Massachusetts Wants To Cut $150 Billion In Health Costs. Can It Succeed?

GOP boycotts health care advisory board

RARE DROP: Total U.S. spending on prescription medicines declined last year, a first in more than half a century.

PhysBizTechStudy Finds Expanded Medicaid Increases Health Care UseNew York TimesWASHINGTON — Come January, millions of low-income adults will gain health insurance coverage through Medicaid in one of the farthest-reaching provisions of the Obama health care law. How will that change their finances, spending habits, use of Medicaid has mixed record on improving health for poor, study saysLos Angeles TimesMedicaid Expansion May Not Improve Health of Poor in USBloombergMedicaid Expansion Enhances Financial and Mental Well-Being, Study SaysU.S. News & World ReportWashington Post -ModernHealthcare.com -NPR (blog)all 57 news articles »

CNBC.comWhere the Budget Cut Pain Is Really Being FeltCNBC.comFlight delays from furloughs of air traffic controllers may seem like the start of the predicted doom of sequestration. But for many, the pain of the mandated budget cuts are already being felt. "The cuts are hitting some people really hard," said Joel Packer, Fingers point over flight delays - LaHood says it might get worse - Finance Politico (blog)Sequester slams air-traffic control systemExaminer.comWill sequestration affect US aviation safety?eTurboNewsFederalNewsRadio.com -Daily Caller -24/7 Wall St.all 81 news articles »

In a move that would capitalize on provisions under President Barack Obama's health care law but could cost the federal government millions of dollars, Washington state lawmakers have found a creative way to pass a large chunk of their health care expenses along to Washington, D.C. - and analysts say others are likely to follow suit.