Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that reflect a number of the issues in play as the waiting game continues regarding the Supreme Court’s health law decision.
: Health Lobby To Parse Words After Decision
When the Supreme Court hands down its ruling on the health care law, it鈥檚 game on for K Street. Lawyers and lobbyists are preparing their rapid-response plans to dissect the decision and tell clients what it means. But no matter how quickly people figure out what the court said, don鈥檛 expect corporate America to come out spiking the football (Palmer, 6/20).
: Neera Tanden: Health Care Ruling Won鈥檛 Be The End
A ruling against the health law would energize Democratic voters in the 2012 election, says one prominent backer. And a ruling in favor of it 鈥 even if that means at least one Republican-appointed justice upholds it 鈥 won鈥檛 make its critics suddenly find it politically palatable, said one of the law鈥檚 leading foes (Haberkorn, 6/20).
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: The Possible Impact On Small Businesses After The Supreme Court Rules On Health Care
Small business owners will be watching when the Supreme Court issues its ruling on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The overhaul of the nation鈥檚 health care system requires that by 2014, all businesses with more than 50 employees must provide health care benefits that are deemed affordable under the law (6/20).
: Not Just Insurance Is At Stake
It isn’t just large employers, medical businesses and constitutional scholars who are invested in the court’s decision. Chain restaurants, tanning salons, breast-feeding advocacy groups and others far afield of health care have a lot riding on whether the law stays in place (Adamy, 6/20).
: Mike Lee: If Health Care Stands, Anything Goes
Sen. Mike Lee says that if the Supreme Court upholds the Affordable Care Act, Congress鈥檚 power would effectively be limitless (Cheney, 6/19).
: Health-Care Tax Credit Eludes Some
Hundreds of thousands of small businesses are excluded from claiming a health-care tax credit, and many blame overly narrow restrictions. “You’re penalized for giving people a higher wage and a more professional opportunity,” said Michael Griffin, whose St. Louis ad agency offers health-insurance coverage to its six full-time employees (Maltby, 6/20).
: Health Insurance Plans Owe $1.1 Billion In Rebates
Millions of consumers and businesses will receive $1.1 billion in rebates this summer from health insurance plans that failed to meet a requirement of the new health-care law, according to the Health and Human Services Department (Kliff, 6/20).
: Not All Republicans Embrace GOP Budget, Medicare Changes
As both Democrats and Republicans try to make the November election a choice over competing economic visions for the country, not all congressional Republicans are fans of the GOP budget approach as crafted by Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and embraced by the party鈥檚 presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney (Mascaro, 6/20).
: Distaste For Health Care Law Reflects Spending On Ads
Losse is precisely the kind of person President Obama鈥檚 signature health care law is intended to help. She has no health insurance. She relies on her mother to buy her a yearly checkup as a Christmas gift, and she pays out of her own pocket for the rest of her medical care, including $1,250 for a recent ultrasound (Goodnough, 6/20).
: Conservative Women鈥檚 Group Launches $6 Million Ad Campaign Criticizing Health Care Law
A conservative women鈥檚 group on Wednesday launched a $6 million ad campaign in presidential battleground states criticizing President Barack Obama鈥檚 health care reform law. The 60-second ad from Concerned Women for America features a family physician, Ami Siems, warning that patients may be denied care under the new law and might not be able to choose their own doctor (6/20).
: Catholic Bishops Press Cause Against Federal Mandates
The campaign kicks off Thursday. Government, they say, should not decide who is religious enough to be exempt from government mandates 鈥 particularly a requirement to provide free contraception insurance coverage 鈥 that would force the faithful to violate church doctrine (Grossman, 6/21).
: House Extends FDA User Fees
The House easily passed a bill reauthorizing the FDA鈥檚 user fees Wednesday, sending it to the Senate for final approval. The measure passed by voice vote. The exact timing for Senate action on the bill is not yet clear, but that chamber is expected to take it up next week and send it to President Barack Obama (Norman, 6/20).
: Analysis: Hospitals Find A Few Defenders On Wall Street
Such construction plans are just one example of how publicly traded U.S. hospital chains are preparing for a new era in healthcare. In many cases, operators like Community Health and Health Management Associates Inc are becoming turnaround strategists, taking over struggling nonprofit community hospitals for bargain prices and investing in new technology for the promise of a new revenue stream (6/21).
: J& J Close To Settling Off-Label Probes
Johnson & Johnson JNJ +0.42%and the Justice Department are close to settling a protracted investigation into the company’s promotion of the antipsychotic Risperdal, for what would be one of the highest sums to date in a drug-marketing case, according to people familiar with the matter. The sides are trying to wrap together a number of lawsuits, state investigations and other probes of alleged illegal marketing, and are discussing a payment of at least $1.5 billion, some of the people said (Rockoff and Lublin, 6/20).
: Cuba Defends Its Banks After US Prosecutors Say Medicare Fraud Money Sent To Island Accounts
A Cuban official said Wednesday that the country has strict controls to avoid money laundering and works closely with banks to detect and deter fraudulent transactions, responding to allegations by U.S. prosecutors that millions of dollars defrauded from Medicare were routed to the island鈥檚 financial system (6/20).
: Florida Gov. Scott Says His State Will Carry Out Obama鈥檚 Health Law If Supreme Court Upholds
Florida鈥檚 Republican governor 鈥 one of the staunchest opponents of President Barack Obama鈥檚 health care overhaul 鈥 says his state will carry out the law if the Supreme Court upholds it. Gov. Rick Scott told reporters Wednesday 鈥渋f it is the law of the land, then we are going to comply.鈥 The highly anticipated ruling is expected before the end of next week (6/20).
: Albany Bill On Organ Donation Urges License Applicants To Act
The New York State Legislature passed a measure on Wednesday aimed at increasing the low number of organ donors in the state by encouraging driver鈥檚 license applicants to make an active choice about their donation status. If the bill is signed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, New York will become the second state, along with California, to make such a change in its donor registration process (Sack, 6/20).
: 11 Illinois Health Centers Win $6.5 Million In Federal Awards To Expand Care To More Patients
Eleven health centers in Illinois have been awarded grants under the Affordable Care Act to expand care. The Illinois grants announced Wednesday total nearly $6.5 million. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (seh-BEEL’-yuhs) announced more than $128 million in awards to health centers in 41 states (6/20).
