health care

Florida Gov. Rick Scott speaks in Fort Lauderdale in May.

Estimated Costs Drive Debate As Florida Weighs Medicaid Expansion

6:26pm January 10, 2013

by Greg Allen

Gov. Rick Scott says he's concerned about how much expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act would cost. But after he was charged with exaggerating, his administration released a new study with much lower estimates.

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U.S. Ranks Below 16 Other Rich Countries In Health Report

6:46pm January 09, 2013

by Richard Knox

Americans are sicker and die sooner than their counterparts in comparable nations. No single cause can account for the difference, but improving medical care will only help so much, as disparities can be traced to dietary choices, drugs and alcohol, guns, and even cars.

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The majority of what happens on Jan. 1, 2013, is tax increases and cuts in tax deductions to pay for the changes coming in 2014.

Health & Safety

What The Health Law Will Bring In 2013

2:19pm January 08, 2013

by Julie Rovner

In October 2013, open enrollment begins, when people can start signing up for their 2014 coverage through the new state-run health exchanges. But most of the changes in 2013 are tax increases and cuts in tax deductions to pay for the 2014 changes.

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Shea Catlin, a nurse practitioner, doses out flu vaccine to give a shot at a CVS Minute Clinic in Arlington, Va., on Jan. 3.

Can You Get A Flu Shot And Still Get The Flu?

6:06am January 08, 2013

by Rob Stein

Vaccination is still the best way to avoid getting sick, but it's not 100 percent protective. Some people may get infected with a strain of flu that isn't covered by this year's vaccine. For others, the shots just don't work.

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Health & Safety

Is It Pain Or Dependency? A Doctor's Dilemma

3:31pm January 07, 2013

While most causes of accidental death are on the decline, drug-related deaths are increasing. This is due in part to the increase of deaths caused by prescription pain medication, like Vicodin or OxyContin. A Los Angeles Times investigative series looks at how doctors are contributing to the trend.

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A compromise bill that passed the Congress at the last minute included provisions that will reverberate through the nation's health care system.

Bargain Over Fiscal Cliff Brings Changes To Health Care

8:46am January 04, 2013

by Julie Rovner

Health care has been a major focus in recent budget battles. New legislation provides a temporary fix in payments for doctors, but it will be paid for by a decade of cuts to hospitals. And a program for long-term-care insurance won't ever get off the ground.

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Pete Stark, Health Policy Warrior, Leaves A Long Legacy

11:25am January 02, 2013

by Julie Rovner

The California congressman lost his seat this fall. Stark has been part of almost every piece of health legislation enacted while he was in office. The 113th Congress will be the first one in 40 years to convene without him as a member.

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Health & Safety

Hobby Lobby Plans To Defy Health Care Mandate

9:44am January 01, 2013

The federal health care law requires employee insurance plans to cover emergency contraceptives. That's something the owners of the craft store chain Hobby Lobby say they can't do. An attorney for the stores said the Christian owners consider the emergency contraceptives tantamount to abortion. Starting Tuesday, the company could be fined as much $1.3 million a day for defying the mandate.

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Health & Safety

Medicare Starts To Reward Quality, Not Quantity, Of Care

11:16am December 21, 2012

by Jordan Rau

The nation's biggest insurer is starting to dole out bonuses and penalties to nearly 3,000 hospitals as it ties almost $1 billion in payments to the quality of care provided to patients.

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Health & Safety

When The Doctor Works For The Insurance Company

11:16am December 21, 2012

by Tracey Samuelson

Big insurance companies are opening their own doctors' offices and clinics — a strategy that has previously met with mixed results.

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