St. Elizabeths avoids legal action (The Washington Examiner)
The federal government will get new authority to regulate D.C.'s troubled mental institution under a settlement that avoids federal litigation over massive problems in the hospital's billing and accounting departments, The Examiner has learned.

Medicare Part D drug plan administered by private health insurers (Billings Gazette)
HELENA - Signed into law in December 2003, Medicare Part D was part of a sweeping, multibillion-dollar bill that brought the biggest changes to Medicare since the program was created in 1965.

Congress aims to ease doctor shortage (The Monterey County Herald)
WASHINGTON Congress is under pressure to remedy a national doctor shortage that could worsen on July 1, when physicians who treat Medicare patients get a 10 percent pay cut. Some say the situation is dire.

Statement Of The Department Of Health And Human Services Regarding Appeal Of Consumers Checkbook Decision (Medical News Today)
Consumers should have access to a health care marketplace that provides information on the quality and cost of health care - such transparency empowers them to make better health care choices. As a provider of health insurance to more than 44 million Americans, the Medicare program is a considerable resource for such information.