OVERNIGHT HEALTH: IOM recommends mandatory coverage for contraception

Contraception gets a boost: A panel of healthcare experts said Tuesday that the federal government should require insurance plans to offer coverage for contraception without co-pays.

The healthcare reform law requires plans to cover certain preventive care without charging a co-pay. An Institute of Medicine committee on Tuesday issued a highly anticipated report that recommends eliminating co-pays for eight categories of women’s health services, including contraception.

Healthwatch's Sam Baker has the story.

While some women's groups called the recommendations "a great step forward for women," the Family Research Council tells NPR that it opposes the mandatory coverage because of concerns about artificial contraception and abortion.

IPAB light? A bipartisan deficit-cutting plan unveiled Tuesday would require lawmakers to keep federal healthcare costs from growing faster than a target rate, not unlike a provision of the healthcare reform law that Republicans have denounced as a "rationing board." Read the Healthwatch post.

Latinos' health at risk: Latinos would be disproportionately affected by deep cuts to Medicaid that are under discussion as part of debt-ceiling negotiations, according to a new report from Families USA and the National Council of La Raza. The state-by-state breakdown shows provides an in-depth look at the number of Latinos, a key voting demographic, covered by Medicaid nationally and in each state.

The two groups also announced that they're holding a national "call-in day" Wednesday to draw lawmakers' attention to Latinos' reliance on the program.

About that study: The National Health Institutes finally pushed back late Monday against a call for a grant-making moratorium by the conservative Traditional Values Coalition. The coalition highlighted research on penis size and other questionable studies in its criticism.

"The National Institutes of Health did not fund or approve the research described in the paper," the NIH said. "This study was funded by the Hunter College Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training. Dr. Christian Grov was supported as a postdoctoral research fellow at the time the research was conducted by a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded training grant, which focuses on preparing behavioral scientists, especially racial/ethnic minorities, to conduct research in the areas of drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, and crime. These funds can only be used to support expenses like stipends, tuition and fees. These funds cannot be used to support research projects."

Defensive posture: National Institutes of Health champions jumped to its defense after The Hill wrote about the coalition study. They draw attention to a recent report documenting the positive economic impact of NIH research.

All in the cards: As part of its campaign to prevent cuts to graduate medical education funding, the National Association of Children's Hospitals is highlighting its "All Stars" — children with severe illnesses who get treated at children's hospitals across the country. The trade association is distributing trading cards with the children's profiles to share with lawmakers.

Red-tape reform: The House Energy and Commerce oversight panel holds a hearing on the Food and Drug Administration's regulation of medical devices and its impact on "American patients, innovation and jobs." Jeffrey Shuren, the director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, testifies after a panel of experts and patients.

Lobby time: Second-quarter lobbying expense filings are due. Who's up, who's down? The numbers will reveal all.

Lobbying registrations:

Health and Medicine Counsel of Washington / National Kidney Foundation

Health and Medicine Counsel of Washington / Kamada, Ltd c/o Access Therapeutics

Greenberg Traurig / MedOptions (behavioral health services)

Polsinelli Shughart / DentaQuest (dental plan)

Venn Strategies / Ikaria (critical care biotherapeutics company)

Reading list: 

Idaho has collected nearly $20 million in federal healthcare reform funds, despite the Republican governor's statement that he wouldn't take money from the new law, the AP reports.

Nebraska and 20 other states filed a brief supporting Missouri's challenge to the individual mandate, the Lincoln Journal-Star reports. The suit is separate from the 26-state challenge pending before a federal appeals court. Missouri's challenge was dismissed by a district court.

More than 100 groups are urging CMS to reject Florida's proposed Medicaid cuts, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

What you might have missed on Healthwatch:

CDC finds sharp rise in obesity

Dirty drinking water often goes unreported, warns the Government Accountability Office

Correction: A Senate HELP Committee mark up of graduate medical education funding for children's hospitals has been postponed until Aug. 3.

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