- Obamacare remains unpopular, but specific provisions of the federal healthcare law have broad support, according to the latest polling data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. At least 75% of respondents expressed support for health insurance exchanges, subsidies for low-income households and Medicaid expansion. The employer mandate, which takes effect next year for companies with at least 100 workers, was backed by 60% of respondents. One provision that failed to receive majority support was the individual mandate. Despite strong support for the most significant provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care, the public still holds an unfavorable view of the landmark healthcare law. Just 41% expressed support for the ACA, compared with 46% who opposed it.
- The average price paid by hospitals for drug-eluting stents fell 6% over the past year, as hospitals continue to push back on the prices of physician-preference items, according to the Modern Healthcare/ECRI Institute Technology Price Index. The average price for a drug-eluting stent is $1,340, said Amanda McShea, a manager for ECRI's PriceGuide service. But what hospitals pay for stents varies widely, because of differences in their product negotiations. Also, the common disclosure clauses included in product contracts prevent some hospitals from sharing pricing. Hospitals pay between $1,000 and $2,750 for a drug-eluting stent, based on ECRI Institute data.
- A former vice president of Rite Aid Corp. and his business associate have signed tentative plea agreements in a case that involved duping the company out of $14.6 million by profiting from deceptive sales of its surplus inventory. Former Rite Aid Vice President Timothy Foster and New Jersey businessman Jay Findling allegedly made Rite Aid believe its surplus inventory had been sold to Findling's company for one price, when it had actually been sold to third parties for higher prices between 2001 and 2010.
Broad provisions of Obamacare gain support, and other news
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