NEWS

Mass. judge rules against insurers on premium cap - AP

A judge ruled Monday against Massachusetts health insurers in a dispute over premiums with state regulators.

Could Health Overhaul Incentives Hurt Some? - New York Times

The new health care law promises to extend coverage to millions of Americans and to cut costs by cultivating healthy habits and preventive care. But could its emphasis on wellness undermine one of its central achievements: putting an end to the practice of charging sick people more for health insurance?

Healthcare overhaul won't stop premium increases - LA Times

The new law doesn't prevent rate hikes such as Anthem Blue Cross' double-digit increase last year. 'It is a very big loophole,' says Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is pushing regulatory legislation.

Healthcare reform 'baton' passes to states - Washington Post

Now that the U.S. healthcare reform plan is law, the federal government is turning to states to institute key components — some of which have never existed before — and do so in a tight timeframe.

John Boehner: Repeal number one priority - Politico

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Monday that repealing the health care law is his “No. 1 priority” as Congress returns from a two-week spring recess.

OPINION

Blunt rejects barring insurers from denying insurance to adults with pre-existing conditions. - Think Progress

Last week, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO), who is running for the Senate, visited with health care professionals in Springfield, MO to hear their take on health care reform. On Friday, KSPR, an ABC affiliate in Missouri, aired footage from the meeting, capturing Blunt saying that unlike children, adults shouldn’t be protected from being discriminated against for insurance because of pre-existing conditions.

The Affordable Care Act does not have 10 years of taxes for six years of spending - Ezra Klein

One of the odder arguments that Republicans made against the Affordable Care Act was what David Brooks termed "the 10-6 dodge." As he put it, "one of the reasons the bill appears deficit-neutral in the first decade is that it begins collecting revenue right away but doesn't have to pay for most benefits until 2014. That's 10 years of revenues to pay for 6 years of benefits."