Republicans spar over contraception at debate: “All four Republican presidential candidates criticized the Obama administration’s birth control mandate during Wednesday night’s debate but sharply disagreed over government’s proper role on the issue of sex. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum defended earlier remarks about “the dangers of contraception,” saying he was concerned with sexual activity among young Americans.” [The Hill]
Romney and Santorum blame each other for Obamacare: “We were talking about this issue before of religious conscience and protections, but the whole reason this issue is alive is because of the bill that you drafted in Massachusetts, ‘Romneycare,’ which was the model for ‘Obamacare’ and the government takeover of heathcare,” Mr. Santorum said to his rival. “There was a study that just came out about ten days ago–two weeks ago, that listed 15 ways in which ‘Romneycare’ was the model for ‘Obamacare.’” Romney blamed Santorum for causing “Obamacare” because he endorsed former Senator Arlen Specter in his race against a more conservative candidate, Pat Toomey in 2004. [Politicker]
Virginia ultrasound bill likely to fail: “Amid a public uproar that prompted Virginia’s governor to withdraw his support, Republican legislators on Wednesday dropped a bitterly contested proposal to require that women seeking abortions undergo invasive ultrasound imaging, likely dooming the bill.” [AP]
HHS announces a new round of exchange grants: “New federal money is headed to ten states to help them establish insurance exchanges through which individuals and small businesses can buy insurance beginning in 2014. The Department of Health and Human Services is sending a total of $229 million in exchange establishment grants to ten states, the agency announced Wednesday.” Four of the states are governed by Republican governors. [Kaiser Health News]
Democrat calls for tougher electronic health record standards: “Congress’s gambit to create a national system of electronic health records is “at risk of failure or mediocrity” if federal regulators continue to water down the standards that doctors and hospitals must meet, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) wrote in a letter to federal health officials.” [The Hill]
Whistle-blowers key in health care fraud fight: “About 36% of the almost $16 billion recovered by the Justice Department in health care whistle-blower fraud cases has come since 2009, records show, which reflects an increased focus on fighting fraud.” [USA Today]
Medicaid cuts in New Mexico: “Gov. Susana Martinez’s administration is proposing to overhaul a program that provides health care to a fourth of the state’s population, and the changes could require some needy New Mexicans to dig into their pockets to pay a fee if they go to an emergency room for medical care that’s not considered an emergency.” [AP]
Vermont governor defends the exchanges: “Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin is defending his administration’s push to set up a new health insurance marketplace — or exchange. Shumlin says the aim is to comply with the federal health reform law passed two years ago and lay the groundwork for the single-payer health care system he wants to set up by late in this decade.” [NECN]
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