Healthcare & Policy News
Reporting on health care policy, insurance coverage, and federal health programs. Includes news updates and conservative commentary from The Daily Signal.
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- News
In New Video, StemExpress CEO Says She Wants ‘Intact Cases,’ ’50 Livers a Week’ From Abortion Facilities
The Center for Medical Progress released a new undercover video of a meeting with Cate Dyer, chief executive of StemExpress. In the video, Dyer said StemExpress procures “intact cases” from abortion facilities such as Planned Parenthood clinics. The actors portraying buyers from a human biologics company met with Dyer to discuss a potential partnership between…Kate Scanlon -
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‘Its Heart Is Beating’: Medical Technician Reveals Shocking Details in Latest Abortion Video
A new video released today recounts the gruesome details of harvesting of aborted baby brains. It’s the seventh video released in as many weeks by the Center for Medical Progress. A former procurement technician at StemExpress—a company that previously did business with Planned Parenthood—describes in the newest video her observation of a brain removal from a late-term male baby….Leah Jessen -
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Under Obamacare, Uninsured Rate Fell to Lowest Level in 50 Years. Why There’s More to That Number.
Nearly two years after Obamacare’s implementation, a new survey found that the number of uninsured Americans decreased to less than 10 percent of the population in the first three months of 2015, which is the lowest level in the survey’s 50-year history. However, experts say the change could be mostly attributed to the Obama administration’s expansion…Melissa Quinn -
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Why Obamacare Could be Heading to the Supreme Court (Again)
This past week, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, over the vigorous dissent of four judges on that court, denied rehearing en banc (legalese for an entire court rather than just a panel of three judges) in the case of Sissel v. United States Department of Health and Human…Andrew Kloster -
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What States Can Do Now to Be Ready for an Obamacare Repeal
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in King v. Burwell, President Obama has claimed that Obamacare is working and here to stay. In truth, the actual effect of the Supreme Court’s decision leaves Obamacare unchanged, and the law is certainly not working well. Not only will Obamacare’s current political and operational problems continue,…Nina Owcharenko Schaefer -
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What GOP Candidates Said About Immigration, Abortion and the Economy in the Debate
The top 10 Republican candidates hoping to call the White House home in 2016 duked it out Thursday night for the first presidential debate of election season. Stealing the primetime slot from the seven lower-polling candidates, the top group jockeyed for attention to spotlight policy positions in an attempt to standout among the crowded bunch….Natalie Johnson -
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Eradicating Ebola With New Vaccine
A new vaccine has been found to be highly effective against the Ebola virus in the West African nation of Guinea. According to Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization: “This is an extremely promising development. The credit goes to the Guinean Government, the people living in the communities and our partners in…Jocelyn Lamb -
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Why Defunding Planned Parenthood Wouldn’t Violate Medicaid Statutes
Later today, the Senate is scheduled to vote on a bill that would remove federal funding from Planned Parenthood. This is a good and necessary response to the shocking reports of Planned Parenthood harvesting and selling body parts from recently aborted unborn children. Ahead of the vote, supporters of Planned Parenthood are claiming the Senate…Sarah Torre -
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FDA Delays Obamacare Menu Labeling Mandate
The Food and Drug Administration announced earlier this month that chain restaurants have an extra year to comply with the Affordable Health Care Act mandate requiring calorie count information to be listed on menus and menu boards. This national standard applies to chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets. “Obesity is a national epidemic that…Leah Jessen -
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22 of 23 Taxpayer-Backed Obamacare Co-Ops Lost Money In 2014, Audit Finds
A new report from a government watchdog examining the success of taxpayer-funded Obamacare co-ops found that the vast majority lost money last year and struggled to enroll consumers, throwing their ability to repay the taxpayer-funded loans into question. According to the audit from the Department of Health and Human Services’ inspector general, 22 of the…Melissa Quinn -
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Medicare and Medicaid – 50 Years Later – It’s Time for Change
Fifty years ago, on July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed legislation creating the nation’s two largest federal health entitlements, Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare was created as a social insurance program for seniors and those with disabilities. It is financed primarily by payroll taxes collected during a recipient’s working life, and secondarily by personal…Robert Moffit -
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The Path to Repeal Obamacare With Just 51 Votes
After vowing to repeal and replace Obamacare during the 2014 midterm elections, Republicans officially took control of Congress in January. Republicans have several procedural tools at their disposal to roll back Obamacare. Many have called on leadership to use a budget tool known as reconciliation to do just that. Reconciliation gives the GOP the power…Melissa Quinn -
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Mike Lee Secured a Commitment From GOP Leadership to Repeal Obamacare With a Simple Majority. Here’s How.
Conservative Sen. Mike Lee struck a deal Monday with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to repeal Obamacare through a budget tool known as reconciliation, which would allow the Senate to roll back the health care law with a simple majority (51 votes). The Utah Republican secured the commitment from McConnell in exchange for the…Melissa Quinn -
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The Taxpayer-Funded Louisiana Co-Op Created Under Obamacare Has Collapsed
Just two years after Obamacare’s implementation, a Louisiana nonprofit insurer that received nearly $66 million in taxpayer-funded loans is closing its doors. On Friday, the Louisiana Department of Insurance announced that the state’s consumer operated and oriented plan, or co-op, would be discontinuing its operations at the end of 2015. Louisiana’s is the second co-op…Melissa Quinn -
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Senate to Vote on Obamacare Repeal, Export-Import Bank Revival
The Senate on Sunday will stay overtime to consider two controversial amendments to a highway funding bill, voting on measures to repeal Obamacare and revive the Export-Import Bank. On Friday morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced he would allow the two amendments to proceed as attachments to a “must-pass” bill to address the…Alex Anderson -
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In Her Own Words: Planned Parenthood’s Top Abortion Doctor Keeps Low Profile Online
The top Planned Parenthood doctor whose face is all over the Internet because of an undercover video otherwise has left little mark on social media or elsewhere on the Web. More than one congressional committee wants to hear from Dr. Deborah L. Nucatola, among others, but a lawyer for Planned Parenthood Federation of America says…Ken McIntyre -
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Senator Fights Back Tears in Emotional Speech About Planned Parenthood’s Abortion Methods
Sen. James Lankford was on the verge of tears Thursday as he addressed his colleagues about Planned Parenthood’s controversial abortion methods exposed in an undercover video. “It seems the ultimate irony to me that we spend time talking about humane treatment of animals being put down, like in horse slaughter, and we completely miss children…Diana Stancy -
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Alaska Governor Expanding Medicaid Despite Objections From Legislature
Alaska’s governor said Thursday he was using his executive authority to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act after failing to get the state legislature to sign off on providing the coverage. Independent Gov. Bill Walker’s announcement seats Alaska as the 30th state to expand Medicaid coverage. The independent governor said his state could not…Natalie Johnson -
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Court Rules Nuns Caring for the Poor Must Comply With Obamacare Contraception Mandate
In what could be the next Obamacare case to go before the Supreme Court, an appeals court ruled today the Little Sisters of the Poor must comply with the health care law’s contraception mandate and allow employees to have access to coverage of contraception and abortion-inducing drugs. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th…Melissa Quinn -
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As Senate Stalls, House Conservatives Push for Repeal of Obamacare Through Reconciliation
As Senate Republicans continue to discuss using reconciliation to roll back provisions of Obamacare, House Conservatives are encouraging their colleagues to follow through on their campaign promises and move forward with repealing the health care law. Republicans passed a budget resolution in May that included broad reconciliation instructions, which many members believed would be used…Melissa Quinn