OVERNIGHT HEALTHCARE: Obama signs Medicare ‘doc fix’ bill

President Obama on Thursday signed a $200 billion Medicare reform package, hailing it as a “significant bipartisan achievement.”

The so-called “doc fix” measure is one of the biggest achievements for the new Republican Congress. It permanently ends automatic Medicare payment cuts to doctors that lawmakers had previously addressed with 17 temporary patches over the years. 

{mosads}In a rare outdoor signing ceremony in the Rose Garden, Obama congratulated Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) who brokered the deal. 

“Not only does this legislation permanently fix payments to doctors, but it also improves it,” he told reporters. “It encourages us to continue to make the healthcare system smarter, without denying service.” Read more here. 

FLORIDA SUING FEDS OVER MEDICAID EXPANSION: Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) announced Thursday he is suing the Obama administration as part of an escalating dispute over whether the state will expand Medicaid under ObamaCare. 

“It is appalling that President Obama would cut off federal healthcare dollars to Florida in an effort to force our state further into ObamaCare,” Scott said in a statement Thursday announcing the lawsuit.

Scott is objecting to the Obama administration linking the extension of separate federal money to help hospitals in the state care for the uninsured, known as the Low Income Pool (LIP), to the state’s decision on whether to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Read more here.

SUPREME COURT HALTS BIRTH CONTROL MANDATE: The Supreme Court is temporarily halting the enforcement of ObamaCare’s contraception mandate against several Catholic organizations in Pennsylvania.

In a ruling issued late Wednesday, Justice Samuel Alito said the mandate is “recalled” pending a response from the federal government.

Government officials have until Monday to brief the court.

Under the birth-control mandate, companies and organizations are fined if they do not agree to cover at least some of the costs of their employee’s birth control. Churches and houses of worship are exempt, though the mandate covers religious hospitals, charities and universities, which are now fighting the law in court.

The Supreme Court has already issued four rulings instructing the government to exempt certain companies or organizations with a religious background — such as arts-and-crafts retailer Hobby Lobby — from the rule. Read more here. 

UNINSURED RATE FALLS BY HALF WITH MEDICAID EXPANSION: The number of people lacking health insurance dropped by half in the 29 states that expanded Medicaid under ObamaCare, far more than states that did not agree to the expansion, according to new data.

While all states saw major increases in coverage under ObamaCare, the biggest differences were seen in states that accepted federal dollars to expand eligibility for Medicaid, according to new figures from the Urban Institute’s Health Reform Monitoring Survey.

The drop in the uninsured rate was about 30 percent in the 31 states that did not expand Medicaid eligibility.

Nearly 93 percent of people have insurance in the 29 states that have expanded Medicaid eligibility, the figures show. That compares to about 86 percent of people with insurance in states that have refused the expansion. Read more here. 

Friday’s schedule

The presidents of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia will discuss their economies’ recovery from Ebola at a meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund 

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will hold a meeting of its National Advisory Council in Rockville, Md.

State by state

Florida legislature heads towards special session because of Medicaid impasse

Tennessee Senate OKs 48-hour abortion wait period 

What we’re reading

Doctors see benefits and risks in Medicare changes

Hillary Clinton talks health policy in Iowa

Medicare doc fix bill would expand access to claims data 

What you might have missed from The Hill

GOP lawmaker: Abortion bill ‘going to come up’ in House 

Bipartisanship breaks out at “doc fix” signing ceremony

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