Study finds that health care reform will bring more insurance coverage to many, but at higher cost

Last year’s health care overhaul continues to be the most controversial legislations passed championed by the current administration. Confronted with concerns that the nations health care system was unbalanced and on the verge of cataclysmic collapse, President Obama and his compatriots sought to make changes that would improve the system overall. Though the health care reform aims to increase the number of people that have access to insurance coverage, how such a feat will be accomplished remains something of a mystery. Last year, soon after the notorious Affordable Care Act…

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States that do not meet federal deadlines may still have a chance to run health insurance exchanges

The federal government has been relenting on its once strict mandates regarding health insurance exchanges, namely on the deadlines given for states to establish such programs. Originally, states that rejected the notion of exchanges outright would relinquish this responsibility to the federal government, who would then run the exchanges. In this scenario, state officials would have no say in the practices of the exchange programs. Spurred by complaints over the lack of guidance from the government, however, the Obama administration is relenting on these strict mandates and giving states another…

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Constitutional legality of health insurance mandate headed for the Supreme Court; President Obama is confident in its passing

Mere days after a federal appeals court in Washington declared that the individual insurance mandate posed by the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional; President Obama has proclaimed his confidence that the Supreme Court would uphold the measure. Several states have questioned the constitutional legality of the Affordable Care Act, but only a handful have sought to fight the federal law in court. The matter will, indeed, be heading for the Supreme Court, but it may be several years before it can be resolved, especially with an election year rapidly approaching.…

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Part III – Official goals and challenges of U.S. health care reform – A hope for better care, delivery, and costs

We have journeyed through the aspirations of the up-in-coming reform of the U.S. health care system with cost cutting tactics, preventative procedures, incentivizing medical industry and now, in part three, we will review the last set of guidelines through measure and patients rights. Helping individuals to take control over their own medical needs Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) – beneficiaries will be able to obtain information on the incidence of serious HACs as they occur at various hospitals. Hospitals will experience a decrease in payments if they have a high rate of HACs…

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26 states vs. Obama’s lawyers in health care reform law appeal

Twenty six states have argued against lawyers representing President Barack Obama in an appeal over the government’s healthcare reform law.  This new law is one of the foundation elements of Obama’s presidency and has been met with significant controversy.  The arguments were presented in Atlanta to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.  According to Neal Katyal, senior administration lawyer, the main argument of the government is that the health care reform law is constitutionally sound for three primary reasons:  Under the constitution, congress has the authority to regulate the interstate…

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Georgia eyeballs health care reform ramifications before jumping in

A new panel has been formed in Georgia to determine whether or not the state will benefit from creating a health insurance exchange. The panel is comprised of a group of legislators, health care experts and representatives of advocacy groups, all appointed by Governor Nathan Deal. The group will be tasked with examining how an exchange will impact small businesses in the state and if the program will reduce insurance prices as it promises to. Governor Deal asserts that no decision regarding whether the state should established an exchange should…

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Colorado on board with new health care reform changes

Colorado is taking steps to create a health insurance exchange as Governor John Hickenlooper signs a bill that would make the effort possible. Colorado is the eighth state to voluntarily adhere to the health care reform law championed by President Obama. The bill will also set up a regulatory group to oversee the exchange. The group will be comprised of nine members, four of which coming from the insurance industry. The Governor is tasked with finding these members, a search he has already been doing nearly a month before he…

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