Health Care News Jan. 10 - 14

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News
THURSDAY
Cancer costs could increase 66% by 2020
The predicted rise in cost is due in part to the nation's growing population of elderly, who are aging into a period of their lives when they are at increased risk of developing common cancers.

WEDNESDAY
Tragedy may soften health debate
The House is expected to return to Washington next week to a more subdued debate on repealing the health care reform law than it probably would have had a few weeks ago.

MONDAY
Oklahoma to challenge health care law
The state of Oklahoma will file a lawsuit within the next few weeks challenging the constitutionality of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, according to the state's incoming attorney general.
Montana to Vote on Joining Health Care Suit
Montana may join the ranks of 20 other states that have filed suit against the federal government, questioning the constitutionality of the new health care law.
Democrats’ Hope for Unity Rests in Health Care Fight
Democrats quickly set aside their internal problems last week and launched a successful, coordinated attack on the GOP’s effort to push through a health care repeal bill with little debate and no amendments.
Health debate delayed, toned down
Lawmakers on Sunday said they still expect to have a spirited but delayed and toned-down debate to repeal the health care reform law after Saturday’s shooting in Arizona.

Economist Comments
FRIDAY
A New "Definition" for Health Care Reform
The new health care law would make matters worse by moving millions of new enrollees into heavily subsidized, third-party insurance arrangements.

TUESDAY
Supreme Court: Did it just hint at stance on a health-care law challenge?
The Supreme Court refused to take up a case examining Congress's authority under the commerce clause, a key issue in a legal challenge to Obama's health-care law. Two justices dissented.

MONDAY
ObamaCare's Reality Deficit
If you believe that a new entitlement saves money, you'll believe anything.

Blogs
FRIDAY
Kansas Seeks to Join Anti-Obamacare Lawsuit, Bringing the Number of States Challenging the Law to 26
The state of Kansas recently asked to join the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Obama health care plan filed by 20 state governments and the National Federation of Independent Business. Ohio, Wisconsin, and Wyoming are also seeking to join the multistate lawsuit, while Virginia and Oklahoma have filed separate challenges to the law. That brings the total number of state governments litigating against the plan to twenty-six.

THURSDAY
Six more states to join fight against ObamaCare
Attorneys general in Kansas, Ohio, Wyoming, and Wisconsin have requested to join the lawsuit filed by 20 other state attorneys general led by Florida attorney general (AG) Bill McCollum against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The new Republican attorney general for Maine says he is also getting ready to have the state join the Florida-led lawsuit.
Half of All States Now Suing to Stop Obamacare
While Obamacare will pay for all of the benefit expansion for the first three years of the law, and 90% of it after that, Obamacare never pays for any of the state administrative costs for adding those 18 million Americans to their welfare rolls.

WEDNESDAY
It's Hard to Put a Price on Obamacare
Democrats are pointing to the CBO score on repeal, which estimates that repealing the law would cost over $200 billion.  Republicans are pointing out that the score is highly contingent on actually implementing the law as passed--something that even the bill's proponents recognize will be a political challenge.
States Cry to Washington: Remove Obamacare’s Medicaid Handcuffs
The big news out of a majority of state capitols is that Obamacare’s Medicaid mandates will exacerbate state budget problems and drive many states to the brink of insolvency.

TUESDAY
The Doctor Might See You Now
In other words, whether you favor ACA or not, the supply side constraints are starting to bite.
The Impact of Obamacare: From the Frontlines of Our Health Care Crisis
The negative impact of the health law will be felt by every American citizen. For example:
A month’s rent for a night at the pet hospital
As long as people will pay exorbitant fees to care for loved ones – even loved pets – health care costs won't react the way economists think they will. Too much is at stake.
Hold up: Repealing health reform costs $230 billion??
When the health care law was enacted, the CBO said it would save $145 billion. Now, the CBO says it will cost $230 billion to repeal. Why?

MONDAY
PAYGO, the CBO, and Repealing ObamaCare
One could argue that exempting ObamaCare from the PAYGO requirement is appropriate given the defects in current budget rules.

Reports
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