Minn. exchange off to rough start; governor says robocallers tied up lines | (Minneapolis) Star Tribune
State IT officials say nearly MNsure and nearly 70 other state websites experiencing outages as open enrollment started Tuesday for about 250,000 Minnesotans who buy coverage on their own.
Hospitals appeal Connecticut tax ruling to state Superior Court | (Danbury, Conn.) News Times
The Connecticut Hospital Association is asking the state Superior Court to toss out a tax it says puts an unfair burden on local hospitals. Hospitals asked the state to reconsider last November, but in September it rejected their claim that the tax — which began in 2012 — was “illegal” and “unconstitutional.”
Regulators now say Vermont all-payer scope extends to Medicaid reimbursements | VTDigger.org
The Green Mountain Care Board has issued a statement justifying its vote Wednesday to approve the all-payer health care model and announcing for the first time it will seek to increase how much Medicaid pays doctors.
Iowa governor pumps $33 million more into Medicaid privatization | DesMoines Register
Gov. Terry Branstad confirmed Monday that an additional $33 million in state money will be spent on Iowa's controversial new Medicaid privatization program. But he said the program is more efficient than expected so the state will still meet its goal of $110 million annually in projected Medicaid cost savings.
Uncompensated-care costs at Minnesota hospitals plunge since health law | (Minneapolis) Star Tribune
Uncompensated care costs at Minnesota hospitals have declined by about 17 percent since the implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act, with the health law apparently helping more Minnesotans cover their medical bills.
While other carriers flee, UPMC Health Plan continues commissions for federal health insurance marketplace | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
UPMC Health Plan is paying brokers and agents $16 for new enrollees and $10 for renewing members in the government-subsidized health insurance market for 2017, a book of business that its biggest Pittsburgh competitor has been running away from with double-digit rate hikes and fewer plan options.
Aetna, Banner Health form new joint venture health plan | Phoenix Business Journal
Banner and Aetna are creating a new health insurance plan where they both own the company and share equally in the profits and losses.
St. Jude shipped old versions of heart device 17 months after key design change | (Minneapolis) Star Tribune
Although St. Jude had fixed the problem that led to a recall of the devices back in 2015, the company kept selling its stock of older units.
Herb rush: Ballot initiatives could set pot business ablaze | Crain's
Nine states are poised to vote on allowing medical or adult recreational marijuana use this fall. If these propositions prevail, nearly 75 million people would have legal access, according to the most recent Census data – and that means big opportunity for business.
Why New York's health insurance market stands out | Politico
New York State of Health, the online market created by the Affordable Care Act, opens for its fourth year of business on Tuesday amid national angst that President Barack Obama's signature law is doomed to a death spiral that will push health insurance beyond the reach of most Americans. But from the very first days of the exchange, when its website functioned while HealthCare.gov floundered, New York State has stood out for its relative success.
Get ready for more drug ads: Facebook is making a bid for pharma dollars | Statnews.com
Facebook wants a much bigger cut of the billions that pharma companies spend every year on advertising. And that means you're soon likely to see more drug ads — both overt and stealthy — on social media.
