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State insurance regulators have defined one of the thorniest provisions of the new health overhaul law: the requirement that insurers spend at least 80 percent of revenue on direct medical care.

Two recent California efforts to reign in hospital prices - or at least reduce pricing disparities between hospital providers in the state for the same procedure - have been stymied, thanks to the hospital lobby.

Individual health insurance policies rarely cover expenses related to maternity care without the purchase of an expensive rider. Add in other charges and having a baby can be a very expensive proposition, even with insurance.

Seeking to end a grim history of abuse and neglect at its mental hospitals, Georgia reached an accord with the federal government and promises to provide more community-based services for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The agreement ends a three-year dispute and highlights an Obama administration campaign to fight for the rights of the disabled.

Hospitals are buying doctor practices at an increasing rate. They say it helps the quality of medicine, but it also helps a hospital's bottom line by providing a steady stream of patient referrals. One North Carolina hospital is out to hire the best doctors in town, and those just getting out of medical school.

If you had a minute with Rep. John Boehner, soon to be House Speaker, what would you tell him about health care? Egg him on in trying to repeal the law, urge him to reverse course, or suggest he focus on something else?

Oncologists would receive a set fee for certain cancers under this plan, which is being tested at five participating practices. Proponents say that this new strategy aims to identify the best medicines and cut back on profits doctors make by dispensing in-office chemotherapy drugs.

The federal law overhauling health care is supposed to make it easier for patients to keep insurance coverage when enrolling in studies of experimental treatments. But for studies outside insurers' networks, problems for patients remain.

As part of the new health law, officials published information on 4,000 individual insurance plans today. A health insurance trade group says the site is misleading. A government spokeswoman says that it holds insurance companies more accountable.

Starting next year, Medicare will pay for all sorts of preventive services and recipients won't have to shell out a dime. But workouts, aren't on the list.