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A CNN Guide to the Supreme Court Health Law Arguments

"The court will hear six hours of oral arguments over three days on the law's constitutionality. Here are some frequently asked questions on the crucial issues[.]"

CNN Coverage of Bush-Norwood Patients' Rights Agreement

Excerpt: The development stunned key players in the patients' rights issue on Capitol Hill. Many of Norwood's allies, including Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, did not even know Norwood was at the White House.

Organized Labor 'Thrilled' with Obama's Pick for Labor Secretary

Excerpt: Labor unions Thursday praised President-elect Barack Obama's selection to head the Labor Department, Rep. Hilda Solis. Rep. Hilda Solis is viewed as a strong advocate for working men and women by organized labor. A Washington-based labor official for a major union told CNN's John King that the California Democrat was Obama's choice for labor secretary. Obama is expected to officially announce his nomination of Solis during a press conference on Friday.

The 'Third Rail': Presidential Candidates Take on Social Security

Excerpt: Below are the Social Security proposals and suggestions made so far by the front-runners. Those front-runners were determined by the results of CNN's most recent national polls in which a candidate got at least 10 percent of the vote. Among the Democrats, they are Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. From the Republican field, there is Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson and Mike Huckabee.

Debate: Will Patients' Rights Bill Be Good for Patients or for Lawyers?

Excerpt: CNN's Jeanne Meserve spoke about the issue with Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, and Susan Pisano, vice president of communications for the American Association of Health Care Plans. This is an edited transcript.

Case Threatening Obamacare Mandate for Cost-Free Preventive Services Goes Before Federal Appellate Court

"The [Fifth Circuit] is reviewing a district judge's ruling that wiped away that requirement for certain preventive services -- a ruling that was paused while the appeal plays out.... Not only will they be weighing whether to uphold the ruling that partially invalidated the mandate, they will also be deciding whether additional coverage requirements targeted by the challengers should be struck down, including no-cost coverage for some vaccines as well as for certain preventive health services for women and children." [Braidwood Management, Inc. v. Becerra, No. 20-0283 (N.D. Tex. Sep. 7, 2022; on appeal to 5th Cir. No. 23-10326)]

Employer-Provided Fertility Benefits Could Be Affected by Alabama Supreme Court's Embryo Ruling

"Alabama's Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos are children could have an even greater impact on would-be parents in the state -- and elsewhere if other states follow suit -- than it would have just a few years ago. That's because more employers are providing fertility benefits to their workers ... While it's too soon to tell how the court decision will affect employer benefits, it's possible that some companies will have to cover more travel expenses to enable their workers to get treatment in other states." [LePage v. Center for Reproductive Medicine, P.C., Nos. SC-2022-0515, SC-2022-0579 (Ala. Feb. 16, 2024)]

Wells Fargo Sells Retirement Plan Unit for $1.2 Billion

"Principal Financial signed a $1.2 billion deal on Tuesday to acquire Wells Fargo's institutional retirement and trust business. The unit serves 7.5 million retirement customers across the United States, offering 401(k), pension, employee stock ownership and other services used by employers.... The Wells Fargo business had $827 billion in assets under administration at the end of the year."

Insurer Skips Doctors, Sends Checks Directly to Patients, Prompting Lawsuit

"The suit by Sovereign Health highlights part of an ongoing war between insurance companies and [health care] providers over payment and billing issues, one that puts the patient right in the middle of the fighting by sending payments straight to patients after they seek out-of-network care. Patients are supposed to send the money on to providers. Many times, they do; other times, they don't."

California Regulators to Investigate Aetna's Medical Coverage Decisions

"The Department of Managed Health Care, which regulates the vast majority of health plans in California, said Monday it will investigate Hartford, Ct.-based Aetna after CNN first reported Sunday that one of the company's medical directors had testified in a deposition related to the lawsuit that he did not examine patients' records before deciding whether to deny or approve care. Rather, he relied on information provided by nurses who reviewed the records -- and that was how he was trained by the company, he said."