims increasingly larger share of state budgets

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers, Medicaid spending by the states has steadily gone up during the last three years, and this trend is likely to continue. Media outlets also report on Medicaid developments in Texas, Florida, New York and California.

15 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Berwick's advice; Romney's wager; Fighting AIDS

Dr. Donald Berwick, who was blocked by Republicans from serving a full term as the administrator of the agency that runs Medicare and Medicaid, has been speaking out. He makes a compelling case about the harm caused by partisan demagoguery and about the need for health care professionals to take the lead in implementing reforms.

15 Dec 2011

House approves payroll tax cut extension, but 'strings attached' could stall end-of-session progress

The House measure was approved on a largely party-line vote and was met with immediate promises of opposition from Senate Democrats and the White House. Caught in the crossfire is the Medicare "doc fix" and, possibly, a separate omnibus spending bill to provide government funding through next September.

15 Dec 2011

Roundup: Nonprofits get big money in disabled payments; Calif. budget problems bring additional Medicaid cutbacks

Spending on this little-known home care program, called Community Habilitation, has soared in recent years, creating multimillion-dollar surpluses at some nonprofit agencies and eye-popping salaries and benefits for those who run them. And it helps explain how New York's costs of caring for developmentally disabled people have ballooned in recent years, creating the nation's most generous system of Medicaid-financed programs, with little scrutiny of its efficiency or result.

15 Dec 2011

Medicaid news: HHS grants Texas waiver for managed care, denies family planning request; Florida pilot program criticized

The federal government on Monday granted Texas a waiver that could mean billions more in Medicaid dollars to hospitals over the next few years in return for having them work together to provide better care for the poor. ... State lawmakers cut deeply into the Medicaid budget this year, in part by requiring all Texas Medicaid patients to be enrolled in private health maintenance organizations for their doctor care. In recent years, patients in most urban areas were covered by HMOs, while patients in many rural counties and the Rio Grande Valley had their doctor bills paid directly by Medicaid.

14 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Blocking an abortion option for military women; Plan B pushback; Solving Wis. doc shortage

Republican Senate leaders have an odd way of showing gratitude for the dedication and sacrifices of the more than 200,000 women on active duty in the military. Late last month, they blocked consideration of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would have lifted the statutory ban that denies female service members coverage for abortion care in cases of rape and incest.

13 Dec 2011

Abortion does not raise risk of mental ailment: Experts

A major review by experts concludes that abortion does not raise the risk of a woman suffering mental health problems. Data from 44 studies showed women with an unwanted pregnancy have a higher incidence of mental health problems in general. This is not affected by whether or not they have an abortion or give birth.

12 Dec 2011

Obama defends limit on morning-after pill

The New York Times, Washington Post and others analyze the president's support of his health secretary's decision to limit access to the Plan B pill.

9 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Obama's lessons from LBJ; Plan B positions; Choosing Gingrich

In 2005, for example, the United States devoted only 29 percent of gross domestic product to health and social services combined, while countries like Sweden, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark dedicated 33 percent to 38 percent of their G.D.P. to the combination.

9 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 9, 2011

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations include artilces about a new GOP tax plan that includes a Medicare pay fix for doctors and President Obama's support of a decision to keep the "Morning After Pill" from minors.

9 Dec 2011

Abortion News and Research

Roundup: HIV staff to be cut in Ga.; Abortion news in N.J., Mo.; Wis. Medicaid coverage in limbo

Ohio law prohibits abortion coverage by insurers in state exchanges; Pa. measure would step up abortion clinic regulation

GOP candidates trade barbs over health care policies

State roundup: Ariz. high court to hear Medicaid funding challenge

Romney's Medicaid comments draw criticism that he is 'out of touch'

Viewpoints: Is Wyden-Ryan Medicare plan a game changer?; The GOP and the individual mandate

State news: Ariz. Planned Parenthood resumes some services

Viewpoints: Fascination with Wyden, Ryan plan; Need for school nurses; Pa. abortion bill controversy

GOP presidential candidates promise limits on abortion

Ohio Senate puts abortion bill on hold

Medicaid spending claims increasingly larger share of state budgets

Viewpoints: Berwick's advice; Romney's wager; Fighting AIDS

House approves payroll tax cut extension, but 'strings attached' could stall end-of-session progress

Roundup: Nonprofits get big money in disabled payments; Calif. budget problems bring additional Medicaid cutbacks

Medicaid news: HHS grants Texas waiver for managed care, denies family planning request; Florida pilot program criticized

Viewpoints: Blocking an abortion option for military women; Plan B pushback; Solving Wis. doc shortage

Abortion does not raise risk of mental ailment: Experts

Obama defends limit on morning-after pill

Viewpoints: Obama's lessons from LBJ; Plan B positions; Choosing Gingrich

First Edition: December 9, 2011

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