Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News

The American Diabetes Association does not recommend the treatment and Medicare's review of the therapy for diabetic wounds owes more to hospitals' pursuit of revenue than to the treatment's proven value.

With less than a week until the deadline to buy individual health insurance that begins Jan. 1, experts say sign-ups are on course to hit or exceed the Obama administration's projection of about 9 million enrollees in 2015.

Nearly 9 percent of the births covered by Medicaid -- or about 160,000 each year -- were elective deliveries before 39 weeks of gestation, which lead to worse health outcomes for mothers and children and higher costs, according to a study published Monday.

Millions of low-income children are failing to get the free preventive exams and screenings guaranteed by Medicaid and the Obama administration is not doing enough to fix the problem, according to the HHS Office of Inspector General.

The re-election of Republican governors in closely contested races in Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin, Maine and Kansas dims the chances of Medicaid expansion in those states.

With an improving fiscal climate, some states are paying their Medicaid providers more. More states are increasing fees to specialists, nursing homes and managed care organizations, but 31 states were cutting or freezing Medicaid hospital rates, compared to 19 that were increasing them.

One of the biggest beneficiaries of healthcare reform's expansion of insurance coverage to more than 13 million people this year has been the nation's safety-net hospitals. At least in the states that have chosen to accept the Medicaid expansion.

With several states weighing whether to expand Medicaid under the federal health law, supporters are looking to powerful business groups to help sway skeptical state legislators. But those groups are split on the issue -- just like the public at large.

Tenet Healthcare Corp., the nation's third largest for-profit hospital operator, said Tuesday it expects 15 percent of its uninsured patients to get covered this year as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

The nation's 1,200 nonprofit community health centers receive strong federal support to treat millions of uninsured residents, but still face financial challenges. Some are responding with an unusual strategy -- starting for-profit insurance plans.