Health Headlines for Wednesday, February 21

U.S. to extend skimpy health insurance outside of Obamacare

Reuters

The U.S. government on Tuesday proposed extending the availability of skimpy health insurance plans to millions of Americans in another Trump administration move aimed at undercutting the requirements of the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare.

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Reporting a broken cash machine: Why is New York using a surplus from the feds to plug other holes?

New York Daily News

Suppose you stumble across a malfunctioning ATM that mistakenly churns out extra twenties with every withdrawal. Do you alert the bank like an honest citizen, or pocket the cash and hope you don’t get caught?

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NY Medicaid director to leave

Albany Times Union

New York’s Medicaid director, Jason Helgerson, will step down from his post later this spring once the 2018-19 state budget is finalized, the governor’s office confirmed Tuesday.

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The Health 202: Azar makes his first Obamacare move

Washington Post

Republican dreams of repealing Obamacare lie mostly in tatters. But President Trump’s new appointee leading the nation’s health-care department has picked up the flag, announcing his first major move to back away from the law’s regulations.

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New York state adult smoking rate hits record low: Survey

AM New York

The number of smokers in New York state is at the lowest level in recorded history, and the city’s health department is pushing for more people to kick the habit.

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The Short-Term Future for ObamaCare

Wall Street Journal

ObamaCare survived a GOP repeal attempt but the law’s prognosis remains poor—higher premiums and insurer flight. Some Republicans would be happy to dump money into the exchanges and move on, so credit the Trump Administration for a proposal that puts consumer choice ahead of politics.

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Federal funds restored for area hospitals

Evening Tribune

Area hospitals will see millions of dollars in funding restored following the passage of temporary federal budget measure last week.

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