OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Will mental health be part of gun recommendations?

by Sam Baker and Elise Viebeck - 01/15/13 11:45 PM ET

Enrollment push: Enroll America — the advocacy group formed to build awareness of the Affordable Care Act — took a few big steps forward Tuesday. The group named its president: Anne Filipic, a veteran of the Obama administration and the 2008 campaign. Filipic will lead Enroll America’s push to ensure that people actually participate in the expanded Medicaid program and the newly created insurance exchanges, both of which come online in 2014. Healthwatch has the story on Tuesday’s announcement.

Community care: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Tuesday that 35 new organizations will participate in its Community-based Care Transitions Program (CCTP). The program uses community groups to help provide home and community-based care to seniors who are especially likely to be readmitted after a hospital stay. Roughly 500,000 seniors are now supported by CCTP, the agency said.

No Boehner, no Cantor: Neither John Boehner nor Eric Cantor will take the podium at this year’s “March for Life,” a major anti-abortion-rights protest marking the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade; both lawmakers addressed the crowd at last year’s event. This time, Speaker Boehner (R-Ohio) will deliver a pre-recorded video address, and there are no plans for the House majority leader to speak, either in person or via video link, according to a list of participating lawmakers.

{mosads}A Cantor spokeswoman said the Virginia Republican has participated in the march every year since he was elected in 2001, and that he was “honored” to speak to last year’s crowd. “This year, unfortunately, since the House is not in session, [Cantor] will not be in Washington,” Megan Whittemore said. Read more at Healthwatch.

About that extension: FreedomWorks claimed victory for opponents of the Affordable Care Act in the decision to extend the deadline for states to set up their exchanges. In a statement Tuesday, the group’s vice president of Health Policy said the “wheels are coming off the bus” when it comes to President Obama’s signature healthcare law, “and the administration is getting desperate.”

“FreedomWorks is emboldened by this silent admission of defeat, and we plan to redouble our efforts to block the ‘ObamaCare’ exchanges and to pressure Congress to reconsider this misguided, unconstitutional law,” said Dean Clancy.

The Health and Human Services Department (HHS) wants states to operate their own marketplaces as the Affordable Care Act intended, but is prepared to step in if they refuse.

Wednesday’s schedule

Business Roundtable, the association of leading CEOs, will release recommendations to reform Social Security and Medicare.

State by state

Utah, HHS quibble over state insurance market

Experts: Proposed NY gun law might hinder therapy

Florida business owners wonder what the health law means for them

Reading list

Meet Anne Filipic, the woman tasked with selling ‘ObamaCare’

CVS, Rite Aid see flu shot shortages amid demand surge

Controversial bonus program seen boosting Medicare Advantage plans [free reg. req’d]

No exercise, more than couch, tied to fat in kids

What you might have missed on Healthwatch