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09 Nov 2011 14:54

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Biz: Dr. Always Low Prices? Wal-Mart wants to be your physician

  • Wal-Mart expanding into medical care: Beloved by some for their low, low prices and reviled by others for suspect workplace practices and their debilitating effect on local economies, Wal-Mart is moving a new direction that figures to stoke similar passions — the health care industry. Their thinking seems to be that with a huge surge in insured citizens on the horizon, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, there will be a shortage of general practitioners and medical clinics to accommodate them. These in-store medical clinics would, according to NPR, be equipped to handle such critical things as HIV and diabetes management. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Nov 2011 14:29

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Politics: DC appeals court rules in favor of health care law

  • Affordable Care act ruled constitutional: Not that it hasn’t been ruled unconstitutional before, and not that this is the last you’ll hear of the issue. That said, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Affordable Care Act yesterday, a move considered a surprise given the court’s conservative tilt. Said Judge Laurence SIlberman: “That a direct requirement for most Americans to purchase any product or service seems an intrusive exercise of legislative power surely explains why Congress has not used this authority before — but that seems to us a political judgment rather than a recognition of constitutional limitations.” source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

25 Jul 2011 23:09

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Politics: A little perspective on this whole deficit mess

  • This graph, courtesy of the New York Times, has been making the rounds today, and it’s worth examining. Note that health care reform, much-maligned by the right as deficit-killer, cost less than even the most inexpensive of George W. Bush’s policies (that policy being Medicare Part D). Note also that the Bush tax cuts alone added more to the deficit than all of President Obama’s new policies combined — and that’s including projected spending over the course of a theoretical second term.  source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 May 2011 15:08

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Politics: Chris Christie plays lone wolf in Mitt Romney health-care support

  • Gov. Romney’s speech yesterday was just the type of tone we need. While folks may not agree with what he said, that type of candor is what Americans expect from a serious presidential candidate today.
  • New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie • Offering a big wet kiss to Mitt Romney for his straight-talking approach to health care. Romney made the argument that the health care approach (which Obama based his national health-care plan upon) was the right one for his state — but not necessarily for the country. What’s weird is that Christie was one of the few to offer support to Mitt after the speech, which many on the right really didn’t like. Guess we know who Chris Christie is voting for in 2012. (Hint: Not himself.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Apr 2011 23:07

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Politics: Stupak’s back: Pro-life Democrat makes surprising career move

  • then Remember Bart Stupak? During the health care debate, he was the pro-life Michigan Democrat who almost derailed the entire legislation over concerns that it would allow federal funds to be spent on abortions. He eventually buckled, of course, and the legislation passed.
  • now Stupak, who retired from Congress last year, has found a new job at Venable LLP, one of “America’s top 100 law firms,” according to it’s website. Why is this notable? Because Venable represents, amongst others, the Maryland chapter of Planned Parenthood. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Mar 2011 22:41

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Politics: Who’s afraid of Rahm Emanuel? Not Bart Stupak!

  • Rahm [Emanuel] doesn’t scream and shout at me, ’cause he knows better. I’ll just tell him to go to Hell and move on.
  • Bart Stupak • Reflecting on the passage of health care reform last year, and his dealings with Obama’s old right hand man. The former congressman from Michigan says that he is “proud to have voted for [health care reform],” despite still getting “accosted” by the law’s detractors. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Mar 2011 22:26

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Politics: Romney rolls out ambiguous plan to undo health care reform

  • problem As Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney passed a bill that served as the basis for the Democrats’ health care reform bill (which celebrates its first anniversary today). This is perceived by many to be a serious problem for Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign hopes.
  • solution If he becomes President, Romney pledges to “issue an executive order paving the way for Obamacare waivers to all 50 states.” However, as Ezra Klein points out, Romney is vague on details, and it’s unclear exactly what type of executive order he could, or would, issue. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

28 Feb 2011 13:20

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U.S.: President Obama hedges on health insurance mandate

  • old The Affordable Care Act became law, hinged on the concept of an individual mandate. Basically, everybody must buy health insurance, thus lowering the liability costs that the insured must cover for the uninsured. This prompted a slew of legal challenges from the states — mostly ones with Republican governors.
  • new President Obama has announced that he supports legislation allowing states to opt out of the individual mandate by 2014, if they can reasonably illustrate that they can keep the same coverage rates. Is a modest dose of health care reform — in truth, more health insurance reform than anything else — being watered down? source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Feb 2011 01:04

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Politics: Judges spar over constitutionality of health care reform

  • tuesday A federal judge in Florida found the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate provision unconstitutional and struck down the whole law, saying the provision invalidated everything. Republicans rejoiced.
  • thursday A federal judge in Mississippi, tackling a similar lawsuit, contended that there wasn’t sufficient standing for him to take the case, and threw it out. Democrats rejoiced. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

25 Jan 2011 13:02

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U.S.: U.S. government recovers record Medicare fraud dollars in 2010

  • $4 billion worth of Medicare fraud recovered by the government source
  • » Who do we thank? The Affordable Care Act (which you may know under its other name, somebody hissing “Obamacare”). The health care reform law institutes harsher penalties for Medicare billing fraud, and those penalties came to bear in 2010 as the Justice Department filed charges against almost 300 defendants, yielding this record-setting recoup of fraudulent claims.
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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