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Morning CheckUp: May 10, 2012

Millions of employers fail to claim healthcare tax credit: “Millions of small businesses failed to claim tax credits they could have received under President Obama’s healthcare law, according to a new report from the advocacy group Families USA.” [The Hill]

Lawmakers propose a permanent ‘doc fix’: “Reps. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Joe Heck (R-NV) introduced a bill Wednesday to reform how Medicare pays healthcare providers and to avoid a cut to reimbursement rates on Jan. 1.” [The Hill]

If individual mandate is overturned, states still have lots of options: “No individual mandate? No problem. That’s the attitude of some state health care officials who are bracing for a Supreme Court decision expected in June, a ruling that could overturn some components of the Affordable Care Act and national health care reform, including the individual mandate.” [California Healthline]

Birth control coverage ban ruled unconstitutional: “A Montana judge has struck down the state’s ban on prescription birth control coverage for teenage girls enrolled in its low-income health insurance program.” [AP]

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Republicans find lots to love in PhRMA: “Even though the pharmaceutical trade group was the first industry group to make a deal with the Obama administration to support health reform, Republicans are working hard to fast-track the passage of the industry’s top legislative priority — the reauthorization of the Food and Drug Administration “user fee” bill that regulates drug approvals.” [Politico]

Senate Democrats urge protection of public-health fund: “Six Senate Democrats are urging the chamber’s leaders to make a stand against a Republican measure that would eliminate the healthcare reform law’s public health and prevention fund in order to freeze student loan rates. The Democrats’ pleas came in a letter to Senate leaders after their party failed on a procedural vote to advance an approach to a student loan fix that relies on raising payroll taxes for some higher-income earners.” [Modern Healthcare]