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Morning CheckUp: April 5, 2012

Holder says DOJ will respond “appropriately to judges’ questions about health care law: “The Justice Department is scrambling to meet a federal court’s Thursday deadline to answer fundamental constitutional questions dealing with the health care law championed by President Barack Obama, an escalating political battle that has embroiled all three branches of government. Administration officials said Wednesday they were deciding how to respond to an order from a three-judge appeals panel hearing a separate challenge to the Affordable Care Act. “ [CNN]

ACA repeal would hurt hospitals: “A repeal of the Patient and Protection and Affordable Care Act would disproportionately hurt the credit ratings of for-profit hospitals, according to a report from Moody’s Investors Service.” [Modern Healthcare]

Drug spending levels off: “U.S. spending on prescription drugs grew just barely in 2011, according to the annual report from IMS Health, which keeps track of these things. But the reason for the barely discernible increase of 0.5 percent, to $320 billion, was not the expected one.” [NPR]

Wisconsin Planned Parenthood bomber admits guit: “A Grand Chute man charged with setting fire to a Planned Parenthood building in his hometown admits to his crime.” His motive for what he did? He said “because they’re killing babies there.” [WLUK]

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Employers are still providing insurance: “Despite saying in 2010 that they would drop employee coverage due to provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), most employers have not dropped employee benefits, according to a survey by the Midwest Business Group on Health.” [MD News]

Health insurers say they’re developing better care models with providers: “Health plans are working with primary care physicians to offer a ‘medical home’ to patients,” AHIP CEO Karen Ignagni writes in an editorial. “The concept is to support physicians’ efforts to provide preventive care, coordination of care for multiple conditions, and services designed to maintain health and to coordinate care for those with chronic conditions.” [AHIP]