August 2006 Health Care News

The August 2006 issue of Health Care News reports on a flurry of end-of-session health care activity in Congress as well as Connecticut, Kentucky, New Jersey, and several states considering 'fair share' bills aimed at Wal-Mart.

On page 1:

• Kentucky is the first state to redesign its Medicaid program under provisions of a federal law granting states unprecedented flexibility in managing the program;

• direct-to-consumer lab test programs help consumers take responsibility for wellness and disease management;

• a proposal to impose a bed tax on New Jersey hospitals failed in June; and

• U.S. Reps. Melissa Hart and Don Manzullo have introduced a bill that would level the health care tax playing field between employees of corporations and the self-employed.

Also in this issue: small business health insurance, drug importation, Medicaid, obesity, HPV vaccination, mandate-lite insurance, a report from the Consumer Directed Health Care Conference, a new health care resource directory, and reviews of Chew on This and Your Health Matters.