Congress reaches deal to avoid government shutdown: “Congress reached a tentative deal late Thursday on a $1-trillion spending bill that would avert a government shutdown as both parties continued to discuss extending President Obama’s payroll tax break.” “The short-term deal also would include a routine adjustment for doctors who serve Medicare patients, preventing about a 20% cut in payments.” [LA Times]
White House rejects Florida’s waiver: “The Obama administration has denied Florida’s request to waive a key health reform regulation. The regulation at hand is the new medical loss ratio, which requires insurance companies to spend at least 80 percent of subscriber premiums on medical costs.” [Washington Post]
Michigan votes down exchange funding: “In an action with major implications for health reform in Michigan, the state House has voted to turn down — at least for now — nearly $10 million in federal funds to create a statewide health exchange by 2014 to sell more affordable, standardized health insurance to consumers and small businesses.” [Detroit Free Press]
Colorado approves exchange grant: “Colorado lawmakers moved forward Thursday with an $18 million federal grant application to set up an insurance marketplace required under the new health care law. Lawmakers voted 9-1 to apply for the grant on an issue that divides Democrats who advocate for the new health care law and Republicans who want to see it repealed.” [RealClearPolitics]
Advocates push for a public option in MA: “Five years after redrawing the lines in the national health care debate, Beacon Hill is looking at new reforms, closely studying payment system plans to lower costs and examining a government controlled single-payer model. “We will end up with a government option at some point. We will end up with a single-payer at some point, and wouldn’t it be wonderful if that point was now, and the place was Massachusetts?” said Sen. Dan Wolf (D-Harwich) at a Thursday afternoon legislative hearing.” [WWLP]
Health omnibus bill includes abstinence only funding: “House GOP appropriators unveiled late Wednesday an omnibus spending bill that sets aside $69.7 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services. That’s $700 million less than what HHS got for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 and $3.4 billion below the president’s budget request.” [The Hill]
Access to prescription drugs holds steady: “The proportion of Americans who reported problems affording prescription drugs has stayed level between 2007 and 2010, according to a new study from the Center for Studying Health System Change.” [Modern Healthcare]
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