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
Florida Law Instituting a 24-Hour Waiting Period for Abortion Goes Into Effect
After being temporarily delayed by a judge, a Florida law that institutes a mandatory 24-hour waiting period before undergoing an abortion went into effect on Wednesday. House Bill 633 was signed into law last month. The legislation requires an abortion provider to meet with a woman seeking an abortion for a consultation appointment at least 24… -
news
What You Didn’t Know About a Doctor’s Stance on the HPV Vaccine
It appears to be a neutral source in a prestigious medical journal: An article defending the controversial human papillomavirus (HPV) cervical cancer vaccine. It criticizes the Japanese government’s decision to stop promoting the vaccine amid concerns about injuries. And it implies patients are incorrectly blaming the HPV vaccine for unrelated ills. Critics say it’s an… -
news
Drones Provide Abortion-Inducing Pills to Polish Women
Last Saturday, abortion-inducing medication flew from Germany to Poland on the world’s first abortion drone in order to help women gain “access to safe abortions” in Poland, where strict abortion restrictions exist. The campaign was launched by several reproductive rights groups, including Women on Waves, an abortion support group for Polish women, along with several… -
opinion
What the Supreme Court Got Wrong on Obamacare and Marriage
Two of the Supreme Court’s biggest decisions were handed down last week, prompting praise and criticism. Yesterday, I appeared on Fox News to analyze the court’s rulings on Obamacare and same-sex marriage. >>> For more on this, see Ryan T. Anderson’s new book, “Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom” -
opinion
Obama’s Conservative Defense of Obamacare
Yesterday was a great day for conservative rhetoric in America. After the Supreme Court upheld a key provision of Obamacare by rewriting the law (again), President Obama urged Americans to be deferential to the wisdom of long-established traditions and customs. “What we’re not going to do is unravel what has now been woven into the… -
opinion
Cartoon: Obamacare’s Long-Term Prognosis
The U.S. Supreme Court sided with the Obama administration Thursday in a 6-3 ruling that upholds the federal subsidies awarded under Obamacare. That led President Obama to boast that “The Affordable Care Act is here to stay.” But what's the long-term prognosis? Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint had this to say after the court's ruling:… -
news
Bobby Jindal: Repeal and Replace Obamacare
MANCHESTER, N.H.—Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says that in spite of the Supreme Court’s ruling that Obamacare subsidies are constitutional, the Affordable Care Act still needs to be replaced. “You may have seen [the] news that the Supreme Court has ruled that one part of this law is not unconstitutional,” said Jindal during a speech yesterday… -
news
California Legislature Passes Mandatory Vaccination Bill
The California state legislature passed a controversial vaccination mandate Thursday requiring all schoolchildren receive vaccinations regardless of personal and religious beliefs. The law would end the ability of parents to exempt their children from vaccination unless a serious medical reason is given. Unvaccinated children are required to be homeschooled. Republican Assemblyman Rocky Chavez voted against… -
news
Republicans Plot Next Steps After Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare Subsidies
On the heels of the freshly handed-down Supreme Court ruling on the legality of the subsidies in federally-run exchanges awarded under President Obama’s health care law, congressional Republicans are turning their attention to a budget mechanism that would fast-track a repeal of Obamacare through Congress. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 today in favor of the… -
opinion
King v. Burwell Decision Changes Nothing for Obamacare Repeal
This morning, the Supreme Court handed down a decision in the case of King v. Burwell which maintains, contrary to the plain language of the law, subsidies are available to those who purchase insurance through federal health insurance exchanges set up for states which opted not to create their own. This doesn’t change the responsibility… -
opinion
Texas Religious Schools Lose in Obamacare Abortion-Drug Mandate Case
Earlier this week, religious employers suffered another loss at the hands of the coercive Obamacare Health and Human Services mandate. A U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit panel ruled against East Texas Baptist University and a group of other non-profit religious employers in their challenge to the Obamacare requirement that they facilitate health… -
news
What 2016 Hopefuls Think of King v. Burwell Obamacare Decision
Most of the major candidates running for president responded quickly to the Supreme Court’s upholding of Obamacare subsidies, with Democrats generally hailing the ruling and Republicans panning it. Within minutes of the release of the high court’s 6-3 decision in King v. Burwell, the 2016 presidential hopefuls took to Twitter to offer their opinions. >>> Republicans… -
opinion
King v. Burwell Decision Doesn’t Change That Obamacare Remains Unworkable, Unaffordable and Unpopular
Today the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the administration to allow Obamacare subsidies to flow through HealthCare.gov. This is a disappointment for the rule of law and for the states that have fought to keep some of Obamacare’s flawed policies out of their states. While the administration and Obamacare supporters attempt to convince the… -
news
Number of Adults Without Health Insurance Dropped During Obamacare’s First Year of Implementation
The number of adults without health insurance dropped over 4 percentage points in 2014, the first year of the Affordable Care Act’s implementation, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In its annual National Health Interview Survey, the CDC reported that the percentage of adults between 18 and 64 who… -
news
Emails Reveal Jonathan Gruber’s Hand in Crafting Obamacare
Although the White House previously disregarded an MIT economist’s role in the construction of the Affordable Care Act, a recent report indicates the consultant was one of the most critical actors involved in crafting the legislation. The Wall Street Journal obtained emails recently from the House Oversight Committee that unmasked over 20,000 pages of correspondence… -
opinion
Obama’s Attempt to Influence Supreme Court on Obamacare Case Breaks Precedent
Last week, President Obama made several comments about the Supreme Court’s pending decision in King v. Burwell, the Obamacare tax subsidies case, chiding the court for taking up the issue and calling it “an easy case.” But should the president be telling the justices how to rule? Historically, many presidents have criticized decisions with which… -
opinion
More Honest Accounting Shows That Repealing Obamacare Is Good for the Economy
The fiscal year 2016 budget resolution passed by Congress in May requires the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation to include the macroeconomic feedback effects of changes in policy on the budget when evaluating major legislation (CBO and JCT are the official number crunchers of Congress). Specifically, Section 3112 of the resolution… -
opinion
When Did Obamacare Become Pro-Growth?
It was shocking to read Kimberley Strassel describe the 28 House Democrats voting in favor of fast-track trade authority as “pro-growth” in her latest Wall Street Journal “Potomac Watch” column. One single vote—a vote on a congressional process—is not enough to overcome a lifetime of economically disastrous votes. Seventeen of those 28 Democrats were in… -
news
James Lankford: King v. Burwell Decision Offers ‘Leverage’ for GOP to Act on Obamacare
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., a conservative leader in Congress, sat down with The Daily Signal in an exclusive interview. He addressed several important topics affecting Americans, including Obamacare, the King v. Burwell case, and the importance of returning power back to the people. You can watch the full interview or see Lankford’s answers to each… -
news
Why These Tea Party Activists Are Protesting Obamacare
With a Supreme Court decision on Obamacare looming, concerned citizens trekked to the U.S. Capitol yesterday with flags and signs in hand to protest President Obama’s health care law. The Alexandria (Va.) Tea Party teamed up with the group Virginians for Quality Healthcare to voice disapproval with congressional exemptions to the Affordable Care Act and…