A group of individuals and businesses filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration's healthcare overhaul on Thursday, hoping to stop the law in states that have not set up new insurance exchanges. The complaint filed in the Washington federal court challenges federal rules issued in 2012 for implementing the president's 2010 healthcare law which goes into full force in January 2014. The 12 challengers, ranging from a hospital chain to a restaurant franchise, argue that Internal Revenue Service rules issued last year should be invalidated because they contradict what Congress originally intended.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is doubling down against ObamaCare this week with a new petition drive against the law. The GOP is preparing to deliver signatures of people who want ObamaCare "exemptions" to federal Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The campaign also mentions allegations that congressional Democrats have tried to exempt Capitol Hill from the law. Leaders have flatly denied this claim and said they would not support an exemption policy for lawmakers and staff. "As public support for this law nears an all time low, it's time for the President's administration to realize that everyone deserves an exemption from ObamaCare — not just his Washington allies," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus in a statement.
The nation's largest health insurers are far from leaping at the chance to join new state health insurance exchanges under President Barack Obama's reform law, making it likely that some markets will have little or no competition next year. These new insurance marketplaces are due to open their doors on October 1 to enroll millions of Americans who have not been able to buy coverage on their own. A key principle of Obama's health reform is that individuals will have a robust offering of insurance plans to choose from, and that competition for new customers in each state will help keep prices down for consumers.
New Jersey hospitals are celebrating major drops last year in hospital infections and other preventable problems, crediting a federally funded initiative that's part of the Affordable Care Act. The effort, led by the New Jersey Hospital Association, is aimed at improving the quality of care offered at hospitals by reducing preventable illnesses that originate in health care facilities. These problems are a major cause of concern at hospitals and reducing their occurrence is a goal of federal health reform. The association has been holding face-to-face learning sessions in which doctors and nurses share their experiences in reducing the spread of infections, readmission rates, and other preventable problems.
Many part-timers are facing a double whammy from President Obama's Affordable Care Act. The law requires large employers offering health insurance to include part-time employees working 30 hours a week or more. But rather than provide healthcare to more workers, a growing number of employers are cutting back employee hours instead. The result: Not only will these workers earn less money, but they'll also miss out on health insurance at work. Consider the city of Long Beach. It is limiting most of its 1,600 part-time employees to fewer than 27 hours a week, on average. City officials say that without cutting payroll hours, new health benefits would cost up to $2 million more next year.
Carolinas HealthCare System wants to improve care and reduce hospital stays for its sickest patients by using virtual medical care. The Charlotte health-care system is putting the finishing touches on a $12.3 million, virtual critical-care project, slated to open on Tuesday. The 3,200-square-foot command center in Mint Hill will allow for 24/7 remote monitoring of patients in intensive-care units across the health-care system's footprint. The command center will rely on audio and video to monitor patient data, such as lab results, blood-pressure readings and heart monitoring. Hospital personnel and the command center will be able to communicate around the clock about a patient's condition and concerns.