The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a new report Monday showing that more than 5 million Americans with traditional Medicare — or nearly one in six people with Medicare — took advantage of one or more of the recommended free preventive benefits.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a new report Monday showing that more than 5 million Americans with traditional Medicare — or nearly one in six people with Medicare — took advantage of one or more of the recommended free preventive benefits.

Arizona is getting $1 million from the federal government “to help crack down on unreasonable health insurance premium hikes.’’

More than a year after President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, health care experts who gathered in Glendale Friday said the law continues to evolve. “This is a very fluid piece of legislation,” said Ruthann Laswick of Black, Gould & Associates. “HHS (the Department of Health and Human Services) is constantly making clarifications. What you’re told one day could be completely different a few days later because their interpretation has changed.”

More than a year after President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, health care experts who gathered in Glendale Friday said the law continues to evolve. “This is a very fluid piece of legislation,” said Ruthann Laswick of Black, Gould & Associates. “HHS (the Department of Health and Human Services) is constantly making clarifications. What you’re told one day could be completely different a few days later because their interpretation has changed.”

State lawmakers took the first steps Wednesday to reversing their decision to cut state-provided health care for about 350,000 adults and children.

Insurance for people with pre-existing conditions. Consistent benefits for seniors. An ability for children to stay on their parents’ insurance plans until their 27th birthday. The controversial health care reform bill signed into law Tuesday by President Barack Obama brings about a number of changes to various population groups in Arizona.

More than a year after President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, health care experts who gathered in Glendale Friday said the law continues to evolve. “This is a very fluid piece of legislation,” said Ruthann Laswick of Black, Gould & Associates. “HHS (the Department of Health and Human Services) is constantly making clarifications. What you’re told one day could be completely different a few days later because their interpretation has changed.”

It was smiles and back-slapping all around on Tuesday as your state and county officials paved the way for raising your taxes. There are other reasons for putting creation of a Valley hospital district on the November ballot, to be sure, but it really comes down to shaking more money out of taxpayers' pockets.

The U.S. Health and Human Services now has a Facebook page where people can learn about the Affordable Care Act. Information can be found at www.facebook.com/Healthcare.gov. “This new page is another resource that people can use to learn about and discuss health care issues that are important to them, their family, or their small business,’’ said Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

In a nationally significant decision, the Illinois Supreme Court recently demolished the Republicans’ favorite tort-reform tactic. It nullified a law limiting non-economic liability damages for medical malpractice to $500,000 for doctors, $1 million for hospitals. According to the court, the state legislature unconstitutionally usurped the judiciary’s jurisdiction.

In a nationally significant decision, the Illinois Supreme Court recently demolished the Republicans’ favorite tort-reform tactic. It nullified a law limiting non-economic liability damages for medical malpractice to $500,000 for doctors, $1 million for hospitals. According to the court, the state legislature unconstitutionally usurped the judiciary’s jurisdiction.

Dorcas R. Hardy and Bart Fleming: The U.S. healthcare system is in need of genuine reform, but the plan prescribed by Congress needs a label, "This plan is hazardous to your health and your finances."

Jason Leon: Roughly 84,000 lives could be saved every year if the gaps in mortality between African Americans and whites were erased. We know that differences in culture, language and non-verbal cues between patient and provider are also critically important.

When my neighbor, who operates a small business, had a stroke, the first thing that came to mind as paramedics wheeled him away was, "Does he have health insurance?"

Linda Turley-Hansen: No one knows who to believe, or where to seek reliable information. Thus, I borrow from two exceptional Wall Street Journal articles to continue in my efforts to warn of the attacks against our most basic freedoms.

Regardless of what you think about the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also called Obama Care, the delivery of healthcare in the U.S. needs a major overhaul. The focus should be on patients and on high value healthcare. That means doing what it takes to get better outcomes, better safety, better service at lower overall costs — a focus on value, not on volume.

WASHINGTON – Arizona could lose more than 9,800 health-care and other jobs next year if a 2 percent cut in Medicare takes effect Jan. 2 as part of the $1.2 trillion federal budget “sequestration,” a new report claims.

Lawn Griffiths: As I follow the firestorm debate regarding a major reform of America’s healthcare system, I wonder aloud why such a grand nation of highly evolved and educated people cannot figure it out. A capability for resolving major national problems, which we possessed in the past, is now gone.

Martin Schram: Obama finally found his true pitch for selling healthcare reform, not to the Have Nots, but the Haves who don't want to lose what they've got.

Chuck Bongiovanni: As we age, we naturally utilize more health-care services. Fortunately, “The Affordable Health Choice Act” has provisions in it that can increase patient choice, deter wasteful spending and drive down costs.

The Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce will host “Health Care Reform: What’s the Prognosis for Your Business?,” on Nov. 14.