Kaiser Health News Daily Health Policy Report

Business Groups, GOP Prepare Anti-Health Law Campaigns For Midterm Elections
Some health insurers are preparing ad campaigns critical of the new health law and Republicans are "confident their unanimous opposition to the law will help them pick up seats" in November's midterm ...

Poll: Opposition To Health Reform Declines; Seniors View New Law More Negatively Than Adults Overall
Opposition to the health overhaul law declined in the past month from 41 percent to 35 percent, according to a tracking poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation.Insurers Change Kids Coverage Stance After HHS Clarifies New Rules
Health insurers have started to back down "on their decision to pull out of the child-only coverage market after the Obama administration addressed their concerns about the potential damage to their b...

Republicans Take On Cost-Cutting Panel Backed By Budget Chief Orszag
Several Senate Republican leaders are now pushing a new, partial health-overhaul repeal bill that targets a Medicare cost-cutting panel.GOP Advising Republicans To Vote Against 9/11 Medical Coverage Bill
Politico's On Congress blog reports that House Republicans are advising other Republicans to vote against a bill that would "bolster medical support to Sept. 11 victims."Insurers Aetna, WellPoint Look For Their Place In Health Reform; WellPoint Profit Up
Aetna President Mark Bertolini said Wednesday that his company has seen much less activity on national insurance accounts where large employers pay Aetna to administer plans the hold for employees, Th...

Economy Continues To Impact Finances Of Health Companies
Despite a sluggish year, health care investors can look forward to growing emerging markets and a possible change in the U.S. political climate, Forbes reports.CVS-Aetna Deal Boosts The Drug Store Chain
CVS Caremark, the drug retailer and pharmacy benefit management firm, announced a new agreement with Aetna to help constrain drug costs.Insured Americans Are Using Fewer Medical Services While Employers Consider Wellness Incentives
"Insured Americans are using fewer medical services, raising questions about whether patients are consuming less health care as they pick up a greater share of the costs," The Wall Street Journal repo...

Hospitals Accomodate Obese Patients By Purchasing New, Larger Equipment
Hospitals are accommodating the increasing number of obese patients by buying larger medical equipment, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.